We recently saw the first of a series of webinars tackling the topic of Communications in Tech in the form of a collaboration between Joanna Randall, Managing Director at Purplefish PR, and Matt Exley, Entrepreneur Engagement Manager at Tech Nation UK. 

 This webinar series aims to connect individuals and companies in the tech sector and to create a community of support. This month we opened the webinar series with a discussion about the marketing challenges in the tech industry. Future topics will include: Global reach, international reputation, and building profile. 

 The webinar was well attended by members from different sectors in the tech community. Several interesting topics of discussion were raised, of which the following were unanimously agreed upon: 

Dealing with change 

The tech world is ever-evolving and companies need to adapt to changes efficiently and frequently as new technologies emerge. It is therefore challenging for communication departments to plan and create up to date content when the product/service could spontaneously change within a day.    

Finances 

Achieving high levels of growth with minimal financial support is always difficult. Start-ups and smaller tech companies do not always have the financial ability to hire PR agencies. It is therefore up to the organisers to implement the public reach. This is an area in which organisers often feel unequipped. It is also very time consuming, and the process of creating a follower base on social media can be a slow and sometimes unsuccessful process. Something as simple as creating a consistent stream of social media content can seem overwhelming when you are already busy running a business.  

It is not only the smaller businesses that face this challenge. Larger companies struggle to justify the marketing budget to investors and often struggle to portray productive growth.  

Recruiting 

Employers are increasingly seeking marketers with a technological skillset. However, there is currently a shortage of communication experts, who have a sound understanding of the tech industry. Therefore, companies that do have a marketing budget are finding it difficult to find appropriate talent.  

Understanding your audience 

Whereas it might seem like a brilliant idea to boast about the technological advancement of your business ideas, your target audience might not be equally excited. The same applies when existing companies are introducing new technologies to their staff. Entrepreneurs often experience resistance and defensive attitudes to changes, especially when it includes ground-breaking technology! It is therefore our role to build trust and credibility with the target audiences when promoting products. Tech companies need to find a balanced approach when promoting technological advancements that doesn’t scare people.  

Purplefish and Tech Nation UK wish to support and unite tech businesses in the UK. Future Communications in Tech webinars will discuss how we combat these normal issues that tech businesses face.