Engage PR Adds Two Public Companies to its Client Roster

Engage PR has recently added two public companies, Meru Networks and Occam Networks, to its client list. Read further to learn more about these innovative companies.

Meru Networks is the leader in virtualized and optimized 802.11n enterprise networking, delivering the performance, reliability, predictability and operational simplicity of a wired network, with the advantages of mobility. Based on the 802.11n standard, Meru virtualized wireless LANs are cost-effective, super-scalable and simple to manage. Users can roam, talk, use applications and access data with wireline voice quality and enterprise-class application performance. Over 3,000 customers have chosen Meru's single-channel, virtualized architecture to optimize their network, realize OpEx savings and improve end-user experience.

Occam Networks is broadband access solutions provider enabling service providers to offer profitable new voice, data and video services over copper and fiber. The company continues to yield ground-breaking results—from the industry's first Ethernet- and IP-based broadband loop carrier (BLC) to the current BLC 6000 multiservice access platform (MSAP). More than 3 million BLC 6000 ports are currently deployed at over 350 service providers worldwide. Occam Networks is a publicly traded corporation and is headquartered in Santa Barbara, CA. Follow Occam's broadband stimulus blog and Twitter for insights into the National Broadband Plan and other leading industry topics.

Did You Know? Five Stats on Data Usage via Smartphones

55 percent of American adults connect to the Internet wirelessly, either through a Wi-Fi or WiMax connection via a laptop or through a handheld device, such as a smartphone.

83 percent of adults have cell phones or smartphones and, among them, 35 percent have accessed the Internet via their mobile phone.

More people are engaging in social networking on mobile devices rather than desktop clients. 91 percent of those with data plans are using the mobile web to socialize compared to the 79 percent of desktop users who do the same.

Total social networking access via mobile browsers on all mobile phones rose to 11.1 percent in 2010 — this is up from 6.5 percent in 2009. Most of this growth is due to the uptick in smartphone usage.

Twitter usage via mobile browsers is up 347 percent while Facebook mobile browser usage is up 112 percent.

Sources: Ruder Finn, Pew Research, comScore

Be Quiet, Not Silent

Despite a rather slow start, optimism is still running high among venture capitalists and financial analysts that 2010 will be the year of the tech IPO recovery. For companies that decide to take the plunge, maintaining visibility will be especially critical during these rather cautious times.

Some organizations believe that filing an S1 and entering the quiet period is akin to shutting down marketing and PR. Whereas it is important to avoid hyping the company or stock, organizations should continue down the path of "business as usual."

So, if it is business as usual, why is there an army of lawyers watching the marketing department's every move? Well, let's just say that lawyers are paid to be cautious. Companies should not ignore their very wise counsel, but should not be afraid to challenge it either. A company can continue with most of its marketing and PR plans such as issuing press releases or launching products as long as it had already been engaging in these activities in the past. Business press is one activity that is usually prohibited; but, there may be some situations where it would be allowed as well.

The quiet period is a good time to consider refreshing materials in anticipation of becoming a public company. For example, organizations may overhaul the web site, update marketing materials or create a new corporate identity. It also makes sense to build up a digital media library that can be used for PR such as video chalk talks or customer testimonials.

For companies that have not yet taken the plunge into social media, this is the time to develop and implement a social media strategy. This could entail developing a blog editorial calendar, creating a YouTube channel or starting a Twitter account. Companies can start slowly and then roll out an integrated strategy once the quiet period lifts.

Whatever you choose to do during the quiet period, remember be quiet, not silent.

How to Maintain a Fresh Social Media Presence

Last quarter's newsletter outlined five tips for companies integrating social media into their marketing mix. By now, most tech companies have embarked on at least one form of social media. Whether it's Twitter, LinkedIn, blogging or YouTube, it's often easy to launch a social media presence, but challenging to keep it interesting and integrated across all mediums.

Here are some tips to ensure that companies can keep their social media presence up-to-date and relevant:

• Develop and integrate social media efforts under themes that are important for the company. Whether it's the National Broadband Plan or pushing the role of 802.11n for enterprise networks, focus social media efforts on those themes.
• Engage in the process: Social media sites like Twitter and LinkedIn are so much more than tools for pushing out press releases. The purpose of these types of sites is to have a dialog about topics and trends that are currently being covered by key influencers. Posing a question or providing a response is often a simple and direct way to encourage an online conversation.
• Enhance the social media team: It's not a solo effort. A team who is committed to participating and bringing fresh ideas to the process is essential to maintaining a company's social media efforts. Conduct regular brainstorming sessions, and if needed, participate in training sessions to enhance the team's skills.
• Develop digital media assets: Develop a calendar of videos, including customer case studies and technical videos, photos for slideshows and general blogs that can be posted between news events.
• Choose a social media mix and integrate key messages across all mediums: For example, if a company has launched a corporate blog and has a Twitter feed, push out blogs via Twitter Feed. Or if a YouTube channel has been created, include links in press releases to technical videos on the YouTube channel.
• Ensure social media goals map to the company's overall communications and corporate goals.

A Hidden PR Gem: Customer Events

Most established technology vendors host annual user conferences for their customers. Normally in a warm area with ample golfing options, user conferences are great opportunities for customers to share their experience and best practices with each other, while providing useful feedback directly to the vendor. Companies also get to share product roadmaps with their customers and reaffirm their commitment to serving their customer base.

While these events are invaluable for any company's customer service and sales organizations, they can also be essential for marketing and PR efforts. Here are a few of the ways that companies can use valuable content and feedback from user conferences to ignite a company's PR program:

• Customer panels – By listening directly to customers share their pain points in a specific vertical market or the benefits they are seeing from a product deployment, ideas for contributed articles and trend stories can arise.
• Video filming – During breaks and down time at the event, companies can record customer video testimonials that can later be leveraged for the corporate website, YouTube channel or other media opportunities.
• Press releases and case studies – Often customers will share their interest in pursuing press releases and case studies once they are able to directly interact with the PR and marketing teams. In-person contact often removes the mystique surrounding the press release process.
• Social events – Perhaps the most invaluable events of all are the social activities. By building personal connections and relationships with customers, PR can work directly with the customer references moving forward. No longer does the PR team have to work through an already busy marketing or sales contact to reach customers.

Customer events create a bridge between the PR team and customers, enabling organizations to streamline PR processes and achieve results at a much faster pace.

Engage PR Promotes Nation's First "Smart City" White Spaces Network

Earlier this year, Engage PR helped launch a tour for new client Spectrum Bridge, a provider of efficient and innovative approaches to acquiring and utilizing spectrum. This past March, Spectrum Bridge, in a public-private partnership with the County of New Hanover and TV Band Service, announced the launch of the nation's first "Smart City" network powered by TV White Spaces. TV White Spaces are the unused TV channels freed up by the FCC when the U.S. transition to Digital Television (DTV) took place in June 2009. Spectrum Bridge's white spaces database and software are at the core of this network, controlling and managing the frequencies accessed by the various applications.

As a result, the city of Wilmington and greater New Hanover County, North Carolina were able to cost efficiently extend broadband connectivity and extend "Smart City" applications for the Department of Transportation and Traffic, public safety and Wi-Fi access at community parks. More information about the success of the Wilmington's White Spaces network can be found on the Spectrum Bridge website.

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