Business to Business (B2B) Archives

The Similarities between Euro 2024 and European PR

The UEFA European Football Championship (Euro 2024) is now well underway in Germany, so while awaiting England’s next match I’m playing with the parallel idea in my mind on how global scale-up tech firms can effectively set up quality European (or indeed global) PR campaigns.

As the European footballing nations will be tested as they adapt to the diverse and quality European footballing styles opposing them, breaking into new European markets is no easy feat either–especially for non-native tech firms.

To expand in to the world’s second largest trading bloc, Public Relations is the most cost-effective way to build reputations, brand awareness and accelerate your sales momentum. But, doing it right takes time and focus, so here are five initial tips when setting up that winning European PR game plan!

1. The Importance of Planning

Currently, England Coach Gareth Southgate is in serious planning mode for his team’s upcoming games.

By the same token, effective planning is the cornerstone of any successful PR work. Whether targeting one, two or several countries in Europe, aligning global, European and local plans upfront is crucial.

That translates to solid business briefings and regular updates from the right company advocates to ensure that local teams are up to speed with business developments and potential issues. This mustn’t overload the team, but planning needs to remain flexible and 100% outcome-focused.

2. ‘Glocal’ Thinking

While the core global and product messaging should remain consistent, localisation to the country context is essential. You need to find the right balance, but this goes far beyond basic translation.

Ensure your local teams are allowed the flexibility to capture and use relevant local market themes, evidence, customers and anecdotes to spark engagement. Your best ‘striker’ here is a “glocal” approach—combining global strategy with local execution by local executives, to ensure your messaging scores.

3. Use Local Expertise and Insights

With European PR, one size does not fit all. Working with the right PR partner means collaborating with professionals who have navigated these waters before and understand the local language, culture, holidays and media landscapes.

Listen carefully to these local teams to ensure your approach is culturally sensitive and insightful. If England get through the group stages, and need to take on the mighty Spanish team, for example, Three Lions midfield hopeful Jude Bellingham played for Real Madrid last season, so his insights will help Southgate’s team.

4. Communication, communication, communication

Effective communications is critical across the whole football ecosystem (within the team, the coaching staff but also fans back home) before, during and after every game. Regular, team-wide communication is also important in European PR programmes, too, ideally face to face, but virtually too of course.

While top-down/HQ communications will naturally play a role, ensuring each country is given the time to explain what’s working locally and where the challenges lie is vital.

Best practice tells us this approach helps build team culture, aids understanding and addresses problem areas before they escalate.

5. Keeping Score

Aligning on outcomes from the outset is vital. Tools are available for measurement, but getting alignment with your PR/marketing colleagues and the local agency team is key.

Ultimately, collective understanding helps ensure you’re on the right track and allows for adjustments. Local executive teams should also be aligned with PR plans to maintain that collective focus.

Extra Time

Whether it’s one or several European markets, winning in Europe requires a well-thought-out PR strategy that embraces local nuances and leverages both global and local strengths.

The good news is that by focusing on planning, localising your messaging, embracing local insights, maintaining open communication and measuring your outcomes effectively, scale-up global tech firms can power through the ‘group stage’ and establish the strong PR foothold in Europe they want.

Love to stay and chat more, but it’s time soon to shout at the telly. Come On England!

To discuss your PR programme needs for 2024 click here to book a short intro strategy call.

What Padel Tennis and Public Relations Have in Common

by Simon Glazer

I’m not an expert Padel Tennis (Padel) player, but I’ve been playing a fair amount of this addictive game recently. Many years ago, I squeezed in to my county tennis squad, so I thought I’d be a Padel ninja. But it’s very different and if you try to play it like tennis, you’ll soon come unstuck!

I wondered (a little strangely perhaps) if there were any connections between Padel and the challenges tech firms face when they develop their PR programmes, so here are five initial commonalities.

Get your positioning right

In Padel, positioning is key and you need to work with your partner–take the net together, move back together and be attentive to where you are on the court, in relation to each other and your opponent.

In PR, it’s similar: you need to understand your position in relation to your competition. How? By research and building your messages, to define the best PR strategy to help you move to where you want to be.

Preparation, preparation, preparation

In Padel—like all sports–you need to stretch and practice before the game. Failing to prepare and not warming up will result in injury and put you out of action.

Similarly, when conducting a PR programme, having the right messages sorted is vital, but have you practiced and rehearsed delivering them to ensure they ‘land’ with your target audiences? You normally have just one shot. So, if you ‘fail to prepare’ then ‘prepare to fail’.

The importance of consistency

My Padel partner likes to smash/kill most of the balls. While finishing the point matters, consistency (and finesse) is key to winning most points. My current view, when starting in Padel, or your PR programme is you should be more like Borg or Federer (with ice-man-type consistency) than Nick ‘bad boy’ Kyrgios.

In PR, whilst killer campaigns do play a role, once you are executing your PR programme, it’s advisable to be patient and don’t always look for instant (but risky) mindshare grabs.

It’s better to be consistent in your communications, as success doesn’t happen overnight. So, do the hard work every day (or on every point) as that’s the way to win the game on a consistent basis.

Partnership is more than just a word

Both Padel and PR are team games, so partnerships are key. In Padel, working closely with your partner is vital: talking and encouraging each other pre-, during- and post-matches can make all the difference.

By the same token, working in partnership with your executive team, and the right PR agency team that can effectively advise and seamlessly execute will take you that bit further.

Analyse and evaluate

In Padel, a level of analysis is useful—both as you’re playing and after the game to see how you could adjust your tactics, do better next time or deal with a specific opponent.

And in B2B tech PR, evaluation is just as important. You need to integrate the right outcomes, yet be flexible as you progress your plan, given what is happening in and outside the business.

So, in summary, and injuries aside, I’m learning so much about this great new game via Instagram and by watching/speaking to my peers who are ahead of me on that Padel learning curve. So, do the same with the experience, insights and know-how your PR partner can offer.

I am sure there are many other commonalities, but the most important one in Padel and PR is to have fun!

To discuss your PR programme for 2024 (or Padel technique) click to book a short intro strategy call.

It’s Time for a Messaging Spring Clean

by Elate Communications

In London, it’s still ‘brass monkey’ weather (very cold) out there, but Spring is now on us!

This is the time to create, upscale or refine your company and proposition messaging.

It’s time for that messaging spring clean!

Why?

Clear messaging is essential for tech firms as it underpins key aspects of the growth strategy, including communications, brand building, customer acquisition and retention, market positioning and investor relations. A well-crafted and consistently executed messaging strategy will contribute to the success and expansion of your tech firm.

As a global communications director, and previous Elate client, says:

“Your strategic messaging is one of the most important corporate assets you own. It defines what matters: who you are and the value you provide. Done properly, it puts you head and shoulders above the competition. If you’re not sure it’s 100% right, then don’t spend a penny more on communications until it’s nailed.”

“Messaging is the heartbeat of your brand, enabling meaningful connections with customers, prospects, partners, employees, investors and a myriad of influencers. It amplifies the value of your proposition, cultivates a quality reputation and builds your brand’s share of voice.”

Here are a few questions to guide your messaging Spring Clean:

Is your corporate and product messaging aligned with your brand, mission and vision?
Is it overly complicated and can you sum up your value in seconds?
Can the team roll off their tongues your top three strategic messages?
Do they resonate with your key target audiences?
How does it play in your priority geographic and vertical markets?
Are you leading key industry debates with a clear and authoritative voice?
How does your story compare to key competitors?
Do your messages include evidence or are they simply grandiose claims?
When was the last time you refreshed and tested them?

To discuss your messaging or 2024 planning, click here to book a short intro strategy call.

As a reminder, Elate Communications is a UK based virtual comms agency focused on supporting US, British and global tech firms to grow and prosper.

Lucky Seven! Seven Tips for Successful US Media Relations

by Elate Communications

Building and maintaining a consistent and impactful earned media relations program in the United States (and indeed the UK) is a long-term investment for scale-up technology companies.

In the challenging US-based tech media landscape, when a tech scale-up has ‘allegedly’ a great product proposition, and a sound business strategy, but no exposure, they can easily get buried among their lesser competitors. These ambitious tech businesses, with no media presence will find it even harder to stand out from the crowd, with current and prospective, investors, customers, partners and employees. So what can be done?

Here are some tips from one of our top quality PR partners on the west coast of America, who has outlined the Seven Tips for a successful US-based media relations program.

1- PR could actually stand for personal relationships. Build them! Read, read, read. Do your homework on EACH journalist, their beats, their story writing style, their foibles, their proclivities. Today, social media offers ample opportunity to see what makes them tick and discover that entry point.

2– Strive to be a resource of insightful information to journalists. Be steeped in knowledge, not just a buzzword bingo pitcher. And don’t just pitch your client, but broader industry topics that have relevance for the reader, and your client.

3— In your pitches, set out the context and the why now. Answer the 5Ws and an H: who, what, where, when, why and how. These are the basic tenets of journalism.

4– Email blasts don’t work. Period. Once you accomplish #1, you will craft smart, custom pitches that can grab the media’s attention.

5– If at first you don’t succeed, try try, again. Timing is everything. Make sure your pitches are in sync with the news flow – e.g.: in tech, don’t try to pitch journalists on the day Apple, Google, Facebook, Microsoft (or those other larger beasts) are making their announcements, or you’ll be drowned out.

6– Have your own opinion. Vocalize. Be clever and smart. Maybe even a bit sassy. This builds your own brand and establishes street cred. As with #1, follow journalists, go where they are (including on the right social media platforms), read their work, engage in conversation on the topic, the trend, the news developments relevant to your work.

7 — News? The old adage man bites dog still rules but most times we do NOT have real “news” to offer the media. Yet clients often believe they do. Our job is to properly position the client within the larger industry and to pay attention to timely market news and trends, where the client is relevant and has something to say. Help the journalist understand that by talking with our client, they will gain greater insight into their beat.

Hopefully, you are living by these lucky seven tips (and we’re sure there are more), but if you want to discuss your US (and/or your UK) PR and media relations program needs, then click here to call to book a short intro strategy call to discuss your comms needs for 2024.

Explaining Complex Technology Simply and Visually

by Elate Communications

As we power ahead into 2024, a key challenge for B2B tech companies, within this ever-evolving communications environment, is describing often complex products and propositions both simply and clearly – and helping your story more effectively ‘land’ with your time-poor target audience.

Technical jargon and abstract concepts often leave existing and prospective customers (and the media) confused and disengaged, so do you need to consider how to communicate certain ideas differently?

Here are just six areas to consider > which are also referenced in our free 12-Point Guide To Effective Communications in 2024 and beyond.

Define Crisp Messaging
Focus on bringing clarity to confusion. Take the time to workshop your key messages, so that even the most complicated tech can be articulated into compelling messages, with the associated evidence, that really resonates.

Leverage Storytelling
Turn benefits into stories. Anecdotes and case studies with relatable characters are more persuasive than specs alone. Use analogies and comparisons to bring concepts to life.

Focus on Real-World Benefits
At the highest level, try to avoid features and functions. Show how your technology solves specific pain points and delivers tangible business outcomes that organisations care about.

Bring Data to Life Visually
Aim to turn complex data into intuitive charts, graphs, and infographics that demonstrate value at a glance. Visuals make concepts and messages more memorable.

Develop Video Demos and Animations
Videos and animated explainers show your technology in action and its advantages. Seeing or hearing something will often be more impactful for a busy audience.

Train Executives as Evangelists
Equip the leadership team and subject matter experts with the right attitude, insights, confidence and teachable skills to convey messages in conversational but impactful language, appropriate for the audience.

In summary, the most brilliant technology solution means nothing if potential buyers don’t understand its value. Let Elate Communications help turn your complex technology into compelling messaging that sells. We enable tech firms to explain innovations clearly and visually to accelerate the sales process.

Much of the above (and more) are available in our free 12-Point Guide to Effective Communications in 2024 and beyond, which you can download here. And, feel free to book a short intro strategy call to discuss your communications needs in 2024.

As a reminder, Elate Communications is a UK based virtual comms agency focused on supporting US, British and global tech firms to grow and prosper.

Beyond Earned Media: Maximising PR Opportunities for Tech Brands in the UK & Europe

by Elate Communications

In an ever-evolving media environment, the landscape for tech brands seeking editorial exposure has over time become more challenging. While data indicates a decline in traditional media opportunities, the notion that securing quality earned media is unattainable is far from accurate. In fact, it’s still very possible, but the approach needs to be strategic, authentic and consistent. But, the decline in trade media does mean that PR pros need to work smarter and harder to connect with the right audience, by nurturing relationships and ensuring that stories and pitches are relevant and stand out.

While earned media relations still remains a cornerstone of many tech PR programmes, there are many more avenues, ideally part of a holistic plan, for tech businesses to consider as they seek to build mindshare, establish brand awareness, shorten the sales cycle and grow the business in the UK and Europe.

Here are just five areas to consider:

Embrace Industry Analyst Relations: Establishing and maintaining strong relationships with industry analysts in the region remains important for tech firms, and is often under-valued. Analysts hold substantial influence and should not be overlooked in driving a successful European comms programme.

Website Refresh and Content: From blogs to case studies to executive profiles, a company’s website still serves as that front-door for your stakeholders’ enquiries. Does it needs an overhaul, refresh or a content update? It should not only effectively represent the brand but also reflect your agreed messaging, by providing valuable insights about your offer and what you stand for, within the context of the wider competitive landscape.

SEO Strategy: An effective search engine optimisation strategy is key in ensuring that well-crafted and educational website content receives the visibility it deserves. Maximising your approach to SEO is essential to providing exposure and amplifying your online presence. So, how confident are you that your strategy is correct and robust?

Social Media Focus: In today’s multi-channel era, a robust social media presence (organic and paid) is of course indispensable in supporting your comms goals. Consistent, on-message postings play a pivotal role in highlighting the various parts of your company, your executive team, your proposition, what the business stands for and what value you distinctly provide. Do you need to step back, and ensure that your messaging and social media content plan is on-point?

Maximise Events: Consider re-evaluating your event strategy, and upping the quantity and/or quality of the more Intimate networking-based events. Maximise your efforts by partnering with relevant media outlets, and include industry influencers to add that market validation and objective perspective. Executed well, events will provide valuable opportunities to engage with key audience targets on a personal level, improve brand recognition and help cultivate more meaningful sales relationships.

In summary, building and maintaining a positive profile and reputation goes far beyond obtaining a favourable media profile; it’s about leveraging a broad spectrum of PR activities to support sustainable brand recognition and business growth.

So, do you want to discuss how best to bolster your comms programme?

If so, don’t hesitate to contact us by email or to book an intro strategy call to discuss your communications needs.

As a reminder, Elate Communications is a UK based virtual comms agency focused on supporting US, British and global tech firms to grow and prosper.

Four Tips To Cut Through In A Noisy Tech Marketplace

by Elate Communications

Getting noticed (by the right people) is a constant challenge for many B2B tech brands, as buyers are inundated with vendor content hitting them across multiple channels. Earning attention from your audience only grows more difficult as markets become saturated, with interconnected multiple messages from vendors pushing their wares.

Big stunt approaches may have some impact with buyers, but slow and steady over time normally wins the race. Consistency and longevity is key for ambitious tech firms looking to stand out. So, with the right positioning and smart outreach, your brand can capture the mindshare it needs, even in the most crowded sectors.

Here are just four tips to consider:

Define Your Niche & Message

Rather than copying competitors, find your unique angle in the market. Workshop it and/or conduct research to identify the pain points your technology can distinctively solve. You could have that sorted already, but the real work comes in as you define a set of messages that highlights your differentiator, but also importantly links to industry issues. Don’t short-cut that critical messaging stage and objectively consider if your existing messaging needs a refresh too.

Leverage Executive Thought Leadership

Build the profiles of the right executives and subject matter experts as forward-thinking, interesting and insightful. Work to develop relevant themes that connect to by-lined media articles, speaking opportunities, event and social media opportunities, to establish and build authority. Ensure your leaders are accessible and responsive to the media, analysts, industry bodies and other key influencers seeking perspectives on relevant industry topics.

Prioritise and Drive Targeted Outreach

Avoid spraying and praying. Carefully select media or analyst targets that reach your ideal personas at each stage of the sales process. With media, consider pitching niche publications initially that allow you room to dominate the conversation, and then evolve and customise your approach. Don’t be disheartened, as not every pitch or approach will succeed, so be prepared to learn and evolve.

Monitor Conversations and Insert Yourself > using different content formats

Use social listening tools to identify the right news, trends and regulatory discussions, so you can tap into relevant industry debates or breaking news moments. But, keep authentic to your position, as ‘ambulance-chasing’ will be spotted. Be helpful, responsive and provide insightful comments and resources rather than overt self-promotion. Also, do use different and engaging content formats like video case studies, infographics, interactive short videos and animations. Test different short-forms and snackable assets for social sharing to keep it fresh and lively.

In summary, earning and maintaining brand attention can take time, but with a targeted, relevant, creative and authentic approach, tech brands can develop mindshare, authority and cut-through even in noisy markets. Patience and consistency is key, but it’s all very doable.

So, do you want to discuss how best to cut through the noise together?

If so, don’t hesitate to contact us by email or book an intro strategy call to discuss how to improve your Comms programme.

Top Tips To Embrace European Technology Analysts

by Elate Communications

Industry analysts play an important and often underappreciated role in validating and
endorsing your vision, strategy, technology proposition and road-map. While analyst
relations is critical on a global scale, UK and European based analysts also deserve
dedicated focus as tech firms scale across the region.

European analysts act as key influencers during the IT purchasing process. IT
decision makers routinely consult analyst research and perspectives to guide their
spending. It’s not critical to have paid relationships with all the firms, but it’s essential
to brief European analysts from the ‘big dog’ firms, as well as the boutique analysts
in the region.

When managed strategically, analyst relations can lend third-party validation from
these respected experts, and if all goes well, will confirm your value proposition and
help accelerate the sales cycle. And, when analysts disagree with you, they will say
so, and those insights are like gold-dust!

Every AR plan is different, but do consider a phased approach that includes the
following:

A situational analysis to map existing global and European analyst relationships
Identification and research of the most appropriate target analysts
Assessment and clarification of your vision, strategy, proposition, technology
road-map, competitive USPs and European business momentum plans/evidence
Develop the right analyst presentation (with clarification of what’s under NDA)
Ensure that your executives are prepared, briefed and coached on delivery
Stay engaged with analysts with regular business updates
Consider paid relationships, where they are mutually beneficial (and affordable)
Perform periodic perception audits to assess progress
Continue to monitor the impact of the analyst programme

Analysts offer market intelligence and will identify gaps and opportunities for your
company and message, so ignore their feedback at your peril.

In today’s competitive B2B technology landscape, European industry analysts are a
vital but sometimes underappreciated audience. A strategic approach in the region
can illicit valuable insights, lend validation, build advocacy, encourage buyer trust
and shorten that sales cycle.

So, what are you waiting for?

And, don’t hesitate to contact us to discuss your Comms Strategy and/or Industry Analyst Relations programme.

Five Tips For Finding the Perfect Comms Agency Partner

by Elate Communications

Whether you’re still lounging on your holiday sunbed, with a Piña colada in hand, or steadfastly steering the comms and PR ship for your business, it’s important for marketing and comms executives to consider what’s key when on the hunt for that perfect agency comms partner.

Define the Team & Cultural Fit: One time, my agency team thought we’d won the business after delivering a great PR pitch to a tech firm… only to have its marketing director challenge us with a group task to complete in 20 minutes to evaluate our teamwork. Despite feeling like we had lost control of the meeting, we displayed agility, creative thinking, and addressed the challenge well, ultimately winning the business. To ensure a successful PR partnership, meet or speak with the team members who will be running your PR campaign and assess if their skills align with your requirements. Are they resourceful, proactive, agile, and consultative? How will they work with your internal stakeholders? Do they have the X factor you need?
Get Clear on Business Goals: Transparency is crucial; you need to share your company’s real business goals upfront–whether that’s driving sales leads, establishing a better position in your tech category to attract an acquisition, or seeking investment to expand overseas. Define and prioritise the key goals, as they should shape the comms objectives and, ultimately, your PR programme.
Communicate the PR Goals: Be crystal clear about the PR objectives you want to achieve: is it driving more positive industry analyst engagement, or gaining higher media share of voice compared to your competitors? It’ll help you both to know what you really want, and it avoids later disappointments. Include at least three key messages for the PR campaign to guide the agency’s thinking. If you’re unsure about that at this stage, that’s fine, but identify it as a priority to work together on from the outset. Additionally, provide clarity on target audiences and geographic areas where regional assistance may be appreciated.
Reach Measurement Heaven: Indicate how you’ll want to be measuring success for your organisation and its executives. Any agency worth your money should have concrete initial views on measurement criteria, e.g., industry measurement best practice. Ensure alignment from the beginning: you can’t improve what you can’t measure.
Outline Your Budget: Don’t leave agencies guessing what the stakes are here. Be explicit about your budget or at least provide a range. This enables the agency to create a well-suited campaign for you and establishes a level playing field. Budget clarity will also help rule out agencies that might not be the right fit, saving time for everyone involved.

All in all, investing time in to crafting a thoughtful, business-oriented brief that communicates your requirements in a communications partner is worth doing as it will ensure you receive quality proposals from agencies that align with your needs.

That’s because while team fit, culture, and chemistry matter, creating a comprehensive brief upfront will lead you to the most suitable PR partner which really is equipped with the right set of skills to elevate your planned communications blitz to the next level.

Now, get back to your Summer holiday!

In Challenging Times, A Balanced Marketing Approach Is A Priority

by Elate Communications

Bill Gates once said, “If I was down to my last dollar, I’d spend it on PR.” This always made sense–but in the complex business world of 2023 it’s one tip that all scale-up tech business leaders should be following.

Why? In recessions, businesses are tempted to shift their marketing spend to bottom-of-the-funnel activities, as these may drive more immediate results. But while that’s clearly important, savvy marketing leaders, and CEOs, like Mr Gates, also never lose sight of the long-term benefits of maintaining investment in communications.

Here are just four reasons why maintaining a balanced marketing approach is key:

Maintaining Brand Visibility: In a downturn, you may be tempted to prioritise short-term conversion. The problem: this could diminish your overall brand visibility. Even at the bottom of the cycle you need to keep ensuring you remain visible to your target audience, especially those that are not ready to buy right now but may do so in 6-12 months’ time. Consistent brand presence builds recognition, recall and trust, which are vital for sustained success beyond immediate sales.
Gaining a Competitive Edge: While bottom-of-the-funnel activities may yield quick wins, maintaining PR during tougher times will allow you to sustain your competitive differentiation. Authentic thought leadership, ‘earned’ media coverage, solid analyst relations, and peer recognition via success in industry awards, for example, all build your share of voice, help you stand out in a crowded market and ensure long-term growth and market share.
Follow the Money: While bottom-of-the-funnel activities demonstrate immediate revenue, smart investors look longer term too. Therefore, maintaining a sensible comms investment enables tech firms to communicate their value proposition more effectively, build reputation, and keep their potential to funders visible.
Attracting Talent & Partners: In challenging times, the job market becomes ultra-competitive, with talented workers seeking financial and non-financial rewards. They won’t come to you if you’re invisible—and neither will partners (e.g., distributors, SIs or VARs) who are also on the lookout for new potential revenue streams from exciting vendors. PR plays a twin role here in showcasing your culture, values and your technology USPs, and is a core element in helping you attract (and retain) top talent and partners.

Summing up: while bottom-of-the-funnel marketing activities must continue, scale-up technology firms should consider the long-term benefits of investing in comms.

Maintaining brand visibility, gaining a competitive advantage, attracting investors and attracting/retaining top talent/partners are four reasons why–but a balanced marketing approach that encompasses both short-term gains and long-term sustainability is always the basis for success when the economic headwinds are uncertain.

Connect with us today to see how we can help restore your marketing balance.