Kaitlyn Kotlowski October 8, 2013 | 12:53:06
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Creative Strategies for B2B Tech PR

Public relations work for B2B technology brands is fascinating and often complex, but the tactics are fairly straightforward. After all, the audience is other businesses, which narrows the way you strategize PR and communications programs. But even within a B2B technology PR agency or team, there are times when “B2C” thinking adds depth to the B2B tech PR program

Using B2C Strategies for B2B Brands 

For example, our client Silverpop, a digital marketing technology provider, we employ a range of traditional B2B tactics. We work together on creating and promoting its content, generating bylines, and securing speaking opportunities for the martech company’s senior executives.

But this is a creative company with plenty of buzzworthy ideas and a deep reservoir of thought capital and…yes, data. Silverpop packaged some of that data into an infographic we offered to key media to generate publicity leveraging a high-profile event, New York Fashion Week.  

Marketing professionals in the fashion retail category are one of the match solution’s target audiences. So we targeted outlets those interested in fashion read, like Refinery29as well as business publications read by marketers, like the Los Angeles Times, where we were able to land some great coverage. The message focused on the client’s smart use of relevant data for marketers, in a fun and stylish package.

More Creative B2B Tech PR Tips

Want more B2B tech PR tips? Here are some of our favorites:

Make it visual. Infographics are still an appealing way to package data, but there are other ways to make content visual. If you don’t have deep enough material for an infographic, consider an infogram, or simple image to illustrate a data point.

On the other hand, if you have a decent amount of data, LinkedIn’s SlideShare is very useful for sharing business presentations and videos. One of the biggest advantages to this platform is the community around it, which allows for conversation among like-minded professionals.

Keep it simple. When using consumer events or breaking news to increase the relevance of your pitch, don’t overreach. Our client’s Fashion Week infographic was about the most socially engaged designers during the schedule of shows. Anything more complicated would have made media glaze over.

Use the tip of the iceberg. Similarly, don’t overwhelm bloggers and journalists with data in the initial pitch. Use the most timely or compelling piece of data or the most provocative aspect of an executive point of view to hook your reader’s attention, then expand on it if your pitch meets a receptive audience.

Contribute. Take advantage of opportunities to share your client’s thoughts and ideas. Guest posts and article contribution opportunities are a great way to do this. Medium, for example, is a new publishing platform that emphasizes thoughtful, long-form content. The influential B2B community that currently uses and supports Medium is what separates it from many other platforms.

“Slice and dice.”  You may only be pitching one specific tech product or service on behalf of your client, but a good B2B technology PR pro can create many story angles out of it – “slicing and dicing” the story is key!

Make it shareable. Some B2B tech companies see social media as a consumer tool, but that’s a limited view. Platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn enable brands to engage directly with influencers. Whether it’s a comment on a blog or a tweet, building a relationship with the right people is a cornerstone of good B2B tech PR.

Looking for a PR agency partner to help add B2C flair to your B2B marketing and PR? Contact us to learn more about our B2B tech PR firm.

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