By Emily Fishburn, Senior Account Manager
The enterprise technology space is a highly competitive and crowded one. As with similar marketplaces, the most successful brands are those that not only deliver a good product or service, but stand head and shoulders above competitors.
Easier said than done. But it can be done.
Increasingly, PR is being used as one of those tools to help brands in the IT space distinguish themselves from their competitors. Just how can B2B tech PR help? If you’re in this space, we’ve compiled a list:
Thought leadership
The media is saturated with articles on popular topics like SaaS, big data or cloud, which means it’s harder to have your voice heard. B2B PR (and working with the right PR team) can help strengthen your voice by refining your messaging and making sure your subject matter experts come across in the best possible way.
It’s not about shouting louder than your competitors, it’s about saying something of value; something that will resonate with your prospects and answer a question, pose a solution or open their eyes to something new.
Here, having a definite opinion – and not being afraid to voice it – is also one of the ways to get yourself heard through thought leadership. You’re the expert in your field, so don’t be afraid to be outspoken, or even controversial if you have the facts or experience behind you.
Proactive commentary
In the same vein, having a strong opinion or something fresh to say on breaking news stories or emerging trends will give your brand a tremendous advantage. Again, this demonstrates your expertise and helps build the credibility of your brand. Be ready to jump on those chances – whether that’s giving your PR team your views and thoughts in preparation, or being readily available when opportunities (or the BBC) come knocking.
Media briefings
The traditional media briefing still plays a massive role in brand awareness. Work with your PR team to build those relationships with key media, not just to talk about product updates, but wider strategy and industry trends — again, not being afraid to voice an opinion or have a view that’s different from the herd.
The right relationships
It’s worth saying that you won’t be courting the entire UK media. Instead, there will be a few publications and journalists that are key to your PR plans and business objectives. So it’s vital that you’re talking to them in the right way about the right things. Product updates would never be shared with national publications, but solid case studies and press releases would resonate with the channel press.
The humble case study
Nothing sells your business like happy customers. Don’t forget about the impact that B2B content such as a well-written case study or customer testimonial can have on your desired audience. Case studies with clear results and demonstrable return on investment can be used throughout the marketing funnel, but especially with prospects in the consideration and decision phases.
What’s next?
PR gives you a number of tactics that can be used to elevate your brand, grow awareness of your offering and make you stand above your competition. Working with the right digital PR agency ensures those tactics become powerful tools that can help you reach your target audiences in the right way and ultimately achieve your business objectives, whether that’s boosting awareness, M&A or expanding into new markets.
If you’d like to chat about how we can help your business, please get in touch.
