What it takes to be a tech PR success...

As I approach my first year anniversary at Spark, I thought now would be as appropriate as ever for me to talk about how I got here, and about some of the things I’ve learned around becoming a good tech PR. You might or might not know that my experience is mostly built up within business and finance. Because of this you'd probably expect me to be an unlikely person to consider or, for that matter, be considered for a role within a tech PR agency. Whilst applying for my current position, I was unsure if my interest in tech alone would cut enough ice to qualify me for the job. One can only imagine my excitement when I was told that I had got it!

During my first weeks here I did question why I was hired. After all, wouldn't a tech head with a deeper understanding of gizmos and widgets have been a better candidate over me? But as time went on and I familiarised myself with the role and the team around me better, I began to understand the reasons, which I'll discuss shortly.

In a recent blog post, Lauren mentioned that very few people she's hired in the past had immediately envisioned becoming a tech PR from the get go; I am one of those people. What attracted me to pursue tech PR rather than continue down the mundane corporate comms path is it that I think it's one the most challenging sectors of PR to work in.

Working in the B2B space, our clients’ solutions don’t necessarily have the “pizazz” of some of the more consumer tech brands out there. And in all fairness, any individual who gets hot and bothered over a software upgrade announcement really should get out more. But it’s because of this that we must be especially creative and think broadly when developing dialogue for our clients’ solutions, as we cater to vertical titles in addition to the core IT press.

This is one of the most rewarding aspects about my job because I am continuously learning about new stuff; my work can range from researching, writing for, and speaking with retail, supply chain, pharmaceutical, and oil and gas publications, in addition to the IT guys. That's before it’s even hit lunchtime!

I’ve come to realise that tech PR is not about just about knowing technology but more so about having a strong foundation of general knowledge, an enthusiasm for learning, and a creative mind. If you are considering a job as a tech PR, do not be put off from applying because you don’t have tech experience. The truth is, most people don't; but you learn. What really makes for good quality tech PR is having a diverse team that come from many walks of education and working life. I think it is this diversity which is responsible for helping us create the content which our clients and their audience respect.