Globalink

The results are in: Asiapress Delegation 2009 generates an 80% coverage rate

Perhaps our Asian editors were starved for news from Silicon Valley, or it could have been that the presenting companies refined their messages with a more global appeal. 
The down-turn caused Globalpress to skip one Asiapress tour for the electronics industry. We all took a summer hiatus (Cecily with the kids and holding down the fort part-time, I went to Germany and Helga visited Austria). We were ready to go for Asiapress in December and booked this tour with our loyal larger companies including Altera, Cadence, Linear and Mentor Graphics, signed up new large players like Verigy, Fairchild and Intersil who gave us a try. What was new and encouraging, though, was that small companies including EVE, Sequans and MaxLinear had their coming out party with Globalpress. And not to forget: we brought Tanya on board.
In times where every dollar has to be warranted ten times, trust has to be established by new accounts and results must be shown – I am thrilled to report that the Asian editor group visiting November 29 – December 3, 2010 generated an average of 80% coverage results for each company. This is 10% higher than in previous years.  A good sign for the future?  Let’s hope so….

Editorial coverage -- I couldn’t say it better….

In times where everything is tight: budgets, editorial space and time,  corporate PR folks ask me frequently if this is the right editor for their particular market segment in the electronics industry. In the olden days I think it was called the “beat”.

Well – things have changed and very few “beat assigned reporters” are around and not only are thes editors expected to cover components, EDA tools, embedded systems, etc they now are also stretched to write for the print and online editions at the same time.  I just got this description from one editor attending our upcoming event explaining what his publication covers and what his special interest is. I couldn’t have said it better,

Tell me where he is from and win a prize.

“Our market is very diversified with companies in tele/datacommunication, process and automation industry, medico, cleantech (i.e. wind-mill production – the largest in the world), T&M, consumer electronics, military etc. So we have to cover a very broad field of technologies including test- andmeasurement. We do not cover production-technology very deeply – but of course focus on the very important link between development and production. I need to hear from start-ups chip-houses or system developers about new approaches and applications”

Your prize:

Win an extra 30- minute private interview with your Summit Sponsorship if you can name the home country of this editor. Deadline: February 26 to Irmgard@globalpresspr.com

Job cuts - please let it be over

I said some time ago that the profit driven, excessive, money-hungry sentiment here in the valley will drive us all out of business. A recent article in our local paper reviews a decade of job cuts is not over yet. The over indulgence and other ill fated decisions made this painful phase happen but the conflicting reports are driving me nuts. Profits increase at many companies, the stock market rises, the stock market falls (profit taking, anyone?) and yet still reports of cutting jobs. I am the first one to admit my mistake of holding on to employees too long and hoping for new business to come in the door. I did not see the downturn of 2002/2003 in its severity or maybe I didn’t want to see it. I value employees and paid dearly for it. The risk was all mine and I took it. Next time I will be smarter but the senseless job cuts to add to the profit margin is just painful to watch.

We lost many, but too much in France…

As a long-term PR agency the last few years have been quite unsettling. Many companies are no longer investing in print advertising, rather putting their budgets into editorial and online ads. The cuts in print ads have resulted in so many publication restructurings that it is hard to keep track of who is where, who owns whom and who partners/licenses with whom.
In business now for close to 25 years here in Silicon Valley, I am no stranger to constant changes – in my own agency as well as in the industry. But after so many years to see experienced editors/journalists like Francoise Grosvalet, Mike Green, Mcallight Liu. Maggie Ren, Major Lee and so many others lose their jobs, retire or take up employment out of  the industry is painful.

France is particularly depressing. After being part of a fledging Group Test the 2 electronics publications, Electronique Hebdo and Electronique co-existed for years making France a great market for electronics components, EDA tools announcements.
Now there is only Electronique S with a small staff for the paper and newsletter owned by Sitelesc.  SITELESC, is an association federating micro- and nanoelectronics companies.
It represents research laboratories, design centers, equipment makers and silicon chip manufacturers

We can only hope that this new ownership doesn’t make Electronique S an outlet for members only.

Publications, new and old…

As we prepare for the Globalpress Summit 2010, we are pleased to announce that already there are over 45 publications confirmed to attend. Publications from the U.K, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Japan, Taiwan, China, Korea and all over Europe and Asia will convene at the Chaminade Resort, in Santa Cruz, Ca, April 26-29, 2010.  Publications such as Electronics Weekly of the U.K. and EETimes China are veteran attendees of the event.  This year a few of the “newbies” are EEHerald of India and DongaScience of Korea.
We will also for the first time be introducing a signature ”green” cocktail during our Las Vegas gambling party.

Hopefully there is not too much “hazing” for the new editors…

NOTHING WITHOUT VIDEO……. CEO Video Interview

In our quest to offer services that are needed, wanted and budgeted for, we recently added a component to our Globalpress Electronics Summit2010 sponsor packages. For many years we have invested in professional audio and video recording of all executive speeches and panel discussions. Sponsors get DVDs and permission to repurpose as they see fit. Editors receive audio tapes of all sessions to make writing articles easier. As an agency our mission is that all our services benefit both sponsors and the international electronics media.
To go one step further, we have now added another component: Studio recorded Q&A session with CEOs/top executives interviewed by an analyst. Companies have use/access to the 5 – 8 minute DVD.  This is a great way to utilize executives time at the Summit2010, reach more readers, customers and employees via your own broadcast or Globalpress video stream.
Ask us for details.

INTRODUCING TANYA CECCHIN, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT

I reported recently that Globalpress Connection seems to have come full circle, riding out up and down turns, scaling back in staff and office space conquering slow times. I want to forget the word recession now. So we are on a carefully designed growth path. After doing business development, giving Globalpress a strategic direction and focus, managing operations on my own with a small staff, it is time to get some help! To reach more new companies in the electronics industry and yet maintain our 70% repeat business we brought on our new rep Tanya Cecchin to drive sales growth. Her background in high tech advertising sales and marketing, her high energy and can-do attitude will propel Globalpress Connection into its next 25 years of business.

WONDERED WHERE WE WERE?

If my New Years greeting hasn’t reached you yet, please welcome 2010 with me in great spirits (the spirits we consumed on New Year’s Eve), a feeling of a new beginning and most of all healthy, both in body and business.
Reflecting on Globalpress Connection I can share this: we concluded our 25th year in business, conducted a total of 176 Reverse Press tours, 8 Electronics Summits and 2 IT Summits. Like many of our peers, we have experienced high and (very) low times; have grown to 8 people in boom times and now scaled back by 50%.
What is curious is that we have come full circle: 25 years ago we started as Lafrentz Consulting, changed after a few years into Europress Connection and as the world got more connected, we morphed in 1998 into Globalpress Connection. Growth also meant the need for more office space. We paid in the beginning $1.70 per square foot (until eBay pushed us out) then $4.50 and up to $6.50. Guess where we are now? With a glut of office space in Silicon Valley, we are right back at $1.70 per square foot. We moved over the holidays to another building in the West Valley Business Park.  Our new addres is 4010 Moorpark Ave, #204, San Jose CA 9115.  Follow us on our corporate Facebook to see musings and updates.
 And stay with us for a long time – even if not another 25 years!

Can you top satisfaction?

I have lost count of all the Reverse Press Tours Globalpress Connection has implemented since 1987 but it seems to get better every year. With each down turn -- as painful as they are - it seems to me that better news is always ahead. Last week’s Asiapress Electronics was just fabulous. Established companies like Fairchild, Linear Technology, Mentor Graphics, and Verigy - all had new announcements getting editors excited. And then there are really young companies like MaxLinear, EVE and Sequans who venture finally out into the open space of international media, betting on good PR to grow their market share.

We are talking about things like Design-for-Manufacturing as crucial for success, broadband wireless for video TV (oh yes, we heard that people in Japan need waterproof mobile devices because they watch TV in the bathtub), energy harvesting to make us greener than green, LEDs, video security, and so much more.

A difficult industry segment to write about is test equipment. Verigy did a fine job to explain the different models for testing different chips and even showed it in a lab tour.

All CEOs shared a much more upbeat outlook for 2010.

Interesting VC Report… Semi’s lower – Turkey’s higher

Even abroad the Sunday Business Section of the San Jose Mercury News is popular. Several editors from Asia ask me to send them links and keep an eye on what’s happening here in Silicon Valley. I do that anyway because I live and work here – remember?

The stock market rises much too fast and scares me. It feels to me like the next bubble is fueling itself. Is this only me?

How is our good old semiconductor industry these days? Looks like VCs are not investing too much money in new chip companies. Only 13 companies got significant funding while 38 Biotech and Health related start-ups got big bucks. Neck-to-neck software and networking/telecom companies are racing for $$ with around 30 start ups each.

So Globalpress is looking into re-entering the networking/telecom space again in 2010. But before that we need to eat our turkey on Thanksgiving in a few days. Americans will consume almost 2 million more turkeys this year than in 2008. Maybe it’s because we can’t afford to travel and do instead of a vacation the new American phenomena called staycation!