Category: Blog

In today’s economy, visibility matters more than ever. When customers go searching for solutions, you need to be in the conversation. But tighter budgets mean more competition—and being overlooked is not an option.

At the same time, you’re facing your own budget pressures. Funding a full-scale PR and marketing program may not be feasible right now. So how do you stay in the game and win more business?

That’s the challenge we see again and again this year:
You can’t afford not to build your brand—yet a full-on investment isn’t realistic.

The solution?

Targeted, high-impact OnPoint Projects that fill the gaps, drive results, and keep momentum strong.

At Lages, we specialize in agile PR and communications programs for B2B tech companies. Our decades of experience mean we understand the tech ecosystem—how to tell your story, get it in front of the right people, and deliver measurable traction.

Whether it’s media relations, content development, brand messaging, or analyst outreach—we deliver exactly what you need, when you need it, in a format that fits your budget.

Yes, we love long-term partnerships—and we have plenty—but we’re equally committed to helping growing tech companies make their mark when ongoing programs aren’t in the cards (yet).

Ready to make some waves?

Let’s build a project that fits your goals and budget.

Customized OnPoint Projects

Need a compelling story for a product launch? Building visibility in a new market? Want to make the most of a recent funding round? We’ll design a focused PR and Comms program tailored to your next move.

Think of Lages as your on-demand PR team—ready when you are.

Examples of OnPoint Projects:

• New product launch visibility
• Brand awareness for new market entry
• Funding announcement strategy and execution
• Thought leadership development
• Media and analyst relations
• Tradeshow campaigns
• Social media programs
• Share of Voice benchmarking

Packaged & Ready to Roll:

We’ve bundled two popular services to make it even easier to get started:

Tradeshow Booster Project

Maximize your presence at upcoming events with pre-show buzz, on-site support, and post-show follow-through. Click here.

Share of Voice Assessment & Report

Know where you stand vs. competitors and identify the messaging opportunities to sharpen your edge. Click here.

Let’s talk about what you need right now—and how we can help you get there.

Contact Beverly Lages at 949-453-8080
Or email beverly@lages.com

Prefer online? Fill out our quick contact form and we’ll get back to you shortly.

Headed to a major industry tradeshow or speaking at a conference?

Make your presence count — before, during, and after the event.

Tradeshows are a big investment of time, budget, and internal resources. But when executed strategically, they can deliver real brand visibility and new business opportunities. The key? A communications plan that amplifies your presence and drives engagement.

That’s where our Tradeshow Booster Package comes in.

We help you build buzz, generate leads, and extend the impact of your event participation — with a curated set of digital assets and expert PR support.

What’s Included

• Custom social media posts tailored for your channels (LinkedIn, X, etc.)
• Email marketing program with a pre-show email series crafted for your target audience
• Promo banner for use in your email signature, website, or pre-show advertising

Optional Add-Ons for Even Greater Impact

• Media Landscape Assessment – Know who’s covering the event and how to get featured
• Proactive Media Outreach – We pitch your story, new product, or announcement to key reporters and influencers
• Press Release Development & Distribution – From writing to pitching to targeted outreach
• News Wire Services – Use your own or tap into our discounted wire service with complimentary visuals (photos, graphics, etc.)

Running Out of Time?

Is the show coming up fast? No worries.

We’re remarkably skilled at delivering impact on a tight timeline. With strong media relationships and streamlined workflows, we move quickly — and effectively — to help you fight the clock and still show up strong.

Make This Tradeshow One to Remember

Let’s make sure your brand shows up — and stands out.

Contact Beverly Lages at 949-453-8080
Or email beverly@lages.com

The first step is a short discovery call to learn about your company and the event you’re attending. Then we’ll deliver a customized proposal with scope and pricing for your Tradeshow Booster Package.

Prefer online? Fill out our quick contact form and we’ll get back to you shortly.

Do you know where your brand stands in the market conversation?

If not, you’re not alone — and we’re here to fix that.

In today’s hyper-competitive B2B tech landscape, visibility is everything. To break through the noise, you need to sharpen your message and show up in the right places. That starts with understanding where your competitors are getting traction — and where you may be missing out.

Smart marketers aren’t just spending — they’re optimizing.

Wasted time and budget on low-impact media? That’s a luxury no one can afford. The key is benchmarking your brand against the competition, so you can align your PR and content strategy with what’s working right now in your space.

That’s where our Share of Voice (SoV) PR Package comes in.
We give you a clear, data-driven view of how your brand stacks up — and where the opportunities lie.

What You’ll Learn

• Who’s winning mindshare in your market
• Which topics, outlets, and tactics are driving real visibility
• How your brand’s performance compares over time — and what to do next

What’s Included

• Share of Voice analysis for your brand and three key competitors
• Coverage of the last 6 months of media activity
• Full report with packaged insights
• Actionable recommendations to strengthen your positioning

Ready to Gain an Edge?

Take the guesswork out of your PR strategy.

Know where you stand — and how to climb higher.

Contact Beverly Lages at 949-453-8080
Or email beverly@lages.com

The first step is a brief discovery call to learn about your company and competitors. Then we’ll deliver a tailored proposal outlining scope and pricing for your custom SoV report.

If you prefer, click here for a Contact Form — fill it out and we will get back to you in short order.

In a noisy tech landscape, innovation alone isn’t enough. The winners will be the ones who speak with authority, shape perception, and turn trust into traction.

If there’s a defining theme for 2025, it’s this: the times, they are a-changing. From the AI boom and VC slowdown to rising tech regulation and geopolitical tension, today’s environment calls for thoughtful, strategic action from tech companies.

Success now hinges on your ability to clearly communicate your vision, the problem you solve, and why you’re uniquely equipped to lead. Innovation might get you in the room—but it’s your story that earns attention, trust, and ultimately, traction.

Addressing Key Forces Reshaping the Business Landscape

Every company has a narrative, a unique selling proposition, and core brand differentiators. But in today’s shifting landscape, you need to layer your communications with awareness of four key trends influencing how your story lands:

1. The AI Boom—and Backlash

There’s no question: AI is here to stay. But so is the noise. From endless product launches and corporate posturing to evangelists and skeptics, the AI conversation is relentless. To stand out, you need to decide: Where do you fit? How does your company’s innovation contribute meaningfully? How do you address AI-related fears? And how can you step up as a credible thought leader?

2. The VC Slowdown

Access to capital is critical, especially for startups. Today’s venture climate is cautious—investors are prioritizing sustainability and responsibility. This makes your narrative more important than ever. You need to clearly articulate your “why,” connect your value to market demand, and show your vision with conviction and clarity.

3. Rising Tech Regulation

From data privacy to cybersecurity, content moderation, and AI ethics, regulatory scrutiny is intensifying. While innovation is often the hero in tech messaging, your positioning must now also show where you stand on compliance and ethical innovation. Proactive, transparent messaging signals that you’re ahead of the curve—not playing catch-up.

4. Geopolitical Tensions

Global uncertainty is impacting supply chains, partnerships, and buyer confidence. For tech companies, acknowledging this reality and communicating how you navigate it is essential. Resilience, adaptability, and strategic foresight are the traits that instill trust and position your brand as one built for the long haul.

Addressing Core Essentials with PR

Once you’ve mapped the key trends—AI acceleration, tighter VC funding, rising global pressures—it’s time to get focused. Smart PR cuts through the noise and delivers bold, confident storytelling.

From here, zero in on the PR priorities that move the needle for any ambitious tech company: build credibility, drive sales, and fuel growth.

Thought Leadership = Trust & Visibility

Strategic PR amplifies credibility through thought leadership and third-party validation. When media, analysts, partners, customers, and influencers echo your message, it gains power and legitimacy. PR doesn’t just tell your story — it ensures it’s heard, reinforced, and remembered.

Branding also plays a central role. In 2025, brand isn’t just about visuals or slogans — it’s about your actions, your voice in the market, the partnerships you forge, and the impact you deliver. PR brings all of this to life, helping shape a brand that’s authentic, influential, and aligned with today’s market expectations.

Sales and Customer Acquisition

The B2B buyer journey has gone digital — and it’s self-directed. Studies continue to show that nearly 70% of a buyer’s decision-making process is complete before they ever talk to sales. They’re consuming content, reading reviews, and forming opinions independently.

PR-generated content — articles, bylines, media coverage, interviews — can influence these decisions in powerful ways. When buyers see your company featured in trusted media outlets or quoted as experts, it builds trust and shortens the sales cycle. PR also fuels the content engine that supports demand generation and lead nurturing programs, both of which are vital for growth. In fact, nurtured leads continue to convert at significantly higher rates — and with higher value.

PR’s Role in Raising Capital and Attracting Talent

Access to capital remains a cornerstone of tech company growth. Whether you’re seeking angel investors, venture capital, or preparing for an IPO, your company’s visibility and reputation matter. PR ensures that potential investors are aware of your progress, your traction, and your market opportunity.

On the talent front, it’s no secret that hiring remains one of the biggest challenges for tech companies. PR helps build the kind of employer brand that attracts top talent — people want to work at companies making headlines for the right reasons. It also supports retention, as employees take pride in being part of a company that’s recognized and respected in the industry.

The Bottom Line

In a fast-changing world, the companies that win are the ones that communicate with clarity, conviction, and consistency. Whether you’re a founder setting vision, a marketer shaping perception, or an investor backing the next big thing, narrative is no longer a nice-to-have — it’s a core driver of value. The right story builds credibility, fuels growth, and sets market leaders apart. Now is the time to make sure yours is working as hard as you are.

Definitely. While LinkedIn Ads offer targeting muscle, organic LinkedIn strategy can quietly drive powerful sales momentum—if done right.

Think of LinkedIn not as a billboard, but as a dinner party. You’re not shouting your offer; you’re building credibility, visibility, and trust over time. This is especially important in B2B Tech, where the sales cycle is long and decisions are made based on expertise and reputation.

Here’s how you play the long game without spending a dime:

• Be Useful: Share insights that help buyers think smarter or work better. Aim to be remembered.
• Activate Your Team: Encourage sales and leaders to post. Real voices reach farther than brand pages.
• Engage Smartly: Comment, reshare, and add value. Build mindshare—not just visibility.
• Tell Stories: Share wins, lessons, and even smart failures. Stories build trust.
• Use Native Formats: LinkedIn favors posts that keep users on-platform—carousels, videos, and long-form.

Remember the 95-5 rule: Most of your market isn’t ready to buy right now. But they are paying attention. When you consistently show up with value, your brand becomes the one they think of when the moment is right. That’s how organic LinkedIn drives sales—quietly, steadily, and effectively.

I see the start of each new year as a blank canvas, full of potential and ripe with possibilities. It’s the ideal moment to reflect on the growing influence of PR and communications in the tech sector—driving growth, shaping perceptions, and adapting to an ever-evolving landscape.

Ready to discover what’s possible? Here are five PR tactics to help you stand out in 2025:

1) The Press: A Partner in Storytelling

With leaner staffs, media outlets increasingly rely on PR professionals to provide well-crafted stories, compelling imagery, and access to company experts and thought leaders. This creates an opportunity to add value to both media writers and brands, balancing the needs of both parties – truly a win-win!

2) The News Release Is Far From Dead

Despite the shrinking media market and the rise of owned media channels, the news release remains a valuable tool. Issued over reputable news wires, news releases are increasingly being picked up by media outlets and published in their entirety, often accompanied by branded imagery. While these are not original staff-written stories, they offer a unique advantage: your message, unaltered, presented in a credible outlet.

3) Content Is King

Content remains the foundation for reaching audiences and building relationships. From storytelling to launching news to sharing insights, content drives engagement. Every company has a story to tell, and there are countless ways to share it—newsletters, podcasts, media stories, blogs, and social platforms, to name a few.

4) Visuals: Beyond Words

Images and videos are essential for driving engagement and enhancing your message. Visual storytelling makes content more memorable, with short-form videos emerging as an ideal format for conveying complex ideas in bite-sized segments.

5) Blended Communications

Reaching audiences requires a mix of owned, paid, shared, and earned media. Combining these channels ensures your message reaches your audience where they gather and in the formats they prefer.

Charting Your Path Forward

The possibilities in PR are as expansive as the stories waiting to be told. By embracing these five PR strategies—partnering with the press, crafting effective news releases, creating compelling content, leveraging visuals, and integrating multiple comms channels—you can amplify your message and strengthen your brand’s presence. So why not start now? Dream big, experiment boldly, and let this year be the one where your PR efforts turn potential into progress. The year has just begun, and your voice matters!

The clock is ticking, and the world’s tech titans, rising startups, and media mavens are all gearing up for CES. Is your brand ready to make waves on the Las Vegas Convention Center show floor? At CES, it’s not just about showing up; it’s about standing out.

With only weeks left, you need a PR partner who knows this arena inside and out—someone who’s been through the trenches and knows exactly how to make your brand unforgettable. Let’s dive in and make CES 2025 your biggest success yet!

Here are some of the keys to CES success:

First things first. What do you need help with at CES – how are you going to start building a buzz? Here’s a list to help you start brainstorming:

• Product Launches
• News Announcements
• Messaging
• Social Content
• Pre-show Promotion
• Awards
• Media/Analyst Appointments
• Show Coverage
• Insider Suite Demos
• Influencer Relations
• Campaign Themes

No matter what program components you select above – they need to be compelling and resonate with your intended audience. We want CES buzz to grow into coverage and meaningful relationships with media and analysts. CNET, IDC, PCMag, TechCrunch, Tech Radar, TechTarget, ThinkGartner, Tom’s Hardware, TweakTown, all of your high visibility vertical outlets and more. It’s critical to get in touch with media and analysts well before the show and also beat holiday vacations/shut downs.

Get a move on in November:

• Time is of the essence: Ideally, messaging and assets (photos, videos, collateral, etc.) should be completed before the Thanksgiving holiday. This will allow you to finalize your show strategy, begin outreach to media, draft your news release and package materials that tell your story.
• Media outreach should start this month – And the earlier the better. It’s best to pulse media and analysts from your customized database and find out who is attending and get on their radar. Keep an eye out for the CES pre-registered press list as well – to identify contacts that are relevant to your market, product, etc.
• Do you have a show floor presence? Not every company does – and not every company needs one. Consider affordable media events such as Digital Experience and ShowStoppers instead. These events are media receptions that enable exhibiting companies to directly meet with more than hundreds of pre-qualified journalists, analysts and key industry influencers.
• Have you decided on your premium items or giveaways? (i.e., bouncy balls, notepads, bags) – You’ll need these in hand before the show, so make sure you have enough time to order them.

December is crunch time:

• By now, your news release should be finalized – and you’re deciding on a date during the week of CES to issue it over the wire. This is also an ideal time to offer up advance copies of your news release, so that media can plan their stories. It’s also key to offer an online press kit – we recommend a Dropbox – with the news release, photos, videos, fact sheets, FAQs, etc.
• It’s time to get on media and analyst’s calendars. Outreach began in November, but now it’s critical to get on their schedules and book appointments. Make it easy for them to know where you are – give the building/hotel you’re in, the hall location and booth number. If you’re at a media event, expect media and analysts to stop-by your table (after all, your outreach let them know where to find you).
• Finalize your schedule! It’s time to gather all the media and analysts that expressed interest in one place. A meeting schedule compiling day-by-day booth appointments, stop-bys, interview locations, and other details are helpful to keep your spokesperson(s) on schedule and in the loop. For appointments, creating background documents that include relevant details, recent articles, analyst reports, and more can make all the difference in building a good relationship face-to-face at the show. It’s best to review this for each media or analyst prior to your meetings.

January – here we go!

It’s time to make a splash! You’re welcoming the New Year and CES: The show is January 7-10, 2025.

• Your news release is crossing the week of CES – and it’s critical to follow-up with all of the media and analysts who expressed an interest in your news. It’s best to send over a brief note with the link to the news release – and if they’ve booked an appointment, reiterate the meeting details (date, location, time), give your cell phone number just in case they need to connect, are running late, etc.
• Messaging is key: For those staffing your media event table, hotel suite or show floor booth – run through key messages, master your elevator pitch, review materials, and don’t forget to snag contact information for those you interact with (especially media and analysts).
• Post-event outreach is a must. CES is massive, so if someone misses an appointment – that’s okay. You got them on the hook and sent them your online press kit, so after the show is over – it’s prime time for post-event follow-up. That also goes for those you met with during CES. Following up with a thank you, items they asked for during an interview, and/or checking in to connect later that month are tactful ways to close the loop on these interactions.

Take a deep breath. Relax. You’ve got this – and help is just an email away. Send us a message to learn more about how we can assist: beverly@lages.com.

Resonating in today’s multi-channel, multi-audience world requires bold storytelling, customized content, and smart engagement strategies.

Simply put, the traditional PR playbook likely isn’t enough anymore.

Laying out a comprehensive communication strategy in today’s fast-paced digital landscape requires a different approach, and traditional PR is evolving and adapting. While press releases, media pitches, and top tier coverage remain essential, brands are increasingly turning to brand journalism to tell their stories in a more engaging, authentic way. Brand journalism – and its ability to amplify reach and audience engagement – has a complementary role to play in modern PR strategies.

“OK, I’ll bite. What, exactly, is brand journalism?”

Glad you asked! At its core, brand journalism is storytelling. Brand journalism is all about creating engaging content that tells your company’s story. The narrative can include highlighting your company’s values, mission, and the human side of your brand. These stories can provide a deeper, more personal connection.

Brand Journalism – Owned Content that Builds Affinity

Brand journalism allows companies to be their own publishers. Through blogs, articles, videos, and podcasts, brands can establish themselves as thought leaders, building credibility and trust directly with their audience. By consistently sharing fresh, insightful content, companies can increase their visibility, directly connecting with target audiences.

Here are a few tips and best practices to keep in mind as you explore brand journalism:

Distribute Widely
Leverage multiple channels to broaden your reach. Social media, newsletters, and industry publications, are powerful platforms for brand journalism. Diversifying your distribution allows you to connect with your audience wherever they are. Best of all, with owned media, you control the message, ensuring consistency and alignment with your brand.

What’s the Hook?
Your stories should not only be authentic but also engaging. Use a variety of content types – such as articles, interviews, infographics, and videos – to keep your audience interested. Incorporate elements that reflect your brand’s voice and personality, focusing on relevant information that adds value rather than being overly promotional.

Thought Leadership
Brand journalism can be a powerful tool to establish your company as an industry thought leader. By sharing insights, trends, and perspectives, you showcase your expertise, build trust, and enhance authority. Bringing in external voices – like customers, industry experts, partners, and others within your ecosystem – adds depth and authenticity, showing that your brand is respected and collaborative. Just as individuals are often judged by their associations, a brand’s credibility is bolstered by the caliber of the voices it amplifies.

Stay Current
One of the strengths of brand journalism is its ability to address current events and trends quickly. By staying relevant, you can join the conversation and keep your content timely and interesting. This agility helps your brand stay top-of-mind for your audience.

Foster Connections
Brand journalism isn’t just about pushing content, it’s about building relationships. Engage with your audience by encouraging feedback and interaction. Respond to comments, participate in discussions, and show appreciation for your community’s involvement.

The Power of Brand Storytelling

Brand journalism is transforming how companies connect with their audiences. By embracing this approach, you can elevate your PR strategy, build meaningful relationships, and drive lasting impact. So, take a deep breath and harness the power of storytelling – your brand just might soar to new heights!

The news release has become one of the most extensible tools in the realm of communications. First introduced in the early 1900’s, its longevity and ability to morph with the times is truly remarkable. For decades news releases were the preferred tool to communicate with media and were written to meet strict journalistic standards. Today, the simple news release works harder than ever, speaks to more audiences and has the capacity to carry a heavy load in terms of messaging and direct results.

More likely than not, you’ve tapped into the power of the news release to give your company or product a boost in credibility and to help spread the word. However, are you making the best use of your news releases and giving them their due strategic consideration?

Freedom Through the Internet

Once the internet became woven into our everyday lives, it completely altered the nature of news releases. Now freed from their captive role as a tool for the press only, news releases are readily available, directly and unfiltered to the end-reader. News releases distributed through newswire services are blasted around the globe as they are posted on numerous sites and appear in search results from Google, Yahoo, Bing and others.

Like an actor who steps out of character to address the audience directly, the news release is directly speaking to the public.

Of course you know all this – but have you really thought about it? And more importantly, are you crafting your news releases with a strategic eye? Are you leveraging their immense potential, while balancing the message and packaging them to meet your goals?

Step One – Create Your M.A.P.

Once you have considered these 3 simple fundamentals, you’re ready for step two:

Message: What do you want to say? This is where you determine the content for your news release and make a judgment on its merit, relevance and value to your company image.

Audience: Who do you want to reach: customers, prospects, investors, employees, community, channel partners, or industry players? Is this an announcement that has a media market and can best be communicated through the press?

Purpose: What is it you are trying to achieve? Are you promoting a product, gaining corporate stature, establishing a claim by going on record, generating attendance at an event, creating and becoming part of the discussion on a topic, setting the industry agenda, and so forth?

Step Two – Create a Powerful Communications Mix

With your M.A.P. in hand, you’ll be able to easily consider some of the most popular approaches to devising news releases.

Hard news release: You know this one well as this is the most traditional of all approaches. You’ve got a new executive, new product, new channel program, and it is hard news. Who, what, when, why and how are the main elements.

Soft news release: While not as pervasive as the hard news release, the soft news release (also called a perspective or feature release) can be highly effective but requires much more strategy. It is the no news release where you package your story within the context of trends or issues. You write it as if you are crafting a feature story and the sponsoring company (that’s you) is sometimes not introduced until the second or third paragraph. These pieces are great collateral for your key audiences and also serve to promote the issues and how your company should be treated in such stories by the media.

Sidebar news release: Designed to have a long shelf life, these releases support a larger story and can be used by media as a sidebar. Tips, how-to’s, brief histories, etc. are the traditional fare.

Experiential news release: You got it – news releases that include video, photos, illustrations and such. Depending upon your subject, these can be incredibly powerful. And with the popularity of video at an all time high, this is a good way to use this medium. If a photo is worth a thousand words then video is surely worth a billion words.

These three approaches can then be augmented with the latest in techniques:

Traffic building – It is easy to have your news release connect the reader back to the source. Using hyperlinks in the body, your web site or specific page is just a click away. Instant gratification!

Being found – SEO (search engine optimization) for news releases is really not as complicated as many have made it out to be. A mixture of keywords that are relevant to your news and ensuring your news release is posted on a popular site such as GlobeNewswire or Business Wire will do the trick.

Getting Personal – The social news release is now here. We always talk about getting a share of voice and now you can get personal and have a conversation with your readers. Blogs, podcasting, and more are in play and getting people talking (or at least clicking their keyboards!).

Take the Challenge and Get More Out of Your News Releases

There’s nothing better and more cost effective than a well packaged news release to get your story out to those you care most about. The individual news release can pack a punch like no other. And best of all, when you view your releases collectively, over a period of time, the story just gets stronger and stronger.

The mighty news release just keeps getting better. Go ahead… if you haven’t done so already, test out the power of today’s news release.

Many seasoned marketing executives believe that any press release without the 5 Ws (who, what, when, why, and where) won’t get read. I often hear, “We have no new products, partners, or launches, so we can’t create a press release.”

The truth is, you can. Soft releases without a hard news angle can be extremely powerful and resonate deeply.

Think from the outside in. Consider trends and issues like AI, cybersecurity, sustainability, or compliance. Share your opinions, predict future trends, challenge the status quo, or outline best practices, integrating your solutions and insights. This is the stuff of feature stories, so why not set the agenda and get in the game?

Package your insights as a press release, issue it over the wire, and you become a market contributor, offering valuable ideas instead of just promoting your latest products. Sometimes, no news is good news!