Here’s a quick overview of 10 effective PR strategies for B2B tech companies:
- Build a strong brand identity
- Know your target audience
- Create informative content
- Build media relationships
- Use social media platforms
- Start a thought leadership program
- Use data-driven PR
- Develop a crisis management plan
- Integrate PR with other content marketing efforts
- Measure and improve PR performance
These strategies help B2B tech companies:
- Increase visibility
- Build credibility
- Drive business growth
Key benefits of effective B2B tech PR:
Benefit | Description |
---|---|
Brand awareness | More people know about your company, and people need to know about you before they can buy from you |
Trust building | Customers see you as an industry expert, and it becomes easier to close deals |
Lead generation | PR can both directly and indirectly drive lead generation |
Competitive edge | Educate the market on your core differentiator and stand out from other B2B players in the space |
Thought leadership | Become a go-to source for industry insights – which can foster the ability actually to move a market |
By using these strategies and focusing on measurable goals, B2B tech companies can improve their PR efforts and achieve long-term success in a competitive market.
1. Build a Strong Brand Identity
Creating a strong brand identity helps B2B tech companies stand out. It builds trust and makes people remember you. Here’s how to do it:
Know What Makes You Special
Figure out what your company does better than others. Tell people about it clearly. We also call this a Customer Value Proposition (CVP).
CVP Formula: For (type of specific customer), our (product/service) is a (simple descriptor) that (solves what problem?).
Use the Same Look Everywhere
Once you have that key messaging, you know have to use it everywhere, but this doesn’t just apply to copy. Make sure your logo, colors, and fonts are the same on your website, social media, ads, etc. A brand book or brand guidelines can be the guiding principal here.
Have a Clear Way of Talking
Choose a tone that fits your company. Use it in all your writing.
Tell Your Company’s Story
Share why your company exists and what it believes in. This helps people connect with you.
A strong brand identity can help your business grow. Here’s how IBM does it well:
Brand Element | IBM’s Approach |
---|---|
Look | Blue color, bold fonts |
Tone | Professional, forward-thinking |
Story | Helping customers and the world |
By doing these things, IBM has built a brand that people know and trust.
What a Strong Brand Can Do for You:
- More people know about you
- People trust you more
- You stand out from other companies
- Customers stay with you longer
- Your business grows
2. Know Who You’re Talking To
Knowing who you want to reach is key to good B2B tech PR. Your target audience is the group of businesses or professionals you want to sell to. B2B marketing is about building relationships with other businesses, not individual people.
To know your audience better, make buyer personas. These are made-up profiles of your ideal customers, based on real information. They include things like:
- Job title
- Industry
- Company size
- Goals
- Problems
- What drives them
Here’s an example of a buyer persona for a company selling marketing software:
What to Know | Details |
---|---|
Job | Marketing Manager |
Industries | Tech, Finance, Healthcare |
Company Size | 100-500 workers |
Goals | Do marketing better, get more leads, talk to customers more |
Problems | Small budget, not enough people, hard to show results |
Drives | Beat competitors, keep job safe, make more money |
Using buyer personas helps you:
- Make content people care about
- Use the right ways to reach people
- Say things that matter to them
Some B2B tech companies that know their audience well:
- Microsoft: Shows how its products help businesses work better
- LinkedIn: Helps professionals and businesses look smart in their field
- Mailchimp: Makes marketing easy for small businesses and new companies
Knowing your audience helps you talk to the right people in the right way. This makes your PR work better and helps your business grow.
3. Create Good Content That Informs
Making good content that informs is key for B2B tech PR. It helps show your brand knows what it’s talking about, builds trust with the people you want to reach, and helps your business grow.
Types of Content B2B Audiences Like
Some types of content work better for B2B audiences:
Content Type | What It Is | Why It’s Good |
---|---|---|
Whitepapers | Long reports about specific topics | Shows you know your stuff and gives useful info |
Case Studies | Real examples of how you’ve helped other businesses | Proves you can do what you say |
Industry Reports | Regular updates on what’s happening in your field | Shows you’re on top of the latest trends |
Examples of Good B2B Tech Content
Some B2B companies do content well:
- Microsoft: Makes content showing how its products help businesses
- LinkedIn: Helps professionals look smart with useful content
- Mailchimp: Makes marketing easy for small businesses with helpful info
Why Content Matters for B2B Businesses
Content works well for B2B. A survey found that more than half of business buyers are more likely to buy from a company after reading their online content. Your content helps potential clients learn about you, research what you offer, and decide to buy.
Content Benefits | How It Helps |
---|---|
Builds Trust | Shows you know what you’re talking about |
Educates Clients | Helps them understand what you offer |
Guides Decisions | Gives info to help them choose you |
4. Build Relationships with Relevant Media Outlets
Building good relationships with media outlets is key for B2B tech PR. It means connecting with journalists, reporters, and bloggers who write about tech. By giving them news, insights, and interviews, you can get more media coverage and good publicity.
Finding the Right Media Outlets
To build these relationships, you need to find the right publications, websites, and blogs. Make a list that includes:
- Tech industry publications
- Big news outlets with tech sections
- Online tech news sites and blogs
- Important industry experts
Writing Good Pitches
When you reach out to media outlets, write pitches that show your company’s know-how. Here’s what to do:
- Look at what the journalist has written before
- Make your pitch fit what they’re interested in
- Show how your company is different and what you know
- Offer them special news or interviews
Making Friends with Journalists
Building relationships with journalists takes time. Try these ideas:
- Talk to them on social media and answer their questions
- Give them your thoughts on what’s happening in tech
- Let them know about your company news first
- Keep in touch to build a good relationship
Checking How Well You’re Doing
To see if your media work is helping, look at these things:
What to Check | Why It Matters |
---|---|
How much media coverage you get | Shows if people are talking about you |
Which media outlets write about you | Tells you if the right people are noticing |
If the coverage matches your message | Makes sure your ideas are getting across |
More visits to your website | Shows if more people are interested in you |
5. Use Social Media Platforms
Using social media is a key way for B2B tech companies to grow. It helps them connect with their audience, get noticed, and share what they know. Here’s how to use social media for B2B tech PR:
Pick the Right Platforms
Not all social media sites are the same. Focus on the ones where your audience spends time:
Platform | Best For |
---|---|
Business networking, reaching decision-makers | |
Quick updates, real-time talks | |
Building a community, sharing company news |
Make Good Content
To do well on social media, you need to make content people want to see:
- Industry news and insights
- Expert articles and blog posts
- Pictures that explain things
- Updates about your company
Talk to Your Audience
Social media is about talking back and forth. To build relationships:
- Answer comments and messages
- Join in online talks
- Share content from users
- Hold online events
Check How You’re Doing
To make sure your social media work is helping, keep an eye on:
What to Track | Why It Matters |
---|---|
Likes, shares, comments | Shows if people like your content |
Website visits | Tells you if social media brings people to your site |
New leads | Shows if social media helps you get new business |
Change what you do based on what these numbers tell you.
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6. Start a Thought Leadership Program
A thought leadership program can help B2B tech companies show they know their stuff. It can make people trust you more and help your business grow. Here’s how to do it:
Set Clear Goals
Before you start, know what you want to achieve. Do you want:
- More people to know about your company?
- More leads?
- To be seen as an expert in your field?
Once you know your goals, you can make a plan to reach them.
Find Your Experts
Look for people in your company who know a lot about your industry. They could be:
- Your CEO
- Your CTO
- Other smart people in your company
Let these experts share what they know through blog posts, articles, online talks, and speaking at events.
Make Good Content
Your content should teach people something useful. It should help solve problems in your industry. Use different types of content like:
- Blog posts
- Articles
- Reports
- Case studies
- Pictures that explain things
Make sure your content is well-researched and easy to read.
Share Your Content
Once you’ve made your content, share it with people. Use:
- Social media
- Websites that share content
Talk to people who read your content. Answer their questions and join in online talks. Work with other experts to spread your message.
Check How You’re Doing
Keep an eye on how well your program is working. Look at:
What to Check | Why It’s Important |
---|---|
Website visits | Shows if more people are coming to your site |
How much people engage | Tells you if people like your content |
New leads | Shows if you’re getting new business |
Sales | Tells you if your program is helping you make money |
Use what you learn to make your program better over time.
7. Use Data to Guide Your PR Work
Using data can help B2B tech companies do better PR work. Here’s how to do it:
Set Clear Goals
Before you start, know what you want to achieve. This could be:
- More people visiting your website
- Getting more leads
- Selling more
When you know your goals, you can make a plan to reach them.
Keep Track of Important Numbers
To see if your PR work is helping, watch these numbers:
What to Watch | Why It’s Important |
---|---|
Website visits | Shows if more people are coming to your site |
Social media followers | Tells you if more people are interested in your company |
New leads | Shows if you’re getting new business |
Sales | Tells you if you’re making more money |
By watching these numbers, you can see what’s working and what’s not.
Use Data to Make Better Choices
Data can help you make smart choices about your PR work. For example:
- If people like a certain type of post on social media, make more of those
- If a news site brings lots of people to your website, try to work with them more
Using data helps you make better choices about where to focus your efforts.
Check and Improve Your Work
To keep your PR work strong, do these things:
- Look at your numbers often to see what needs to get better
- Change your plan based on what the data shows
- Keep watching to see how your changes are working
8. Make a Plan for Handling Problems
Every business can face problems that might hurt how people see them. B2B tech companies need a good plan to deal with these issues quickly and well.
How B2B Problems are Different
B2B problems are not the same as problems that affect regular customers. They can involve:
- Hacking, security issues, downtime or software bugs/vulnerability
- Supply chain issues
- Big contract problems
- Professional reputation concerns
These can lead to bad news about the company and make other businesses less likely to work with them.
What to Include in Your Plan
A good plan for handling problems should have:
Part | What It Does |
---|---|
Steps to Follow | Tells you what to do when a problem happens |
Ways to Talk to People | Shows how to tell people what’s going on |
Who Does What | Makes sure everyone knows their job during a problem |
Keep this plan up to date and practice using it so everyone knows what to do.
Good Ways to Handle Problems
When something goes wrong, you need to act fast but carefully. Here’s what to do:
- Tell the truth: Give correct information about what happened
- Act quickly: Respond soon and keep people updated
- Show you care: Let people know you understand how they feel
- Keep watching: Look at how things are going and change your plan if needed
9. Mix PR with Other Content Marketing Work
Combining PR with other content marketing work helps B2B tech companies get noticed more and grow their business. By joining PR with SEO, social media, and content marketing, companies can:
- Get more people to see their brand
- Bring more visitors to their website
- Show up higher in search results
How PR and SEO Work Together
When PR and SEO team up, they can:
- Get good links from trusted websites
- Make more people see the brand online
- Bring more people to the company’s website
For example, if a big website writes about your company, it can give you a good link. This can help your website show up higher in search results.
Ways to Mix PR with Other Marketing
Here are some ways to join PR with other marketing work:
Marketing Type | How to Use It with PR |
---|---|
Content Marketing | Use PR to share your blog posts, reports, and ebooks |
Social Media | Post about your PR wins on social media |
Working with Experts | Team up with industry experts to reach more people |
SEO | Use important words in your PR work to help with search results |
10. Check and Improve Your PR Work
To make sure your B2B tech PR work is doing well, you need to check it often and make it better. This means looking at important numbers like how much people are talking about you, how many people visit your website, how much people interact with you on social media, how many new leads you get, and how well-known your brand is.
Set Goals You Can Measure
Before you start a PR campaign, decide what you want to achieve. Your goals should match what your business wants to do. For example, you might want:
- More people to know about your brand
- More leads
- A better reputation
These goals will help you see if your campaign worked well.
Choose Important Numbers to Watch
Pick numbers that will show if your campaign is working. Here are some you can use:
Number to Watch | What It Means |
---|---|
Media coverage | How many news outlets talk about you |
Website visits | How many people come to your website |
Social media likes and shares | How much people interact with you online |
New leads | How many new possible customers you get |
Get Information
Use tools to collect information about the numbers you’re watching. You can use:
- Media watching services
- Website tracking tools
- Social media listening tools
- Customer relationship management (CRM) systems
Look at the Results
Check the information to see how well your campaign did. Compare what happened to what you wanted to happen. See what worked and what didn’t.
Make Your Plan Better
Use what you learned to make your PR work better. You might need to:
- Change how you talk about things
- Try different ways to reach people
- Talk to different groups of people
Tell People How It Went
Let important people know how your PR work did. This could be:
- Company leaders
- Marketing teams
- People you work with outside your company
You can use a report, a presentation, or a dashboard to show how things went and what you learned.
Ways to Share Results | What They’re Good For |
---|---|
Report | Giving lots of details |
Presentation | Showing the main points quickly |
Dashboard | Letting people see up-to-date information |
Conclusion
To wrap up, a good B2B Tech PR plan helps companies grow and do well. Using the ten ideas we talked about can help businesses:
- Build a strong name
- Make friends with important people
- Sell more
A good B2B Tech PR plan uses both old and new ways to reach people. It needs:
- Knowing who you want to talk to
- Having a clear message
- Talking to news people
- Making good content
- Using social media well
When businesses use these ideas in their marketing, they can:
- Get more people to know about them
- Make people trust them more
- Grow and make more money
This works for new companies and big ones in B2B tech.
Remember, good B2B Tech PR isn’t something you do once. You need to:
- Keep watching how it’s going
- Check if it’s working
- Make it better over time
If you focus on what you want to do, change when you need to, and use PR well, you can do well for a long time in B2B tech.
What to Do | How It Helps |
---|---|
Make a strong name | Tell people clearly what makes you special |
Talk to market influencers | Use news, good content, and social media to make people trust you |
Sell more | Get more people to know about you and buy from you |
FAQs
How to do PR for B2B companies?
Here are key steps for B2B PR:
Step | Description |
---|---|
Know your audience | Find out what businesses you want to reach |
Make good content | Write helpful info that shows you know your stuff |
Work with experts | Team up with people who are well-known in your field |
Talk to reporters | Get to know people who write news about your industry |
Send out news | Use services that share your company news widely |
Use social media | Be active online and on social media sites |
Use SEO | Make your PR work easy to find online |
What is one example of a successful hybrid Content Marketing/PR campaign for a B2B brand?
IBM’s “Every Second Counts” campaign is a good example. It focused on:
Target Audience | Main Topic | Result |
---|---|---|
IT leaders | Data breaches and cybersecurity |
LinkedIn Results: 682k Impressions, 238k engagements, 50% of responses were high-quality leads. Paid video promotion: Facebook: 4.78M Impressions, 500k Engagements Organic Social Promotion: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn: 195.8K Impressions, 2,872 clicks Site Engagement: ~17% site engagement rate |
This campaign shows how a well-planned content and PR strategy can work well for B2B companies.