High Impact PR for High Tech Companies

High technology has spawned diverse businesses. Almost every week one hears of new IT companies taking birth and an equal number, or more, dying a sudden death. Above the din created by high technology, only a few survive, not necessarily the best, but those who cleverly balance business successes with effective marketing communication techniques and strategies.

"We are the market leaders. Why are we not getting enough media coverage?" is a familiar line one hears every now and then. It applies all the more to technology companies, because in today's world of information overload it is not enough to be the leader; one has to deftly use communications tools that will convey the desired message to the target audience and the general public, consistently and repeatedly.

Marketing communications has become a crucial tool for high tech companies everywhere, whether they are launching a new product, seeking venture capital, contemplating opening new branches, aiming to maintain market leadership or trying to attract new employees. As a result, the demand for high tech specialist marketing communications agencies has been rising, and is expected to rise further.

High Tech PR and marketing communications agencies specialize in developing strategic plans for their technology clients, complete with a calendar of deadlines and goals. They create a media list keeping in mind the specific needs of the client and approach media personnel with tailor-made stories for targeted publications, apart from the common press releases sent to all. Strategic communications planning also involves identifying messages specific to each target audience, highlighting once again the need for specialists in the field.

High Tech PR is, however, not everyone's cup of tea. The peculiar needs of technology companies have given rise to PR outfits that specialize in technology matters, offering innovative solutions to the communications needs of such companies. These agencies, backed by extensive knowledge of the IT industry and right contacts with technology savvy editors and reporters, deliver results that make all the difference, to the relief of technology firms that would have been banging their heads against the wall if they had to deal with PR professionals with just functional knowledge of IT.

Dubai Internet City, the IT hub of the Middle East that hosts over 300 technology companies from around the globe, is a beehive of activity today. However, just how many of the companies based there would be laughing all the way to the bank is anybody's guess. Faced by stiff competition and shrinking advertising budgets, these companies are increasingly relying on PR and marketing communications as strategic tools to make their messages heard above those of their competitors.

Fujitsu Siemens Computers (FSC), the leading IT company which has recently shifted its Gulf regional office to Dubai Internet City, is one example of how technology companies are harnessing marketing communications to their advantage. Since opening the regional office in Dubai in January 2001, the company has become one of the top five IT vendors in the region. A sustained PR and marketing communications programme has helped raise awareness and reputation of the company's products and services in the target markets.

Dubai e-Government, the unique initiative of the Government of Dubai that seeks to provide essential Government services electronically, used PR and marketing communications techniques when it realized the complexity of implementing a project that hinges critically on the readiness of the government employees and the public for its success. One of the key elements of the awareness drive is the Community. Outreach Programme that targets the Government sector as well as the community through colleges, women's groups and associations. The awareness drive is communicated to the public through the media at regular intervals. As a result, the ongoing activities of Dubai e-Government are constantly in the news and drive home the message that the project is pursing its goals in earnest.

Because of their experience in handling hi-tech clients, PR agencies specializing in IT accounts, are in a strong position to produce more tangible results. They provide the much needed corporate communications strategies and help position the company as a name to reckon with. They are in a position to provide consultancy on the key media personnel and publications that need to be kept informed about the company's strategies, thus ensuring that any press material coming from them is taken seriously.

Above all, high tech PR is about writing technology stories minus the jargon that has perhaps become part of the client's vocabulary, but may not make much sense to the reader, or even the sub-editor. PR agencies have personnel who have perfected the art of writing easy-to-read hi-tech stories that can be understood both by the laymen and the IT pundits. It is no easy task, mind you, but one that requires special skills. It is these skills that make the editor sit up and take notice, and prompt him to give prominence to the story. In the world of information overload, clarity and simplicity have high premium, and high tech PR agencies lay great emphasis on these factors.

If the world has gone hi-tech, so have the PR agencies. There is just one cost-effective and high-impact method for technology companies to remain afloat in a turbulent sea crowded with technology companies: utilize the expertise of specialist PR companies that know how to effectively bridge the gap between their clients and the media, and thus stay ahead of the competition.