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Topaz Partners on the Move
The Topaz team continues to grow, with the addition of new staff, opportunities with new clients, and new success stories achieved in partnership with our current clients.
With our new team members, our relationships with the media and industry analyst community and our expanding suite of services, Topaz continues to find innovative ways to support the business objectives of our clients. This issue of our newsletter spotlights some of these Topaz developments and provides other insights and updates we think you’ll find valuable.
Let us know what you think about the topics covered here – and what you’d like to see in future issues. We appreciate your continued interest in Topaz.
Thanks,
Tony Sapienza and Paula Slotkin
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New Places – Topaz Takes to the Web to Talk PR
On Friday, October 24, Topaz will join with CCBN, a leader in webcasting services for corporate communications, to discuss how webcasting has evolved as a valuable part of PR and marketing programs. Webcasting is an increasingly powerful, cost-effective and logistically-friendly option for product launches, corporate announcements, executive visibility and brand building. Topaz will look at some of today’s most innovative webcasts and will review statistics that reinforce this medium’s emergence as a timely and relevant PR tool.
Title: Webcasting Solves New PR Challenges: Delivering powerful messages to broader audiences
Hosted by: Topaz Partners, Tony Sapienza and Paula Slotkin
Date: October 24, 2003
Time: 12:00noon (EST)
Click here to sign up: http://www.visualwebcaster.com/event.asp?id=17712
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Topaz Meets the Editors (and Analysts)
Some of our most important client work involves our relationships with the media and industry analysts, and Topaz continually works to meet these influencers to stay abreast of changes in this community. Over the past several months, Topaz has had a number of background meetings with editors, reporters, writers and analysts to help us in our media and analyst relations work on behalf of our clients. These meetings have included:
- Mike Zimmerman, executive editor of eWeek
- Matt Kelly, a contributing writer for the Boston Business Journal, Mass High Tech, Small Times and other magazines
- Judith Hurwitz, one of the leading technology industry analysts and the founder of Hurwitz Associates
- Senior editors from Mass High Tech
New Faces – Clients
The past several months have brought a number of positive changes for Topaz. While we continue to help our current clients move ahead with their PR and marketing plans – as you’ll read about later in this newsletter – we’ve welcome several new clients that cover a broad range of markets and spread our reach across the US and around the world. These new Topaz clients include the leader in travel commerce technology (Sabre Holdings), the European developer of a revolutionary snowsports product (FD Technologies) and one of New England’s oldest companies (W.A. Wilde). We’ve also expanded our base of technology and services companies, in areas ranging from project management (Framework) to business operations software (Airframe) to engineering consulting (VHB). Following are snapshots of these newest Topaz clients:
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Airframe (www.myairframe.com)
Airframe Business Software addresses the growing business application outsourcing market, a cost-effective alternative to complex, expensive business software.
FD Technologies (www.decept.com)
FD Technologies is the developer of the Decept Snowskate, a new breed of snow sports product that integrates new technologies to duplicate the sensation of riding a skateboard on the snow. FD Technologies is a joint venture between Kramer Elastics GmbH, Europe’s largest skateboard factory and The Generics Group AG.
Framework Technologies (www.frametech.com)
Framework Technologies is a leader in project execution decision support software, helping companies in the manufacturing and architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) markets focus on the key projects paramount to achieving growth objectives.
Sabre Holdings (www.sabre-holdings.com)
Sabre Holdings is the world's largest developer of travel commerce technology serving travelers, corporations, travel agents and travel suppliers around the globe. Sabre Holdings' business units include Travelocity, Sabre Airline Network, and Sabre Airline Solutions.
Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. (www.vhb.com)
Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. (VHB) is a 700-person engineering, planning, and applied science firm that provides integrated transportation, land development, and environmental services to public, private, and institutional clients.
W.A. Wilde (www.wilde.com)
Based in Holliston, MA, Wilde provides a wide variety of direct marketing services, from creative services and printing to mailing, database management, fulfillment and Web-based product management to companies nationwide.
Visit our newsroom to learn more: http://www.topazpartners.com/topaz/newsroom.asp
New Faces – Growing the Topaz Team
To help us serve the needs of our clients – those new to the Topaz family and others who have joined us since our launch early last year – we’re continuing to grow our team of PR and marketing professionals. This summer, we added Hope Kercher as our marketing communications specialist to help with brochures, event planning and other marketing projects for our clients. And earlier this fall, we welcomed the two newest additions to the Topaz team – Bill Wrinn and Terry Frechette. Both former journalists and veterans of the PR world, Bill and Terry have had experience with clients as varied as Compaq, Avid, Unisphere, Trellix and Juniper Networks. These new team members bring the total number of Topaz staff to more than 15. For complete bios of these and other Topaz staffers, check out our Web site: http://www.topazpartners.com/topaz/our_team.asp
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"The Importance of PR during a Business Merger”
Following is an article Topaz developed for merger.com, a source of information on mergers and acquisitions. A growing number of companies are experiencing the challenges involved with a merger – or may do so sometime in the future – and this article provides some valuable insights into the critical role PR plays in the during a merger and the PR issues companies should consider.
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A sound and strategic public relations effort is not the determining factor in the success of a merger, but it is often one of the most misunderstood and underutilized steps a company can take. One of the most common mistakes that companies make when completing an acquisition is a direct result of miscommunication with the media. Press coverage can quickly sway the perceptions and opinions of employees, customers, business partners and investors on both sides of a deal. For example, a local newspaper story based on unsubstantiated rumors can cause undue concern among employees or a question raised by a business reporter about the prospects of a deal can damage a company’s stock price.
Negative or misinformed news reports occur when a company is slow to address potential questions, when spokespeople fail to deliver a clear message or when management on either side of a deal is unwilling to address negative perceptions that begin to arise in the mind of the public. Too many companies instead try to control communication by saying as little as possible.
Companies can avoid these problems by thinking about public communications in the earliest stages of merger negotiations, by proactively driving their messages through the media, and by following through on these efforts well after the merger and integration process is complete.
Following are a few recommendations that should be applied to all communications around a merger:
- Assemble a solid PR team and get them involved early in the process; make certain that communications remains a priority throughout the lifecycle of the deal
- Put a PR strategy in place at the initial stages of the deal;
- Track communications tactics on a regular basis, making adjustments as developments require;
- Anticipate the public’s concerns and questions with a messages document that proactively outlines and supports your corporate positions;
- Establish your PR team as the definitive facilitators who can prioritize and manage media outreach and response;
- Be proactive with your media outreach;
- Look beyond traditional channels of communications; and,
- Be honest -- if there is bad news coming, don't deliberately mislead, as this might lead to an environment of distrust.
Even if a company has followed all these recommendations and PR has succeeded in delivering a consistent and positive message to the public, the job is not over. For many companies, a frequent mistake post-merger is slowing or shutting down the communications process once the merger is done. In fact, often the public relations work has just begun – effective follow-up communications with the media is essential to the long-term success of the newly-established company.
After the merger is complete, continue to follow the recommendations outlined above. Here again, comprehensive, coordinated communications – early, often and enduring – is critical. Lay out your PR plan and the supporting processes. Make certain the combined resources of the two companies are well-managed, focused and they understand and follow the strategic objectives set by management.
“Clear, consistent and timely communications is essential to setting the stage for achieving the strategic goals intended in the acquisition,” according to Dennis Fitzgerald, CEO of AcquisitionWorks, an organization focused on improving the financial returns on acquired or merged companies.
The issues outlined above focus primarily on media relations, but internal communications are equally important. Companies need to closely align their media outreach efforts with other communications activities targeted to employees, customers, partners and investors, and the teams responsible for outreach to these audiences should be in consistent communication with one another. The suppliers, partners and customers of the acquired company can often be as nervous as the employees about what this will mean to the future of their relationship and they need to be informed quickly.
There is a simple rule with regard to communications with the media around a merger. Do it early, do it often – and don’t stop until the job is finished.
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Mass Software Council
Launched in 1985, the Mass Software Council is the leading technology trade association in Massachusetts today – an organization that continues to serve the needs of the technology community by helping companies grow their revenues, improve their bottom line, secure funding, anticipate technology trends, and connect with one another.
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The Council organizes approximately 50 meetings a year on the various aspects of managing software and technology companies; conducts research on the industry; represents the software industry on technology-related public policy issues; creates innovative programs to address workforce issues; and promotes Massachusetts globally as a center of technology leadership and innovation.
Programs for October include:
Tuesday, Oct 21, 2003
8:00 - 11: AM
Access to Capital: Alternative Sources of Financing
Silicon Valley Bank, Newton
Friday, Oct 24, 2003
8:30-10:30 AM
Bio-IT/Life Sciences Roundtable
Tufts Health Plan, Waltham
Wednesday, Oct 29, 2003
8:30 - 11:00 AM
Management Series: Managing Through Change
Microsoft, Waltham
Friday, Oct 31, 2003
8:00 - 11:00 AM
Selling to the Massachusetts Government
Sun Microsystems, Burlington
For more information and to see the calendar of upcoming events, visit www.msicouncil.org.
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CyberPatrol
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This issue’s Topaz Client Spotlight focuses on CyberPatrol, a leading parental control software provider. Based in Cheshire, UK, with offices around the world including Westborough, MA, CyberPatrol is working with Topaz to address the issues of Internet safety in homes, schools and libraries.
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Launched in 1995, CyberPatrol was one of the first software solutions to overcome the pitfalls involved with Internet access in the new online era. From the start, CyberPatrol’s parental control software was specifically developed to help protect children online from inappropriate material that is available through the click of a mouse. Topaz was brought on board to extend CyberPatrol’s message in the United States and target key media and audiences to give more visibility to this growing concern. In addition to a media relations campaign, the PR program includes an educational initiative towards parents regarding the online dangers and in chat rooms, securing executive visibility opportunities, and product reviews.
Topaz has secured product reviews and issue articles in publications such as The Associated Press, Boston Globe, Smart Computing, PC Magazine and TechTV. CyberPatrol is recognized by the many parent and computer magazines – publications that recommend CyberPatrol as their product of choice for online safety. CyberPatrol has been a Topaz client since April 2003.
For more information, visit www.cyberpatrol.com.
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Art beCAUSE Wine Dinner
Topaz is helping to promote the work of Art beCAUSE, an organization committed to eradicating breast cancer through environmental research. Art beCAUSE was established by a group of interested women and men, many of whom have ties to the Boston art community. Some are breast cancer survivors or are related to those who have been struck by the disease. Others are friends who understand the impact of breast cancer on families and loved ones. We'll all have an opportunity to support Art beCAUSE later this fall, when the organization hosts a fundraising wine dinner at the Top of the Hub Restaurant in Boston. This event -- which will feature wines from the Kunde Estate Winery of Sonoma Valley, CA -- is scheduled for Wednesday, November 19, at 6 pm.
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If you're interested in learning more about this event or about the organization in general, let us know, or call Ellie Anbinder of Art beCAUSE at 508-877-5206. You can also visit the Art beCAUSE web site at www.artbecause.org.
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Amy Krigman
Amy Krigman has been with Topaz since our agency’s early days, but her background in public relations reaches back many years and across many businesses and markets.
Amy has an impressive track record in media relations for technology, professional services and consumer businesses. She has worked with companies such as M/A COM, Segue Software, Dunkin’ Donuts, Rollerblade and most recently Topaz clients ANSYS, Tecnomatix, W.A. Wilde and the Mass. Software Council.
Amy has secured coverage for these and other companies in various print publications and on television shows and radio stations, including Dow Jones, CNN, Time Digital, The Neil Cavuto Report (Fox News), The Boston Globe, The Boston Business Journal, WBZ-AM, Business 1060, The Christian Science Monitor, Waters, The Dallas Morning News, Automotive Engineering, Machine Design, ECN, Design News, eWeek, EETimes and InformationWeek.
Prior to launching a career in PR, Amy worked as a news producer at ABC affiliate in New Hampshire, WMUR-TV. She has also hosted several local radio and cable talk shows.
Amy gave birth to her first child, Danny, last spring and enjoys her new family responsibilities, together with her husband Slava, a software engineer with Lincoln Labs. When she does find the time, Amy enjoys outdoor sports and calling into local talk radio shows.
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Who We Are
Topaz Partners is a new breed of public relations firm. We are a senior team of communications and business professionals specializing in strategic business communications - public relations with a business development mindset.
Visit us at www.topazpartners.com.
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