Just in time for the school bell chime, High Road worked with TELUS to invite media to a Back to School preview event showcasing the company’s exciting line-up of devices and services. From Facebook-centric phones like the HTC Status, to social-networking based music service Rdio, media were invited to see the many ways TELUS is curating the Internet to offer customers the services they know and love on smartphones built around social trends.

To kick-off the Back to School theme, media were sent invites in the form of college admission letters, encouraging one and all to take part in a freshman orientation at TELUS. 19 media spanning technology, lifestyle and online publications attended the Back to School preview event held at the TELUS tower in Toronto.

Technology reporters and bloggers were invited to an afternoon briefing at the TELUS Innovation Centre with VP of Mobility Solutions, Brent Johnston, who discussed TELUS’ smartphone and services strategy. A few hours later, a slew of lifestyle reporters and bloggers joined for the second half of the event, complete with fun and interactive demos from TELUS spokespeople. Media enjoyed a live DJ, bar service, appetizers and a “Glee”ful performance from the Etobicoke School of Arts club, SPLASH, who charmed the audience with foot-stompin’ renditions of classics like “Don’t Stop Believing” and “Lean on Me.”

Jen McNeeley, editor of SheDoestheCity, echoed everyone’s feelings about the Glee club performance, going so far as to tweet that the TELUS event was the highlight of her life: And the glee club did Journey. Who knew the @telus event would be the highlight of my life? Several others commented that the event’s look and feel creatively captured the “Back to School” theme.

Class may be dismissed, but one thing’s for sure: media are hard at work because the coverage is rolling in at record speed. From blog posts to tweets, this class is on their A game!

The importance of fostering innovation was the theme of discussion for a group of business leaders who attended Ottawa’s executive Leadership Forum on September 22 – a hot topic that a recent Globe and Mail report suggests is on the minds of many.

The October 4 Globe and Mail story led with this: “Canadian executives know who is to blame for this country’s poor track record on innovation: themselves.”  And it went on to discuss a recent survey of corporate executives that showed that three-quarters believe an aversion to risk in their own ranks is a key factor keeping innovation and productivity low. This week, the Globe has been exploring innovation even more – running a series that has explored the concept from a variety of angles.

At the September Leadership Forum I attended, the topic amongst executives was the very same: how do we, as executives, foster innovation?

Each year the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance Women in Technology Forum (CATA-WIT) sponsors a handful of local women working in the tech sector to attend the forum. Bringing together local executives from both the public and private sector, the event is aimed at encouraging us to step back and think about the way we work with our teams, clients, customers, and from a broad perspective, the way we run our businesses. I was lucky enough to be nominated by CATA-WIT, and September’s meeting kicked off the first of five sessions that will be held over the next seven months.

Philip Townsend, Advisory Services Partner for PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, spoke to the group about how a company’s commitment to fostering and rewarding innovation is key to executing with excellence- a mantra that has long been part of the High Road Communications culture.

At High Road, our research shows that 75 per cent of CEOs believe innovation is the strongest competitive advantage. We know our clients want us to continually inject fresh thinking into everything we do for them. As their communications partner we are in a unique position: we know our clients’ businesses inside and out, but still maintain that outside perspective.

High Road’s Innovation Sessions are a unique offering that help our clients develop ideas in a new way. Based on a proprietary methodology, the sessions take participants through a process to develop breakthrough ideas. Acting as facilitators, we help individuals and teams better understand and define their problem, find solutions, move to action, test ideas, gain acceptance, and create results through innovation.

For us, it is a way to cultivate innovation. Whether it is for a new business pitch or to keep a current client’s communications strategy on the cutting edge, at High Road we draw on the power of our more than 100 team members to push the limits of originality.

One of the reasons I enjoyed the Leadership Forum, is because I was given the opportunity to brainstorm and generate new ideas alongside local executives I’d never met before. It reminded me yet again how important it is to shake it up, look outside, and keep the ideas flowing.

Thanks so much to CATA-WIT for sponsoring my seat.

The Leadership Forum is held by the Centre for Executive Leadership   at the University of Ottawa’s Telfer School of Management.

Our clients’ customers bring technology stories to life. Because they use the client’s product or service, they offer the kind of credibility reporters seek. However, many technology companies struggle with getting their customers to talk.

In some cases a customer’s corporate policy won’t allow it. But in others, customers stay away from sharing their experiences because they don’t know what to expect, or assume that it will require too much of their time. That’s why it is important for PR to talk to the marketing team and help them educate the sales representatives and account managers who deal with the customers every day, and who are closest to them. If the sales team understands how PR can help to get the customer stories out, they will have an easier time discussing it with their customers.

A well-managed program can help convince reluctant (but happy) customers to talk about their experiences. Not every customer wants to get engaged in the same way. The sales team needs to know that there are different options to choose from, for example:

• case study
• press release
• media opportunities
• advertising
• testimonial quotes for the website

To avoid any confusion, the sales team should also clearly understand what makes a good case study from a PR/marketing perspective.

For example, it is important to manage input/output expectations for case studies. Some people think that the writer should simply “spin” or “fluff up” a mediocre success study into a great one. While it is true that a writer can steer a story by emphasizing or de-emphasizing certain aspects, they will still need a solid, fact-based foundation to work with. If the results aren’t there, don’t do a case study.

Timing is important, too. It usually takes a little bit of time until a customer can realize or quantify the value they have gotten out of the new product or service, and thus be in a position to speak about those benefits with authority. To get a good story with great results, it is best to not start a case study too early.

The sales team can also explain to customers that, in most cases, the process requires only a small time commitment, and that the PR team will do most of the legwork.

By outlining the expectations and the process to your clients’ sales teams, they will know how to address and take care of any uncertainties their customers may have before handing it over to the marketing team or the agency.

Posted by Michael MacMillan and Martin Hofmann