How Big Is The FB IPO? It’s So Big I Just Hit Inbox Zero

Why is there nothing but Facebook IPO news today, you (Facebook haters) may be asking? Well, outside of the obvious – people are obsessed, this is a historic event, it’s the biggest tech IPO over, etc., etc. – there’s another reason why all the news outlets are publishing Facebook this and Facebook that today. It’s because everyone else is holding their news for a later date….the result of which has led to a historic event of my own: inbox zero.

So this is what it’s like not being a tech blogger?

OK, if I’m being honest, it’s like inbox two or three, since there are a few tech companies who are clueless enough to think I care about their minor enhancements today, of all days (Nuance, I’m looking at you. Nuance PDF Software update, really? Really?!) But for the most part, it’s been radio silence since sometime last night.

(Note that I’m not counting automated newsletters and notification emails – those never hit the inbox anyway.)

As someone who pretty much gets 50 emails every couple of hours, this is a marvel. I want to take a snapshot to remember this moment. It’s a beautiful thing. Inbox zero. Inbox zero, I tell you!

I expected a little more fanfare from Gmail. “Woohoo?” That’s it? Ah well.

Not only have PR people made the FB IPO a national holiday of sorts, other startup founders who email, text and Skype us are delaying their outreach efforts as well. There’s no “our app just rolled out version 2.0!” No “we got funded!” No “we added sharing features and user profiles!” No “we just hit a million users!” Nothing. Zip. Zero. Nada.

The handful of pitches which have come in today are Facebook-related, and didn’t come in via PR. PR is taking the day off!

I’m going to be a smart PR person and not pitch today. Going to focus on writing and doing other work.

#facebookhatesprpeople

— Joe Gallo (@JGallo02) May 18, 2012

If you run a tech PR company and none of your clients are in any way connected to FB, I’d take the day off.

— Hillel Fuld (@HilzFuld) May 18, 2012

Facebook IPO also means an unwanted day off for the 99% of tech PR folks.

— Tony Keller (@TheRellek) May 18, 2012

PR folks, who often reach out trying to shimmy their way into the news cycle by tying their company to whatever news is happening that day, have actually given up today. That’s how big the Facebook IPO news: they gave up.

No, I’m not crying. I just have a little something in my eye.