Bristol is an established UK tech hub for start-ups, investors and motivated, talented people looking to work.

Oracle’s recent announcement that it is partnering with SETsquared, the tech incubator at the Engine Shed, to launch its Euro HQ for the Oracle Startup Cloud Accelerator (OSCA), proves the city’s growing, global reputation as tech centre of innovation.

Such good prospects for growth leads to a burgeoning number of start-ups, fast growth for established companies and an entrepreneurial mindset which in turn produces innovation.

However, getting noticed in a booming marketplace can be hard where competition for investment, business services and people can be counter-productive to commercial growth.

Navigating your way through this quagmire of competition requires a resolute attitude, resilience, and a stand out reputation.

We can’t necessarily help with the first two, but reputation is our game and we know that three things will really make the difference:

1. Get noticed by people who wield influence

You can have the best social media content and amazingly well written blog articles. But if it’s only friends and family that are reading about you then you’ll stay a best kept secret.

Getting third party endorsement for your work, your thinking and your output is vital if you’re trying to grow your business, recruit new staff and attract investment.

Journalists, bloggers and trade bodies should all be on your list of people to engage with. Tell them your story and ask them to write about you.

2. Be more interesting

Everyone says the same thing. It’s a sad fact of today’s world that the majority of information we are bombarded by is dull. No one cares. So make what you say different, compelling, perhaps provocative or controversial as long as it’s not offensive.

Don’t be afraid to put your head above the parapet. These are the people that win in today’s world of oversupplied, information overload. There is still space for you, but you have to work to command it.

3. Get out there

Contacts, contacts, contacts. They still matter. The old boys network is thankfully an outdated (but not entirely dead) concept. However, the premise is that ‘people buy people’ still rings true. Ask any investor. Contacts are gold dust and worth cultivating.

The adage ‘it’s not what you know, it’s who you know’ still applies. However, far from being a barrier to business, today’s world of softer networking and one to one introductions can make all the difference to every aspect of your business.

We work with businesses in the tech sector to open doors, build reputation, attract staff and generate new business. If you want to know more get in touch: hello@purplefish.agency