Seven Steps to MWC Success: Step 2 -- Always Be Relevant

Here’s the second of the Seven Steps to MWC Success series, curated and authored by Dominic Pannell of communications consultancy Buzz Method (I’ve placed a brief overview of the company below).

Did you miss Step 1 last week? You can find that here.

Right, over to Dominic…

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In the second in our series on how to prepare for Mobile World Congress (MWC) we’re looking today at how to ensure that what you’re saying will be topical, making it much more likely that you’ll get coverage.

2. Always be relevant

We all know that in order to make our news stick, we need to make it relevant to the journalist, analyst or blogger that we are targeting. However, all too often these rules go out of the window when it comes to a big event.

In the run up to the event, keep a keen eye on what the journalists, analysts and bloggers you are targeting are talking about. Build an understanding of what they are interested in and tailor your approach accordingly. Sounds simple, right? But with a keen product manager insisting that the most important thing to communicate is the latest speed improvements, you’ll have a tough job. Of course, there will always be people interested in speeds and feeds, but you can generally reach them away from the show and they are always happier if they can try your product out in their own time, rather than in the bustle of the show floor.

Instead, find ways to map your news to industry trends.

Liz Pellegrini, Senior Manager within the GSMA’s Member Services team has very kindly shared the themes for MWC 2011 so that we could pass them on to you.

The main theme of the event will be Leading The Transformation, with speaking sessions around:

– Mobile Health
– Making Apps Smarter, Profitable and taking them to the mass market
– Mobile Advertising
– Mobile Enterprise
– Social Networking
– Consumers in the Cloud
– Mobile Internet
– Mobile Innovation
– Strategies for growth: M&As
– Regional Focus: US
– Strategies for Wholesale
– Network Technology Evolution
– Mobile Government
– Mobile Money

Liz also sent us the event’s eBrochure, which is packed with useful information – it contains the conference programme, how to register, details of keynote speakers, timings of sessions, awards ceremonies as well as all the pricing information for the various passes and information about Barcelona. Most important of all, it has details of the Congress Party & Awards Celebration (OK, if you promise to keep it a secret, it’ll be held in the evening of Tuesday, 15 February in the National Palace in Montjuïc and Duffy will be playing, just don’t tell anyone we told you). If you want a copy of the eBrochure, feel free to email mwc(at)buzzmethod.com and we’ll be happy to share it with you.

What’s more, many industry analyst houses have recently published their technology predictions for the year ahead and rather helpfully, the Institute of Industry Analyst Relations (IIAR) has posted a potted summary of several houses on their blog. It’s a good idea to start thinking about how you can fit into these themes and start pulling together as many proof points as possible.

Let’s hear from Camille Mendler, Head of Enterprise Verticals at Informa Telecoms & Media:

“Trends will include how to monetize appstore – we’ll see if the Wholesale Application Community launched a year ago can claim any progress, let alone success. Related to this, the wider implications of Ultraviolet and digital rights management on the mobile community will cause concern.”

Camille continues:

“Verticalization is going to create a big buzz – I see telcos, vendors and integrators all gunning to carve out expertise in industries where communications enablement has transformative potential and – they hope – a better margin opportunity. These are some big words, but vertical applications could involve very simple technology. Take the use of SMS in rural healthcare for diagnostics and reporting. And my three big vertical bets are on health, transportation and energy.”

You don’t need to be all things to all people – far better to be relevant to those who can make a difference.

Make sure you stay on top of who is saying what at the show. The major players in the industry use this event to lay out their strategic view of the market over the next five to ten years, whether this means the announcement of new business models, new ways of interfacing with devices or new convergence strategies. Work out the similarities – or differences – with your company’s approach and start talking about it. All journalists, analysts and bloggers will be covering the big announcements in some form or another – give your point of view on what these mean for the industry and you’ll increase your chances of exposure.

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Once again, thank you very much Dominic — and thank you to Camille for taking the time to provide her perspective. We’ll have the next in Dominic’s series online shortly.

In case you haven’t come across Dominic and the team at Buzz Method, here’s a quick overview:

Buzz Method is a boutique communications consultancy based in Barcelona and London. Its consultants have decades of experience in advising ICT companies of all sizes and from all regions on how best to identify and engage with different stakeholders. Moreover, Buzz Method partners with the world’s best PR agencies to deliver award-winning international communications programmes for their mutual clients.

Meanwhile if you’ve got an opinion or perspective, do drop me a note: ewan@mobileindustryreview.com.

And if you’re looking around for MWC options, do check out the Mobile Industry Review MWC Sponsorship packages.