The Perfect Technology Public Relations Pitch

Crafting the perfect technology public relations pitch to spark reporters’ interest and obtain placements in key media outlets can be challenging for tech PR professionals. One of the ways to make your messages stand out in a reporter’s crowded inbox is by writing personalized tech PR pitches that incorporate new platforms, and more importantly, have strong, engaging appeal.

What Makes a Good Technology Public Relations Pitch?

Successful technology public relations helps companies generate buzz about their products or services among key audiences. We at Walker Sands know firsthand the value of pitches that address the aspects of a story that are genuinely important to a media outlet’s audience while creatively grabbing reporters’ attention.

Here is an example of a solid technology public relations pitch written by one of Walker Sands’ media relations specialists:

“The week of November 14th to 20th is Global Entrepreneurship Week and BizBuySell has put together an infographic detailing facts about entrepreneurship around the world.

Are you interested in taking a look at the infographic? BizBuySell would like to offer it to Inc. Magazine on an exclusive basis. If you think your readers would be interested, please let me know.

Thank you and I look forward from hearing from you.”

So what made this technology public relations pitch effective? For starters, it was written to be concise while providing enough details to spark the reporter’s or editor’s interest. Additionally, this quick pitch supported the client’s technology public relations goals by demonstrating the infographic’s appeal to the magazine’s readers—a key audience for the client’s services and messaging.

How to Write Better Technology Public Relations Pitches

Pitching technology public relations can be tricky due to the technical nature of the products or services. While the tech PR specialist may understand the intricacies of their clients’ offerings, getting the message across to reporters is challenging, so you need to ensure that your technology public relations message is clear while still attention-grabbing.

• Personalize for each reporter.
  Reporters are flooded with dozens of pitches in their inboxes each day. While sending out your pitch to several reporters at once may be less time-consuming, they may pass over your email if they see it was part of a mass distribution. Personally addressing the reporter increases the likelihood that the email will be opened and followed up by reporters and journalists. A unique example of a creative, personalized tech PR pitch comes from a company who created a video instead of sending out an email. The company, called CodeWeavers, directly addressed New York Times reporter David Pogue to show him their new software in person.
• Incorporate new platforms.
  As the media industry moves beyond traditional outlets, Walker Sands knows that tech PR should move with it. Given the innovative nature of the clients served by technology public relations firms, tech PR pitches should offer opportunities for reporters to generate non-traditional content. Media relations specialists should generate coverage from new media platforms, such as Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.Content on these platforms could include contributed blog posts, creating photo contests or providing behind-the-scenes footage.
• Create a compelling story.
  A great technology public relations pitch highlights the story’s “pot of gold,” or why readers should care. What problem does your client’s product solve? What obstacles does the product help readers overcome? Tech PR pitches should answer these questions for reporters.Additionally, ensure that the story topic is timely and relevant. Reporters will be more willing to cover a story if the subject is fresh.

Generating media coverage about new tech companies and products can be hard for even the most experienced tech PR media relations specialists. However, drafting imaginative and effective technology public relations pitches will improve the success rate of media placements and get your clients’ audience buzzing about their work.