We know 2010 will be another fast-paced year filled with new and exciting opportunities for the Bateman Group.  January was a growth month for the firm and February is forecast to be one of our busiest on record.  In order to maintain our superior service levels (and some semblance of sanity), we need to expand our team. We’re seeking exceptional candidates to come in and interview for both Associate and Senior Associate positions at the firm immediately.

Here’s the skinny…

Our base salaries are extremely competitive (but vary based on experience) and our benefits package is considered second to none. It includes 100% paid health, vision and dental insurance; 401K plan with company match; state-of-the-art technology tools including the latest laptops and iPhones; three weeks paid vacation the first year; nine paid sick days; new business referral bonuses, new employee referral bonuses, domestic partnership benefits; free monthly parking; beautifully designed office space; and a convenient location near freeway entrances and public transportation. Last, but not least, we offer a nurturing working environment that supports life/work balance like no other.

Candidates should reside in the San Francisco Bay Area with an ability to work full-time from our offices near Potrero Hill. He/she must able to set priorities and deliver results using excellent written and verbal communication skills. The candidate also should be accustomed to working autonomously under pressure, be extremely self motivated, proactive and deadline oriented. Furthermore, the Bateman Group looks for people who are passionate about technology, have excellent client service skills, proven experience with technology trade, business and social media, a strong team orientation, and would enjoy the opportunity to work closely with agency senior management on their own career growth. Finally, he/she must able to leave their ego at the door, but not their sense of humor.

Responsibilities include:

• Providing exceptional client service, from strategies to tactics
• Creative, proactive communications and business development, including new media (podcasting, blogs, RSS feeds, etc.)
• Driving account activities, positioning ideas to managers and clients, implementing programs and presenting results as they follow
• Content development including: communications plans, press releases, corporate backgrounders, customer case studies, speaking abstracts, awards submissions, contributed articles, etc.
• Executing proactive editorial and social media/blogger influencer outreach programs
• Planning and organizing press/analyst tours and tradeshows
• General account reporting/administrative tasks
• Contributing to business development initiatives and internal training programs as requested

Requirements include:

• Senior Associates possess 3-5 years of high-tech public relations, communications or related professional experience; Associates possess 1-3 years experience (including internships)
• Pre-existing knowledge of at least one of our four main practice areas: 1) Software for consumers, developers, and the enterprise; 2) Systems for the transport of voice and data; 3) Security of the network, desktop, device or data; and 4) Services targeting both businesses and consumers.
• Excellent organizational, communications (written and verbal) and time management skills
• Established relationships with technology trade press/analyst community as well as business press
• Prior client service experience required; new business experience preferred
• Proficiency with basic computer and PR tech applications including Cision, Lexis, Sysomos, Meltwater, CatchPole, Google Docs and News Alerts, MS Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)
• Additional technology prowess given priority (blogging, podcasting, RSS feeds)
• Ability to travel to and from client/new business meetings as appropriate

If this describes you, please forward a cover letter and your resume via email to: hr@bateman-group.com

We’re not seeking freelancers or contractors for this position – full-time candidates only, please. Individuals lacking technology experience, either agency or in-house, need not apply. No phone calls from candidates or inquiries from recruiters, please. The Bateman Group is an equal opportunity employer.

Today’s post is the first in a new series debuting on Bateman Banter we’re calling: “The New J-School”, a semi-regular examination of the evolving nature of journalism in today’s digital age. The month of January brought to light some interesting developments we feel signal the start of a much larger trend — one that could swallow the conventional ad-supported media whole — the rise of corporate-sponsored journalism.

In the last week, two former BusinessWeek editors disclosed new deals to write for the corporate blogs of companies they used to cover. Steve Wildstrom, until recently the Personal Technology editor for BusinessWeek, forged a relationship with graphics chip giant NVIDIA to write for the company’s popular nTersect blog. This kicked off with a well-publicized trip to the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas where Steve reported live from the show floor. Wildstrom’s former BusinessWeek colleague Steven Baker also announced ongoing deal to write for SmartData Collective, a community of blogs sponsored by data warehousing leader Teradata.

Either by choice or necessity, more and more journalists are becoming independent agents forced to fend for themselves in the open market. Wildstrom and Baker are at the forefront of this new breed of journalist cutting their own deals, and, in the process, figuring out how to do the reporting, get paid and deal responsibly with ethical issues. As these free agents seek out new opportunities to make money, they’re finding very little coming from traditional advertising-based media outlets. There are, however, an increasing number of corporations producing their own content and becoming media companies in their own right, and many of them need help.

For even the largest companies, maintaining a corporate blog with the kind of content needed to become the “must-read” site in a given sector is an uphill battle. At best, there may be 2-3 budding thought leaders in every organization, but the responsibility of writing thought-provoking, compelling content week in and week out is burdensome when it’s an adjunct to a full-time job. The burden is then passed onto the PR team to clean up poorly written or conceived copy until it’s suitable for publishing; nudge others to complete their drafts; and source more and more “content creators” within the company to share the burden.

Cutting deals with former journalists brings a new level of professionalism, respect and credibility to a corporate blog while alleviating the burden that has fallen on the marketing and PR professionals who produce it. Moreover, these deals allow the newly freelance journalists to remain a part of technology sectors they’ve followed for years. Without a masthead to call home, fewer PR people are calling them with breaking news or to broker meetings with their CEOs. These journalists are worried, and rightfully so, that their value in the marketplace will diminish as their relationships with story sources and C-level executives erode over time.

If approached the right way, the rise of corporate-sponsored journalism sounds like a win/win for the reporters and corporations, but it also raises several questions. How will this impact the quality of the reporting long term? How will this benefit readers, if at all? In the tech sector, the number of journalists considered truly credible is quite small. With the publishing industry imploding, who’s grooming the market influencers of tomorrow?  How long before demand soon outstrips the supply? Could companies that fail to broker deals with newly independent journalists ahead of their competitors soon discover there aren’t any good ones left? Worse still, could a Cisco or Oracle or EMC swoop in and buy all the quality ones up?

Next time on “The New J-School”, we’ll attempt to address these “what if” scenarios and share our thoughts on effective ways to integrate corporate-sponsored journalism into a marketing strategy.

On June 25, 2009, we launched Bateman Banter, the Bateman Group’s official blog on topics and trends in communications, public relations, marketing, social media and technology  – and the areas where those topics intersect.  We thought our growing readership would appreciate a recap of the blog’s most popular posts from our first six months. For those of you visiting Bateman Banter for the first time, this post will do a good job catching you up. We’re looking forward to seeing all of you return for more Bateman Batner in 2010.

Bateman Buzz Meter – Editions One, Two and Three. The brainchild of our very own Shannon Walsh, Bateman Buzz Meter is our take on the best and worst industry headlines and PR campaigns . From the Tiger Woods fiasco to Facebook’s new privacy settings and lots in between, the Bateman Group organizes the latest news, PR stunts and blunders in a colorful and easy to read matrix each month.

12 Days of Christmas in Silicon Valley. If you haven’t seen it yet, our holiday video card features the Bateman Group’s special rendition of the 12 Days of Christmas performed by the amazingly talented Gale Bradley Singers. Fred put it best when he described the video as “a parody of what we can only call ‘Silicon Valley values’ at a time we can all use a good laugh.”

Open Social Media Strategy Pays Off for Panda Security. This post highlights how the Bateman Group’s client Panda Security has embraced social media to transform itself from an introverted and technology focused company to an open organization that is able to better interact with its customers, partners, and employees.

Are spokespeople going the way of the dodo? In this evocative post inspired by a Wall Street Journal article, Tyler Perry (not to be confused with Tyler Perry) answers the question: Will corporate blogs replace company spokespeople?

37 Signals Satires Twitter Valuation: Why Didn’t I Think of That?! In this post by yours truly, I call out the best tech industry PR stunt of the year: 37Signals’ satirical press release about its billion dollar valuation in response to Twitter’s one billion valuation. 37Signals’ CEO Jason Fried jokingly justifies his company’s valuation based on investors who are paying $1 for 0.000000001% of the company. Brilliant.

Facebook vs. Twitter: Which is Better for Marketing your Business? In this controversial post inspired by a New York Times article, Lisa Melsted offers her prediction about how B2B versus consumer brands will get utility from Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter in the future.

To Embargo or Not to Embargo? Prompted by the Wall Street Journal’s decision to no longer honor  embargoes,  Tyler Perry discusses the implications of this policy shift for brands, PR, and the broader media landscape. Only time will tell what embargo policy shifts are in store for 2010.

PR or Advertising: Who Should be Managing your Sponsored Conversations? In this post I introduce the emerging and somewhat controversial concept of ’sponsored conversation’ and explain which camp, PR or advertising, is better positioned for success in these new waters. And the winner is…PR.

Bateman Group speaks out on information overload. The fragmentation of the media landscape and explosion of the blogosphere has made it increasingly challenging for PR practitioners to stay on top of not only the news, but the conversations most relevant to our clients. In this great video post by Amy Ziari, she interviews some Bateman Group employees about the history of how PR firms have monitored media and what tools they use to stay productive in an era of information overload.

Finally Putting “The Article” to Bed. In this witty and insightful post, Fred weighs in on the heated debate sparked by Claire Cain Miller’s July 4^th New York Times article on the Evolution of PR in Silicon Valley. Fred offers some great perspective on the different styles of PR, comparing and contrasting approaches perfected by new kid on the block Brooke Hamerling and industry veterans like Andi Cunningham.

Introducing Bateman Banter, the official blog of the Bateman Group. Fred pens the inaugural Bateman Banter post and lays out our editorial mission and unique P.O.V.

Thanks for your feedback and inspiration over the last six months since Bateman Banter has been and please continue to join the conversation by sharing your thoughts and perspectives with us.

Proving just how short the shelf life of a news story has become – even one in The New York Times  - the heated debate sparked by Claire Cain Miller’s July 4^th article on the Evolution of PR in Silicon Valley has cooled down considerably since last week. Known simply as “The Article” in PR circles, Cain Miller’s piece really hit the collective nerve of an entire profession – and the subsequent histrionics and grandstanding were a sight and sound to behold. This was one of those rare occurrences – like the Rodney King verdict or O.J. Simpson trial – where you felt forced to take sides. Either you were with Brooke Hammerling, defending both the woman and her “relationships are everything” style of PR, or you were against her… and with Ms. Cain Miller by default, a difficult position to defend given her not-so-hidden agenda to set Hammerling up for maximum vapidity.

The relationship between the media and PR professionals is a complicated one. This is why articles on the PR industry are actually quite rare (especially in the national business press). When they do appear, media tend to focus on practitioners who best embody all of their preconceived notions of the stereotypical uninformed PR flack. As a result, the practice of PR is at best, misunderstood, and at worst, misperceived to be the profession of “spinmeisters” (liars); bubble-headed blondes (bimbos); and silly “see and be seen” events complete with air kissing and exclusive VIP lists to satisfy our disproportionately sized egos. There was, however, one reporter who got it right. Her name is Katharine Mieszkowski.

Almost 12 years ago, FAST COMPANY magazine ran a story by Katharine Mieszkowski in the Dec. 1997 issue on the Silicon Valley PR scene entitled: The Power of Public Relations. The story focused on the personalities of two powerful female figures in technology PR – Pam Alexander and Andi Cunningham – and their different approaches to the PR process and to building their agencies. Alexander Communications is offered up as one model: the PR firm built on intense personal relationships, a knack for networking, and a focus on working the conference circuit (sound familiar?). Cunningham offers another: the values-based PR firm that limits the number of its clients to offer more personal service, brings truth into its clients’ often-insulated world, and represents the anti-PR firm by rejecting hype and hyperbole.

In comparing the FAST COMPANY and NYT pieces, you’ll reach two obvious conclusions: 1) Mieszkowski’s story is more balanced and objective, portraying both women as smart and articulate and their respective firms as runaway successes; 2) Cain Miller’s piece fails to uncover anything new in Hammerling’s “Who Do You Know” PR approach, with the exception of integrating social media channels. Pam Alexander and Brooke Hammerling share an almost identical viewpoint on PR and both relied on the strength of their personal networks to launch their companies. Fast Company presents this view as a valid approach to the PR business that works well for some firms and certain clients. And its true. I’ve watched several media relations shops become wildly successful. Schwartz Communications in technology and Rubenstein Public Relations in consumer are two that come to mind.

Personally, I’ve always felt more of an affinity with Andi Cunningham’s point of view. The Bateman Group’s PR philosophy is in many respects a direct descendent of the Cunningham model pioneered in the 1980s; improved upon by firms like FitzGerald Communications, Niehaus Ryan Wong and Applied Communications in the 1990s; and (I hope) to be perfected by the Bateman Group in the 21st century. Hallmarks of this approach include: keeping the number of clients low and service levels high; smaller teams more focused on fewer accounts; genuine knowledge of your market; highest quality writing standards; and a focus on corporate brand building in addition to product/service awareness campaigns.

After some thought, I came to the conclusion I was too hard on Brooke Hammerling last week in my posts to Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter and comments on TechCrunch. I was caught up in the moment and made an unfair rush to judgment I now regret. Lessons learned? Well, one is just as there’s more than one way to solve any given PR problem, there’s more than one approach to practicing our craft and growing our businesses. Brooke Hammerling has found success on her own terms and without compromising any of the things that make Brooke, well, Brooke. That alone deserves my admiration and respect. And it’s the diversity of style, creative thinking and entrepreneurial spirit embodied by the people working in PR that attracted me to this industry in the first place and has kept me here. Well, that and the fact all the people in advertising were a$$holes…

Until next week!

We’re excited to announce the addition of music education nonprofit Little Kids Rock to the Bateman Group client roster. LKR is a national music program that provides free instruments and instruction to underfunded public schools.

Beginning this month, we will provide Little Kids Rock with pro bono PR and social media marketing services aimed at raising awareness of the organization’s vision and mission, as well as its innovative approach to music education. Bateman Group Vice President Bill Bourdon is leading the charge on this and was responsible for connecting us with this very high-profile pro bono work.

In 1996, elementary school teacher David Wish grew frustrated with the lack of funding for music education at his school and offered an after-school guitar class to some students. What began as an informal project led by a single school teacher and a handful of volunteers has grown into one of the nation’s leading music education nonprofits with chapters in 20 cities nationwide. Today, with the support of Honorary Board Members Bonnie Raitt, Paul Simon, BB King, Slash, Ziggy Marley, Les Paul, Jason Newsted and a host of celebrated friends in the music industry, Little Kids Rock is poised to significantly extend the reach of its life-changing programs throughout the United States.

Needless to say, the team members are more than exuberant about beginning the work and determined to make a positive impact right away.

We were pleased to announce this week that Kapow Technologies and Solace Systems have both selected the Bateman Group as their PR and social media marketing agency of record. Work for Kapow Technologies began in earnest in May and programs for Solace Systems kicked off in June.

Based in Palo Alto, Calif., Kapow Technologies eliminates the barriers to accessing, enriching and serving enterprise and public web data, allowing Fortune 1000 companies to create high-value applications using timely, relevant web data sources with no coding required.

Located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Solace Systems is a leading provider of content networking and messaging middleware equipment for enterprises, information providers and service providers globally.

Please join us in welcoming Kapow Technologies and Solace Systems to the Bateman client roster!