If you’ve been to South by Southwest Interactive in Austin, you’ll know it’s an experience second to none, a heady confluence of people, ideas and tech.
This year, the Festival organizers are taking the spirit of SXSW to launch a new event, South by Southwest V2V in Las Vegas.
I had a chance to talk to event producer Christine Auten on Inside PR 3.40. She gave us a preview of the programming and a glimpse into what the organizers hope V2V will become: the go-to place for creatives, entrepreneurs, tech startups, funders, thinkers and hobbyists to exchange ideas and connect.
Industry Mentors
Learning is a big part of that whether in keynotes, presentations or a more intimate setting. Each day, V2V is hosting a series mentor sessions – short one-on-one meetings between startups and professionals who’ve been through it before and are happy to share their knowledge and expertise. The mentors can provide the type of big picture guidance that’s so important when you’re trying to get a new business off the ground.
I’m excited to say I’ll be one of the mentors focusing on content marketing and new PR.
Not a newsblast, it’s a two-way street
Over the years, I’ve worked with many companies that thought PR was a magic bullet that could solve their marketing awareness needs.
Just post a release, do some pitching and boom – you’re featured in TechCrunch, Mashable and the Wall Street Journal, no less. And of course that type of exposure guarantees success.
Right?
Um…maybe not.
Exposure is just one part of the equation and in order for PR to really help you achieve your business goals, your content foundation should be established long before you go out with your big story.
Otherwise all that coverage brings little more than a fleeting high and an inbox flooded with emails from people trying to sell you junk you don’t need.
Publishing + Publicity
In a recent blog post I wrote about how community management is the new PR.
It starts on the inside with a publishing strategy – an approach to content that’s based on what you do better than anyone else. After that you should find, engage and listen to customers and build a community based on helping and trust. Once that’s in place, start thinking about the kind amplification you get from publicity (as in making your story public) and blogger and influencer relations – and how to get your community involved.
Those are just a few of the things I’l be talking about in my sessions.
I’ll also answer questions about:
- How to get started on PR
- The best ways to prepare for interviews
- How to train everyone in your organization to be ambassadors
- When to hire an agency
- Whether a PR firm is the right fit for your business
- How to develop a strategic content calendar
- Finding the right balance between content, community and outreach
Right now my times are booked, but if any of you want to schedule a separate session sometime during the conference, I’d be glad to meet with you. If you’re interested, please leave me a comment on the blog or tweet me @martinwaxman.
Looking forward to the ideas, people, learning and yes, socializing too. Hope to see you at #SXSWV2V.
