Tools & examples of how to run a successful tech PR campaign

1. How to get your
brand in the press
Be noticed ahead of the
competition
@PHA_TECHNOLOGY
@NickBraund14
#TECHINTHEPRESS

2. TECH IN THE PRESS - OVERVIEW
• 1.56m people employed in digital
companies across UK (Tech Nation
Report, Feb 2016)
• Increase of 100k people in 12 months,
2.8x faster job creation than any other
industry (past 3 years)
• Exponential increase in ‘tech-specific’
journalists and media space dedicated to
innovations
• More competition than ever
• Journalists receive hundreds of pitches
a day
• Everything and nothing has the potential
to be a story!
@PHA_TECHNOLOGY

3. SETTING THE SCENE
THE AGE OLD PROBLEM - WHAT DO JOURNALISTS WANT?
• How do I get coverage?
• Why aren’t journalists responding?
• Too ‘pluggy’
• Focused on people, products, advice &
opinion
• Most insights are supplied by PR
agencies
• Need to explain in layman’s terms to
make articles accessible
• PR myths
@PHA_TECHNOLOGY

4. OUR EXPERIENCE

5. PR MYTH #1: PR is
just another form of
advertising
@PHA_TECHNOLOGY

6. COMPANY NEWS
WHAT NEWS SHOULD I BE PROMOTING?
• ‘Baby’ isn’t beautiful syndrome -
important to understand what company
news is of interest
• When launching your brand or bringing a
new product / service to market, ask
yourself:
• What basic problem are you solving?
• What makes your offering different to
others on the market?
• Why would someone read this news?
• Why should a journalist write about this
now?
@PHA_TECHNOLOGY

7. COMPANY NEWS
EXAMPLES
@PHA_TECHNOLOGY

8. PR MYTH #2:
Startups and SMEs
cannot compete with
the heavyweights
@PHA_TECHNOLOGY

9. PEOPLE & EXPERTISE
INSIGHTS, OPINIONS, ADVICE AND STORIES
• Invaluable insights from success thus far
• Natural areas of expertise and opinions
• Positioned as an ‘expert’ can give the
illusion that you’re bigger than you are
• No need to lie or ‘spin’ stories to achieve
this
@PHA_TECHNOLOGY

10. PEOPLE & EXPERTISE
EXAMPLES
@PHA_TECHNOLOGY

11. PR MYTH #3:
All press is
good press
@PHA_TECHNOLOGY

12. NEWS AGENDA
REACTING TO BREAKING STORIES
• Large stories dominate the news agenda
for the full day, if not longer
• To ensure the story remains relevant,
media outlets utilise expert commentary
with strong opinions
• Requires quick reflexes and snappy key
messages
• Don’t shoehorn – what can you add to
the story?
@PHA_TECHNOLOGY

13. NEWS AGENDA
EXAMPLES
@PHA_TECHNOLOGY

14. PR MYTH #4:
Journalists are
experts
@PHA_TECHNOLOGY

15. HARNESSING DATA
WHAT IS MY DATA WORTH?
• All tech companies have data, some
don’t realise its PR value
• Behaviour patterns and trends are often
of interest to the press – confirm theories
• Can also create data via market
research and surveys
• 3/4 data points are enough for a story
@PHA_TECHNOLOGY

16. HARNESSING DATA
EXAMPLES
@PHA_TECHNOLOGY

17. PR MYTH #5: Good
products do not
need PR… only bad
ones do
@PHA_TECHNOLOGY

18. CREATIVE CAMPAIGNS
MAKING A SPLASH
• Method of generating a different type of
coverage and reaching new audiences
• The right campaign can have just as
much impact as something more long-
term
• They also need not cost very much at all,
so you can afford to experiment
• BUT timing & luck is vital
• We’re not talking stunts!
@PHA_TECHNOLOGY

19. CREATIVE CAMPAIGNS
EXAMPLES
@PHA_TECHNOLOGY

20. PR MYTH #6:
PR will not
impact my
bottom line
@PHA_TECHNOLOGY

21. CASE STUDIES
HOW CAN I GET MY SUCCESS STORIES OUT THERE?
• Case studies are a great way of
‘humanising’ your brand
• Not all case studies are born equal
though – think about:
• What does this case study provide / add?
• Will anyone care?
• What’s the wider story?
@PHA_TECHNOLOGY

22. CASE STUDIES
EXAMPLES
@PHA_TECHNOLOGY

23. PR MYTH #7:
PR is just about
churning press
releases
@PHA_TECHNOLOGY

24. IN SUMMARY…
• Tech is experiencing an incredible boom
– and journalists are interested in the
latest news
• But, there’s lots of competition, needs to
stand out
• Content, content, content – varied,
helpful, opinionated or entertaining
• In PR, people are not necessarily buying
into your products or services – more
often, they’re buying you and the people
behind the story
@PHA_TECHNOLOGY

25. How to get your
brand in the press
Be noticed ahead of the
competition
@PHA_TECHNOLOGY
@NickBraund14
#TECHINTHEPRESS