Posts Tagged ‘ipad’

Why App Makers Must Use PR to Win on the Ipad

April 2nd, 2010

For all you wanna-be iPhone/iPad app-making millionaires, we applaud your ambition in this tough economy, though take note of this sobering anecdote reported by the Washington Post: a game called Shot Bar was developed at a cost of $30,000 and released in November, but has a total return under $1,000 to date.

The need for public relations is real: as a tech small business, you must have room for a small business marketing budget.  Given that the Apple app marketplace is saturated with close to 150,000 different products, PR is an acute pressure point.  Once the iPad goes on sale, this number is going to explode.

App makers, your game/utility/whoopee cushion may be a big deal to you, but what good is your product if you can’t distinguish it from the competition?  Do you really think that consumers will take the time to browse the Apple app store the way they shop at Best Buy?  Are you leveraging every social media platform for potential sales and to recruit brand ambassadors?  Are you making nice with every key tech reporter who will cover the goldrush?  How about moving beyond the simple commercial aspects, perhaps maybe try to establish thought leadership and authority in your industry?

If your company isn’t keeping these considerations in mind, your killer app can easily become dead on arrival.

What the Publishing Industry Must Do in Advance of the iPad

March 31st, 2010

As fanboys, tech media and the chattering class anticipate the Apple iPad’s retail availability in four days, much discussion has focused on the device’s impact on book publishers, and what the publishing industry’s public relations plans are.  The iPad is anticipated to be more popular than rival gadgets, and will leverage e-books as a prime digital offering.  Seeing as how the iPod turned the music industry upside-down, the iPad could have similar impact on the book industry.

But, as the New York Times points out, the iPad’s adoption by consumers will also affect the book industry another way.  Authors and publishers enjoy the benefit of indirect marketing and endorsement when readers are seen enjoying a particular book in public.  The visual appeal of a book’s cover also helps other potential readers clue in to the book and make a note to purchase later.

Thus, the common marketing tactic of a book cover’s visual appeal will start to take a back seat when there’s no physical book in sight.  In turn, a random reader’s endorsement will now gravitate toward other platforms, such as a Facebook fan page (or “like” page, if the interface is tweaked).

This is where publishers must step up their game and make sure they have calibrated their marketing strategies to leverage social media.  Any public relations plan must account for the shifting dynamics of book sales and promotion, and capture new opportunities available for online marketing.  The publishing industry must recognize the weight of authority that brand ambassadors will carry online, win their hearts and minds with strong material and appreciate that the digital swipe truly is the best way to turn the page.