The Middle East is home to some of the most innovative and important B2B technology and telecoms companies in the world. It has used its geographic advantages to become one of the busiest digital crossroads internationally.
As a region, it is also leading in smart city, artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) projects. According to the BCG Global Innovation Survey, among Middle Eastern companies, 58% are committed innovators, compared with 45% of companies worldwide.
The challenge is to communicate this innovation globally and drive leads inbound from international businesses into the Middle East. B2B tech and telecom companies across the region have an opportunity to drive awareness, create momentum and gain global recognition.
With a borderless PR strategy, Middle Eastern organisations can elevate their businesses in the minds of prospects around the world and efficiently engage target markets. In the era of cloud and rapid digital transformation, there should be no geographic barriers in a company’s communications.
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Here are five tips for B2B tech and telecoms companies in the Middle East who want to build a successful global PR strategy:
- Going Borderless
It doesn’t have to be difficult to get started promoting a business aboard. The company just has to choose the right agency partner. Traditional PR agencies often require a business to “turn-up” individual offices across multiple target markets with each office asking for retainer budget. In this way, costs can pile up while working with agencies that may not understand the Middle East context or the technology it is offering.
The best approach is to find an agency that offers a borderless approach to PR and really understands tech. With a borderless approach to PR, the company gains PR services that span the globe without limits on where you can distribute news or engage journalists. It won’t require additional budget for additional markets and the company is free to grow wherever it sees engagement.
- News Drives New Momentum
A steady stream of news drives momentum and makes a business relevant, not just in the Middle East but in the global industry. For example, a networking provider in the Middle East can deliver news to global trade publications and immediately have a voice in the telecoms industry and be seen as a player not just locally, but around the world.
All they have to do is package every single press release to look like a news story instead of following a standard corporate communications format. Rather than supplying content where the journalist has to build the stories for themselves, businesses should package their content as a news story. This makes it easy for news to be repurposed, reshared and posted across publications in key markets.
A B2B tech or telecom company in the Middle East can quickly become relevant to a global audience with simple and powerful news stories.
- Consistency. Consistency.
Companies that want to go global need to be consistently delivering news and not waiting for events. Ideally, they’ll be delivering news every month with no peaks or troughs in their communications. Often B2B companies in the Middle East will hold news until an event, release a flurry of news then go silent until the next major industry event. It is the in between times that are critical. That’s where they should deliver news, especially when global prospects may not attend in-region trade shows.
To establish a consistent presence for their brand, companies need to ensure that their news is constantly in front of audiences and shaping the perception of their business. Companies should have a strong pipeline of news stories that they are holding and releasing consistently over time.
- Playing to Global Audiences
Global communications need to match audience expectations. In the Middle East, news and press releases often include “industry-firsts” or “world’s biggest” or other difficult to verify statements. This kind of news can be difficult for journalists to post and might not be where the value of the solution or service lies. It is best to focus on value, the story that is being told and accuracy, rather than making a bold statement.
There’s an opportunity for Middle Eastern companies to accurately present their news in a way that demonstrates solid and tangible news and milestones without overselling the story. For both local and global companies, it is best to present your news in a way that is positive, but not over the top to maximise journalist engagement.
- Telling Stories that Matter
In B2B tech and telecoms news, there is often a focus on a product or deal but there’s an opportunity to talk about the benefits across the entire value chain. Companies can quickly transform a story from a one-dimensional “customer win” into a multi-faceted story that includes enterprise customers and end users. B2B tech and telecoms underpins so many solutions that benefit digital economies, society and citizens.
These kinds of stories just need to be dialled up and used as part of a global PR strategy. This allows Middle Eastern businesses to tell a bigger and better story that acknowledges everybody involved.
The Middle East has one of the most diverse and dynamic B2B tech and telecoms markets in the world. With the right global PR strategy, companies can grow beyond borders and be recognised for the amazing innovations they are delivering at home and abroad. Overall, building a successful PR strategy will ensure that your target audience knows who you are and understands your story and values both locally and globally.
Read our blog 'Inbound Marketing in the Middle East: Capturing B2B Leads and Scaling Engagement Efficiently' to learn how to adopt an inbound marketing strategy into your business.
Ilex Content Strategies has been serving B2B tech and telecoms companies in the Middle East for nearly a decade. It works with some of the region’s largest B2B brands as well as start-ups and rapidly growing innovators. We help these companies to market their businesses locally and across the globe with a borderless approach to PR.
Please get in touch if you’d like to discuss building a global PR strategy for your B2B organisation.
