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TRANSCRIPT:
DOUG: Seems like everything’s changed in PR. One area that we’re going to focus on today is tech PR. What would you say the number one thing that’s changed in tech PR is, Bob?
BOB: Well, I’d say the changes in tech PR are very much like the changes happening in other areas of PR and lot of this gets back to media. And also, the ways we get information. Obviously, these are the trends that have been going on for years, but even, you know, in the very recent future it’s changed even more with the advent of AI chatter, you know, fragmentation of the news media, polarization, those kind of things.
DOUG: Yeah. So, what is the updated PR playbook look like now?
BOB: It looks kind of a lot different that I say probably most tech PR, most PR firms, hopefully they are catching up to some of these changes and moving from, you know, pretty intense focus on media to other ways of getting your story out there. For example, working with influencers and they could be paid or organic. Things that used to be kind of very contrary to PR and agency life like considering paid content, it’s not all junk pay for play. There are some good paid opportunities. I guess you have to look at things that we have used PR to achieve in the past and find different ways of achieving those goals. And you still can, I mean, that’s the opportunity for those who want to stay on the cutting edge of building credibility, visibility, and validation, through different ways of making that work. In the area where I work and our agency works, technology public relations, for example, we can look at the role of influencers and industry analysts are extremely important influencers and more and more agencies are adding analyst relations to their, you know, list of services.
DOUG: You also want to be turning your clients themselves into influencers. What are some of the thought leadership strategies that are delivering the best impact today in your space?
BOB: It helps to be intentional and smart, rather than just a check off a box item. We have some bylines going to get placed. We want to get on podcasts. Do it with a goal of mind with a strategy. If you’re in a space that were very familiar with tech PR, B2B tech PR, primarily a lot of this gets down to the category that you playing. Is it a new category? Is it an existing category? Is it a subcategory? Your thought leadership, making a good case for that. It has to be very interesting and compelling because nothing will happen if it’s not, right?
DOUG: And that touches on how a story can break through a crowded media landscape. You were referring to that earlier. How much has been changed so many more options, choices, and ways the people consume information. What are some of your top suggestions on how to make sure your story breaks through?
BOB: Increasingly in PR, it’s important to have big ideas and tech PR as well. Not just press release and not just email pitches. When it comes to getting an interesting story out there and breaking through, I can think of an interesting example in fact. We have a client in online privacy protection and a couple of our account executives were on a call, listening to a client give an interview and something jumped out. It was about how people are very protective of certain personal information, but their phone number is something that they gladly give out. And this is a privacy protection company. And our team sent that this might be an interesting topic. They packed it into a pitch and the got through to something called scripts, which I’m sure you have heard of it, big syndicator.
DOUG: Big news syndicator, owned many newspapers.
BOB: Exactly, on a segment called, don’t waste your money. And it turned to very nice broadcast interview, that was syndicated across the country, at all these different stations. So, the topic caught on, it wasn’t a press release, it wasn’t like we have canned research. It was a very specific, nugget of information that our team in a sense would be interested in. So, think like a journalist, stay close to the news, and have a nose for what a good story could be.
DOUG: And I think I keep part of that and we just been going through this after we celebrated our 40th anniversary with the idea of what hasn’t changed, and it’s really about answering the questions that people want to know and need information that isn’t changed. One thing that’s changed about that is the ability of AI to give you more insights into the information that people really want to know about. That’s what we’ve been doing with transforming our services. What are you seeing with the role of AI if you are specially, since from the B2B perspective, the data shows 90% of B2B Shoppers are looking at AI to get answers?
BOB: It’s important to try to stay ahead of the curve. I would not believe anybody who says, I know exactly where this is going and what it means for PR in other areas. It’s changing so quickly. It’s going to be a very, iterative process. We’re jumping in and using it in many different ways, we are trying to push the envelope a little bit, but as we all know, there are risks and opportunities.
DOUG: And there been risks and opportunities with any sort of breakthrough. This one seems to be catching on even faster than some of the others and catching on a level. That’s so in deep. Any final thoughts that you want to leave our viewers with?
BOB: Getting back to the risks and opportunities, you know, the risks are I think as we know, crowded information landscape, a lot of AI driven junk. I think the biggest thing, maybe this is a good way to conclude because it’s hard to escape AI. So important across so many areas but one thing we will not compromise on is that high-touch, creativity storytelling, being close to the information and not outsourcing to AI.
DOUG: Well, you’ve definitely kept your touch keeping your agency thriving. Thanks so much for appearing on the podcast.
BOB: My pleasure, thanks for having me on. Take care and hope we talk soon.
