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Are Media Ethics Changing?

With Twitter becoming a media darling as of late, it has been the target of countless questions about its financial stability.  Journalists from the mainstream media to blogs have been discussing and speculating on its viability for months.  Obviously, any chance to satisfy one’s curiosity and see the actual numbers would be a dream come true for many reporters.  But where is the line drawn on methods used to obtain information?

TechCrunch actually got its hands on these numbers.  The influential blog obtained Twitter’s private financial documents via a hacker who targeted a company employee and broke into her Google Enterprise Apps account where the documents were stored.  As news spread throughout the industry, experts began to focus less on how the documents were obtained and more on the implications to Twitter, Google and enterprise cloud adoption.

If we ignore how this story came to light, are we slowly inching our way toward the edge of a very steep cliff?  By obtaining these documents through illegal means, TechCrunch is dangerously close to setting a new standard for information-gathering practices in the media.  And with the industry not united in criticizing the methodology, it will be interesting to see if more private company data ends up on the front page in months to come.

By Kate Reed

You're Doing it Wrong! Or Maybe You're Not ...

Every once in a while a sanity check is needed. Whether it’s in your personal or professional life, it’s often important to stop and take a look at what you’re doing to see if it’s working.  This is something we’re constantly doing with our clients.  Is that plan going to work for you?  Are the channels we’re using effectively driving toward your business goals?  If the answer is no, it’s time to come up with something that will work better.

Recently, there’s been a lot of buzz about how social media should be used in PR.  There are theories coming from every extreme.  A July 5 article in The New York Times suggests that social media should be the only part of a successful PR campaign, while others like the folks at PRWeek argue that moderation is key.  I’m inclined to believe the latter.  While social media and networking Web sites have been instrumental in building visibility and relationships for clients – they simply aren’t going to work for everyone.  Your Twitter handle might get you recognized by a handful of key influencers and it might even get you “re-Tweeted.”  But I’d still argue that a two-page feature story in BusinessWeek about one of your key customers is still more valuable than a BusinessWeek reporter just Tweeting about your company, no matter how many followers he or she has.

So maybe you are doing it wrong?  Maybe you should be looking to social media to help increase visibility for your company – to influencers, investors, media and your customers.  Or, maybe you’re doing it right.  Striking the ideal balance of traditional tactics paired with the new roads of social media and networking may be the way to go.  A lot remains to be seen.  And frankly, it’s an ever-changing road.  So long as you keep your eyes open and consistently evaluating whether the path you’re on is taking you where you want to go, you’ll be sure to see what you’re doing wrong … and what you’re doing right.

By Meghan Attreed

A Twitter Shelf Life?

Now that we can all admit that Twitter has gone from a geek-exclusive curiosity to a fully entrenched component of mainstream culture, I grow “curiouser and curiouser” at what the shelf life for this microblogging phenomenon will be – or if there will even be one. 

It’s a question that’s been explored in the press, with some screaming “fad!” and others already embracing it as a cultural mainstay.  For business purposes the question carries added weight, as companies hem and haw over just how much of their already-taxed marketing resources to devote to something that may turn out to simply be the flavor of the month.  

I’ll admit that I was hesitant about Twitter at first and I still occasionally have concerns about its implications for society as a whole.  But its practical application as a business tool is huge, and I’ve come to recognize its value as another outlet for engaging with media, analysts, clients and colleagues.  Most of the time either I or an associate have used it to pitch a reporter or capitalize on an industry trend, which translated into tangible benefits for a client.  In this respect I’ll absolutely attest to its usefulness.

But that still doesn’t answer the question – how long does it have?  I ask this not because of my initial reticence to see its value, but simply, objectively, because of the sheer speed of its rise to prominence.  Many took notice of the recent MySpace news that the company is cutting its workforce by 30 percent, an obvious indication of its rapid overexpansion and inability to see beyond its own shelf life.  Facebook, having gone through more identity crises than Lindsay Lohan, may face a similar fate.  Yet neither of these networks seem to have penetrated the mainstream consciousness as quickly as Twitter.  So does this mean its fall, if it comes at all, will be equally as rapid?

Maybe.  Maybe not.  MySpace has never been used as substantially as its counterparts for business purposes, but its example should still be seen as a cautionary tale.  Regardless, companies need to think long and hard before putting all their strategic eggs in one social networking basket, be it Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. 

Social networking tools should be viewed as just that – tools.  A means to an end.  Companies should always be seeking new ways to communicate messages as broadly and effectively as possible to the right audiences, using the tools that will facilitate the growth of relationships meaningfully and genuinely.  A comprehensive new-media strategy will incorporate any and all tools that will enable this, but will also allow the flexibility to pull back on the use of those that cease to provide value.  

The nature and speed of today’s social networking environment is such that Twitter may be around for years to come – or it may be gone within a year.  The best thing a company can do right now is to prepare for either scenario.  

By Mark Van Hook

Tips for "Selling Yourself" in the Business World

I had the pleasure this week of working with one of my favorite organizations, Upwardly Global.  This non-profit organization helps highly skilled and educated legal immigrants reclaim professional careers here in the United States and works closely with U.S. employers to better tap this hidden talent pool.  Articulate has worked on a pro bono basis with UpGlo (as it’s affectionately nicknamed) for several years, coaching and conducting presentation skills training for job candidates.  I was a featured panelist at a job fair this week, speaking specifically to job candidates about what they can be doing to succeed when they get their shot at a job.  Many of the tips are common sense.  All of them are also key to learning how to sell yourself in any professional situation, whether it’s on a job interview, pitching a new-business prospect or engaging a reporter or analyst in a conversation about your client.

1.  Engage your audience.  Whether it’s a one-person meeting or telephone call or a group presentation, take the time to make conversation and learn something “human” about your audience.  The real key to winning is likeability.

2.  Don’t rely on charm alone.  All the charm and witty repartee won’t close the deal.  You still need to be credible and knowledgeable, so take the time to feel comfortable with the subject and learn about who you’re meeting with.

3.  Be concise.  Listen to yourself, and look for opportunities to stop talking.  Strive to be concise and pointed in your answers.  As with many things in life, less can really be much, much more.

4.  Ask questions.  Almost without exclusion, people like to talk about themselves.  Use this to your advantage in an interview situation by asking them about their business, their goals, their expectations – anything to make it obvious you want to learn about their business and then apply those learnings to your ongoing discussion or follow up.

5.  Anticipate their questions.  Thinking up short, concise answers on your feet can be daunting.  Instead, spend a few minutes thinking about the interviewer’s potential questions of you, and prepare your answers beforehand. 

6.  Fake it ’til you make it.  Most people respond very positively to friendly and energetic people, especially in an interview or “first meeting” situation.  Psych yourself up for interviews to ensure you’re putting your best foot forward to make a positive first impression.

7.  Practice makes perfect.  Sure, presenting and “selling yourself” can feel extremely awkward at first.  But the more you practice, the better it will feel, which means the better you will be.

By Laura Grimmer

Twitter 2.0

Twitter is in the headlines once again in the wake of the uprising in Iran.  Ridiculed as the “domain of the narcissist,” the micro-blogging service proved to be integral in the spread of news from Iran as mainstream journalists were forced to temper their reporting.  Twitter proved so vital that the U.S. Department of Defense stepped in to demand the company forgo a planned outage. 

After an initial hesitation to embrace the service, we’ve been successfully utilizing Twitter for many different needs here at Articulate, from gathering news and building relationships with reporters to networking and broadcasting client news.  Catering heavily to early adopters (technology industry reporters), it wasn’t hard for us to extract value from Twitter, but for the average person, the service still suffered from a lack of personal utility.

Now that Twitter has shown some ability to be useful to the “everyday person,” it will be interesting to see how it grows.  Will we start seeing companies and causes leverage the service for the advancement of their ideals?  Will news articles begin to focus on how the service has helped actual people or will we continue to face a constant blight of reports on Ashton Kutcher’s daily activities? 

By Kate Reed

SIFMA 2009

For the past few months, many “Articulaters” have been swept up in planning.  Not just for the long-awaited (and still being waited upon) summer; rather, for the SIFMA Technology Management Conference – one of the largest fintech events, especially for securities, capital markets and investment services.

While I’m not a SIFMA newbie, I haven’t been going for two-plus decades like some of my peers.  I missed the SIFMAs of the 1990s, before the boom and bluster of the Dot.com crash.  My frame of reference is the 2000s – full of all the high-performance computing jargon, latency benchmarks, Web 2.0, widgets galore, booth babes and nary an empty glass in sight.

This year’s show was quite different though.  Rather than the hustle and bustle of last year’s pre-Lehman Brothers’ collapse event of 7,000, including vendors, sell- and buy-side end users, exchanges and more, this year’s event was down by at least a third, if not by half.  If anything, it served as a stark reminder of how many have been impacted by Wall Street and its supporting industries.  Perhaps in all this the media industry has fared the worst.  With dwindling vendors and ever-shrinking budgets for advertising, it’s the publishers, editors, journalists and support staff that bear the brunt of the pain. 

I’m not trying to paint an all-dour picture.  In fact, many remarked that the quality of attendees was up.  There were prospects, partners and service providers abound across the exhibition halls and meeting rooms of the midtown Hilton.

On a personal note, I had the pleasure of working with Articulate client Portware to celebrate the success of those still making things happen and representing the best in the industry:  the analysts and journalists that highlight the goings-on, breaking news, trends and predictions.  After watching long-time friends, formidable competitors and all-around industry legends (Madoff, anyone?) falter and sometimes fall in the past year, Portware had the courage to highlight the positive things that are happening.  With the help of a charity auction, some Clear Channel friends and a phenomenal designer, Portware found its way to fame on a billboard – the Times Square JumboTron.  The ad, running every 15 minutes, reminded us to look up at what’s in front of us.

I’m extremely proud not only of the always-resilient fintech community, but especially for my colleagues – the team members who worked long hours, our fantastic clients who came out in full force and my peers in the industry.  Congrats on a well-deserved event.  After all, SIFMA is a reminder that it’s an incredibly small – and hopefully finished-shrinking – industry in which I’m happy to be a part.

By Katy Zack

Summer in the City

Summer is upon us in New York and I couldn’t be more excited about the warm weather and the time spent outdoors.  Recently, I was thinking about the impact this season has on the business community here.  With many working short weeks and taking extended vacations, there is a perception that all aspects of our professional lives consequently slow down.  In my two years working in technology PR, I’ve discovered that this isn’t really true.

The summer holds many important industry events and networking opportunities.  One is the Annual SIFMA Technology Management Conference & Exhibit.  For all intents and purposes, this is the marquee event for the financial technology (fintech) community.  Most major players in the space circle the event on their calendars each year, as it presents a vast array of opportunities to connect with key industry decision makers.  As always, Articulate will be well represented at the event with our rapidly growing number of fintech clients, including ACTIV, Derivix, OptionMetrics and Portware.

Another great event that takes places every month is The New York Tech Meet Up.  This is always a hit with the local tech community, especially during the summer when it’s often held at an outdoor venue.  You can often find several “Articulaters” there! 

Finally, there’s the Articulate Summer Party, everyone’s favorite event of the season.  Information on the date and location of this year’s event is coming soon.  In the meantime, enjoy the nice weather and I hope to see you at these events!

By Jonathan Klein

Is This the Beginning of an IT Revolution?

In the midst of shaky earnings reports and record-high unemployment rates, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates was filled with positive thoughts at the company’s annual CEO Summit last week.  Addressing an audience filled with a “who’s who” of the business world, Gates remarked that the IT revolution was only just beginning and that the technology market will pull the U.S. out of the current recession.

While the technology industry has seen its fair share of hard times as a result of the economy, it’s still in a much better place than many other markets.  With technology so deeply ingrained in both our personal and professional lives – so much so that work comes to a standstill with the crash of an e-mail server and people line up for days to purchase the next-generation version of the iPhone – it’s not hard to see why.   

As we’ve seen in the past, the best innovation comes during the hardest of times.  The Dot.com crash served as the catalyst for Google and the concept of social networking – and yet back then many thought the U.S. economy would never recover. 

While there have been a lot of gloom-and-doom predictions made in the past few months, very few have come to pass.  I have faith in Gates’ positive thinking and can’t wait to see what new technology I won’t be able to live without 10 years from now!

By Kate Reed

An Exciting Hire!

As Articulate went on its search to find the perfect account coordinator, we encountered some very interesting, talented folks along the way.   In an economy such as this, when companies attempt to make an entry-level hire, they will often come across many overqualified candidates that apply for the job.  There are obviously two very opposing schools of thought here when it comes to these hires.   Do you hire someone overqualified, at a lower price and hope that he or she will stay when the economy gets better, or do you hire the person who would be the best fit for the position right now?  The answer is not black and white; I guess it depends on your company.     

For us at Articulate, the choice was simple.  We found the right candidate at the right level.  We found someone who truly wanted to be part of our team, regardless of what other opportunities may or may not have been out there.   Well, we’re pleased to say that on Monday, June 1, our new account coordinator, Danielle Mandragona, will be joining the Articulate team!

We’re very much looking forward to working with her!

By Kate Corcoran

Life in Technicolor (Tweets)

A few months ago, I blogged about how I was just starting off with Twitter.  It was scary and overwhelming, but very cool.  Now, almost a half a year later, I’m finding myself pretty proficient.  I have close to 200 followers, which I know is nothing compared to some of you.  But I’m proud of the fact that they are legitimate pros in the PR and technology industries.  OK, I might have some family and friends floating around, but, for the most part, my followers are legit!
 
Last week, I had a “Twitter first.”  I got to “Live Tweet” at a customer event and it was a really great experience.  One of my clients, CT Wolters Kluwer Corporate Legal Solutions, the legal tech giants, held a customer event at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York.

Appreciating the power of social media, CT let me walk around the event with my BlackBerry and simply Tweet about it!  I got to talk to clients, listen in on conversations and explore the ship – all while sharing tidbits of industry news, trends and observations.  The results were surprising.  Not only did I get a slew of new followers (all legit!), but I got a lot of great feedback from them as well. 

I urge all of you to consider “Live Tweeting” your next event – especially if it will generate valuable content that others want to hear about.  It’s a completely new way to get your name out there and reach new audiences.  A few tips to consider if you decide to do it:

• Don’t be overly commercial:  Keep your Tweets as vendor neutral as possible.  This is not the time to inundate your followers with information about how great you are.  It’s a time to showcase your thought leadership.  Trust me, if you do this, you will get a lot of new followers.  If you make it a non-stop commercial, you’ll lose a lot of followers too.   
• Think about a hashtag:  Hashtags organize information on Twitter and help searchers find news quickly.  I didn’t use a hashtag for the CT event, but if you’re going to a large event – say Interop or DEMO – definitely create a hashtag or use one associated with the event in your Tweets.  Anyone searching for event-related news will see your Tweets.   
• Don’t go Tweet crazy:  There is always the person on Twitter who Tweets every 30 seconds and is super annoying.  Personally, nothing makes me want to “unfollow” someone more than that.  I made up an unofficial rule for “Live Tweeting” – only do it every 10 to15 minutes.  Anything more and you run the risk of alienating followers.   
• Let your followers know ahead of time:  Be sure to let your followers know that you’ll be “Live Tweeting” at an event well beforehand.  This way, the ones that are interested will know to check in with you regularly.
• Follow me:  Shameless plug!  Remember to follow me on Twitter:  @meggarnett.

By Megan Garnett