Credit: Elinor Mills

Silicon Valley is rife with talk about disrupting technologies. Everyone claims to have one. Few really do. So it was interesting to hear the founders of several hot startups — Airbnb, Pebble, Dropcam and Expensify — reveal their secrets to shaking up existing markets and creating new ones during a panel on “Disrupt or be Disrupted” sponsored by the Churchill Club and recently held in Santa Clara, Calif.

A common theme to the success of each company was innovation that empowers people to adopt new behaviors or make existing behaviors incredibly easy and cheap. Based on panel discussion, here are three tips for successful disruption that I walked away with:

1. Look for new market opportunities in unlikely places, but enable trust

When hotels in San Francisco were sold out for a design conference in October 2007, two of the founders of Airbnb rented out an extra bedroom. They realized that there was a huge market opportunity to give people a way to make money off their spare bedrooms or empty apartments. Ninety percent of the inventory was never available before, according to Nathan Blecharczyk, CTO and co-founder. Now, the site hosts 400,000 properties and has four million guest users.

As good as the idea was, it wasn’t enough to just create the new marketplace. After a customer forgot to pay their host twice during an early trial of the service, the Airbnb founders realized they needed to step in, take payment up front and handle transactions themselves to eliminate the possibility of friction or misunderstanding over money. “Guests and hosts never anticipated that this (renting out space in their homes) was something they would want to do,” Blecharczyk said.

2. Be prepared to radically change your business model, think “services” and listen to user feedback

Both Pebble and Dropcam started out as hardware companies, but “pivoted” their business models to focus on services. Dropcam’s founders went from packing Wi-Fi-enabled video cameras into shipping boxes to running cloud servers that “take in more video than YouTube,” according to Greg Duffy, co-founder and CEO of Dropcam. The company is “bringing software and services to a category of what used to be just hardware” solutions, he added.

Another company that discovered services and user experience trump the device is Pebble, maker of a smart watch that talks to your smartphone via Bluetooth. The inspiration came to Pebble CEO Eric Migicovsky when he wanted to see why his phone was vibrating in his pocket while riding his bicycle when he lived in Holland five years ago. Initially, the firm was a typical hardware startup and had produced three versions of the product, but hadn’t figured out the product market fit or captured much attention, he said. Then in April 2012, he decided to launch a Kickstarter project. “That launched our company from being a company that made watches in our garage to one making tens of thousands of watches we’ve shipped worldwide,” Migicovsky said. He used the Kickstarter page to create a community of 68,000 supporters, allowed them to provide user feedback. This approach “helped elevate us above the noise of creating a new hardware product to creating a platform.”

3. Make an everyday business action very affordable

Expensify isn’t in a particularly sexy space – processing of expense reports. But it does bring the economics of the digital world to a broad market that receives widespread complaints. “The way we disrupt our industry is not just by having a better product, but having a dramatically lower cost of sale,” said Expensify CEO David Barrett. “We have a business model that leverages the unique dynamics in our industry to change the rules of the game.” Timing was everything for the company — Expensify couldn’t have existed before smartphones had autofocus cameras and app stores. “It’s about being ready for the opportunity and jumping through the door when it opens.”

The founders also had other valuable suggestions for maintaining the culture of disruption as companies grow: 1) Use data to refine products, but not to innovate; 2) Give engineers space to work on skunk works projects; 3) Use your own product; and 4) Stimulate fresh ideas with new experiences. The last suggestion is one Expensify goes to extreme lengths to accomplish. The service’s international currency support is tested by the company’s own employees in a program that sends the whole company to work overseas for a month at a time. And Barrett said he finds that employees come up with their best ideas in unorthodox places, like a beach in Thailand. I hope that business management idea catches on.

The historical Clarement Hotel was the venue for the Content Marketing Strategies Conference.

In my role as content director at Bateman Group I’ve been analyzing exactly what “content” is. To a former reporter, the word can have negative connotations. Journalists write “news” or “features” or “columns.” Amid the Web 2.0 revolution they started writing “blogs.” But “content” was a nebulous word that we literalists in journalism avoided in favor of specifying the specific type of content being referred to. Content was something marketers promoted that technically didn’t qualify as a traditional, useful type of information. (I had a similar aversion to “engagement” and “incentivize,” but I’m warming up to the former if not the latter.)

Having stepped outside my previous role, I’m discovering that content isn’t really a bad word. The Internet has displaced traditional media and put the power to inform into the hands of anyone with a computer. In the past, companies had to rely on advertising, or news articles generated by pitches or press releases to boost their public profile. Now, they can go directly to the public through their own blogs and social media, and through sponsored sections on media sites that help the news outlets stay afloat in a declining news economy.

Instead of relying on journalists to tell your company’s story, there are more tools to tell your story yourself. Internet companies that are changing the business and technology landscape have a unique view into industry trends that can be shared via columns on media sites.  As service providers they often have the ability to create statistics-laden reports, as well as videos, podcasts, tweetjams, infographics and cartoons that can be spread across the Web. Content is whatever people are eyeballing and listening to on our smartphones, TVs, laptops and any other device that grabs our attention.

I attended the Content Marketing Strategies conference at the Claremont Hotel in Berkeley several weeks ago (along with several other refugees from journalism I ran into). There was a lot of talk about storytelling, SEO, owned media and paid media, going viral, brand advocates and curation, among other things. The content space is deep and wide. Obviously, this topic is very important to big brands,  but smaller companies are grappling with how to participate in the online discussions, too. In the past few weeks, two people randomly started conversations with me about content and how they need to do more online for their businesses.

So, for my first in a series of articles about the evolution of content, I’ll share some of what I learned at the conference about blogs, why they are important for everyone, and some best practices.

Not having a blog is like not having a website

Why? Because it not only makes you an expert in your field, but it will increase your visibility online – which is the first and often only place people go to learn stuff, to buy things and to share information with others. Creating a blog improves branding, but it also improves a business’ ranking in Google search if it’s done right. You can’t just write one blog post and leave it at that. You’ve got to post frequently or semi-regularly, like weekly at least. Companies that blog 15 times or more per month will generate five times more traffic than those that don’t. Websites that have blogs get 55 percent more traffic than sites that don’t. The posts can be short, but should not be too brief. And they should all include an image or video, something visual that is small and loads fast. Blog posts with photos attract 100 times more traffic than those without photos, according to the stats shared at the conference.

The 3 E’s

What about quality? That’s important. Actually, it’s vital because readers won’t come back if the blog is crap or just blatant advertising. And you can forget about getting any SEO out of it if it’s not worthy as Google’s Web crawler dismisses low-quality content. The posts should be compelling and informative. When blogging try to think of the Three E’s: Engage, Enlighten and Entertain. (I actually thought I’d made that up until I Googled it and found out otherwise.) Here are 5 things that make great content:

1. Provide useful information, use data – This App Annie blog post offers a fresh, comprehensive view of the mobile app market and detailed information on iOS vs. Android.
2. Bring a new angle to a popular or timely subject
3. Show, don’t tell – As I said before, pictures capture eyeballs, and they prompt strong emotion. The Greenstart blog uses big, stunning photos to great effect.
4. Make people mad, make them laugh or cry – This Baynote cartoon illustrates the point in a fun and memorable way.
5. Prompt people to say “Wow!” – I dare you to not click on the TSA blog post entitled “A Look at the Dangerous, Scary, and Downright Unusual Items our Officers Found in 2012.”

Storytelling

Once you have a topic to write about you face the hard part — writing it. You can start by telling a story, focusing on a real person, or relating an anecdote that anyone can relate to. For instance, interesting or emblematic first-person stories or anonymized customer cases are good fodder.

I’ll be blogging more about changing approaches to content and what it means for brands, marketers, public relations experts and others in coming weeks and months. So stay tuned.

Daft Punk - Random Access Memories

Today, Daft Punk, the French electro duo known for producing hits such as “One More Time” and “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger,” released a preview of the group’s new album “Random Access Memories” via iTunes; the full album will be released next week. While this may seem like a tiny announcement in the lead up to the launch, it’s actually heightened the momentum and buzz that the duo has created over the last month.

Random Access Memories has been one of the most highly anticipated albums in recent memory, and from a PR perspective, one of the best launches that I’ve ever witnessed. What’s crazy is that the product hasn’t even shipped! As I listened to the album this morning, I tried to break down why the launch has been so successful. Here’s the timeline of what’s happened thus far:

• The “leak” of “Get Lucky” – Every year, there are rumors that Daft Punk will play a spontaneous set at Coachella, arguably the most popular of the U.S. music festivals. With the launch date of “Random Access Memories” announced prior to the music festival, the rumor reached a fevered pitch. While the duo didn’t make a live appearance, they played a short clip of the new album’s first single “Get Lucky” at Coachella on Saturday, April 13. And later that night, a one-minute ad of “Get Lucky” ran during Saturday Night Live (SNL). Social media buzzed about this launch and there have been hundreds of YouTube videos ripping, remixing and looping the Coachella and SNL versions.

• Select interviews – Daft Punk rarely does interviews, but as of late, the duo has been holding court with the most influential radio shows in the world including BBC Radio 1 with Pete Tong and Australia’s Triple J Radio. While all artists speak to press prior to a big release, it’s worth noting that the duo is known for being mysterious and aloof. They usually don’t do any interviews and both members wear trademark robot masks during all performances including a cameo in “Tron: Legacy Era.” No new tracks were released during the interview, but it did provide insight into what went into making the album and heightened the anticipation for the release.

• Soft launch via iTunes – Today, the group allowed people to stream and pre-order the album via iTunes. I’ve already seen multiple Facebook posts linking to leaked files. In addition to the soft release, Daft Punk has been holding silent disco-style listening parties in both Amsterdam and London (apparently, phones were taken away at the door to preempt recording devices, and attendees were provided with headsets of the album).

• Official release date of the album – “Random Access Memories” will be officially released on May 21.

The results have been phenomenal thus far. Many pundits are calling the single “Get Lucky” the song of the summer, and it’s already a foregone conclusion that “Random Access Memories” will go platinum multiple times. From a social media perspective, “Daft Punk” and “#RAM” are trending right now on Twitter. Kudos to the agency/PR exec that launched this album. Whoever it is will certainly win a LOT of awards.

Its my pleasure to announce that the good people at Bulldog Media have once again recognized Bateman Group with not one, not two, but THREE awards for excellence in media relations for 2013. This year, our work for long-time client Recyclebank entitled “Share Responsibility for the Planet – Visualizing the Impact of Eco-Action” garnered a Bronze for Best Green Campaign. This is the second year in a row the Recyclebank team in Brooklyn and San Francisco has won over the judges with their consumer PR brilliance.

Not to be outdone, the App Annie team in San Francisco scored two awards for our work with that red-hot mobile app store analytics start-up. The very clever campaign launching App Annie’s service for Google Play entitled “Game of Phones” walked away with a pair of Bronze awards for Best New Product Launch – Business and Best Technology Campaign – Business. The full results can be found here in this press release issued on Friday, April 19th.

We love the Bulldog Awards because winners are chosen exclusively by working journalists from hundreds of entries representing the very best strategic and tactical prowess that PR/corporate communications has to offer.  Campaigns are judged by a team of working journalists, who assessed the submissions on the basis of their ability to achieve extraordinary visibility and influence opinion, as well as on their creativity, command of media and technology, and tenacity. With Bulldog Media, the size of the agency and the amount spent on advertising or sponsorship are never factors influencing award decisions. The best work rises to the top, period. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for other awards programs in the PR industry.

Please join me in congratulating Recyclebank, App Annie, their hard-working account teams and the rest of Bateman Group on these well-earned awards!

Until recently, I was a professional journalist. And Like most reporters, I had a healthy cynicism about the public relations industry. There’s an “us” versus “them” mentality in newsrooms that casts reporters as noble warriors in the battle for the truth and PR people as the minions of corporate clients who conflate news with marketing. The sentiment can be summed up in one word: flack. That’s journo shorthand for PR rep and it’s usually said with more than a hint of derision.

 

Elinor Mills, Director of Content and Media Strategy

Now that I’ve gone to “the dark side,” I’m seeing how unfair many of the generalizations are about PR. Here are five myths that I’d like to expose:

1. PR is all about schmoozing
This is one of the most common misperceptions about this industry, and I’m guilty of believing it, too. In one of my interviews for this job, I actually said (and I cringe to think of it now), “I can work in PR; I’m good at schmoozing.” Of course, it was slightly tongue-in-cheek. But after seeing what it’s really like, I’m truly humbled. The work is intellectually demanding, requiring PR reps to be an expert in their chosen sectors and a master of a range of strategic communications functions – corporate brand building, thought leadership, product awareness, among others. They do this behind-the-scenes with little to no recognition or respect. Sure, they know how to throw a party, but that is only one small part of what they do.

2. PR people don’t understand news
When I was a journalist, I received a lot of pitches that had absolutely no news value. Usually the PR person realizes the futility of these pitches. Any PR firm worth its salt pushes back against clients that demand this “spray and pray” approach. Reporters can help minimize these types of pitches by offering polite feedback that can then be passed on to the client. That’s good karma. We’re all just trying to do the best we can, regardless of which side of the pitch we’re on.

3. PR people are lazy
I’ve heard journalists complain about lazy PR people and make comments like “a monkey could write a better press release.” I’d like to meet that monkey. Seriously though, yes, there is a range of quality and competence in any industry, even among journalists. What I’m seeing in PR is people working really long hours, thinking creatively, writing well and diplomatically juggling the demands of clients and stressed reporters. I’m also heartened to see that the art of quality writing and editing has not been superseded by the need for speed, as it has on many news websites.

4. PR is for sell-outs
It sucks that reporters are not adequately compensated for the work they do, particularly investigative journalists who are all but extinct. But given the shrinking market and decline of old-school journalism standards like, oh, reporting, for instance, jumping to a field where good writing is still valued and well compensated is completely understandable. I made the change because of burnout from more than two decades of covering breaking news and the opportunity to work a flexible schedule. The truth is despite the job losses in traditional media and lower pay, there will always be people who want to be journalists. The more serious problem, in my opinion, is the disproportionate voice big companies have compared with public interest concerns — a systemic problem as evidenced by the power lobbyists and corporate financed PACs wield. Meanwhile, consolidation continues to hinder the ability of media outlets to be independent of corporate influence, even in the technology sector. (For more on this read: PR Industry Fills Vacuum Left by Shrinking Newsrooms)

5. PR is evil
According to a recent Gallup poll, only one-quarter of consumers surveyed rated journalists as “high” or “very high” in honesty and ethical standards. (PR was not among the options.) There’s no question there are unethical tactics used in PR — reading Toxic Sludge is Good for You! will boil your blood. But you have to consider who the clients are, what their practices are, and how transparent they are. Even the news industry is not immune; just look at the “phone hacking” scandal of News International. The majority of tech PR work is not about “spin” or restricting access to the facts. It’s about helping companies craft their “story” and stand out from all the noise. Isn’t that what everyone wants?

No doubt I’ll be accused of being naive and having drunk the Kool-Aid. So be it. This is just the perspective of a person who is walking in someone else’s shoes now.

(This is the final article in a three-part series, preceded by: How I Became a’Flack’ and Goodbye News, Hello PR.)

Elinor Mills is director of content and media strategy at Bateman Group. She joined the firm last year after working as a journalist at Associated Press, Reuters, IDG, Industry Standard, and CNET.

Elinor Mills, Director of Content and Media Strategy

I recently left journalism to work in public relations at Bateman Group, and I often get asked how I like PR. The short answer: is “I’m enjoying it.” The longer answer is: “It’s got its advantages and disadvantages, but overall I’m very satisfied and glad I made the jump.”

Before I made the career switch, which you can read about in the first installment of this three-part series, I had a vague sense of what this change would be like. Clearly, my role would be vastly different; rather than writing news articles, I’d be helping companies craft their stories for the press and public and gauge the newsworthiness of their announcements. Beyond that, I wasn’t really sure what it would be like on a day-to-day basis. Well, after six months on the job, I definitely have a better idea of what it’s like to make this transition. Here’s a list of the benefits and drawbacks I have found to working in PR as compared to journalism:

Cons:

1. Meetings. In PR, customer service is hugely important, and that means a lot of meetings with your client. As a reporter, meetings were avoided because they disrupt the flow of covering breaking news. I would meet with sources face-to-face, but most days I was head down, on the phone reporting or furiously typing away until the stories were filed.

2. Timesheets. News is a very deadline-oriented business. There is no having to account for how your time is spent as a reporter except that the faster you file, the happier the editors are. Now, I have to keep track of time in 15-minute increments. This is tedious, but necessary because PR hours are billable.

3. Not writing news. For a reporter, nothing gets your adrenaline going as much as covering a big national story, like the Anonymous activist computer attacks. In PR, there are a lot of different types of writing, but not actual news stories. And there’s work behind the scenes getting clients in the news, and when they get in a headline, you feel proud. But it’s not the same as having written the article.

4. Lack of access. One of the best perks of being a reporter is the press pass. It gets you into Apple events, into press rooms where there are plenty of outlets and connectivity, and to the head of the line at conference sessions. If I want to go to an event now, the firm or client pays full price, and I wait in line with the rest of the world. No fun!

5. Anti-PR bias. If journalists are Brahmins, PR reps are untouchables. The balance of power is overwhelmingly tipped, further inflating already big egos in the news world. No more being wined and dined just for my byline.

Pros:

1. Respect, as a former journalist. When you tell people you are a reporter, their eyes light up, especially if they work in PR. And when you work in PR after being a journalist, they give you all kinds of credit that may or may not be due. People think you are smart and they listen to you.

2. Teamwork. While reporting is often a solo assignment, PR is very team-oriented, including a lot of collaboration with colleagues and clients. There is also a lot of work on longer-term projects and strategic thinking, which stretches the mind in new ways.

3. Editing. I’m still doing plenty of writing in my PR gig, which is great. And I’m getting lots of editing, which is also great. I know some writers complain about editors mucking with their copy. Not me; the more eyes the better.

4. Less stress. Meeting daily deadlines — and now hourly and less — does take its toll over time. In PR, I’m out of the news grind, and I have much longer lead times on projects. I’m also not constantly tethered to Twitter and other services watching for news tips and monitoring competitive sites. I feel like I can breathe.

5. Freedom. Attending industry events is truly a pleasure now. I can listen and watch for fun without having to file a story right away. And I can take lunches without worrying about missing an important phone call or email. I’ve traded the intensity of the newsroom for the more laid back atmosphere of the PR office. And it’s done wonders for my attitude.

Coincidentally, a survey was released today that lists News Reporter as the worst job for 2013. I guess I got out just in time!

Elinor Mills is director of content and media strategy at Bateman Group. She joined the firm last year after working as a journalist at Associated Press, Reuters, IDG, Industry Standard and CNET.