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“Everybody’s On the Internet, and Nobody Cares”

I really enjoy Marco Arment‘s blog and the links he posts and comments on. And I recently read his post, “We’re Just Flipping Through Index Cards”, with a reference to a podcast interview John Roderick by Myke Hurley that got me thinking. John is talking about the music industry, and Marco is talking about the app store. But a lot of it rings true for enterprise IT, too.

The old gatekeepers of information are history

PR Before the Internet

Here’s an example, thanks to Marco’s transcript:

[Ten years ago,] you were dependent on this whole cultural architecture of magazine writers, newspaper writers, college radio, commercial radio, public radio… and if your record got into the stream, and the right person liked it and talked about it, then pretty soon you’ve created a storm of interest that started with one or two people who decided that this record was something that really mattered.

Now substitute “tech press” and “tech analysts” for the influencers he’s referring to and you see where I’m going with this. It used to be that corporate PR could focus on a few well-known individuals to get their message out, just like the music industry focused on DJs and music writers.

I was one of those writers near the tail end; my friend Howard Marks was there in the thick of it. He tells tales of magazines so thick with ads they had to pay extra for articles just to meet postal service “minimum content” rules! And Gartner was the strongest force in the enterprise IT space, with end users paying for their recommendations and following them to the letter.

Democracy Wins!

But that’s all gone now. Storage Magazine folded, and only a few publications remain professional, relevant, and useful (hello, Network Computing!) Even conferences have changed, with independent shows being replaced by vendor-controlled events.

Where do end users go for advice and information about new products? And where to corporate PR and marketing folks go to talk about their wares?

John continues:

Well, five years ago, all of a sudden the conventional wisdom started to change. “Oh, no, we don’t have to do any of that anymore! You just put it on the internet, everybody listens to it, and ‘the crowd’ decides! And you don’t have to do any of that bullshit anymore. You can just tweet about your record, and everybody’s going to listen to it and love it!”

And for a brief moment, when the internet was still comprised mostly of all the right people, it was just the cool kids that were on there. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah could put out a record on Myspace, and the cool kids would all get it.

That was the enterprise IT world about 5 years ago when we started Tech Field Day. A few of us had made the jump to the Internet, and some great new folks started to appear. And what we said mattered just because someone was there, and they were saying something.

Another great thing happened thanks to the Internet (especially blogging and Twitter): Techies became influencers. The old guard ignored the Internet at first. Then they tried to firewall their content and make people pay. Then their empires collapsed. Content was king and democracy won, for a while at least.

What Now?

But in the last few years, things have been changing. Everyone is on Twitter and “social media professionals” have been gaming the system long enough that link fatigue is setting in. Here’s John again:

But, of course, that window was short-lived. Now, we’re back to a world where everybody’s on the internet, and nobody cares. Nobody’s following your tweet link to your record anymore! Except your fans, people who already like you.

My Twitter feed is now 85% links to people’s Kickstarters and YouTube videos. And I only follow people I know! Imagine following your favorite bands — it would be never-ending. Everybody’s trying to promote themselves the same way.

The problem is now, if you hire a publicist, what are they doing? They’re just tweeting about it, too, because the magazines are gone, the record stores are gone… it’s anybody’s guess how to promote a record now. …

I’m sure this sounds familiar to enterprise IT PR and marketing folks. They fill their corporate Twitter accounts with links but get few tweets. They try to build up their Facebook pages because that’s what the pros say to do, but have precious little actual engagement. And they’re inundated with potential social media outlets, from tweeters to online publications to events. But there’s just too much chaff and not enough wheat!

It’s Not the End of the World

In that podcast, John bemoans the decline he sees in the quality of music today, seemingly blaming it on this noisy social media world. I don’t agree.

I only heard John’s views because Marco blogged it. He presumably only heard it because he listens to CMD+Space and respects Myke. And I only listen to Marco because he has a history of posting quality content. See where this is going?

Social media is increasingly filled with noise like the Kickstarter and YouTube links John bemoans. But this just makes it more important to build a reputation and real relationships. “Followers” and “likes” are irrelevant if they’re hollow, and these are proliferating. But nothing can take the place of real credibility. People like Marco, Myke, and John are more important than ever, and they do make a real impact on opinions.

What We’re Doing

The same is true for PR in enterprise IT. You can’t just hire self-proclaimed social media experts and build followers. You can’t trust generic social media metrics without context. You have to build real relationships and have credible conversations with people that are respected in your space. These are the new writers and analysts.

One of the hardest parts of planning Tech Field Day is saying “no” to people we like. We know dozens of great folks in wireless, storage, networking, and the rest, but only a few can go to each event. It’s heartbreaking to tell folks they can’t come this time, but this is what we have to do. Tech Field Day wouldn’t work with 30 people in the room (we’ve tried!) so we have to pick just a few key folks. And our presenters love knowing that they’re reaching top people in their specific area of focus, chosen by their peers.

What makes Gestalt IT, Foskett Services, and Tech Field Day different is us. We’re not some generic social media company. We’re the audience as well as the speaker. We’re enterprise IT people and we would not do this if we didn’t love it. We believe we’re doing the “good work” John is looking for in the music industry: Setting up real conversations and building real connections in an open and democratic way.

Tech Field Day lets companies talk with influencers selected by their peers rather than arbitrary social media metrics

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The Power of Negative Publicity

Wouldn't you rather buy based on a review with negatives as well as praise?

Basic logic tells us that negative opinions have a negative impact on our perceptions. If a man leaves a restaurant complaining about the service, he’s likely to drive other customers away. But this is not always the case: even negative reviews provide publicity and visibility, and a good can outshine the bad.

The Curious Case of the Envy 100

Last month I went shopping for a new computer printer after my trusty HP Photosmart give up the ghost. Being an iPad user, I decided to look for one that supported Apple’s AirPrint functionality. This left me looking once again at HP’s product line.

As I so often do, I spent some time familiarizing myself with the various products before heading out to the store. I quickly discovered that no one had yet analyzed only those printers that support AirPrint. Since I was interested in the topic, I decided to write up my experiences for my blog.

I was initially impressed by HP’s sleek and shiny Envy 100 all in one printer, but further investigation revealed the basic printer engine underneath. I concluded that the Envy 100 was not a good value for the money, and instead purchased the plain but functional Photosmart Premium FAX model instead.

But a funny thing happened since I posted my review. Of the tens of thousands of unique visitors my series on HP’s AirPrint compatible printers generated, dozens of people clicked through my links the Amazon to purchase one of the models listed. Surprisingly, HP’s Envy model is the top seller among those who purchased based on my series of reviews.

Credible Means Fair and Balanced

Why would someone rush out to buy after reading a negative review? Perhaps the answer lies in the review itself. Although I concluded that the Envy 100 was not a good value, I did praise its good looks and features. I also pointed out that fashion-conscious Apple buyers (who incidentally make up a large portion of my audience) would find the printer appealing. In short, my review was fair rather than negative.

I have found that fairness, mixing the good with the bad, yields much better results than effusive praise. This is especially true on the Internet, where credibility matters above all else. Clearly, my readers felt that my review was a fair depiction of the product and made their buying decision based on this unbiased view.

Lesson Learned

Corporate marketers can learn a lot from this experience. Although it can be upsetting to see the negative aspects of your product called out in public, it may not be the catastrophe you anticipate. It is difficult to let go and allow social media and unbiased reviews to stand, but they are your best advocate. Don’t get too upset when the commentary goes negative, as long as the overall tone is fair.

You might also want to read 4 Steps To Respond When Social Media Goes Negative and Always Punch Above Your Weight

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When Marketing Becomes Pointless

EMC taunted NetApp by parking these cars at their HQ. What was the point?

When I was 19, I presented a paper at a conference alongside former (and present) California Governor, Jerry Brown. Being a radical punk, I wore a Dead Kennedys shirt while chatting with him. Somewhere I have a picture. But Jerry didn’t “get” the message I was sending, and I’m not sure why I did it anyway. I actually respected what he said at the event about urban renewal, and his politics were much more to my liking at the time than those of Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush.

I was reminded of this pointless stunt this week on hearing that EMC parked branded cars and power-washed their logo in front of rival NetApp’s headquarters. Aside from the glee of the EMC crew and annoyance from my NetApp contacts, I came away asking “what’s the point?” Was this stunt an effective way of messaging their new products? Would it demoralize the NetApp employees? Would it energize the EMC staff? Would it garner publicity and coverage? Or was it merely a silly and pointless stunt?

What’s the Point?

Marketers should always ask themselves this question when considering new initiatives. Creativity knows no bounds, and Internet and guerilla marketing tactics often turn to tactics ripped from the obnoxious MTV shows, Jackass and Punk’d. But even well-intentioned campaigns can go awry: It is common for technology companies to focus on communicating cool features instead of usability.

Do customers need “record-breaking” performance or easier systems management? EMC themed their entire January 18 announcement on the former, including claims that their new products were 2x, 3x, or even 7x faster than the competition. But, to me, the highlight of this product rollout was “Unisphere”, the simplified management application for their low-end systems. I believe that Unisphere and reseller support will sell more VNXe storage arrays than Xeon multi-core processors or 6 Gb SAS. Don’t worry if you don’t understand the technical references in that last sentence: The intended audience for these products don’t know or care about all that, either.

Making a Splash

“Candy doesn’t have to have a point. That’s what makes it candy.” – Charlie Bucket’s explanation of Willy Wonka

But not all marketing efforts are designed to make a point directly. Many are intended to make a splash, in hopes of attracting attention. Entertaining marketing is much more common and rewarding than dry, factual statements. This explains EMC’s world-record motorcycle jump, Mini Cooper stuffing, and (literal) record breaking on the 18th: They wanted to grab attention.

EMC's "record breaking" stunts raised visibility for a new line of storage products

It worked. EMC drew the attention of the entire industry; even those that refused to participate joined in! This is my second writeup resulting from the event, and will not be my last. And EMC’s share prices rose to a 10-year high in the run-up to the announcement. Clearly much of the effort was executed correctly.

Weigh the Benefits

Although it is easier to count the cost, it is wise to weigh the potential benefits of marketing efforts:

  • Will it increase visibility of my company or product?
  • Will it spread the word about a valuable feature or benefit?
  • Will it cause customers to consider buying from my in the future?
  • Will it reassure current customers that they made the correct choice?
  • Will it help my employees, vendors, and investors to feel motivated and positive?
  • Will it cause my competitors to make a mistake?

If few or none of these outcomes are likely, perhaps it’s time to consider a more-effective strategy.

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The Four Stages of Vendor Blogging

Successful vendor blogging requires a careful balance between corporate Kool Aid and personal authenticity

It’s not easy to be a public face for your employer, and doubly so when you’re using social media. Blogs, tweets, and the like value personal authenticity (and shun “corporateness”), forcing vendor bloggers to walk a tightrope:

  • Sway too far towards your own personality and beliefs and someone from PR or marketing is going to smack you
  • Sway too far towards the press release mentality of “old communications” and your audience will abandon you

It can be hard to accept this burden, and many a bright young blogger flames out as the reality of the situation settles upon them. Yet some emerge from the trials with a reasonable philosophy and are able to continue – witness the success of folks like Chuck Hollis, Val Bercovici, Barton George, Duncan Epping, Lori MacVittie, Brad Hedlund, and many others.

Let’s consider the stages new vendor bloggers go through as they mature into a viable and authentic voice for their employer.

1) Drinking the Sweet Nectar

It’s tempting to drink the corporate Kool-Aid and jump head-first into the fray with a company-logo shield in one hand and product sword in the other. After all, if social media is a sure way to promote your employer, why not take the plunge and reap the rewards?

Because it won’t work, that’s why. Adults don’t go for overly-sweet drinks, and they won’t read “Corporate Kool-Aid” posts. This category of writing tends to be totally over-the-top corporate cheerleading: Ignoring one’s own faults, jumping on the shortcomings of competitors, and expounding on the merits of simple press-release content.

New employees often start here, but those who have worked for a while often skip this step. This is why some “people who blog and work for companies” aren’t really “vendor bloggers” at all – see, for example, Chris Hoff and Marc Farley. But who is and isn’t a “vendor blogger” is a topic for a different day!

2) Stepping Over the Line

Whether they start with Kool-Aid or with self-respect, the next step for bloggers (and tweeters, Facebookers, and other public speakers) who work for companies is to step over the line and get slapped for it. Perhaps they will enter a discussion charged with corporate or real-world politics; perhaps they will overzealously release inside information; or perhaps they will simply overshadow the marketing efforts of the company. Regardless, the repercussions are terrifying: Loss of “the mic”, a reprimand from the boss, or even an employment threat.

This is usually the low point for a vendor blogger. An act of corporate promotion becomes a threat to their employment, and they begin to question the wisdom of it all. “Keep your head down and do your job” seems like a reasoned response. Many an aspiring “public voice” is silenced at this stage. Trust me – I’ve been there, too.

3) Parroting the Press Release

Those who decide to persevere after the corporate slap-down tend to resume with a stripped-down, PR-focused style. Their blog posts contain a straightforward paragraph of praise followed by blocks pasted from official press releases. Their posting becomes less-frequent, too, as their heart has gone out of it.

If the “over the line” stage is personally risky, the parrot stage poses the greatest risk to one’s reputation. We all know that the Kool-Aid tasted great, so we can forgive posts that start with “my new job is awesome!” But seeing a formerly-vigorous individual reduced to quoting corporate marketing is harder to take. If many blogs disappear after phase 2, more are ignored when they reach this phase.

4) Being Honest and Forthright

If they survive the earlier stages, vendor bloggers eventually emerge as honest and forthright voices for their employer. They will try to avoid drawing attention to faults, writing about the highlights instead. When pressed, they will point to their tie of employment and hope the reader understands why they cannot say some things.

Great vendor bloggers are compromised and have sacrificed some authenticity. But their honesty about the situation makes this ok, and their creativity and thoughtfulness keeps the readers coming back.

It’s a tough task and not everyone can do it. But some can, and they earn my respect.

Image credit: “One Hundred + 16 — Drinking the Kool-Aid” by Khürt

“Kool-Aid” is a trademark of Kraft Foods and is used here for the purpose of satire

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How To Get People To Share Your Tweets, Blog Posts, and Updates

Want a lot of retweets? Be interesting, personable, and have something to say!

It’s funny how powerful the thoughts of individuals have become. A reasonably popular blog can post an item on a new product and outrank the company that made it in the all-important first page of Google results. Corporate blogs, Twitter accounts, social networking sites, and the rest have sprung up everywhere, all trying to fight it out with “just plain folks” for “social media” mindshare. But most corporate shills fail miserably and are forced to resort to extraordinary means to make their content “go viral.” This is ironic because the secret to getting people to share your tweets, blog posts, videos, updates, etc is really quite simple!

Why Are You Here?

Most real people get into “social networking” because they enjoy networking in a social environment. They want to chat, gossip, laugh, cry, and do all those normal social things. And sites like Twitter and Facebook enable this kind of socializing like nothing we’ve ever seen before. They’re like a mind-bogglingly massive coffee shop where everyone has a favorite table full of friends.

Corporate marketing folks see social networking entirely differently. They see it as a way to influence public perception and drive purchasing. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing; it’s just what corporations do. And it’s not a new thing either; companies have been buying billboards and sponsoring events as long as there have been companies.

What Are You Doing?

Societies develop social norms to smooth all sorts of interactions. We are taught from youth to avoid interrupting the conversations of others, intruding on their space, or shouting inappropriate comments.

People are happy to discuss deeply personal topics with total strangers in the right setting. And they’re happy to share the thoughts and aspirations (and even product recommendations) of others if they find them compelling. But people are instantly turned off when these social actions are directed or demanded by outsiders.

Interacting As People Not Corporations

I always shudder when I hear a corporation saying they want to “join the online conversation.” My reaction is not because I want corporations to stay away but that they so often fumble these interactions.

A failure to be human is the main error made in online corporate communications efforts. Companies are full of passionate, committed individuals who are genuinely interested in tires, snack foods, or computers, but too often fail to let these folks be themselves online. Instead, they compose bland, self-interested marketing pablum and wonder why the world doesn’t care to read it.

The Secrets

My “secrets” to online communications aren’t really all that difficult. But it seems like many of us need constant reminding of what we already know when it comes to personal interaction:

  1. Say something interesting if you want to get your blog post shared, your video “liked”, or generate some retweets. It’s as simple as that. Have some personality, focus on the reader rather than corporate messaging, and watch what happens.
  2. Be genuine when writing, sharing, and tweeting. My rule for blogging is to write about things I care about. This helps me generate content ideas but also automatically filters out marketing nonsense.
  3. Don’t barge in where you’re not wanted. Don’t expect people to react kindly to obvious advertising. Would an auto garage owner interrupt a conversation about ski vacations to promote snow tires?
  4. Be transparent when talking about work-related topics. Don’t worry – disclosing your employer will make you seem more genuine and personable, and failure to do so will backfire in spectacular fashion.
  5. Have patience and humility and wait for things to “click.” You can’t force people to pay attention to you without seeming like a fool. Be real and give it time.

So write some corporate blog posts and tweet from the corporate account. But do it in a way that shows the human being behind the keyboard. Your efforts to be you will be well rewarded! And if you want me to retweet, reshare, or “like” your corporate posts, you had better keep the sales-speak in check!

Image credit: The Birds by edu_fon

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Our New Thing Is Awesome (‘Cause Our Old Thing Sucked)

New product releases always expose dirty laundry

Isn’t it funny how marketers feel the need to promote their new products by degrading their old ones. It’s inevitable, really, that improvements highlight shortcomings, but it just becomes so glaring sometimes. Is there a right and wrong way to go about messaging an upgrade?

It Goes Without Saying

Product upgrades ought to improve on the shortcomings of the past, or you have a serious case of “the update treadmill” on your hands. In fact, if there’s no dirty laundry aired in the new version’s unveiling, you ought to consider whether an upgrade is really required!

Many bugs and shortcomings are widely publicized. Microsoft didn’t need to worry about devaluing Windows Vista when they talked about Windows 7 because the damage had already been done. It’s safe to air this laundry because everyone has already seen it!

Was It Really That Bad?

But what happens when you introduce a new product (or version) that addresses issues that weren’t widely known? Let’s consider a few tactics to introduce improved products.

Tactic: We have always been at war with Eurasia

This is the typical Apple/Steve Jobs tactic. Announce the new product and totally ignore the negatives of the old product. When the fifth-generation iPod Nano gained a camera, Steve Jobs lauded this as a major upgrade and tech sites heralded the demise of Cisco’s Flip video camera. But when the sixth-generation iPod Nano was introduced the very next year, Jobs glossed over the fact that the camera was AWOL. It’s like it never existed.

The “war with Eurasia” tactic requires extreme discipline and control, and getting users to believe it requires a reality-distortion field that few can pull off. If successful, it puts a shine on the brand, showing progress without exposing weakness.

Tactic: Even Better!

What do you do if you need to continue selling and maintaining the old product even while you’re introducing the new one? Head to “even better” land!

This is commonly seen in “durable goods” sales pitches, since it’s perilous to alienate users of your previous product. Jet airliner manufacturers have perfected this pitch, focusing on the positives of the old while building on them for the new. Examine Boeing’s press releases regarding the 787 Dreamliner and you’ll see lots of comparative adjectives like “higher, wider, and larger” and talk of “improvements“. You’ll also see careful comparisons with past products, building on them without tearing them down.

It takes care and work to massage a message like this, but it is critical if you want to continue sales and confidence in your old product.

Tactic: Parade of Progress

Many marketers try to focus on the positives while putting the old product in the rear-view mirror. Knock it down while at the same time pointing out the qualities you’re building on.

The General Motors “Parade of Progress” was typical of this approach, and automakers continue with this tactic even today. Since so much of their revenue depends on selling “all-new” products, car companies routinely exaggerate the newness of their wares. This hit a pinnacle in the planned obsolescence tactics that became widespread in the mid-20th century. Vendors are more careful today, but echoes can be seen in many durable but replaceable product sales.

Tactic: Out with the old, in with the new!

Disposable products benefit from a completely different sales approach. Examples are numerous, from household products to electronics, but obsolescence is one thing they all have in common: The “new and improved” sale requires ditching the “old and faulty” product post haste. Why would anyone want to buy it when the shiny new model is here? Who cares if a new soap formula makes the old one unsaleable?

But this approach is perilous for more-durable products. Pointing out the flaws in systems that will continue to be sold and used for years devalues more than the products themselves: It raises questions about the people and processes that selected them in the first place!

Startup companies often try to blow away the status quo, but this approach rarely succeeds. New products have to coexist, and swaying buyers by attacking their choices is a good way to be shown the door.

What’s Your Plan?

Selecting the appropriate marketing strategy requires consideration of many things. What kind of market are you entering? Are products durable or disposable? Do you have the attention of the world or are you trying to get noticed?

Enterprise technology companies should be especially careful about tearing down the status quo, and should caution their “public faces” against this. It’s all well and good to trumpet your new features, but listing the shortcomings of yesterday’s widely-used products just leads to ill-will.

Image credit: Laundry by tashalutek