20 years in IT and tech PR
Marcommit turned 20 this year. A feat I couldn’t be more proud of. This also inspired me to do some reflecting. Because times have changed significantly, but that might not be true for us. Back in 2000, mobile phones had buttons, people used MSN and Myspace and media were reigned by print. Well, you could say things changed, but many things have remained the same. In this blog, I’ll discuss the changes in public relations, B2B and the IT and tech industry.
Public relations, stronger than ever
There is nothing more powerful than an independent publication writing about your brand. It’s only with the right pieces of coverage in the right media that you build a credible brand or claim thought leadership. Achieving this using only your own channels is nearly impossible. In recent years, angry voices often claimed traditional newspaper and vertical media would become less important. Well, a few, maybe. But many vertical media are gaining ground and many digital media outlets have entered the scene. More targeted, more specific, more measurable. It is our job as PR experts to know these media inside out. And to keep believing in their power and know how to use this to a maximum.
Storytelling enters B2B
In contrast to the B2C-market, where brands sometimes solely compete on a price level, B2B requires a strong story in order to differentiate. It is a whole different ball game to extract those stories from companies and to bring them into the light. Precisely that is our expertise as PR professionals. We invest in relations with both our clients as well as the media and we know how to pitch a story. Having done this for over twenty years allows us an even bigger edge in writing stories that media wish to publish.
IT and tech keep evolving
Marcommit’s origins lie in IT and tech. These are sectors that keep us engaged at all times and excite us daily. Both are unmissable and there’s a lot of knowledge present. But also inherent to these sectors – IT and tech professionals are endlessly engaged in what they do – is that they do not like to claim the stage. So our job is to give them the spotlights they deserve. Because we follow every move, we know what they talk about. That makes our job easier because we discover value for businesses and media fast. That’s how we realize our success. And that’s what we intend to do for many more years to come.
By Marianne van Barneveld, owner and strategic advisor of Marcommit