How to Write a Tech PR Agency Brief That Actually Works

Advice

So, you’ve decided to bring in the pros to boost your brand’s profile. Great choice! But before your PR agency can start making magic, you gotta give them the ingredients for success—a solid PR agency brief! Think of it as your brand’s cheat sheet to ensure your collaboration gets off to a flying start. Lucky for you – we’ve written everything down so you’ll know how to write one that’ll help deliver the results you’re after.

**Define Your Objectives: Tell Me What You Want. What You Really Really Want**

First things first: Get crystal clear on your goals. Is it long-term brand trust you’re after? Or are you launching a killer new product and want to scream it from the rooftops? Whatever the objective, make sure it’s specific.

Some examples may be:

Trust & Thought Leadership: Are you looking to position your CEO and brand as trustworthy to close more deals, faster?
Brand Awareness: Is it all about getting your name out there, everywhere, in front of as many eyeballs as possible?
Product PR: Got a shiny, new, one of a kind tech gadget or app that’s ready to take the world by storm?

Pro tip: Set measurable goals. If you’ve got KPIs (Key Performance Indicators), make sure they align with your PR objectives. And please, no vanity metrics. Your PR agency can’t promise you a million likes, but they can get you results that matter. The more detailed your PR agency brief, the better they can forecast KPIs will be met.

Tell Your Story (Without the Boring Bits)

Give your agency the 411 on your company. And no, we’re not talking about writing your life story. Keep it brief but impactful:

Who you are: A quick snapshot of your company’s history—just the highlights, please.
What you do: Describe your key products/services. Bonus points if you include what makes them awesome.
Why it matters: Help the agency understand why the world needs your brand.
People: Especially if pursuing thought leadership. Who is involved? What is their expertise and experience, and what do they want to talk about?

This background is like giving your PR team the GPS coordinates. It helps them understand your business so they can craft campaigns that make sense and make an impact.

Know Your Audience

To hit the mark, your PR agency needs to know who they’re targeting. Be specific about who your key stakeholders are:

Investors: Are you making money moves and need to impress the people writing the checks?
Customers: What’s the demographic? Are we talking Gen Z techies or Baby Boomers with deep pockets?
Partners: Are you building relationships in the B2B space, are you looking for marketing partnerships in B2C – partnerships can let you stand on the shoulders of giants and turbo-charge your business, after all.
Potential Hires: Attracting top talent isn’t easy, and it may help to showcase your company as a great place to work, bonus for exciting technology – the CEO’s style and vision also matters

Include buyer profiles and spell out what resonates with them. The more detail, the better. You want your PR efforts aligned with your market, not shouting into the void.

The Competition: Who’s in the Ring with You?

Here’s where you dish the dirt (in a professional way, of course). Give your PR agency the lowdown on your direct and indirect competition.

Who are they? Name your main competitors. Who’s snapping at your heels, and who’s dominating the space?
How do they stack up? Are they better at PR? What’s their media game like? And how are you different from them?

This gives the PR agency context for your market position and helps them figure out how to make your brand stand out. It also lets your agency track them from a PR angle to be better informed. Remember, PR is a perception game, and you want to play it right.

Speak Your Truth

Now, it’s time to hand over your brand’s talking points. These are the core messages you want to hammer home. Think of this section as your brand’s megaphone.

What do you want to say? What are the main themes and messages?

Pro tip: Consistency is key. Ensure these messages align with everything else you’re doing, from marketing to customer service.

In terms of the ‘How you want to say it’ do clarify in the brief whether you’re a playful, witty brand, or if seriousness is of the utmost importance. While journalists tend to prefer to be informed in a ‘raw’ way and with as little subjectivity as possible, there are many instances in brand identity can determine PR action.

Budget & Timeline: Let’s Not Be Shy About the Numbers!

Money talks, so let’s talk budget. Give your PR agency a clear idea of what you’re working with:

Budget: Be upfront about your budget range for PR activities. Are you splurging or saving? Let them know so they can tailor their efforts accordingly.
Timeline: Got a product launch coming up in two weeks? Or are you planning a slow and steady brand-building campaign over six months? Include critical deadlines and milestones so everyone’s on the same page.

Optionally, talk budget specifics after the call with the agency, but do leave a hint of some kind to assure the effort won’t lead to a ‘you get the benefit of a case study with a great brand’. Yes, it happens more often than you think!

Conclusion – The Brief that Breeds Success!

A solid PR agency brief is more than just a checklist. If done well, it will not just save you time, but is in itself a useful exercise to clearly articulate and understand your goals, your business, your audience, and your competition. Also, keep an open mind if you receive feedback about your brief not being clear, or being unrealistic, adapting as needed. So, put in the time to get it right—it’ll pay off when your brand’s PR game is on fire.

Got your brief ready? Great! Now, share it with your PR agency; if it’s us, you know where to find us and watch the magic happen! And if you need a hand crafting PR strategy that sticks the landing, Black Unicorn PR is your secret weapon!

With the tech PR agency brief is sorted – want more advice? We got a whooooole library of it!

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