Category: Blog

There’s no denying it: AI is amazing. It can churn out copy in seconds. Analyze data at lightning speed. Even suggest campaign ideas.

Is there anything AI can’t do?

The answer is a resounding yes. AI can’t build trust. It can’t earn you credibility. It can’t shape perception. It can’t build trust with your target audiences or those they turn to for guidance.

Why PR Still Matters

That’s where PR comes in. PR doesn’t just get you seen, it gets you believed. And belief doesn’t come from algorithms. It comes from people who understand the terrain.

PR professionals know how to navigate the cultural nuance of your market so your message feels relevant, not tone-deaf. They can anticipate emotional reactions: what will resonate, and what might backfire. They know how to build lasting relationships with journalists and influencers who give your story credibility. They can take scattered ideas and shape them into a compelling brand narrative that actually sticks. And perhaps most importantly, they help you earn trust through credible, consistent exposure over time.

These same human skills are also necessary for Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) – the practice of refining prompts, content, and workflows for AI generative engines to maximize output quality. Think SEO, but for AI instead of search engines.

 Your Brand in the Age of AI: Visibility Starts with GEO

Why should you be thinking about GEO? Because generative AI doesn’t invent credibility, it pulls from it. The engines amplify the voices, coverage, and narratives already established across trusted sources. This means that the stronger your PR strategy, the stronger your presence will be in AI-powered answers.

That’s the work AI can’t do. And it’s the work that makes the difference between a brand people notice and a brand people believe. Strong brands look good and they connect with people.

Your brand is:

• Who you are.
• What you stand for.
• Who you serve.
• Why you matter.

AI Can Support Your Marketing, But It Can’t Be Your Strategy

So, with all of that being said, you can use AI to create marketing assets. You can generate social media content, email campaigns, or even visuals and videos. You can automate repetitive tasks and analyze trends. But if you want a brand that sticks in people’s minds, one that builds trust, earns credibility, and inspires loyalty, you need human-led PR. PR professionals bring context, strategy, and real-world relationships that no algorithm can replicate.

Many high-potential companies—especially in B2B tech—reach a moment where their product is mature, their sales team is ready, and their offering is strong. And yet, a frustrating question lingers: Why doesn’t our ideal customer know who we are?

It’s not always a sales problem. It’s often a visibility problem—and that’s where strategic PR and communications come in.

1. You’re not showing up where your audience is looking

You might be building something brilliant, but if your buyers aren’t seeing or hearing about you in the places they trust, you’re invisible.

In B2B, that means:

• Industry media where decision-makers turn for insight
• LinkedIn and other professional networks where thought leadership builds trust
• Search results and analyst reports that shape vendor shortlists

If your brand isn’t appearing in these spaces, even the best sales outreach feels cold and unfamiliar.

2. Your message doesn’t stick—or doesn’t land

Another common challenge: you’re talking, but it’s not resonating. Maybe your messaging is too technical, too feature-heavy, or simply too inward-facing. The result? Your audience tunes out.

What’s needed is a shift from what you do to why it matters. Strategic PR helps companies craft narratives that connect emotionally and intellectually—turning messaging into something memorable.

3. You’re not using your biggest asset: your team

People trust people more than brands. Yet many companies underuse one of their most powerful visibility tools: their own team.

When leaders and subject matter experts consistently show up online—sharing insights, commenting on trends, telling stories—they build credibility and create surface area for the brand. PR isn’t just about press; it’s about turning your people into magnets.

4. You’ve focused on bottom-funnel marketing—and skipped the rest

Performance marketing can be great at capturing demand. But what if there isn’t enough demand yet?

Buyers can’t search for you if they don’t know you exist. A well-rounded PR strategy builds awareness and preference earlier in the buying journey—so when the need arises, your brand is already on their radar.

5. You’re relying too much on the product to speak for itself

“We’ll grow by word of mouth” works—eventually. But it’s slow. In fast-moving markets, reputation doesn’t build itself. It needs a nudge.

PR amplifies early traction. It gives third-party credibility, helps shape perception, and speeds up how fast buyers move from Who? to Let’s talk.

The Fix: Build a Visibility Engine

To get known by the right audience, you need more than a great product. You need a consistent, intentional presence in the places and channels your buyers trust. That’s what strategic PR does.

Whether it’s:

• Landing earned media in the outlets your customers read
• Placing thought leadership that shapes category conversations
• Activating your execs as credible voices online
• Or building a LinkedIn strategy that grows brand awareness organically

…the goal is the same: make sure your ideal customer hears about you before your sales team emails them. If you’re asking, “Why don’t our target customers know who we are?” — it’s time to invest in visibility. Not just noise, but narrative. Not just reach, but resonance.

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.

The short answer is no.

Here’s why: as they say, different strokes for different folks! And when it comes to content and channels this is your guiding light. Core content should be shared in various channels: news distribution, social media, blogs and more. However, repeating the same exact content in every channel goes counter to effectively communicating. The beauty of your communication channels is each offers a forum to connect with your audience in a different manner – and this is where you get tremendous impact.

For example, if you’ve just issued a news release about a new product, use your blog to dive deeper and share details that weren’t included in the announcement. If you simply repeat, you have lost a valuable opportunity to connect with your audience and bring new insights. Perhaps your blog explores how your new product will bring immense benefit to a specific market such as finance, HR or manufacturing. Or it goes into tech details that show how it integrates with existing platforms. The possibilities are limitless!

When it comes to social media, you have to get social. Provide a view such as what this means to your company or to customers, or an interesting tidbit about the product news. You’re the curator, interpreting and making a connection with another person.

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.