Calysto recently announced its success and expertise in the M2M communications and IoT industries. We spoke with CEO Laura Borgstede about the agency’s strategy – providing content marketing, PR and social media services to companies in these industries.
Q: Calysto has a long history in providing services to the mobile, wireless and telecom industries. Why the new focus?
A: Actually, this isn’t a new focus at all. Calysto has been serving M2M companies for more than a decade and was one of the first PR and marketing firms to see the potential for our clients in this market. Several of our team members have experience that dates back to the mid-90s, with meter-reading and other M2M applications. As M2M has grown significantly and the IoT space has burgeoned, we’ve taken a leadership role in helping our clients stand out in the crowd. Our own marketing efforts now reflect our expertise in serving this market.
Q: How is marketing to the M2M and IoT industries different from other markets?
A: It’s different in many ways. First, the scale of the market is something we haven’t seen since the ramp up of mobile devices in the early 2000s. Just as every person now has one or more mobile devices, so too will every device soon be connected to other devices. The analyst projections are staggering in terms of the number of connected devices we’ll see by the end of the decade, and M2M and the IoT will touch our lives by connecting our consumer and business devices as we never thought possible. The rate of growth is phenomenal; I personally think the industry will likely grow faster than anyone currently predicts.
Second, the scope of this market is huge. The market does not just include billions of devices, but also sensors, applications, antennas, platforms (72 and counting), connections, back office solutions, analytics, and so on. It covers so much ground, and because of that, there’s an awful lot of noise out there in the market. When everyone is announcing new platforms, devices and applications, it’s hard to differentiate and tell people your unique value proposition. We have the expertise to help you rise above the noise to deliver a clear, concise message, be understood, and get results.
Third, there is a lot of hype around connecting these “things.” But the real message is about how these connected things will enable the businesses and people who use them. There are plenty of different types of business models right now – those that will work and those that won’t. So far, we’ve only been associated with the ones that have worked…. And have successfully positioned those companies for acquisition or an exit of some kind. We know the difference between a company with a solid business plan and one that is just hype.
Q: Can you tell us a little about The IoT Marketer, your new microsite and newsletter devoted to M2M and IoT Marketing?
A: We realized that there was not a lot of specific information for marketers to help them introduce their company, product, messaging or thought leadership to this dynamic market. The IoT Marketer is a new resource designed specifically for marketers at M2M and IoT companies. It will provide specific strategies for content marketing, public relations, social media, analyst relations, event marketing and more that M2M and IoT companies can use to grow their businesses.
Q: What else do you have planned?
A: One big hole we see is the confusion in the overall market about who does what. One thing we’ve been saying for a while now is that we wish there was some sort of map that classifies who does what in the M2M and IoT industries. There are a few out there that break these industries down into a few categories—platforms, applications, devices, connectivity. That doesn’t show the true breadth and depth of M2M and IoT, and we’re going to change that in partnership with James Brehm & Associates by introducing The IoT Universe, the definitive ecosystem map that classifies nearly 20 different categories of companies that serve these markets. We’ll be introducing that early this fall and are inviting companies to submit their companies for consideration through a Call for Participation process.
Q: What one piece of advice do you have for companies that are new to this space?
A: I would tell new M2M and IoT companies to find the unique market need that they solve and work with a team that has the expertise to bring that message to the media, analysts and influencers that matter to their individual situation. It’s a complex market, let’s hone in on your unique differentiator and start talking to the people who can help you move the needle. That may be service providers, manufacturers, enterprises or a variety of vertical markets.