Four Ways to Approach Tech PR
We’re getting technical. With tech PR, that is.
For many, tech PR can be somewhat of a gray area — with so many different players in the game (no pun intended), it’s hard to know if you’re making the right moves. PR has transitioned from a one-hit wonder on TechCrunch to an intensive strategy of storytelling, and the tech boom has been no exception to the importance of brand identity from a consumer standpoint. If you’re looking to bring in some extra buzz surrounding your product or software, look no further. Here are our first four ways to approach tech PR.
- Product Launch
This is your moment to take center stage. Your products define your brand in the eyes of consumers, investors, talent, and the general public, so a product launch is crucial to shaping your public narrative.
Securing media coverage around a product launch is one of the highest ROI public relations activities you can engage in. It can garner attention from investors, potential employees, and consumers. Whether you host an experiential event, create a snappy launch video or host journalists for a product demonstration, you should leverage a product launch to not just drive sales but introduce your brand to all of your key audiences.
- Funding Rounds
You’re diving headfirst into a swimming pool of investor money. Congrats! Announcing success in funding rounds is an important step to building a growth and expansion narrative around your company. Sharing news about funding rounds allows you to accomplish three business goals:
- Provide third-party validation for your tech
- Attract future potential investors
- Attract new talent by showing that you have the funds to be an ongoing enterprise.
Funding rounds may not generate feature-length articles about your company, but they are a crucial part of building journalist awareness and brand recognition as your business grows.
- First-party data/Topical Advisory
Journalists are always on the lookout for data, and if you can offer them something that your competitors can’t, then you have a leg up. For example, do you have an email list of your customer base that you can use for a poll to gather product data? If you can relate this data to an entire industry, that’s even better. The Abbi Agency recently worked with our client Bidstack to create a topical advisory for marketing technology reporters, drawing data from Bidstack’s annual report to generate coverage about the growing in-game advertising sector.
- Founder/Origin Story
Reporters in the tech space are often interested in how a founder created a company, and why it will succeed. There are many opportunities for in-depth interviews and profiles, especially with individuals with storied careers. This tactic builds personal brand credibility, which relates back to the product or service. For instance, Drive Weather App, an app that gives an in-depth look at road weather conditions, was founded by Paxton Calvanese, who has an interesting background as a pilot and originally developed a weather app for air-travelers. The Abbi Agency used his origin story and background to craft a narrative around why Drive Weather App is a trusted application and secured media that positioned Paxton as an industry expert.
Now while this list is just a sample of potential gameplans for your tech PR approach, we know that there are endless possibilities for creative outreach while positioning a brand. Lucky for you, we’re not finished yet. Stay tuned for part two, where we share another set of strategies to raise the bar with tech PR.
