What it takes to build a successful tech PR campaign

By Jeff Weisbein and Matt Pressberg

Creating a successful tech PR campaign isn’t about finding some hack for instant fame and credibility. Instead, it’s a strategic, extended effort that demands clarity and perseverance. Here’s a comprehensive guide on what it takes to build and sustain a successful tech PR campaign.

Setting Expectations: The Long Game

One of the critical first steps in any PR campaign is setting realistic expectations. Good PR doesn’t happen overnight—it takes time, consistent effort, strategic thinking, and meticulous execution. It’s often beneficial to start small, aiming for coverage in relevant trade publications, community news sources and industry newsletters before working towards features in top-tier outlets. This approach helps with building a strong foundation and credibility over time, and allows for iterating and polishing your messaging and media presence

Outlining the Phases of a PR Campaign

While every company demands an approach that is customized to some degree, a well-structured PR campaign usually unfolds in several phases, each with specific goals and timelines:

Phase 1 – Define Messaging, Pitch, and Audience

Brainstorm Session: Hold an initial PR brainstorm meeting to develop a plan and come up with initial story angles. Almost every time, things emerge from this session that may initially have been seen as an afterthought but become core elements of a PR strategy. What’s most interesting to customers, journalists and investors is often not what founders think it is.

Core Messaging Document: After the initial meeting and brainstorm, it’s helpful to start building this new house with a blueprint. That involves producing a comprehensive messaging document with story angles, a word palette and sample messaging and talking points. This document will evolve over time, but it’s always important to have a foundation.

Identifying the Right Audience: Understanding that your audience isn’t everyone is crucial. A targeted approach ensures that your message reaches those who are most likely to be interested and engaged. Start by identifying the trade publications that are most relevant to your industry, which are as often as not niche or trade outlets instead of national media brands. It’s all about being where your audience will find you.

Create Media List Use knowledge of the media landscape (you should always be doing your homework) to build a custom media list that covers all high-value audiences, especially niche communities that are important to the specific company. This will also evolve over time, but you want to start delivering your message to the outlets that matter.

Initial Pitching: As soon as you’re comfortable with some messaging and story angles, start pitching! It’s best to begin by reaching out to trusted reporters and outlets with longer lead times, and those with whom a long term relationship is important. You shouldn’t always be pitching for immediate coverage and gratification—relationship building is key!

Phase 2 – Expanded Media Outreach and Pitching

Pitch and Refine: Continue pitching high-priority reporters, refining the pitch and messaging as needed.

Media Training: Schedule and conduct media training sessions for relevant team members who will participate in interviews. This training should consist of practicing responses to predicted questions, as well as developing good habits for building the trust of journalists and sounding confident, especially in video interviews.

Prep and Supplemental Materials: Getting good coverage only begins with an accepted pitch. Preparation and mastery of talking points can make the difference between a wasted opportunity and a transformative platform. A good PR firm will draft talking points and prep materials for every interview, including background information on the reporter.

Coverage Report: Develop a template for a report summarizing media coverage, and start producing this report on a regular basis. It should include quantitative information on the number of articles and shares, but more importantly, a snapshot of the high-quality coverage with context on what it means. This is part of doing PR for your own PR.

Phase 3 – Building on Momentum

Long-term Goals: Continue to pitch “up the ladder” of opportunities with increased prominence, aiming for sustained media presence. That includes positioning yourself as a thought leader through interviews, panels, and articles, as well as aiming for national media coverage once a robust foundation is established at the trade and local levels.

Leveraging Social Proof: Utilizing social proof like “As seen in…” or “Featured on…” can build credibility and trust. This social proof can come from mentions in reputable publications, endorsements by industry influencers, or testimonials from satisfied customers. It’s a powerful way to demonstrate success and build brand authority. While we’re big on creating your own content and going direct, earned media has a certain credibility you just can’t replicate.

Building a Steady Drumbeat: A successful PR campaign maintains a consistent flow of news, thought leadership, interviews, and panel appearances. The goal is to create a steady drumbeat that keeps the brand top of mind among media and industry stakeholders. This ongoing effort involves manufacturing storylines and finding opportunities to be cited as a thought leader—especially when it’s not obvious.

Our company, Hype Lab, has developed a public relations and messaging workshop, the PR Lab, designed for founders who are ready to start thinking about their narrative. It focuses on the most important elements, so busy founders and business owners can learn how to tell their story to the right audience — and walk away with language they can use immediately. Hype Lab’s next PR Lab, free for founders and with a special focus on AI, will be held at TheSilverLogic in Boca Raton at 6 pm on July 31. Register here.

Jeff Weisbein is the founder of Hype Lab. He is a serial tech entrepreneur, community builder and social media/content strategist who has built three companies. Matt Pressberg, Hype Lab co-founder and a partner at Vectis Strategies, is a former tech journalist at publications including The Information and the Los Angeles Business Journal, and has served as a PR advisor for Fortune 500 executives.

Photo at top of post: Matt Pressberg, left, and Jeff Weisbein direct a PR workshop for founders at Office Logic in Miami in May.

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