Three Tips to Convince Influencers to Write About Your Product

The world runs on technology: the tools designed to make our lives easier and more productive. Any doubters can look at the numbers; there were 1.53 million tech startups in 2014 alone according to reports, and that number continues to rise.

But how can these tech companies bring attention to their disruptive products?

Put yourself in the shoes of reporters, analysts, and influencers tasked with shining a light on innovative tech companies. Take a moment to picture the number of calls and pitches they get from start-ups in addition to the tech giants who may have major news. Sure, your technology is disruptive. But how do you convince influencers to write about it?

As a tech marketing professional and a storyteller, here are my top three tips to help make your product more interesting and relevant to those tasked with informing others why it matters.



Identify Key Trends That Are Relevant to Your Technology

Each year, we see a list of top technology trends that analyst firms and research groups publish. For example, some of the key 2017 trends included artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, IoT, digital transformation, virtual reality, and augmented reality. Often, these topics will drive editorial focus for the year.

If you can find a trend that is relevant to your technology, integrate it into your storyline. These trends will put your technology in context and help influencers understand what your solution is and how it fits within the industry.

One caution: do not use just buzzwords to get attention. Make sure your solution ties to the trend.

Celebrate Your Product's Impact on Customers

Some technology is hard to explain. Even the systems that touch our lives every day are often enigmatic. One of the best ways to explain your product is to focus on customer pain points and show how your solution solves those problems. Businesses should celebrate the product's impact on lives and the planet when appropriate.

Toward that end, consider developing multichannel content like case studies, blogs, images, or videos that can quickly explain what the technology does, why it matters, and how it impacts people and businesses. Make your content fun, not dry techno-babble. I find videos to be helpful in demonstrating how a product works while humanizing the brand.

For example, this video by SAP talks about data and predictive analytics and their impact on business-planning using very human scenarios.

Video can be an effective tool, but that does not mean you must devote a huge amount of money to creating costly videos for every message. What you do need is clear messaging and a storyline. Once you have those two elements, there is a lot of martech that will allow you to create videos and interactive content quickly.

Build Relationships with Key Influencers

Companies can find influencers by researching social channels. By looking at these channels, you can identify thought leaders in your industry and listen to what they are talking about, what makes them tick, and what their pet peeves are.

Once you are comfortable with these individuals, start engaging with them; ask a question to open a conversation, share their content, or comment on their posts. Once you build a relationship online, it is easy to invite them for coffee—geography allowing, of course.

Get them to know you and see if you can turn them into brand ambassadors for the price of a latte. There is no better way to generate market credibility than having influencers talk about your brand.

The Bottom Line

Simplify the complex aspects, focus on customer benefits, and tell a compelling story that will leave your visitors asking for more. By doing these three things, you can turn skeptics into brand ambassadors and stand out in a crowded market.

Parna Sarkar-Basu is a corporate marketing strategist and founder of Brand and Buzz Marketing. Leveraging her two passions—technology and brand building—Parna humanizes corporate brands, builds thought leaders, simplifies the complex, and creates industry buzz to elevate companies to new heights.

She has been instrumental in propelling tech companies into innovation leaders in highly competitive markets including artificial intelligence, enterprise software, storage systems, robots, agtech, health tech, and mobile.

Recipient of multiple awards, Parna has led marketing and communications functions for various global companies including Kaminario, iRobot, iCorps Technologies, Invention Machine (acquired by IHS), and PTC.

A champion of STEM initiatives and innovation, Parna builds and supports programs to inspire future innovators and entrepreneurs. She is an advisor to women entrepreneurs in the United States and the United Kingdom. Parna also serves on multiple boards, including WITI Boston, South Shore Innovation, and American Marketing Association Boston. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Opinions expressed by the author are not necessarily those of WITI.