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COST-EFFECTIVE
PUBLIC RELATIONS:
FIVE TIPS FOR EMERGING TECH COMPANIES
By Rose Maciejewski, Vice-President, Ruder Finn
In the late
90’s, with the proliferation of “new” technologies
and exciting possibilities, the cost of public relations escalated.
Creating buzz was the Holy Grail, and companies paid thousands of
dollars both internally and externally to appear as a lead source
in the cover story of Red Herring. Now, just as readers of the popular
book “The Da Vinci Code” are left questioning how to find
the real Holy Grail, today’s seekers of the public relations
holy grail are left to ponder how to find it without spending exorbitant
amounts of money.
For companies that have made the decision to pursue public relations
today, the answer to that question isn’t as difficult as it
may seem. If implemented properly, public relations is actually
one of the more inexpensive infrastructure costs, especially when
weighted against the measurable value it can bring a company. The
most valuable programs should be designed such that the results
far exceed the cost – and can be proven with minimal effort.
This article offers five key ways to discover the holy grail of
public relations without breaking the bank in the process.
1. Build a scalable program
One of the key mistakes companies make when deciding to conduct
public relations is biting off more than they can chew at the beginning.
It is essential, especially for emerging technology companies, to
select key elements on which to focus. There are many dimensions
to public relations, but it is best to narrow priorities to two
or three at a time, generally including messaging, materials development,
proactive media relations, case studies, industry analyst outreach,
bylined article development, speaking opportunity placements and
event management.
In developing your public relations program, use tactics that are
proactive but can be customized with a minimum of time and effort.
For example, create an expert source document with relevant information
on the company spokesperson that can be submitted to many reporters
at the same time. You can use that same document when setting up
briefings with industry analysts or event coordinators. By using
one document and customizing it for each contact, you will reduce
the amount of time required to handle the outreach. For emerging
companies with a minimum amount of bandwidth, this is an essential
point.
This concept applies not only to outreach, but also to your own
internal processes. If you create an accurate project-tracking document
that you use to measure progress on a weekly basis, you will have
an easy way to present public relations achievements to other executives
and to the Board. You will also have a way to track historical data;
if a reporter comes to you with a request, you will have an immediate
way to check the past relationship and determine whether the reporter
is appropriate for additional contact.
2. Focus on Competitive Differentiation
This is a unique period in the technology industry – the focus
today is on optimization, not invention. Thus, the companies that
have the most to gain from public relations are those that are solving
existing problems. However, inherent with this situation is that
there are always new companies searching for ways to solve those
existing problems. Thus, focus your messaging on how your company
is different from your competitors.
Do not be afraid to allude to the competition in your outreach,
but be prepared to clearly explain why your company is better than
them. By clearly articulating the differences between you and your
competitors to an audience of industry analysts, for example, you
may be able to secure third party validation for future reference.
Good public relations practitioners are always seeking ways to accomplish
many goals at one time. Industry analyst firms such as Gartner,
Forrester, AMR and IDC are important influencers who are often quoted
in top business and technology publications. Using competitive differentiation
to establish sound relationships with specific industry analysts
will pay off when working with media.
3. Involve your Customers
In today’s marketplace, presenting a solid, tested product/service
with two to three referenceable customers (even if they are
only beta users) goes a long way in establishing initial credibility
with both media and industry analysts. However, here’s the
important key that will eliminate much wasted time and effort: ensure
that those referenceable customers also want to see their stories
appear in print. Nothing speeds up print placement progress like
a customer who is willing to be quoted. At the same time, it’s
important to assure your customers that you are not looking for
an advertisement from them. Rather, all parties benefit more in
the end from an honest depiction of the problem and solution as
it occurred.
Recently a client had a customer speak on its behalf to a top technology
publication. Though the client was only mentioned sparingly in the
final article, the resulting four- page description of the customer’s
successful project read very well. Days later, a client executive
went to meet a new business prospect. At the beginning of the meeting,
the prospect opened a copy of the publication with the story and
asked to hear more about the client’s involvement. Needless
to say, they won the business.
4. Understand the Expanding Value of Thought Leadership
Thought leadership in public relations used to mainly revolve around
presentations at tradeshows. Today, it includes that, plus a great
deal more. With tradeshow attendance not what it used to be, the
value of having your company positioned as an expert on industry
issues is more important than ever. Instead of spending significant
blocks of time on countless speaking opportunity submissions, consider
writing articles on pressing industry issues. With the state of
the economy being what it is, many publications are short-staffed
and are willing to review and publish articles that take a vendor-neutral,
knowledgeable stance on timely issues.
Many companies have received actionable sales feedback from publication
of their bylined articles. A partial list of publications receptive
to bylined articles includes CIO, Computerworld, Line56, Optimize,
Security Management and Storage Management Solutions.
5. Choose a Strong Spokesperson
The backbone of any successful public relations program, especially
for emerging technology companies, is a strong spokesperson that
wants to speak with media and is willing to be flexible. The spokesperson
must be available to accommodate surprise requests, but it is up
to the person in charge of media relations to manage priorities
along those lines. Obviously, reporters at higher-level publications
should be given preference. Establishing solid internal lines of
communication to accommodate reporter requests is the key to happiness
for both the spokesperson and the media contact. The less time a
reporter has to wait for interviews and pertinent information, the
greater the chance of a positive story in the press.
By adhering to the preceding guidelines, most emerging technology
companies will be on the right path toward creating a cost-effective
public relations program. More importantly, the companies will also
be well positioned to unlock bottom-line value from their programs,
including sales inquiries and actionable leads. Though slightly
different from what was espoused in the Internet bubble years, a
more measured approach to obtaining the public relations holy grail
is an infinitely wiser strategy. Ultimately, the goal of any public
relations effort is to drive sales, and a more focused approach
will let you do just that.
Rose Maciejewski leads the technology practice for Ruder Finn/Los
Angeles. Ruder Finn specializes in creating cost-effective public
relations programs for emerging and mid-market technology companies.
For more information, Rose can be reached at 310-479-9929 or maciejewskir@ruderfinn.com.
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