Building successful business relationships lies at the core of tech marketing. And B2B communications play a big part in raising brand awareness in a corporate setting which can open doors for your company.
Improving your brand profile is equally important, whether you’re a start-up or an established business – people have to know who you are and what you do, or they won’t come looking for you.
Getting your company’s name inside other business leaders’ heads is just the start of that process. Keeping it there requires constant reinforcement.
Here are five of my tech marketing tips to help you lure in new customers and keep loyal clients coming back.
And the winner is …
We’ve already spoken about the value of entering industry awards to boosting your business’s profile and standing. But remember, somebody has to give out those awards, too.
Consider sponsoring a category at an awards ceremony in an industry you’re targeting. For example, if you’re working on cutting edge construction tech, there’s some value in sponsoring a prize at a construction tech awards. But there’s more value in attaching your name to a category at a construction industry ceremony attended by prospective clients.
Awards ceremonies are usually run by leading industry publications and journals or professional bodies. They’ll promote your involvement, boosting brand awareness even among those who don’t go to the ceremony.
Back new talent …
Linking up with a college or university that runs courses in the skills that your business needs isn’t just a great public relations opportunity. It can also help you get the first look at the best trainees and graduates coming through.
There’s a couple of options you could explore that will raise brand awareness. One would be to get involved as work experience provider or by offering paid internships. Or you could sponsor a prize for the top student on the course.
Either of these exercises will earn you local media coverage as well as exposure in the trade press and the learning institution’s publications.
And at the end of the day, you’ve had the chance to check out emerging talent, which could help future recruitment drive.
Be a leader …
Industry magazines and websites are always on the lookout for experts in their field who are willing to share what they know.
Many of our clients have had great success writing thought leadership articles that demonstrate their expertise in front of their peers.
As a tech marketing strategy, it’s more about engagement than driving direct sales. But if people know your name and abilities, they’re more likely to come to you when they have a problem or a need that has to be filled.
Show community spirit …
Some people have the wrong impression about who works in tech industries. They probably imagine a room full of blokes in geeky T-shirts glued to computer screens.
But the people who work at your company aren’t clichés – they are real men and women and a genuine community. So get them out to show the world what you can do together.
If your firm’s not demonstrating its sense of corporate social responsibility, it should be. It could be as simple as adopting a charity and raising funds for it, or doubling the amount Dave in IT raised with his sponsored cycle.
Or you could give the team an afternoon off to do some volunteering at a local hospice or old folk’s home or do some litter picking.
But make sure people get to know about it. Have photos taken, issue a press release, or – and this leads into my final point – share it on social media.
Share and share alike …
No matter what the folk at JD Wetherspoon think about social media, it’s a great way of reaching out to new clients and keeping up with regular customers.
The way you use it is key. Obviously, you should be generating your own fresh content by blogging about your expertise and issues in your industry – and amplifying that message across your social channels by sharing web links.
But there’s even simpler stuff you can do, such as sharing news and views you find when flicking through Twitter or LinkedIn.
If you keep your social content relevant, relatable and up-to-date, you’ll grow an engaged following. And don’t forget the value of some well-judged humour and getting out news about your staff’s achievements – as well as your business successes.
Remember it’s social media. So be human.
We are PR and marketing specialists – with our fingers firmly on the technology pulse. Contact us on 0800 612 9890.