Dear BAMf // Episode 22: Gabe Kleinman of Obvious Ventures gives tips on which blogging platform works best for your organization and how how to balance transparency in cybersecurity and ed-tech.
In this week's episode of the Dear BAMf podcast, we speak with Gabe Kleinman, Head of Portfolio Services and Marketing at Obvious Ventures. Gabe helps companies build resilient, values-driven operations and stewarding the Obvious brand. In this episode, Gabe provides numerous case studies that answer some tough marketing and PR questions for our listeners, including this one about the notion that any press is good press:
Dear BAMf,
What's your take on the "all press is good press" question. This is the position of my CEO who is really a great leader and someone I admire. However, she seems brash to believe this old saying. Can you highlight or point to examples of when bad press did not help a company at all? I need some evidence here, if you have some.
Listen now to hear how Gabe advises this writer to move forward.
Episode 22 highlights:
- (01:00) Medium vs. LinkedIn vs. a blog — what is the best blogging platform to use? It all depends on what type of business you run and what stage your company is in. For example, use Medium or LinkedIn If you are looking to connect with software engineers, investors, or thought leaders. If you are looking to blog for SEO purposes, you are going to want to use your own website. Strategizing also depends on your target audience. B2B companies should stay on Linkedin and Medium, while consumer-driven brands should focus on an Instagram page that leads consumers back to their website.
- (05:39) Cybersecurity is a sensitive topic in todays' society, especially in the ed-tech space. If your company is experiencing any type of hacking and not taking action about it, ask yourself if you are at the right company. Talk to the people on your executive team and if you do not receive a solution-based response, refocus on internal communications with colleagues. Strategize on how to solve the sourced problem with your executive team.
- (13:15) If you've realized that you've been hired before a company needs you, don't feel guilty. You are there to see the product and/or service from ideation, creation, to implementation. You are what they would call a "category-creator." Meet with your recruiter or hiring manager understand their intent and purpose in bringing you onboard. Most likely, you have a lot of work to do across a large array of sectors including government, influencers, thought leaders, data scientist, employees, and all of the red tape in between.
- (23:27) It's an age-old question — is all press good press? Long story short, no! All press is not good press.
- (30:30) How do you balance transparency in the cybersecurity industry? First you should separate internal company correspondence and customer data. Data should NEVER be shared along with sensitive Human Resources information.
We are all BAMfs (badass motherf*ckers) according to us, but sometimes even BAMfs need help. Dear BAMf is an advice column-style podcast that lets you anonymously hit us with your hardest marketing and PR questions hosted by Founder & CEO of BAM Communications, Beck Bamberger.
Have a difficult PR or marketing situation you can't figure out? Drop us a line at Dear BAMf. Your submission will be entirely anonymous.
Catch our next episode on Monday, November 2 and subscribe to Dear BAMf on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts.