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Talaris Corporation officially launched the company and flagship product to the industry and press and analyst community on June 25, 2001. The team surmounted several significant challenges including lack of education around the technology category, limited time frame, and a client with no customers that insisted in staying in stealth mode for two years prior to launch.
Most media did not understand the key players and technology surrounding “Web services,” and the industry analysts were just beginning to devote resources to explaining this sector, but were new to it themselves. The team turned this challenge into the primary angle for its pitch. The big players (Microsoft, Sun, IBM) were publicizing their vision and strategy for Web services, but it was criticized for being too vague and mere marketing hype.
The team positioned Talaris as 1) the only company that had to date built a working application that solved a significant business problem and 2) an expert source on the current market landscape for media trying to get a better grasp on Web services. This winning strategy garnered amazing results for a company that had neither credibility nor visibility prior to the campaign.
The goal of the Talaris launch was to gain mindshare among key business and IT trade press and position Talaris as a “different kind of start-up” with a multi-tiered business model, seasoned executive team and tested product offering.
The overall launch strategy included convincing the executives to “leak” limited information to secure a key placement and generate some pre-launch buzz on which to build for the corporate launch. HGI secured Talaris (under stealth-name Gazoo) as one of RedHerring’s “10 to Watch” two months before launch date.
Due to internal events at Talaris, HGI only had 4 weeks to execute on the launch plan. One of the biggest challenges was identifying the appropriate media targets, as there weren’t any reporters assigned to the Web services beat at the time and until we had the green light from the client that the launch was a go, we were unable to divulge any information that might help refine our search. HGI targeted business and IT trade media that either covered Microsoft and Sun, wrote about futuristic technologies and products, or were managing editors/editors-in-chiefs that wanted to come up to speed quickly on a new technology and could then assign our story to the appropriate reporter.
Analyst meetings:
Talaris briefed 20 analysts from various firms including Aberdeen Group, AMR Research, Forrester Research, GartnerGroup, Hurwitz, IDC, Jupiter, META, Mobile Insights, Patricia Seybold Group, Summit Strategies and Yankee Group.
Press meetings:
Talaris also met with 18 reporters and editors from business, new economy, IT trade and vertical publications including BusinessWeek, CEOCast, CIO, Computerworld, eCompany Now, Financial Times, InformationWeek, InfoWorld, Interactive Week, Internet World, Line56, M-Business, Mobile Computing & Communications, RCR Wireless, RedHerring, San Jose Mercury News, the451.com, Unstrung, Upside, Wall Street Journal, Wall Street Reporter, Wireless Business & Technology and Wireless Week.
Coverage results:
Talaris was covered in the following publications as a direct result from launch activities and built strong relationships with editors that have resulted in additional meetings, coverage, and speaking opportunities at industry events: (**best hit – attached):Business Travel News, CEOCast, Forbes, **Financial Times, InfoWorld, InternetWorld, Line56, Mobile Computing online, RCR Wireless News, Red Herring, San Jose Mercury News, the451.com, The Wall Street Journal, Unstrung, WirelessWeek, and ZDNet News.
Most media did not understand the key players and technology surrounding “Web services,” and the industry analysts were just beginning to devote resources to explaining this sector, but were new to it themselves. The team turned this challenge into the primary angle for its pitch. The big players (Microsoft, Sun, IBM) were publicizing their vision and strategy for Web services, but it was criticized for being too vague and mere marketing hype.
The team positioned Talaris as 1) the only company that had to date built a working application that solved a significant business problem and 2) an expert source on the current market landscape for media trying to get a better grasp on Web services. This winning strategy garnered amazing results for a company that had neither credibility nor visibility prior to the campaign.
Strategy & Implementation
The goal of the Talaris launch was to gain mindshare among key business and IT trade press and position Talaris as a “different kind of start-up” with a multi-tiered business model, seasoned executive team and tested product offering.
The overall launch strategy included convincing the executives to “leak” limited information to secure a key placement and generate some pre-launch buzz on which to build for the corporate launch. HGI secured Talaris (under stealth-name Gazoo) as one of RedHerring’s “10 to Watch” two months before launch date.
Due to internal events at Talaris, HGI only had 4 weeks to execute on the launch plan. One of the biggest challenges was identifying the appropriate media targets, as there weren’t any reporters assigned to the Web services beat at the time and until we had the green light from the client that the launch was a go, we were unable to divulge any information that might help refine our search. HGI targeted business and IT trade media that either covered Microsoft and Sun, wrote about futuristic technologies and products, or were managing editors/editors-in-chiefs that wanted to come up to speed quickly on a new technology and could then assign our story to the appropriate reporter.
Summary of Results
Analyst meetings:
Talaris briefed 20 analysts from various firms including Aberdeen Group, AMR Research, Forrester Research, GartnerGroup, Hurwitz, IDC, Jupiter, META, Mobile Insights, Patricia Seybold Group, Summit Strategies and Yankee Group.
Press meetings:
Talaris also met with 18 reporters and editors from business, new economy, IT trade and vertical publications including BusinessWeek, CEOCast, CIO, Computerworld, eCompany Now, Financial Times, InformationWeek, InfoWorld, Interactive Week, Internet World, Line56, M-Business, Mobile Computing & Communications, RCR Wireless, RedHerring, San Jose Mercury News, the451.com, Unstrung, Upside, Wall Street Journal, Wall Street Reporter, Wireless Business & Technology and Wireless Week.
Coverage results:
Talaris was covered in the following publications as a direct result from launch activities and built strong relationships with editors that have resulted in additional meetings, coverage, and speaking opportunities at industry events:
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