ClearSight Launches CSA 6.0

Subudhi Consulting Group, Inc. (SCG), a strategic and tactical public relations, marketing and communications agency for companies, concepts, and events, was charged in October 2006 by new client ClearSight Networks to develop and implement a public relations program to launch the company’s new software solution, ClearSight Analyzer (CSA) 6.0. 

ClearSight is a leading provider of network monitoring and analysis tools for real-time troubleshooting of complex networks and applications.  The company, founded in 2001, is based in Fremont, CA and operates globally.  More than 1,000 customers use ClearSight Networks’ solutions, including major network equipment manufacturers, service providers, system integrators, educational institutions and government laboratories.

When SCG came on board, ClearSight did not have an existing PR agency or PR program in place.  Both the VP of marketing and director of marketing were newly hired.  SCG began the project by creating a short term, high impact strategic public relations plan to launch CSA 6.0.  “The importance of getting this PR campaign completed on-time was seriously critical to ClearSight Networks’ revenue projections,” summarized Dennis Kreinbrink, director of marketing for ClearSight.  In just under four months, from October 2006 to January 2007, SCG executed the public relations programs outlined in the plan and significantly raised ClearSight’s market awareness.  “As the ClearSight oversight manager for Subudhi Consulting, I was very impressed with Joya’s (SCG president) ability to provide a clear PR strategy, and then execute on that strategy producing results that exceeded ClearSight’s expectations,” said Kreinbrink.

The public relations plan to launch CSA 6.0 targeted three audiences in the telecommunications market: network equipment manufactures, service providers and enterprises, and included three core public relations programs: materials development, announcement and press tour.  The materials development program began with materials review, and included the development of a fact sheet, executive biographies and media contacts document for the press kit.  A new boilerplate was developed, as was a media resource page on ClearSight’s Web site.  All public relations materials were produced by SCG.  

Media outlets, including press and analysts, were selected and tiered by SCG based upon the relevance and appropriateness of their editorial mission to ClearSight products and services.  Furthermore, within each media outlet, editors, beat reporters and analysts were chosen based on their beat, coverage of the network test and measurement market and past coverage of ClearSight’s competitors.  The final media list for the CSA 6.0 launch was comprised of more than 100 qualified members of the press and analyst community.  In addition, prior to the press and analysts tour, SCG secured Sam Masud, principal analyst for Carrier Infrastructure at Frost & Sullivan, as a third party analyst reference for the press.  Frost & Sullivan is a world leader in growth consulting and the integrated areas of technology research, market research and economic research.

To develop the CSA 6.0 press release, a questionnaire to company executives ensured ClearSight’s message was accurate and concise for media consumption.  SCG worked twelve drafts of the press release through approvals and edits with the ClearSight team to perfect the message to the target audiences.  SCG also set up an account for ClearSight with Business Wire, a global market leader in commercial news distribution, in preparation for the CSA 6.0 release distribution.  The “ClearSight Networks Releases ClearSight Analyzer 6.0” press release crossed Business Wire on Jan. 22, 2007 at 8 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.  The release was distributed to the Business Wire Technology Corridor, with the following technology trades selected: networks, telecommunications, Internet and software.

The pitch SCG developed for the tour tied CSA 6.0 into issues and trends in the telecommunications market.  The pitch was distributed to first tier press and analysts to secure pre-briefings and briefings, followed by second tier press and analysts.  This was followed by personal phone calls to the entire media list.  The use of Business Wire, coupled with SCG’s massive public relations outreach for a product with virtually no exposure, produced drastic results.  SCG secured meetings with analyst groups, Frost & Sullivan, the Gartner Group, Infonetics Research and The Eastern Management Group.  SCG secured press meetings with EE Times, Converge! Network Digest, Network World, Lightwave and Telecommunications Magazine.  SCG prepared the press and analysts for their interviews with press kits, product photos and the CSA 6.0 data sheet.

SCG staffed eight briefings with ClearSight’s VP of Marketing, JJ Kenney.  Briefings were scheduled and rescheduled as needed.  SCG helped Kenney prepare with detailed briefing sheets that included customized talking points for every meeting, background on the reporter or analyst, background on the media outlet, and copies of recent coverage of ClearSight’s market.

In all of 2006, prior to the campaign, ClearSight received two media hits.  Following the launch, ClearSight’s media hits quadrupled.  The press tour resulted in eight stand-alone feature stories favorable to ClearSight and one analyst report.

According to Kreinbrink, “The response from the analysts and technical publications was extremely favorable and resulted in a level of corporate and product coverage that exceeded our expectations.”  He added, “The value of the coverage certainly exceeded the consulting expenses.”  For example, ClearSight Networks uses Webinars to help users pinpoint the cause of network errors, validate tests or offer insight into common issues within the client company’s network.  The Webinars are also used as a sales tool.  Traditionally, ClearSight’s Webinar registration had capped around 40 participants.  Following the CSA 6.0 launch, the company’s Webinar grew to 211 attendees.  SCG was credited for creating massive awareness of CSA 6.0 to the target markets, raising attendance to the Webinar by 425 percent.  An informal poll during the Webinar found more than 50 percent of participants had seen coverage in January and February resulting from the CSA 6.0 launch. 

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