Friday, March 27, 2009

Turning to Tech


Local PR professionals gathered at the BusinessWire Media Luncheon last Thursday, held at Anthony’s restaurant, to discuss new methods being utilized to reach the media in the current economic environment. The panel (pictured above), consisting of editors from local pubs, featured Nedra Rhone (Atlanta Journal-Constitution), Nicole Smith (Atlanta Woman) and Stephanie Davis (skirt! Magazine). The panelists talked about how the decrease in print readership has lent itself to the utilization of social networks to connect with members of the media.

The panel also noted that creativity in tech communications is now a must, citing the changing landscape of social media tools and the rising popularity of online communities such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Other topics examined by the panel included the types of materials they find useful and how they make decisions about what copy to use.

A big thanks to Neal Wells and the BusinessWire crew for putting on such a great event. For more information on BusinessWire, visit http://www.businesswire.com/.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Branding for the Cure




At the PRSA GA March luncheon, Kelly Dolan (pictured above), executive director of the Atlanta Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation, discussed how her organization is leveraging the power of marketing and public relations to overcome difficult times. The current economy poses challenges for non-profits and Dolan spotlighted the organization’s recent brand re-launch, detailing how they altered the famous pink ribbon, the symbol for breast cancer awareness and advocacy, to make it their own. PRSA GA President Mike Neumeier (Arketi Group) presented Liz Chilla (Emory University School of Law) with the monthly Chapter Champion Award. Spotted in the crowd were Ray Crockett (Coca Cola), Malika White (Atlanta United Way), Amy Leefe (Arketi Group) and Kelli Walsh (DeKalb Convention and Visitors Bureau).

For more information about PRSA GA and the upcoming April luncheon, visit http://www.prsageorgia.org/.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Microcomputer Pioneers Dish Great Stories and Real Advice to Tech Execs

Tech executives from across Atlanta came together Tuesday (03/17/09) at the March TER meeting to hear from true legends in microcomputer technology revolution.

The event united five of the biggest Atlanta-based pioneers in the microcomputer revolution which started in the late 1970s. John Yates (Morris, Manning, and Martin) lead a spirited panel featuring: Richard Brock (Brock Control Systems, Firstwave and LeadLife), Ben Dyer (Peachtree Software and TechDrawl), Les Freed (Microstuf/Crosstalk Communications), Dennis Hayes (Hayes Microcomputer Products) and Said Mohammadioun (Samna and Synchrologic).


Above: Left to right Dennis Hayes, Ben Dyer and Les Freed.


Dyer recollected that when he first met Bill Gates (Microsoft), “Bill was just a millionaire.” Freed tracked early ATL tech success back to the Atlanta Area Microcomputer Hobbyist Club, while Brock said tech success today with the SaaS model is based on “earning the business monthly.”


Above: Left to right: Richard Brock and Said Mohammadioun.

Hayes noted that two things have remained the same in building a successful tech company 1) focusing on the customer by ALWAYS taking care of their problems and 2) learning how to become a marketing company because “technology is just what we do.”

Executives on hand for the breakfast event included TER President Price Harding (CarterBaldwin), Mike Neumeier and Sami Jajeh (Arketi Group), Bob Estes (Reveille Software), Keith Washington (Flo Healthcare), Gregory Evans (LIGATT Security), Robert Ball (OfficeArrow), David Mims (Mimsware), Doug Starr (TaxConnex), Garland Duvall (Datatrac), Heinz Wegener (Cross Technologies) and James Friedman (FX Bridge Technologies).

For more information about TER, visit http://www.ter-atlanta.com/.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Entrepreneurs are Optimistic, VC not so much

Members of Technology Executives Roundtable (TER) packed the room on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2009 to hear some of the Southeast’s top VCs share their thought on how to find funding and what it will cost.

The panel featured Alan Taetle (Noro-Moseley), Frank X. Dalton (Fulcrum Ventures), Sean M. Banks (Total Technology Ventures), Steve Nussrallah (Value Plus Ventures) and N.C.-VC Katrin Burt (Intersouth Partners). David Calhoun (Morris, Manning & Martin) moderated the session which revealed all the VC on the panel were looking for deals but not bullish on 2009.

Above from left to right: Steve Nussrallah (Value Plus Ventures) and Alan Taetle (Noro-Moseley)


Taetle credited TER and its members for making solid introductions to strong ATL tech companies. All the VCs agreed they are “still taking meetings” and advised companies meeting with them do their homework to know how they like to be presented to (hint Dalton wants a two page business summary and Nussrallah likes to see the full executive team).

Above from left to right: Katrin Burt (Intersouth Partners), Frank X. Dalton (Fulcrum Ventures) and Steve Nussrallah (Value Plus Ventures)

Hot industries according to the group are: cleantech, healthcare services & IT, electronic medical records, rural broadband, and mobile apps and services.

Executives on hand for the breakfast event included Mike Neumeier and Sami Jajeh (Arketi Group), Gil Friedman (Discrete Wireless), Price Harding (CarterBaldwin), Ken Horowitz (North Star Health), Cy Smith (AirSage), Mark Rainosek (packIQ), Mark Droege (intellione), James Davie (Canvas Systems), Corne Aantjes (ORTEC), and Scott Grimes (Cardlytics).


For more information about TER, visit http://www.ter-atlanta.com/. (Hint register early for March’s meeting it is set to draw a huge crowd – speakers include ATL tech pioneers Dennis Hayes, Ben Dyer, Said Mohammadioum, Richard Brock and Les Freed.)

Arketi Client Flo Healthcare Takes Center Stage in Grey's Anatomy

That's right; Flo (http://www.flohealthcare.com/) the ergonomic, aesthetic and ease-of-use (lovable) workstation was spotted twice in the March 5, 2009 episode of ABC's Grey's Anatomy.

Below are two shots of our good friend Flo hard at work on the set in Season 5, Ep 17 "I Will Follow You Into The Dark." Everyone at Arketi thinks Flo stole the scenes!




Sunday, March 15, 2009

Live Essentials Look to be Live

Just downloaded and tested the latest version of Microsoft Live Messenger. The UI looks to be unnecessarily changed – we will see if it makes one more productive over time. However, a number of nifty tools have been added, including an easy-to-use blog tool that enables you to write to all of the various blog programs out there from a simple “Word-like” editor that interfaces to and integrates with the various blog sites. Another tool is the photo gallery tool which rocks compared to looking at photos through Windows Explorer. Sporting a Web 2.0 interface, it automatically sorts photos into directories by date, enables pop-up/overlays for easy viewing without having to open the file, and enables you to tag photos to users that you have setup on Microsoft Live Messenger. All-in-all a worthy upgrade. Critical note, as with any other Microsoft upgrade/tool, they will try to change your search to default to LiveSearch. Sorry, Microsoft, not quite ready to switch from Google.

Why should marketers care? Marketers need to see, breathe, know and live the latest tools, whatever they are… blogs, updated interactive experience, etc. If you don’t experience and live in that world, you will quickly become out-of-touch with what your customers are experiencing and wanting (from your company, your product, and your website).

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Trade show budgets not hot this year

BtoB magazine is reporting that trade shows will be off greatly this year. Not really a surprise given the economy. In fact, this very marketing tactic was heavily discussed at the second annual Atlanta High-Tech CMO Roundtable held in late 2008.

To find out what CMOs said about this and what 2009 holds for BtoB tech PR and marketing professionals download the resulting free report at: http://tr.im/hfgo.

Trade show budgets projected to decline 17% this year

Chicago—Budgets for trade show exhibiting are expected to decline 17% this year, while the number of trade shows that exhibitors are planning to participate in should drop by about the same amount, according to the Trade Show Exhibitors Association.

Source: BtoBonline.com READ NOW

Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Arketi Principal to Lead B2B Webinar


Arketi principal Sami Jajeh will be presenting a B2B Power Exchange webinar this coming Monday, March 9th at 2 p.m. EST. As part of the group’s ongoing Thought Leadership series, the free webinar,“Uniting Messaging and Segmentation for Better Marketing Results,” will examine the benefits of combining messaging and positioning exercises as part of one organizational strategy.
To sign up for this free webinar, visit http://www.suretomeet.com/cgi-bin/gt/event_pb.h,event=fb9bdc944aff.