Developing and executing public relations programs for organizations in the B2B tech space is a unique challenge for many…An industry developing so rapidly, full of tech jargon may even challenge the greatest minds… While industry experts competing for share of voice while all saying the exact same thing you need to find your best tone to pitch..
To help you out, here are some 6 best practices to keep in mind while first breaking into B2B tech PR.
1.Never stop researching & Reading- More than likely tech is not one of your area of expertise and it can be complicated! Add a sauce of hectic tech agenda, endless innovations, summits, new products, approaches…But you’ll still need to know your stuff while chatting with a reporter to determine the most newsworthy topics he or she can provide insights on.
Start from your clients’ website and read all the solutions the company provides, testimonials, what makes them unique, and what do they offer that no one else does? Go beyond the website and take a look at the competitors, read old articles detailing these products...
2. Create a specialized glossary- While you are doing all the reading you are going to notice a lot of ‘gibberish’ words… This is inevitable. Keeping track of every term you aren’t familiar with on a shared Excel, would definitely help the account team on the same page.
3.Social media is your best friend- This is an industry time doesn’t count. It rapidly evolves, and the same goes for the reporters and influencers that drive the conversations. Follow those names closely, what they are interested can be leading for following up the trends. You can create a twitter list to follow the industry experts, analysts as well as breaking news.
4. Target audience from a broader perspective
Follow the panels at major industry conferences and events to see what’s top of mind for the audience, and always stay on top of industry blogs and trade outlets dedicated to their profession.
5. Don’t forget: Journalist are also brand ambassadors – It is important to remember that journalists are key to your success. Make sure you provide timely, well curated content. Pay attention to details like the picture formats you share, logo etc. Feed them with facts when they need and position yourself as a reliable source. In addition, since their eyes and ears are wide open, they can provide you good information on the hot agenda topics and can support your decision making process.
6. Community management is not only a need for Redbull! - One of the major advantages of B2B Tech PR is that your target audience is specific and easy to identify. Without getting into fierce competition embrace the sector as a whole by positioning as a reliable news source. This positioning is a huge asset for reputation. Today when we look at brands like Cisco, Intel, IDC we see the common denominator as their reliable positioning. By using brand journalism and generating great content they withdraw attention even from the most credible audience…They publish reports and do some serious PR around to it. Use the opportunity by conveying your clients know how to the target audience.