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This really, really reads like an advertisement. It's not a short article, but the little useful information in it is buried amongst a lot of self-congratulator

by beering 12y ago

This really, really reads like an advertisement. It's not a short article, but the little useful information in it is buried amongst a lot of self-congratulatory quotes. Slack is just one of many team chat apps. Maybe the secret to their traction is that they can get so many fluffy articles written about them?

mercer 12y ago
It does read a bit like an advertisement, but I must admit that if I would write an article about Slack it might 'sound' similar. For me, Slack has a quality similar to Trello and a few other products and devices I have: I 'enjoy' using it so much (and I'm not using that word lightly) that it makes me actively 'market' it despite the fact that I have no stake in Slack's success other than being able to use it with more clients/teams/friends. It's like finally I can use IRC with non-techies. I truly think that's a testament to the quality of the product, because I haven't read many articles or advertorials about Slack. I just started using it and started convincing everyone around me to use it. that said, if the intent of the article was journalism, toning it down would've probably still been a good idea.
nissimk 12y ago
That was one of the tidbits buried in the article: The big lesson here: Don't underestimate the power of traditional media when you launch. It must be your primary concern, starting months beforehand and continuing for weeks afterward. Pull the strings you have. Work closely with your PR firm to find your hook. It can be personalities on your team, impressive customers you already have in the bag, prestigious investors, etc. But don't leave it to two weeks beforehand and throw something together. Sounds like they don't spend that much money on advertising, but a bunch on PR and social media. And later they also point out how they use customer service as another marketing opportunity.
- calinet6 12y ago
  An extremely unified, well-designed, and likable marketing story and brand really helps them. Again, I think the holistic quality at play throughout the organization is being greatly underplayed.
dasil003 12y ago
The reason they can get these articles is because people genuinely love the product in a way that very very few products ever achieve, especially business focused products.

by beering 12y ago

mercer 12y ago

It does read a bit like an advertisement, but I must admit that if I would write an article about Slack it might 'sound' similar. For me, Slack has a quality similar to Trello and a few other products and devices I have: I 'enjoy' using it so much (and I'm not using that word lightly) that it makes me actively 'market' it despite the fact that I have no stake in Slack's success other than being able to use it with more clients/teams/friends. It's like finally I can use IRC with non-techies. I truly think that's a testament to the quality of the product, because I haven't read many articles or advertorials about Slack. I just started using it and started convincing everyone around me to use it. that said, if the intent of the article was journalism, toning it down would've probably still been a good idea.

nissimk 12y ago

That was one of the tidbits buried in the article: The big lesson here: Don't underestimate the power of traditional media when you launch. It must be your primary concern, starting months beforehand and continuing for weeks afterward. Pull the strings you have. Work closely with your PR firm to find your hook. It can be personalities on your team, impressive customers you already have in the bag, prestigious investors, etc. But don't leave it to two weeks beforehand and throw something together. Sounds like they don't spend that much money on advertising, but a bunch on PR and social media. And later they also point out how they use customer service as another marketing opportunity.

calinet6 12y ago
An extremely unified, well-designed, and likable marketing story and brand really helps them. Again, I think the holistic quality at play throughout the organization is being greatly underplayed.

dasil003 12y ago

The reason they can get these articles is because people genuinely love the product in a way that very very few products ever achieve, especially business focused products.