The world runs on technology, the tools designed to make our lives easier and more productive. Any doubters can look at the numbers: There were 1.53 million tech start-ups in 2014 alone, a number that continues to rise.
But how can these technology companies bring attention to their disruptive products?
Put yourself in the shoes of reporters, analysts and influencers tasked with shining a light on innovative tech companies. Take a moment to picture the number of calls and pitches they get from start-ups, in addition to the tech giants who may have major news. Sure, your technology is disruptive. But how do you convince influencers to write about it?
As a tech marketing professional and a storyteller, here are my top three tips to help make your product more interesting and relevant to those tasked with informing others why it matters.
Tip #1 Identify key trends that are relevant to your product
Each year we see a list of top technology trends published by analyst firms and research groups. For example, some of the key 2017 trends included artificial intelligence, cyber security, IoT, digital transformation, virtual reality and augmented reality. Often, these topics will drive editorial focus for the year. If you can find a trend that’s relevant to your technology, integrate it into your storyline. This will put your technology in context and help influencers understand what your solution is and how it fits within the industry.
One caution: Don’t just use buzzwords to get attention. Make sure your solution actually ties to the trend.
Tip #2 Celebrate your product’s impact on customers
Some technology is very hard to explain—even the systems that touch our lives every day are often enigmatic. One of the best ways to explain your product is to focus on customer pain points and show how your solution solves those problems. Businesses should celebrate the product’s impact on lives and the planet, when appropriate.
Toward that end, consider developing multichannel content—case studies, blogs, images, videos—that can quickly explain what the technology does, why it matters and how it impacts people and businesses. Make your content fun, not dry techno-babble. Personally, I find videos to be extremely helpful in demonstrating how a product works while humanizing the brand.
For example, this video by SAP talks about data and predictive analytics and their impact on business planning using very “human” scenarios.
Video can be an effective tool, but that doesn’t mean you must devote a huge amount of money to creating costly videos for every message. What you do need is clear messaging and a storyline. Once you have that, there are a lot of martech platforms that will allow you to quickly create videos and interactive content.
Tip #3 Build relationship with key influencers
Companies can find influencers by researching social platforms. By looking at these channels, you can identify thought leaders in your industry and listen to what they are talking about, what makes them tick and what their pet peeves are. Once you are comfortable with these individuals, start engaging with them: Ask a question to open a conversation, share their content or comment on their posts. Once you build a relationship online, it’s easy to invite them for coffee—geography allowing, of course.
Get them to know you and make an effort to turn them into brand ambassadors — possible over a latte. There’s no better way to generate market credibility than having influencers talk about your brand.
The bottom line: Simplify the complex, focus on customer benefits and tell a compelling story that will leave your visitors asking for more. By doing so, you can turn skeptics into brand ambassadors – and stand out in a crowded market.
