Sam Palmisano’s Persuasive Communication Media

Company meetings

Palmisano uses these meetings to communicate like the one held in Vegas.

The internet

Steve says that in the previous summer, he had asked the IBM staff to share their opinions over the internet on what they felt could fit in the future as IBM’s principles. Palmisano has also used email to communicate with his senior management team about the main thing setting great companies apart, i.e., “defining and leading the agendas for their industries”.

Interviews

He has used interviews to let people know of the company’s plans, e.g., during the company Interview in Armonk, N.Y.

Management committee meetings

After the meeting in 2003 in upstate New York, he also suggested the use of direct talking with the customers using a group approach (“four in a box”) to be able to understand the customer’s needs. Direct communication through industry analysts and to corporate customers, e.g., when he announced at the Museum about IBM’s huge advertising budget.

Through the press

Steve states that Palmisano announced IBM’s huge advertising budget to the journalists/press at the American Museum. The advertising campaign for the business on demand was also through the press. IBM also has IBM Global Service, a business consulting division that is used to secure, strengthen and maintain associations with big corporate customer relationships. Though not directly or consciously, his interactions with other business chiefs help to spread information about IBM’s strategies to other people, e.g., through his talk with Gogel.