By Lorraine Emmett, Founder and Managing Director of EC-PR
‘I want to use the bathroom’, said the executive after a long, uncomfortable, overnight flight.
Let me tell you in meticulous detail about the bathroom door. The woodgrain, the source of the fabrics we use, the hinge design, the locking mechanism, the metals’ provenance and sustainability features—all designed to save you time and money; came the salesman’s eager, very lengthy and totally irrelevant response….
Many tech firms focus on talking about their product features and technical details, overlooking how their solutions solve actual customer needs. This oversight weakens marketing, PR and sales efforts, hampering growth and results in messaging that fails to connect emotionally – or on any level whatsoever. Technology companies neglect to develop a well-defined, customer-first, communication strategy at their peril. To drive business initiatives, B2B marketers must incorporate a deep understanding of their ideal clients into their campaigns. After all, it goes back to that well-known adage: ‘People buy from people’.
The pitfalls of traditional tech PR
Lack of strategic alignment
Many tech businesses struggle with PR strategies that lack conviction and fail to align with broader strategic goals and commercial objectives. This results in scattered and ineffective campaigns becoming the norm, leading to inconsistent messaging, missed opportunities and, ultimately, a diluted brand narrative. A clear strategy can rectify these growing pains in marketing communication, ensuring that all PR activities are focused, cohesive and aligned with the company’s commercial objectives.
Over-emphasis on product features
Another common pitfall is mistakenly assuming customers share the same depth of understanding and perspective on the product and sector. This often leads to an overemphasis on product features. While technical specifications are important, focusing solely on them neglects the broader value and benefits that products bring to users. This prevents businesses from meaningfully connecting with their target audience and ideal clients.
Buyers care more about how a product can solve their problems and enhance their lives, rather than just the technical specifics. By focusing on the value and benefits, companies can craft more compelling stories that truly resonate with their target audience and boost engagement.
Misidentifying the target audience
A significant error is not properly identifying the target audience. Effective public relations and marketing communications demand a thorough understanding of your ideal client’s requirements, challenges and preferences. It is also critical to understand where your target audience goes for information. Do they read trade magazines, use LinkedIn, or attend industry-level events?
Without this knowledge, PR efforts will fall flat, unable to captivate or strike a chord with the intended recipients. In the worst case, they may not even reach your target customer as you stab in the dark, hoping to hit something. Not grasping and connecting with your target audience leads to broad, unrelated messages that don’t tackle specific issues and the wants of potential customers.
The power of understanding your ideal client
Taking the time to understand your ideal client offers valuable insights into how they think, feel and make decisions. By incorporating this knowledge, tech companies can craft messages that resonate more deeply with their audience, stimulating stronger connections. This approach is particularly crucial in B2B tech PR for several reasons:
- It provides a framework for understanding decision-making processes and pain points, enabling marketers to tailor their approaches more effectively – saving you time and money.
- It highlights the importance of social proof, authority and consistency in building trust; key factors in B2B relationships – elevating you to a trusted partner.
- It enables the fine-tuning of messages to specific audience needs and preferences, increasing relevance and engagement – accelerating conversion rates.
- Most importantly, it offers valuable data-driven insights for continuously optimising PR strategies, ensuring that efforts remain effective over time – making your campaigns more competitive.
Aligning PR efforts with strategic goals
Misalignment between PR efforts, broader strategic goals and customer needs can severely weaken a company’s market position. It creates dilution and contradiction in communications, wastes resources and gives away opportunities to competitors. A comprehensive PR strategy aligned with business goals and customer insights ensures that all PR activities support the company’s broader commercial objectives. This alignment process involves several key steps. It starts with a deep understanding of business objectives and a robust communication strategy.
Companies must define what sets them apart from their competitors by creating a value proposition that ensures the whole business is aligned. Next, they must define their ideal customer with precision and develop key messages that resonate with this audience at each stage of the buying cycle. A robust content strategy comes next, leveraging multiple channels to reach the audience effectively. An important part of the process is a comprehensive audit of the media landscape and the business’ current standing within it on key topics when compared to its competitors. Building strong media relationships is crucial, as is the continuous monitoring and measuring of performance to ensure strategy effectiveness.
The human element in tech PR
Tech companies often get caught up in the intricacies of their products and overlook a vital element: the needs, personalities and pain points of their buyers. It is easy to focus on features and data but remember, B2B buyers are people first. They experience emotions, have specific needs and form relationships with brands, just like any consumer would.
In the tech world, where metrics, rather than experience, reign supreme, these human connections can be hugely undervalued simply because they’re harder to measure. But don’t underestimate their power; these connections are the bedrock of brand loyalty and long-term success.
Nurturing these human connections isn’t just a ‘nice to have’; it’s essential for a well-rounded marketing strategy that resonates with your audience on a deeper level. After all, these connections ultimately drive brand loyalty and customer retention. So, while data will always be crucial, let’s not forget the human side of business.
Implementing a client-centric strategy
It’s time to move away from superficial tactics and focus on a strategy that truly connects with buyer pain points and aspirations. This approach is not about typical PR plays; it’s about implementing a structured, strategic method that ensures PR efforts are aligned with business goals and client needs, delivered consistently, and optimised for maximum impact.
For tech marketers ready to make a meaningful shift, there are a few key areas to focus on:
- Prioritise strategy: A well-crafted plan that aligns with business objectives keeps marketing and PR efforts sharp and effective.
- Leverage analytics and reporting: Measuring media coverage and using that data to refine the approach is essential for ongoing success.
- Understand the client journey and experience: Map out where your ideal clients go for their information, what challenges they face, and what their business aspirations are.
- Engage on a human level: Clearly demonstrate how your offering meets their needs and aligns with their goals to build strong, lasting relationships and drive purchasing decisions.
By embracing a client-centric approach and considering these points, tech companies can engage with their ideal buyers on a much deeper, more personal level. This personalised engagement builds lasting relationships rooted in trust that lead to successful purchasing decisions.
In B2B tech marketing, those who understand the importance of truly knowing their ideal clients and addressing their needs and pain points will lead the way. This client-focused approach promises to transform not just their marketing strategies but their entire approach to customer relationships. This approach promises to change how tech companies communicate, connect, and ultimately succeed in an increasingly competitive marketplace.
