The UK is a global technology hub, and even the coronavirus pandemic hasn’t been able to slow its incredible pace – investors poured $5.3 billion into British tech companies during the first half of 2020. And amid stiff competition for this cash, technology companies turn to PR specialists to stand out from the crowd.
Whatever stage of growth your company is at, PR is a great way to build brand awareness and instil investor confidence. At our Tech PR agency, we’ve helped countless companies to achieve their growth and financial milestones. For example, back in 2016, we worked with the up-and-coming fintech start-up Sonovate, to launch their brand – and get in front of new funds.
Perception is everything when you’re trying to convince investors, and proper tech PR preparation can give your company a competitive edge. Here’s how.
What does it take to get an investor’s cash?
According to a scale-up investment report by Innovate UK, when looking for a promising business, investors prioritise:
- A strong management team (96%)
- Market demand (67%)
- Strategy and vision (62%)
Our experience matches well with this data, and we’ve found great success promoting these three areas when we have provided B2B PR strategy and PR to a range of scale-ups – including those who already have investment. But how do you reach investors with these messages?
Investors often keep a keen eye on the media, so our strategy starts there with two main approaches. The first is earning regular coverage in the relevant trade press, which shows investors that your team of thought leaders and innovators knows its stuff and leads in its field. The other element of our approach is to place ‘hero pieces’, usually profile and comment articles in top-tier business and national outlets, to earn prestige and investor confidence.
What does a tech business get from a PR agency?
1. Fine-tune the message
Every business is trying to convey information about itself and its value, but it can be tough to be heard in a competitive environment. Working with a PR team can help a tech business to refine its message. Often, businesses concoct overly complex or technical messaging in-house, which can be a turn-off to journalists and investors. A tech PR company will help ground the message by asking the most fundamental question – ‘why?’ – and then build that answer into an engaging, current campaign.
2. Connect you with the media
Journalists are inundated with requests for coverage, and getting your pitch noticed is a challenge all its own. An experienced PR team takes this challenge – along with many others – off of the business’s plate so that they can stay focused on the work they’re doing. Better yet, good PR professionals have a strong working relationship with journalists at a range of outlets, so they are more likely to get noticed when they’re sending your pitches around.
3. Perfect your people’s profiles
Businesses often overlook some of their most valuable assets: their subject matter experts. For investors, these experts offer invaluable insights into the strength of the team behind the products or services and the company culture. A time-tested PR tactic is identifying strong voices within the business and building their profiles in the media.
Many PR novices neglect people and go full force on the product, but investors are people too, and there are few things as powerful as offering a personal insight into the minds behind the business. Similarly, ensuring that experts have an approachable presence on social media increases investor confidence and invites them to interact and informally ask questions.
4. Show that there’s money to be made
Ultimately, investors want to make money on a great idea – but journalists wish to present an impartial picture of newsworthy developments. Threading this needle is a challenge, but sufficient PR savvy makes it easier. When executed properly, demonstrations and case studies, for instance, can convey both newsworthy and valuable information.
Want to find out how a tech PR agency could help your business achieve its next stage of growth? Get in touch with our head of client relations, Katy.
Written by: Katy Bloomfield, Managing Director
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