25 things I’ve learned in 25 years in Tech PR and media

I recently passed the 25 year mark in tech PR and media. A quarter century is a good time to reflect and pass on some observations and, hopefully, some wisdom for people starting out or early in their career.

In the autumn of 1998, I stumbled into an ‘office job’, which happened to be a small PR agency with a large microchip client. We faxed or posted press releases. We had dial-up internet. Clients didn’t count online coverage as a hit. I had just got my first Nokia and was getting really good at Snake. I also had my first exposure to working with celebrities and to eating at posh restaurants (learning cutlery etiquette etc.)

It was a low-key start, but 25 years on, I am still in tech B2B comms (including a couple of years in journalism); this has been a strategic choice, as technology always evolves and, despite the odd setback – like the dotcom bubble – it always attracts investment. Plus, it’s really interesting.

Here are those 25 thinks that have stood out to me. Do please comment to add your own from your experience. If you disagree fundamentally with anything, likewise, do please comment.

Here we go…

On Comms

1.???? The audience comes first; never lose sight of that – Communications is all about informing, educating, entertaining and persuading target audiences. All too often, bubbles can emerge, and it becomes about the brand. We’ve all been in those brainstorms, so aim to always remember to ‘step away from the brand’ and focus on the target audience.

2.???? Listen to the media – One constant of the last 25 years has been journalists complaining about PR pitches. PRs need to pitch in the way they are advised by journalists and to educate/manage clients’ expectations accordingly.

3.???? Know a little about everything, major on something – Internet publishing, the rise of search engines and ecommerce, and social media in the noughties really shook up PR. It’s impossible to be an expert on everything, but find what interests you, what you’re good at, and major on that while understanding the implications of changing comms. To offer a zeitgeist example, PR leaders may not use generative AI in their day-to-day but must understand enough about it (preferably at least play with it a little) to see how it could change their business and their clients’.

4.???? Have lots of assets – The media needs assets for online and social, be it photos, video or graphics. Don’t go to press without these. Even just a spokesperson headshot. Don’t make the journalist have to chase you for it; they’re stretched enough already.

5.???? Think holistically – Following on from point 4, we live in a multi-channel world. TikTok is a huge search engine now. Influencers have the ears and eyes of the youth rather than traditional media. Agencies and brands alike need to avoid the temptation of over-focussing on traditional media at the expense of all other options. Like that old cliché, ‘fish where the fish are’, which backs up point 3.

On Leadership

6.???? Listen – Awareness is a core skill. Listen to staff, clients, media, the public, build up a clear picture. Leadership becomes a habit. I’ve always said that Account Manager is hardest level of PR agency life, as you must juggle client and internal expectations at the same time as managing inexperienced team members. All while you’re in your early-mid 20s. Hence, listening is key, at all levels.

7.???? Include and encourage young professionals – A sign of good leadership is to include everyone, whatever level they are. Invite the quiet person to give their feedback; they may have an incredible idea or viewpoint be staying silent because they don’t feel it’s their place. I remember how intimidating it was to speak up with so many big characters in the room when I was an exec.

8.???? Push back – Not comfortable with something you’re being asked to do? Push back, raise your concern. Explain your case. A reasonable manager will listen. If not, see point 15.

9.???? Take each person as they come – Everyone has a different skillset. Some are great at media relations while some are great organisers, some can hustle at new biz, some can inspire and know how to get the best out of each individual. Personally, I am terrible at media relations – I got a security client on Newsnight and Sky News in 2000, and I never hit those heights again. I’ve not done media relations for a decade or so. I major on my strengths: content strategy and copywriting, but I’ve known people who can just boss coverage and make it look easy.

10.? Personal branding matters – PR people still need to PR themselves. It opens doors. What do you want to be known and remembered for? Have a blog, post on LinkedIn (like this piece!), offer opinions for industry news sites, put your name down to speak on a panel or keynote, volunteer to be a guest on industry podcasts… I think appearance is really important, too. Even on work Zoom/Teams calls, I put an ironed shirt on.

On the Industry

11.? The people make our industry – There are some great people in our industry, many of whom I can count as friends even right back to my first job.

12.? UK does it best – I’ve held international roles and so I hope I'm not being overly partisan here, but I think our creative sectors are a cut above – from music to advertising to television and film, and PR and marketing is no different. Having London on your CV really opens doors.

13.? You can never know too many people – People you know will move around to other agencies, set up their own, or go in-house. As someone they trust and respect, they may invite you to join them, or to pitch for their business. As a freelance content strategist and copywriter, I still work with people I worked with back in 2004.

14.? Things are much better than they were – Agencies have got a lot better at work/life balance, calling out bad behaviour, overservicing, supporting on mental health, enabling flexible working, and more. It’s a great time to start a PR career.

15.? If you don’t like it, leave it – There are literally hundreds of agencies out there, and freelancing is always an option. If you feel trapped, aren’t progressing, or simply want a new challenge, you can.

On the Current and Future

16.? Work/life balance should be here to stay – I have heard of some brands rowing back on the flexible working that many saw worked well during the pandemic. In our industry, we can never fully replace face-to-face, so a balance is the way forward. I've been fortunate enough to do a little digital nomadery in my time. Highly recommend.

17.? See things for what they are – Something that comes with experience, in life in general, let alone PR, is to step back and see the bigger picture rather than get sucked into the minutiae. What’s someone’s real agenda? As pretentious as this may sound, this is why two centuries-old books are?must-reads?for all PR professionals: Niccolò Machiavelli’s?The Prince?and Sun Tsu’s?The?Art of War. Both outline strategic, nay?selfish?thinking. PROs will come across this behaviour within their own agencies, client-side and in life in general, so best to be prepared.

18.? Get AI in perspective – AI should enhance, not replace, our work. I know PR practitioners who are using it to streamline reporting and for pitch-stage conceptualisation etc. As a content strategist and copywriter, I need to guarantee that the copy my clients use is 100% authentically their own and that it’s in their voice, which means, that while I use AI tools for ideation, grammar checking and transcription (i.e. to save time), I won’t use it to write anything. More on full disclosure here.

19.? Misinformation is our biggest challenge – My favourite author is George Orwell. He would be having an absolute field day right now with the amount of hoodwinking, double-speak, scams and deepfakes going on. I think brands – and political parties – need to be alert to the threat and have messaging ready to counter. I can see 2024 being a very messy election year on both sides of the pond.?

20.? Brands have no choice but to be political/pick a side – Younger people want brands to be inclusive and sustainable. There’s an army of influencers out there ready to call you out. Brands must always do the right thing.

In General

21.? You’ll have regrets and setbacks – We all face setbacks and regrets. I wish I’d taken a job in Amsterdam - it was way back when the idea of the UK leaving the world’s biggest economic bloc was a fringe concept (where it should have remained, in my view). The challenge is how to handle those setbacks. I didn’t take the Amsterdam gig, but I did get another role which took me all over the world. One door closes etc…

22.? Make your 20s count – Looking back, some of the strongest work friendship bonds I had were in my 20s. I think that peer connection is really important to young people, plus you are learning a lot, and gaining new experiences that you previously didn’t have access to, like swanky hotels, boxes at sports events, business class travel etc. Enjoy every second; never take it for granted.

23.? Read a lot. Write a lot. – We work in the creative sector, so we need to a) absorb other people’s ideas and b) be able to articulate our own. Even if it’s just keeping a journal.?

24.? Stay curious – Our industry is always in flux, so take all the training you can get. Don’t see lunch and learns as a chore, more an opportunity to continually improve.

25.? Look after yourself – I welcome the recent focus on mental health. We also shouldn’t let work get in the way of maintaining our physical health or a healthy diet. ?

I think that’s about it from me. I have other viewpoints and learnings – I loathe Secret Santa and think tuxedos are ridiculous, for example – but that’s one for another day. Let me know your thoughts or learnings that I missed from your own experience in the comments.

I thought about naming some people here, but I would go on forever and inevitably forget someone, so I’ll do a catch-all and say that the periods I look back on most fondly were at IT Week magazine, Rainier PR (which became Speed Communications), and my two stints at Grayling.

I’m back where I like being – freelancing for a wide range of clients from the tech world, which I am always looking to add to, and continuing to train for the PRCA.

I am looking to do more university lecturing in either marketing communications or football history, and I would be very interested in working more within sports marketing and content.

Have a great Christmas and New Year.