My good friend (and off-and-on co-worker for the past 8 years), Aaron Burcell, Director of Marketing for Podshow, invited me to the San Francisco Podcasting Meetup last night at Sauce in SF. Working at Voce for 5+ years now, with a recent heavy focus on the Podcasting industry - partnered with my off-the-clock passion for homebrewing - I am very interested in exactly what it’s going to take to launch my own Podcast for both professional and personal reasons. The September meetup was the perfect, official introduction to the world of Podcasting. Sure, I’ve been listening to John Furrier’s InfoTalk Podcasts and Chris Christiansen’s Amateur Traveler for a little while now and have used Podcast Alley (now officially part of Podshow) on multiple occasions to find interesting and fun Podcasts to listen to… but actually getting to sit down with the people making it all happen was very cool indeed. John was acting as the emcee, fielding questions from the group of approximately 40 people, and topics ranged from this week’s Tag Tuesday to the possibility of revenue-building models around individual Podcasts.

I was lucky enough to get to sit down with Joe Carpenter, half the voice behind a guy, a girl and a bottle - a great Podcast devoted to wine and wineries in the Bay Area. He was telling me that all I needed to get started with my Podcast is an iRiver iFP 700 series or iFP 800 series Ultra Portable MP3 player. There is the option to get an external microphone for interviews too. The benefit of using a portable player to conduct Podcasts - rather than a formal, fixed-location studio - is that I can take it on brewery tours, etc. and conduct impromtpu interviews, then deal with uploading when I return home. Very cool indeed. This definitely seems to be the way to go, because I was having the same discussion with Chris McIntyre of PodShow and he said exactly the same thing regarding what equipment I should start off with.

The San Francisco Podcasting Meetup was founded by Michael Butler of The Rock and Roll Geek Show Podcast, and he’s done a great job so far. At 141 members (142 with the recent addition of yours truly), the SF Podcasting Meetup group is one of the largest in the country (if not the largest) and with that many members sharing innovative ideas, I can’t wait for next month’s Podcasting Meetup event!

Cheers!

– Richard Brewer-Hay

Voce Nation’s own Matthew Podboy and Tim Johnson authored
an article
for the Global
PR Blog Week 2.0 that provides recommendations for deploying online
communications campaigns. The article, "7
Tips for Deploying an Online Communications Program," was selected as an editor’s choice.

Earlier this week one of our clients, Peerflix, announced general availability of its product and debuted new features at DEMOfall.  I thought I would just take a second to write a little about how the Peerflix blog fit into the overall success of this launch as a communication tool.

Over the past year, the Peerflix team has been working closely with a community of early adopters to fine-tune the service and understand the needs of movie enthusiasts. One of the key ways the team listened to (and spoke with) its community of users was through its Peerblog.

Each month, the Peerflix team puts together a basic editorial calendar, leaving room for any issue-driven or opportunistic posts that might surface. Most staff members contribute to the blog, and everybody stays up-to-speed on its content and the comment threads via RSS.  In fact, comments have been very important to the success of the blog because they allow the company to engage directly with its users and share information that not just one but many people can benefit from.

Using Peerblog as a way to communicate with users has allowed Peerflix to improve its product, cultivate a community and really showcase the people and the personality behind the company. Now that this week’s launch is behind us, I think the Peerblog will be even more important to the success of the ongoing communications program and more critical to making Peerflix an exceptional service!

– Kari Curto

As a Santa Clara University student in the heart of Silicon Valley, typically it is “expected” that you graduate with a basic understanding of the technology market either in a business sense or hands-on IT sense.  Case studies, group discussions, and internships both in and out of the classroom, aid in furthering the tech background of students in order to prepare them for the possibility of a career in the Bay Area. So looking back, I like to think that I started my career at Voce with a decent amount of technology experience.

After working at Logitech and now Voce, I consider myself in the “thick of it all” and I can safely say no education is ever enough, this industry moves at the pace of light it seems.  In the world of technology communications consulting, we see companies buy others, merge, go out of business, products and solutions come and go, and trends pass by at warp speed. 

At first glance, technology may not seem like the most glamorous communications field to enter  compared to industries such as sports, fashion, and music. However - the way I look at it, it’s THE most fast paced and forever changing industry to be a part of, which makes it very interesting.

As computers and electronics advance, social and political changes occur as technology improvements lead to a change in the way people go about their daily routines. For example, consumers no longer need to go to Safeway to buy groceries, instead they can order them online. The movies we watch now have incredible digital effects that make us feel like we are a part of the film itself.  Wireless streaming media inventions bring video, photos, information anywhere, anytime in color, sound and picture.

Technology affects everything we do and as a technology communications specialist, I have an opportunity to help tell these stories and bring the changes to people who will use them for the better.  A large part of my job is to look for the every-day pieces of the business that appeal to consumers and IT buyers - like how enterprise software enables me to monitor incoming flights to ensure that I pick my boyfriend up from the airport on time - find the angle that will make a good story and interest people in learning more about the technology.

During my time at Voce, I have learned more than I did in all four years of college.  And I’m pleased I can say I am taking a part in an industry. The nerves are still there, but at least each day brings something new, and I look forward to the challenges of taking a company’s vision and story to the right people to make a difference.

– Elizabeth Reid

We’re happy to point out that longtime Voce client, Network Appliance, has just joined the conversation with “Dave’s Blog.”

NetApp co-founder and former cowboy Dave Hitz is sharing his thoughts and opinions on the storage industry, tech trends and life in the Silicon Valley.

Subscribe here!

Anyone who has studied public relations or communication in college or worked in the field knows that the foundation of all PR is built on the knowledge of your client, its various constituencies or audiences, how you intend to reach them and with what message. You learn the various avenues for reaching your target audiences: newspapers, magazines, broadcast television, etc., and you learn how you might work with and use those mediums. But, when you enter and work in PR like I did recently, you’re confronted with even more demands on your understanding of different mediums for interacting with audiences, beyond those traditional targets.

Interactive media and what we here call "digital advocacy," is the main thrust behind the latest big wave in new media. Blogs, podcasts and the like have taken the communications industry and the internet by storm and have forced not only reporters and other members of the media to learn how to accommodate these new mediums, but also PR people. Since we PR folks are frequently charged by our clients with connecting them with media members, it is our job to not only understand how to utilize these new tools, as well as the old or traditional, but utilize them in a way that works in our and our client’s favor.

As a "green" professional, relatively new to the field, this is a huge challenge. Not only must we learn the ways of PR in the traditional sense, but we must take into account these new methods of communicating and the completely different strategic and tactical implications and questions they bring into play on a daily program.

As of today, Technorati is tracking the daily updates of 17* million blogs (* I must not that when I wrote this Technorati was tracking 16 million blogs, and two weeks later they are now tracking 17 which clearly shows the rapid growth of blogs as a communications tool). That’s huge! That number only grows when you factor in the audiences viewing, reading and, more importantly, interacting via blogs by way of comments, trackbacks and postings of their own. In a recent survey (pdf) conducted by Comscore, it was found that nearly 50 million Americans, or about 30 percent of the total U.S. Internet population, visited blogs in Q1 2005. This represents an increase of 45 percent compared to Q1 2004! Clearly, there is a lot of steam behind these numbers and we all expect them to keep growing.

So, what is the best way to wrap your brain around all of these different communication methods when you’re just starting out? What has worked best for me thus far is attempting to become a news junkie. That means reading whatever you can, whenever you can: newspapers, magazines and blogs. The more you read, the more familiar you will become with the different styles of writing, topical approaches and interests of each. Learning to differentiate is key to your development in the writing of pitches, proposals, abstracts, and anything else you’re required to construct and personalize for a specific media outlet.

The bright side of all of this is that if you’re just starting out in PR now, you’re coming in at a great time. Interactive media has already started to change the communications models for many companies, but is still in its infancy in terms of the impact it can have on business and PR, as well as the breadth to which it will continue to expand.

Sometimes mainstream media outlets get overly caught up in jargon that the "average" reader doesn’t understand, but blogs seem to have come to the rescue with, in most cases, their synthesized breakdown of information. The reliability of blogs is still debatable, but they’re increasingly taking away readership of the mainstream press’ offerings. As a young PR professional, it’s tough to ignore this latest trend, so find your favorite blogs and subscribe to those RSS feeds. What’s an RSS Feed? Now that’s another story all together…

– Ryan Lack

This is the true story of three interns, picked to be thrown together in Palo Alto, work in “the bullpen,” and drink too much coffee. Find out what happens when people stop being polite and start dominating tech PR - The Real World: Voce Nation.

Stefanie is the classy one.

Justin is the expert one.

Kate is the one who had no idea what she was getting herself into.

Kate Van Bronkhorst

I was the baby of Voce at the tender age of (barely) 19. I couldn’t go out for drinks after work with my coworkers, I didn’t get jokes that referenced anything before about 1994, and I didn’t appreciate people gasping after I told them when I was born.

I don’t mean that the Voce team is full of stuffy cube-dwellers that are completely out of touch with the younger generation. No, that’s hardly the case. Some days I wasn’t sure if I was working in a public relations firm or in my college dorm—people were throwing footballs, playing with the dog, or shouting movie quotes at each other.

It was the perfect office atmosphere, especially when I was having a less-than-perfect day. I was transported right back to high school when my press releases and media alerts came back with corrections and changes all over them. There was a part of me that would become terribly frustrated and want to give up.

But I found my motivation in my coworkers.

The experience I got working at Voce did exactly what I hoped—it helped me focus in on what I want to do after college. I don’t know if PR is the field for me, but I certainly gained an immense appreciation for what it takes to be successful in this industry. I don’t yet have the internal fire of Matt Podboy, the grace and poise of Kari Curto, or the dedication to perfection of Stephanie Luttringhaus. But after working with them and the rest of the Voce crew of PR professionals, I know what qualities I want to have in a few short years.

And so I say thank you, Voce.

Thank you for giving me a chance.

Thank you for making me laugh.

Thank you for challenging me.

Thank you for my introduction to the real world.

Stefanie Penland

Afternoon chats in the bullpen.  Brainstorming sessions while playing four square with an oversized exercise ball.  Continual trips down the street to Starbucks.  Email chains from your coworkers congratulating your recent media close. 

My experience as an intern at Voce has been an amazing, engaging and enjoyable one.  There has never been a moment when I regretted joining the family here.  I couldn’t think of another company that would give me the support, encouragement and continual push that Voce has given me during my time here.

And now, I can’t leave!  Upon my return to Santa Clara University for my final year, I’ve been given the opportunity to stay onboard at Voce and I couldn’t be more excited.  I’ve worked since I was 15 years old and this is THE ONLY job where I haven’t counted down the hours to my last day (and sometimes that countdown starts a few weeks into the job!)  I can’t wait for what lies ahead and I’m thankful that I was able to begin my PR journey with Voce.

I just wanted to formally thank everyone for my experience here over the last three months. It has been an absolute pleasure getting to know all of you in and out of the office. Professionally, this has been a great eye opening experience, and I have learned things here that I never could have in the classroom. Many highlights come to mind when thinking about the last three months but I think that the culture of Voce is the thing that I will remember the most. Hard work, dedication, and a hell of a lot of fun. You have all taught me more than I could have ever expected, and his has been an experience that I will never forget.

And so I say one last thank you, and good luck, I will truly miss you all.

Anyone in PR knows that it’s a fundamental part of our job to “leverage the news of the day” for the benefit of our client or company. Remember Y2K? In the months leading up to the new millennium it seemed that every 24/7 news cycle contained yet another apocalyptic angle to the dangers of picking the wrong compliant software. More recently, the “outsourcing to India” backlash has given PR departments across the U.S. an opportunity to remind the media that their company bleeds red, white, and blue.

But when does “timely” become “slimy?” I’ve always assumed that our industry was intelligent enough to understand the difference between topical trends and catastrophic chaos. But as in any profession, there always seem to be a few individuals that ruin it for the rest of us. Just two days after 9/11, several members of the media received a pitch from a well known PR firm titled, “finally, some good news.” The pitch made a feeble and tasteless attempt to connect the dots between one of the worst tragedies in American history to a website that helps parents save money for college. One editor simply responded with “congratulations, you get the tasteless pitch of the year award.”

Over the past few weeks, the destruction of New Orleans and surrounding areas by Hurricane Katrina has been covered non stop by the media. And there will surely be a few individuals that try to “take advantage of this timely news story” by explaining how their particular widget can benefit someone, somewhere, somehow when a disaster strikes. In fact, some may even make a case that not doing so would be considered professional negligence. For example, what if you do PR for a company that manufactures pumps for irrigation drainage? Surely, there’s no better time to tell the world that your company’s pump would have drained the water twice as fast as those used in New Orleans - possibly saving lives and millions of dollars in damage.

But while there are certainly shades of gray when it comes to the timely vs. slimy debate, I would argue any tragedy involving the loss of human life should never be considered a PR opportunity - especially while it is still unfolding. Engaging in this type of “opportunistic” PR not only shines poorly on our profession, but it also smacks of desperation and laziness.

So next time you’re pressured by your manager or client to “leverage the news of the day,” take a minute to pause and carefully assess exactly what you’re “leveraging.” Even if your widget can help save the world from the next disaster, chances are we can all wait a few weeks to hear about it.

– Dave Black

*Dave Black is the President of the Silicon Valley Chapter of PRSA and a Director at Voce Communications.

PRWeek has an interesting piece  (sub req’d) running on managing online influencers. Our digital advocacy guru’s Mike and Matt share their perspective on how Voce wraps its DA skills into broader PR programs for our clients both small and large.

For those just getting their feet wet in the online influencer pool, this article is a good how-to primer.

And yes, we did call Mike and Matt gurus.

– Voce Marketing Team

I just came back from a five month maternity leave. There’s always the old cliché that girls have to do everything together. In grade school we had sleepovers and 20 of us slept all night in one room together. Then in high school and college, girls always hit the restroom in pairs, “Come to the bathroom with me?” Mostly it was so we could talk smack in private, but that’s neither here nor there.

A friend of mine was pregnant with her first baby around the same time I was expecting my second child. We have tons in common and are great friends. We’re equally motivated, ambitious, have a strong work ethic, and both hold management positions within our respective workplaces. (Don’t mean to pat myself on the back!) She gave birth to her little boy three weeks before I had Cole.

As fast as a baby tires of “tummy time” (that’s “very quick” for non-parents) our grown-up play date was over and my friend went back to work. Two weeks later, she resigned her very well paying marketing position. She’d decided that she wanted to stay at home full time with her son.

I envied her independence to declare an alternate life route. A choice, according to BusinessWeek, many women are making. I envied her for all the experiences she would share with her son that I would miss with my son and daughter when I went back to work. However, it never entered my mind to resign my post at Voce.

Don’t worry; this is isn’t the part where I do a song and dance with my top hat and cane about how great a place Voce is to work. If you work at Voce, I don’t have to explain. The point is this: when did all of us girls become so independent? How is it that two like-minded women made such different choices at a similar point in their lives?

As women of my generation climb life’s ladder rungs, there seem to be so many new choices. Growing up, many of us had stay-at-home moms. (Known as housewives then - Doesn’t that sound something like house arrest? Weren’t they allowed out of the house?). As an adolescent girl in the 70s, the career door was just opening and it was still very hard to see into the other room. Now there isn’t anything we women can’t pursue - even full-time motherhood if that’s what we choose.

The ability to happily juggle a career and two kids in about two years (giving new meaning to Chuck Woolery’s old commercial exit two and two) is proof that some companies, like Voce, offer more than lip service when it comes providing employees personal life and work balance. Who knows, maybe if I worked somewhere else I would have resigned too. However, the fact remains; I made my own choice to remain a PR grunt at Voce (spoken affectionately, of course). I also use the Voce bathroom all by myself.

– Tiffany Curci