For tech companies, PR is about more than just securing media coverage. It’s about crafting stories that matter, engaging the right audiences, and showing how your work makes a difference. With technology evolving rapidly and competition intensifying, having a solid PR strategy is critical. Here’s how to make it work, backed by industry insights and proven practices.
1. Set Clear Goals
Effective PR begins with clear, measurable objectives. Whether you’re raising awareness for a new product or positioning your brand as a leader, defined goals guide your efforts and help you measure success. The Barcelona Principles 3.0 are an excellent starting point for setting these goals, emphasizing the importance of meaningful metrics over vanity ones. Learn more about these principles here.
2. Show Your Expertise
Tech companies often have a wealth of knowledge that’s underutilized. By positioning your executives and technical experts as thought leaders, you can build trust and authority. For example, the B2B Thought Leadership Impact Report by Edelman highlights how effective thought leadership can influence decision-making. Read the report here.
3. Tell Real Stories
People connect with stories, not specs. Highlighting how your technology solves real-world problems or sharing customer success stories can make your message more relatable. For practical storytelling tips, HubSpot’s guide to brand storytelling is a helpful resource. Explore their guide here.
4. Keep an Eye on Trends
The tech world moves quickly, and your PR strategy should too. Staying ahead of industry trends and understanding your audience’s needs ensures your messaging stays relevant. Reports like Gartner’s Top Strategic Technology Trends for 2025 offer insights into emerging opportunities and challenges for tech companies. Dive into their research here.
5. Build Relationships, Not Just Contacts
Journalists covering tech receive countless pitches. To stand out, take the time to understand what they write about and what matters to their audience. A personalized, well-timed pitch will always outperform a generic press release. Building genuine relationships can lead to opportunities for exclusive stories or early insights into upcoming trends.
6. Plan for the Unexpected
Tech companies are no strangers to crises—whether it’s a data breach, product malfunction, or negative press. The principles in Harvard’s “Crisis Communications for COVID-19” offers some interesting strategies that could be adopted by PR and communications professionals in all sectors. Key takeaways include being brutally honest while providing rational hope, showing empathy, and addressing four critical questions: the situation, identity, values at risk, and actions to take. Crafting clear, concise, coherent, consistent, and credible messages, and pacing the delivery of unwelcome news, are also vital. For a deeper dive into these strategies, read the full document here.
Final Thoughts
PR for tech companies isn’t about making noise—it’s about making an impact. With the right goals, authentic storytelling, and data-driven insights, your PR efforts can stand out in a competitive market.
Need help navigating the complexities of PR measurement? At Informing Decisions, we specialize in helping tech companies cut through the noise and uncover actionable insights. Get in touch to see how we can help you measure what matters and focus your efforts where they count most.