Public Relations. When most people think of companies that use public relations services, they think of business to consumer companies and massive giants like Google or Microsoft. But here’s the truth: PR is for everyone. And that includes SaaS providers, too.
The SaaS world is full of jargon, technical benefits, and complicated services. It’s hard to connect on a human-level with your customers when you live in the world of software. You can tout the benefits of remote data sharing and the latest encryption levels on your software all you want—but most likely your customers won’t fully understand what you’re talking about. That’s where PR for SaaS comes in. Public relations can help you enter the world of your customers and connect with them on a level that they understand.
Here are four ways PR for SaaS can help your business.
Increase Your Relevance
Do you have opinions on what’s happening in your field? I hope so. Those opinions are great fodder for public relations.
Let’s face it: no one wants to hear about a company that’s trudging on through the day-to-day life of running a business. But if you can connect your business to something timely, then you just might have a story that could make it to the press.
There are several ways you can increase your relevance through public relations. Is your company running or sponsoring the local Relay for Life? Then it’s a great idea to promote the event, and by proxy, your company, in the local newspapers.
Has your company been in the field the longest out of all the SaaS providers in your area? You could discuss the future of the software industry in your town, it’s growth, and how it’s changed over the past decades. Industry news could impact the community in terms of job creation and the economy— a perfect press release for the local paper.
Tying your company to relevant news related to the community is a great way to get in the press. The more you’re in the press, the more you’ll be seen as a thought leader in your industry and community. Remember that to increase your company’s relevance through press coverage, you need to have a story that is helpful or impactful to your community. A story about your latest product doesn’t influence anyone outside of your immediate customer list.
Build Relationships
PR for SaaS helps you to build relationships. If one story comes out really well or picks up steam in the community, then the journalist you worked with could come back to you for more insight later on. But in order to build those relationships in the first place, you need to work with a public relations professional who has the contacts you need. The more relationships you have in the press, the more you’ll be able to create.
However, public relations doesn’t just help you to create media-related connections. It can also help you to create industry connections and build your presence within the community. How? Community outreach, sponsorships, press features, and more all help to create a larger community presence. These will help you to build up contacts in each of these areas and have a wider network to generate leads. You never know who could pick up the paper and read an article featuring you – or what other companies are working at the Relay for Life.
PR for SaaS helps you to create a wider net of contacts. Every interaction your company has within your community is a performance that creates a reputation. Don’t underestimate the power of a great reputation.
Connect with Customers
As we’ve established, public relations can help you build a positive reputation in your community. That reputation can also help you connect with customers. The more often you’re in the press, sponsoring community events, or building industry connections, the wider you’re casting your sphere of influence. The more you put yourself out there and spread your reputation, the higher the chance that you’ll be in the front of a potential customer’s mind.
Many say that public relations is not a lead generation strategy. And while that’s technically true, the power of a great reputation can’t be underestimated.
Write Your Story
How many companies are out there with the same boring story: they serve customers, provide high-quality services, and are great at what they do. If that’s true, then that’s great. However, what’s interesting about you? Where is your unique selling proposition that helps you stand out from the crowd?
PR for SaaS can help you write a great story for your business. Maybe part of your company’s mission is to teach young kids how to code. Maybe your software is designed to impact major societal change. Or maybe you’re just helping people get work done better than they’ve been able to before. No matter where your story comes from, it’s important that your company stands for something that matters, whether that’s the past, present, or future.
A public relations professional can help you write the story of your business. At New North, we specialize in finding your unique selling proposition and telling a story that people want to hear. Yes, PR for SaaS can have huge benefits, but you need to work with a great PR team to get you there.
New North can offer you the PR team you need. We know SaaS and we know public relations. Get in touch with us today to find out how we can help you get the most out of your public relations strategy.
