COMMENTS
The original article indeed is an eye opener. Probably the PR guys would not like however, it is so true.
Being a journalist himself in the earlier days, he has seen both sides of the coin.
Although you have summarized it well, I would rather not try to summarize the article and the article should be read fully.
Thanks for summary of the Calacanis article. I'd looked at, but didn't make it thru the whole 4500 words. Much appreciated!
6 words. Don't be stupid. Hire a professional.
6 words will not be enough for it, but My 6 Points r -
- Be a Passionate Networker
- Try to be Omnipresent
- Reach People with Ease
- Be Straightforward
- Be A Good Listener
- Morph yourself to the needs
Is it just me or are points 4 and 7 slightly contradictory?
I don't think they are necessarily contradictory, well not the way I read it. I know he said small number of folks, but I read "niche".
In this space, thats still lots of people but focused on one segment. You could be out with different people every night being seen and not see the same person again for months.
Dharmesh,
Thank you for summarizing Jason's article. I agree that it's difficult to summarize, but you did an admirable job.
I've been very successful with #6 (Always pick up the check). Invite others out, and think about the bill as marketing dollars; possibly the best marketing dollars you spend!!! I've generated business, but more importantly created relationships and partnerships by reaching out and offering free meals. Definitely a great return on investment.
Eric Shooman
thebostonentrepreneur.wordpress.com
6-word summary: My ego is larger than yours.
I started to blog about his post myself, but I kept getting stuck on how much his ideas and his image are driven by his larger-than-life ego. I mean, look at the post: it's all, vividly, about things HE thought of and things HE did and people HE knows.
I end up thinking that he's earned it - he has had enough success that he's speaking from a position of authority. But I spend more energy thinking about the person writing the words than the ideas behind them. My loss, maybe.
While PR does have it's importance, I don't think a CEO should spend too much time "hobnobbing" with media people.
His main concern is making his company relevant to his customers, and providing the best value to his customers.
It's your customers you need to sell to, not the media.
It's all about customers, in case you have'nt noticed.
You dont need to sell the sizzle when you got the best tasting sausages in town.
Actually... I think the lesson here is write a piece that gets syndicated across the web on every start up blog and that's the best PR you could ask for. :) PR is about access.
i belive that being a Passionate Networker is the best way to get free publicity.
6 words - Be yourself in everything you do :O)
Calacanis forgot one thing and you wld forgive him for this one because hes absically he disoriented journalist(who will hopefully get back to being a journalist again).
He focusses only on media and journalists for pr while the best form of Pr for other people like us who arent journalistsare our customers.
provide a great service and they will refer other people.
Wonder if this point is too small for calcanis or maybe he doesnt care coz he can always sleep with the techrunch guys and get free publicity.
These are great points and it's pretty hard to disagree with any of them. However, "be everywhere" is easier said than done. Having a "family", networking with individuals -- sure. But "everywhere"? Just attending every trade show in one's own field can be rather expensive for a startup, for example.
You don't need to be everywhere.
Your customers already are everywhere. Start an affiliate program, and multiply the "places" you can be at. Give customers someting to rave about, and you'll be all over the internet in a very short time.
Writing an article (or many) is a great idea, just as is having a blog.
These days the conventional media is much less relevant than it used to be.
Unless your looking for VC to get your idea off the ground, and expect them to pay your bills.
Then you have no choice but to play the political/media game, and kiss butt.
Agree with Jason's thought. I feel companies don't need to spend a penny on marketing. PR coming from the CEO couldn't be matched by many PR firm. I also believe in
IncrementalPR, which allows startups to work their way up to get themselves on major blogs/magazines.
Have to disagree with Raj Anand's point slightly.
While a CEO may be the best person to evangelize about his or her company, they could also be like fish out of the sea when dealing with the media. This is where a PR team.professional is invaluable. Although make sure it's a good one - like any industry, there are plenty of wannabe's.
One thing you forgot to mention in your summary is that Calacanis also advocated firing people that are good at their jobs. I find that highly immoral and unprofessional and is a reason why so many people don't hold Calacanis in any kind of esteem.
Great advertisement for self-loving egomania, though... ;-)
Interesting post. I also wrote about some killer tips to get your startup observed..find them here. http://technofriends.in/2008/12/08/startups-5-killer-tips-to-get-your-startup-observed/
Thanks
Vaibhav
I checked out the original post...you did a great job of distilling the information down to its important points.