Stretch your PR pounds: smart shortcuts for B2B tech success

In the second blog of our lean B2B tech PR series, Account Manager Charlie Castillo unveils why strategic shortcuts are the savvy marketing leader’s secret weapon. As budgets continue to shrink across B2B tech, these practical approaches can help you deliver remarkable results with limited resources.

Strategic shortcuts: your competitive edge in constrained times

Shortcuts, whether small, large or strategically vital, can be key in the resource-constrained world of B2B tech PR. With budget constraints continuing to plague CMOs and marketing leaders, recent data reveals the severity of this challenge: European marketing budgets have contracted to 7.4% of company revenue (a 15.9% decline from 2023), with CMOs pivoting heavily toward digital channels. This demands strategic thinking about where and how to deploy limited resources, making the shortcuts outlined below even more vital for PR professionals looking to maximise impact while operating under increased financial scrutiny.

Owned media channels

Rather than being thinly spread everywhere at once, focus on creating a strong foundation that multiplies your reach and speaks to where your audience is. A vital brick in the larger strategic PR wall is built on a firm grasp of your owned media channels. Every piece of content your brand owns and controls is a golden opportunity to engage with your audience through clear, consistent, and well-crafted messages. It’s about being visible, understood, and valued at every touchpoint, and it is all in your hands. You control the narrative. From your company’s official website to thought leadership blogs and newsletters, every piece of content plays a vital role in amplifying your message and shaping how your audience perceives you.

Amplify impact authentically

AI automation tools are worth investing in. Tools like Claude and ChatGPT are useful for repurposing your owned and earned media for different formats and significantly extending your budget’s reach with speed and precision. But be careful to manage and maintain your unique voice, as AI can only thrive through clear direction and consistent guidance and should never be seen as a credible replacement for human ingenuity or strategic thinking.

Creating evergreen content

When we talk about evergreen content, we mean anything from website copy to white papers; content designed to stay relevant, engaging, and informative for the long haul. Think of it as content that addresses your customers’ key questions, clears up doubts, and educates them about your brand and the wider industry. By constantly repeating and repurposing your message, you build vital trust and authority within your customers’ minds.

Unlocking social media optimisation

With over 300 million active monthly users on LinkedIn, it’s essential to include it as a key element of your broader awareness strategy. Understand that LinkedIn isn’t just a networking tool. It’s a platform where CEOs and business leaders can leverage their professional network to accelerate their vision by building their personal brand, strengthening business relationships and highlighting their company’s values. By applying the above content strategies to LinkedIn, you can reach active decision-makers with relative ease. Senior business leaders can draw on their deep technical knowledge and years of experience to establish themselves as thought leaders by sharing their passion and expertise.

Relationship building

Given that journalists can provide your company with a form of independent endorsement – endowing your brand with credibility and authority, having an up-to-date, targeted strategic media network that you can rely on becomes vital for CMOs looking to do more with limited resources. Remember, not all media contacts will contribute equally to your PR strategy. Focus on those most relevant to your target audience. Identify which publications your customers rely on for industry insights. These are the journalists to nurture and engage with. Focus on small wins. When a journalist accepts an opinion piece, connect with them on LinkedIn and keep them engaged with your company’s content. This helps you stay front-of-mind and build genuine relationships.

Overall, great media relations rely on your ability to pitch with purpose. Journalists have one goal: produce copy, an editorial that gets as many reads as possible. When budgets are tight, and you need to show your senior management team results, establishing yourself as someone who can help journalists achieve this is key. Consistently pitch genuinely newsworthy, distinctive content that resonates with a journalist’s audience. This not only showcases your organisation’s innovative ideas and unique identity but also attracts customers and reinforces your reputation as an industry leader.

User-generated content

A shortcut that can deliver authenticity and ROI in B2B tech PR is encouraging case studies, reviews and testimonials. These are not just content pieces; they are potent narratives that showcase the real-world impact of your solutions straight from the mouths of those who matter most– your clients. Case studies build credibility with prospective customers while deepening relationships with existing ones. By inviting clients to share their experiences in their own words, you create naturally more engaging and trustworthy content. Whether it’s a detailed case study or a succinct testimonial, these pieces serve as living proof of your brand’s value.

Speaking opportunities

Target three to four high-impact speaking opportunities annually rather than chasing every conference slot. Focus on events where your technical decision-makers are already attending to maximise efficiency. Speaking opportunities, place your business in the rooms that matter most, where your solutions can spark discussions and build relationships with the right audience.  

Awards programme

Develop a targeted awards calendar focusing on recognition that matters to your customers and technical stakeholders. Choose awards that align with your industry’s priorities and serve as credible proof points for your organisation’s innovation and impact. A template-based submission approach streamlines the process, ensuring consistency and saving time. Each submission is an opportunity to showcase achievements and reinforce your positioning as a trusted industry leader. 

The final play: outperform, don’t outspend

The reality for today’s B2B tech marketers is clear: doing more with less isn’t just a skill, it’s a strategic necessity. By intelligently leveraging owned channels, implementing smart content repurposing, cultivating targeted media relationships, and focusing on high-impact opportunities, you can maximise your PR impact regardless of budget constraints. These practical power plays allow you to amplify your brand’s voice without amplifying your spending.

Ready to transform your approach with these actionable strategies? Download our comprehensive “Lean Tech PR Playbook” today and turn these insights into a tailored roadmap for your organisation.

TL;DR – Strategic PR shortcuts

1 Focus on owned media channels: Build a strong foundation with clear, consistent, and well-crafted messages across owned platforms, such as your website and newsletters. Use these to control your narrative and engage your audience at every touchpoint.

2 Adopt content repurposing strategies: Implement a waterfall content strategy to maximise the reach of cornerstone content (e.g. whitepapers) by repurposing it for various platforms, ensuring your message adapts without dilution.

3 Leverage automation tools carefully: AI tools like ChatGPT can streamline content repurposing and enhance efficiency. However, maintain a unique voice and provide clear direction to ensure authenticity and strategic alignment.

4 Create evergreen content: Develop lasting content that stays relevant and addresses customer questions, educates your audience, and builds trust. Repeatedly repurpose and share this content to reinforce authority over time.

5 Optimise for social media: Use LinkedIn strategically as a key platform for building awareness, engaging decision-makers, and showcasing expertise. Encourage senior leaders to establish themselves as thought leaders by sharing insights and expertise.

6 Invest in relationship building: Develop a targeted media network by focusing on journalists and publications that matter most to your audience. Build relationships by pitching distinctive, newsworthy content that aligns with their editorial goals.

7 Encourage user-generated content: User comments and testimonials showcase real-world impact. These authentic narratives build credibility with prospects and strengthen relationships with existing clients.

8 Target high-impact speaking opportunities: Focus on three to four key events annually, where your technical decision-makers can connect with the right audience, ensuring efficiency and maximum impact.

9 Develop a targeted awards programme: Create a calendar of awards that align with industry priorities and are valued by your customers. Use a template-based approach for submissions to save time and maintain consistency.

10 Pitch with purpose: Build credibility with journalists by consistently providing genuinely newsworthy content that aligns with their audience’s interests. This strengthens media relationships and showcases your organisation’s leadership.

11 Maximise ROI with strategic shortcuts: Recognise that operating under financial constraints requires a deliberate focus on high-impact activities and a streamlined, resource-efficient approach to achieving PR goals.