TOPAZ PARTNERSStrategic Communications

Your Air Cover In the Battle For

T&E Reporting Market Share ……And Mind Share

Strategic communications — a new approach to public relations and marketing communications

Topaz Partners — a new breed of public relations firm, focused on strategic communications with a business development mindset

Extends beyond roots in traditional media relations, marketing communications

• Beyond “dial & smile” — knowledge-based relationship-building

• Beyond press releases – e-newsreleases, web-based press kit, media e-newsletters, website newsroom

• Beyond ed-opp calendars – creating opportunities• Beyond road-shows – online meetings, demos, email

outreach• Beyond data sheets and brochures – website

development

What is Strategic Communications?

Focused on influencing influencers who help build mind share and establish your reputation with target audiences– Customers– Investors– Partners

What is Strategic Communications?

What is Strategic Communications?

Multi-faceted integrated communications– Industry analyst relations– Financial communications– Executive communications– Crisis communications– Communications-driven management consulting

…online and offline

Topaz Partners

Specialists in strategic business communications

Senior team of tech industry professionals

Experience in communications and management

Background across full range of communications disciplines

Track Record of Success

The Battleground—Challenges

– Microsoft’s plan to add MS T&E icon to Windows– Bill Hewlett’s crusade to undermine last year’s proposed

merger with HP’s Bogus Business Software Division– Fallout from Enron’s involvement in beta customer

program

– Increasing competition/consolidation in T&E Reporting space

– Vaporware issue– Lack of referenceable customers and any visibility with

influencers

The Battleground—Opportunities

– Unique approach to T&E Reporting– Upcoming product release– Evolving line-up of beta customers– Background, perspective of management team– Increased focus on T&E as strategic capability—

greater emphasis on accounting principles– Opportunity to fill void as driving force in T&E

Reporting

Your Marketing Arsenal Special Forces

E-newslettersSearch-engine optimizationRelationship marketing Conferences, seminars, road shows

Air Cover Strategic Communications — activities aimed at…

Setting the backdropRaising visibilityDeveloping your reputationBuilding the buzz and the bandwagon by influencing the

influencers of your target audience

Strategic Communications Targets: The Influencers -- MediaBusiness Media

–CFO/CIO–Business Week–BBJ—Phil Sweeney

Trade Media–Finance Technology–Computerworld–InformationWeek

Vertical Media–Sales and Marketing Management—Christine Galea–Lawyers Weekly USA–Consulting Magazine

Online Media–CNet–MSNBC–CNN Interactive–Slashdot.org

Newsletters–Managing T&E—Andy Dzamba–Financial Executives News—Timothy Harris

Strategic Communications Targets: The Influencers

Industry AnalystsEric Schmitt, ForresterThomas Topolinski, Gartner ResearchLaurie Balch, Gartner ResearchAndrew Ware, IDC

ConsultantsBain, EDS, Perot

Other Buzz-Builders – partners, other vendors, pundits

Bob Metcalf, Steve Alsop, Esther Dyson, Jeff Tarter

Strategic Communications – Battle Plan

Messaging/Mapping• Identify key influencers• Focus your message• Message intranet, online media training

Analyst Outreach/Relationship-Building• Introduction/pre-launch analyst meetings

– Seek counsel on marketing/business development strategies

• Track reports/coverage, identify T&E experts• Build database of analyst media references• Launch analyst e-newsletter

Media Outreach/Relationship-Building• Face-to-face meetings• Editorial board meetings• “Trackable” e-releases• “Spurious as expert reference” — offer perspective,

insight• E-newsroom

Visibility-Building — Editorial Opportunities• Viewpoint pieces, case studies• Management profiles, customer profiles, features• Spurious-generated trend stories

Strategic Communications — Battle Plan

Visibility-Building — News releases, e-releases• New products, upgrades• Customer wins• Management, partnership announcements

Visibility-Building — Networking, Speaking Opps• Agenda• PC Forum• Business Week Executive Summit

Integrate with Other Marketing Initiatives

Strategic Communications – Battle Plan

Your OptionsFocus on the Special Forces

• Lack of effective backdrop makes the battle more difficult — and success more of a challenge

Launch Advertising Air Cover• Expensive and of questionable validity

Launch a Balanced Battle Plan• Build the buzz that will make all other marketing

initiatives more successful• Generate credible, 3rd-party validation• Achieve cost-effective audience coverage

How Cost Effective?Strategic Communications Budget

Messaging/Mapping $ 7,000

Analyst Outreach $30,000

Media Outreach $50,000

Visibility Building $40,000

Why Invest In Strategic Communications?

“The value of a business increasingly lurks not in physical and financial assets that are on the balance sheet, but in intangibles.”

The Economist

“If you’re not managing your corporate reputation, you’re wasting a global corporate asset.”

CEO

“A reputation is an incredible asset, one you can’t appreciate until you lose it. And when you do, every aspect of business gets harder and more costly.”

CEO

“If you lose dollars for the firm by bad decisions, I will be understanding. If you lose reputation for the firm, I will be ruthless.”

Warren Buffet

Why Invest In Strategic Communications?

PR ranked as one of top three priorities in meeting sales and marketing objectives.

American Advertising Federation

96% of CEOs believe reputation is important to their companies

77% believe good reputation helps sell products and services

61% believe good reputation helps attract employees

53% believe good reputation increases credibility in times of crisis

CEO Magazine Poll

Next Steps —Launching Your Strategic Communications Campaign

Take stock of the battleground — the enemy, your weakness, your strengths

Lay out the battle plan

Attack the marketplace with overwhelming force

Spurious Software and Topaz Partners

In the battle for T&E Reporting market share and mind share …

Strategic communications is your air cover…

and Topaz Partners has the fire power