Dear BAMf Podcast: Episode 6 with Rebecca Buckman

Dear BAMf // Episode 6: Rebecca Buckman of Battery Ventures answers tricky questions about how to prepare for an IPO and what to do when a client is ignoring media advice.

We're kicking off July with episode six of the Dear BAMf podcast. In this episode, we spoke to Rebecca Buckman, VP of Marketing Communications at Battery Ventures. Rebecca is a branding and marketing pro with a deep journalism background, having spent 10 years as a business journalist at the Wall Street Journal. She gave some eye-opening advice on managing all sorts of comms issues, including this loaded question:

Dear BAMf, 

Help! I'm managing communications for a company that plans to IPO in the next 12 months. What are the most important factors to consider adhering to when handling internal and external communications before, during, and after an IPO?

Listen now to hear Rebecca explain why building a high-level brand communication strategy 18 months–2 years before an IPO can add hundreds of millions of dollars to a company's ultimate market value. That's right, hundreds of millions of dollars up for grabs! 

Dear BAMf: Episode 6

Episode 6 highlights:

• (07:00) Why "Uber for X" gig economy companies need to spend time pre-planning for possible crisis moments to avoid creating a media feeding frenzy when they happen.
• (11:20) Questions to ask yourself when dealing with a troublesome client, and a detailed how-to for salvaging a relationship where the client contacts are ignoring your PR and media advice.
• (15:19) Why BAM's '3x3' rule is a best practice for media agencies who want to avoid dealing with client power dynamics.
• (19:00) The ideal time for companies that plan to IPO to start preparing their PR and adjusting their messaging. Hint: It's much earlier than you may expect.
• (24:44) Why brands that IPO need to treat IPO day as their own "D-day" and create a dream IPO media schedule. Also think about all the touchpoints as an opportunity to promote the brand without pitching the stock.

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