Taking Tech to New Heights

By Benjamin Gorelick on July 12, 2012 - 10:45am

In my last post I made the case for why I think we in the PR business have a lot to offer tech companies and startups.

In this post, I’ll explain what I mean, with a few examples, and offer some advice for tech entrepreneurs looking to enhance the value of their public profiles and interactions.

First of all, any public relations and communications campaign must be tied to concrete business outcomes. Once we understand your outcomes we can put together a program that will shape stakeholder perceptions in a way that lends itself naturally to achieving the goals you set for yourself.

Here’s how we help you do this:

· We understand how the (evolving) journalism profession works, and how to appropriately frame a story to appeal to influencers in the print, digital and social media spheres.

o We know that journalists and bloggers can (and do) decide what is interesting based on the subject line of an email. Period. That’s why it’s important that your innovation is reflected clearly and succinctly.

o Ask yourself: why is this interesting and important? Why has this never been done before? Or if it has, how are we doing it differently — or better?

· We know how to identify stakeholders in your vision that might not be obvious, but can add value and support the development of your business.

o Think clearly about your objectives: where do you see the biggest potential for growth? Monetization needn’t be taboo, and it’s possible to serve your core customer base and adhere to your founding values while establishing other mutually beneficial relationships.

o Ask yourself: how are we affecting the behavior of our customers? How do we hope to affect their behavior? Who else might stand to benefit from these effects?

· We know how to find the story within your story, and how to optimize it for different audiences.

o We know that your passion is your greatest asset – it’s brought you this far, and it will take you onward. But we also know that it is your vision that is really going to grab your audiences’ attention. We know how to take that vision and make it matter to the customers, financers and talent you’re looking for.

o Ask yourself: What is our vision? What do we need to achieve our objectives? Whom are we trying to reach, and what do they need to know about us in order to achieve our goals?

· Also - We know that your technology is awesome. But the sad truth is that wonky is boring. You need to ensure that your awesome concepts translate into interesting stories.

o For example: most people don’t care about how innovations in distributed computing applications are revolutionizing remote access to content. On the other hand, it’s exciting that the cloud gives people access to their files anywhere and on the go.

Finally, never forget that your story is one of your most valuable assets. A reputable tech journalist told me that no anecdote is too small. But let that capital appreciate – don’t expend it right away, and focus on how your product is going to do fantastic things for your customers and stakeholders.

It all starts with a discussion, and we’re happy to have that with you.

Ben is an Account Executive at Spector & Associates. He specializes in technology, and is particularly interested in renewable energy and tech entrepreneurship. He has prior work experience in public policy and market research, including time spent working at the UK Department for International Development. Ben holds a Bachelor's Degree in economics and politics from Brandeis University. He can be reached at ben@spectorpr.com.