Ever wonder how to find out who the most prolific Twitter user is at the New York Times?  How about whether or not you can advertise your next fund under the new general solicitation rules?  Do you know how to get on Deirdre Bolton’s Bloomberg TV show Money Moves?  Any sense what policy reforms have the best chance of passing in 2013? And if the venture industry was a musical instrument, what would it be?

If you were part of the NVCA Fall StratCom meeting in NYC in November, you would have answers to all of these questions – and more.

While it may feel like the role of marketing and communications is a new, emerging focus for venture capital firms across the country, the fact is that many NVCA members have embraced this discipline for years.  Nowhere was that more apparent than in a filled room at Bloomberg World headquarters in New York City on November 13^th as approximately 50 marketing, communications and IR professionals gathered for the Fall Strategic Communications (StratCom) group meeting.  Now in its 8^th year, the StratCom Group brings together NVCA members who are responsible for the brands of their respective firms and portfolio companies to learn from one another on the best way to communicate in a rapidly changing market place.

November’s meeting focused on a wide range of topics from social media, to fundraising to PR to branding.  The day kicked off with a press panel from the various Bloomberg channels including newswires, BusinessWeek, television, newsletters and LINK conferences.  Throughout the day we heard from: 

• Marry Kuusisto and David Tegeler of Proskauer on general solicitation of funds rules
• DeSantis and Breindel and Rooney & Associates about the importance of brand in the VC industry
• Kareem Hamady and Jill Lewandosky on the private equity section of the Bloomberg terminal
• Jennifer Dowling  from NVCA on the post election environment in Washington DC
• Greg Galant ,CEO of MuckRuck, on following journalists on Twitter
• Katy Knight and Jeff Salvitti on using Google+ to create communities
• Mike Nugent, Bison, Ryan More of Atlas Venture and Roland Reynolds Industry Ventures on the importance of transparency of fund information
• Gina Bauman, IVP and Dipti Pratt of Silicon Valley Community Foundation on ESG strategies

It was a jam packed day with a great deal of information sharing.  The group was also together the evening before when we joined members of the NY Financial press for cocktails at the Aspen Social Club.

Any NVCA member is welcome to join the StratCom Group which gathers twice each year (next meeting will be in the late Spring on the West Coast).  Additionally we stay in touch throughout the year on a variety of projects.  We encourage those responsible or those who have an interest in marketing, communications and investor relations to consider joining this ever growing group. PR agencies with NVCA member clients are also invited to join under the venture firm name.

If you have any questions or would like more information on the StratCom Group, please contact Emily Mendell at emendell@nvca.org.