Category: Consumer Technology

Don’t get left behind: Six essentials for your 2026 PR planning

by Elate Communications

For ambitious scale-up tech firms operating in the US, UK, Europe and beyond, cutting through the noise is getting harder. Budgets are under scrutiny, buyers are more selective and media attention is thinner than ever. Journalists are time-poor, inboxes are saturated and AI-generated content is adding even more volume to an already competitive landscape.

Against this backdrop, meaningful PR impact doesn’t happen by chance. It comes from early planning, tight alignment with marketing and a strategy built around clarity, relevance and flexibility. As 2025 begins to close out, now is the moment to get your 2026 programme into shape.

1. Use Q4 to your advantage

The final stretch of the year (and early next) is when product, pipeline and marketing plans consolidate. Get internal teams and agency partners aligned around what’s coming in 2026. Hold structured planning sessions to refine objectives, audience needs, core messages and upcoming opportunities.

2. Give your PR programme a health check

A strong 2026 plan starts with honest reflection on your current one. Assess what truly worked this year and why. Examine where PR influenced awareness, credibility or pipeline, and where it didn’t. Review media engagement patterns, message traction and campaign performance. This will helps you refine strategy, sharpen messages, re-focus KPIs and decide where to focus effort next year.

3. Ensure PR and marketing work in sync

High-performing tech brands integrate PR tightly into their broader marketing ecosystem. Your PR strategy should reinforce, not sit separate from, product marketing, content, digital and partner programmes. Shared messages, shared goals and shared execution create a multiplier effect across earned, owned and paid channels.

4. Refresh and re-energise your messages

Markets shift quickly, and buyer priorities evolve. Revisit your corporate and product messaging to ensure they remain differentiated and aligned to current customer pain points. Pressure-test whether your messaging still reflects your value proposition and competitive edge. And make sure your spokespeople are confident in delivering it with clarity, personality and authority.

5. Secure the right resources — and the right buy-in

Ambitious PR needs realistic resourcing. Start budget conversations early with leadership and finance teams, ensuring expectations match capacity. At the same time, clarify the role of your agency partners and identify any internal skills gaps to address ahead of 2026.

6. Build in flexibility

The past few years have shown how fast market conditions can shift, product timelines change, customer sentiment moves, new competitors emerge. Leave room in the plan for testing, iteration and new narratives. Agility, combined with strategic consistency, is now a competitive advantage.

Final Thought

A successful 2026 PR programme hinges on six core principles:
Preparation; A clear health check; Marketing alignment; Messaging clarity & Budget realism.

And above all, the flexibility to adapt when the unexpected inevitably arrives.

With the right structure and support, 2026 can be a breakthrough year for your brand’s visibility and influence in the UK and Europe.

To discuss your PR planning for 2026, click here to book a short intro strategy call.

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.

PLANNING A SUMMER OF GENERATIVE AI-ONLY MARKETING? THINK AGAIN

by Elate Communications

The power of ChatGPT (and the like) has been spoken and written about everywhere and by everyone. And by now, we’ve all heard about the good, bad -and of course ‘the ugly,’ like the warning from global tech leaders that the technology could lead to the extinction of humanity.

How very like Star Trek that sounds.

However, putting aside the existential risk to humanity for now, what about the impact on tech brands, marketeers and senior comms professionals? For sure, AI is set to impact the way we all work as marketers, as it presents both opportunities and risks.

As other PR experts also say: there are risks around accuracy, bias, copyright, danger and ethics – but we’re advising clients and partners to embrace the technology, as there will be a raft of comms / PR areas where it can add value.

However, on the content development and social media side, ChatGPT and its competitors, whilst helpful on research and initial copy development, simply does not possess the human context, emotional punch and the authentic creativity of an experienced human writer – or a truly sentient being!

That means you, your team and comms agency partner must remain very much involved. You still need to work hard to create solid thought-leadership copy that a) stands out b) cuts through the noise and c) articulates what makes your brand and solution unique and compelling.

Despite the pressure to cut costs, delegating this important content activity to AI just won’t cut it.

To see why, download our Free 12-Point Comms Guide for ambitious and growing tech firms to get a better perspective on planning an effective B2B high-tech software and services comms programme.

We are still learning about how AI can help the PR profession, but we’d be interested to hear your thoughts and experiences, so do get in touch. In the meantime, have a great summer planning your PR programmes!