Finding, managing and keeping good public relations practitioners in the high-tech industry isn't easy. Here's why.

The market has changed
The media is more skeptical than ever before; it's harder for emergent companies to get support and recognition from important industry press and analysts.

Solid PR strategy
Given the current economy, many agencies have available bandwidth but finding the best agency and experienced individuals is still a challenge. Achieving brand visibility in today's market requires solid strategy, creative execution and sustained visibility through practitioners who are active with media contacts.

High agency turnover
Staff churn at PR agencies can be high. Clients who lose one or two key people from their agency find that they lose momentum as new account members get up to speed.

Cost of public relations services
Despite the market change, PR is still expensive. For many companies, public relations is one of largest budget drains, after payroll and technology expenditures. Given this type of pressure, companies are closely watching how effective their PR campaigns are. This added strain often leads companies to place unrealistic expectations on their agency.

No internal PR managers
A successful agency is best complemented by an organized, consistent and strategic internal PR manager. Since startups are usually short on staff, they often ignore managing the agency. Without an internal manager clearly setting direction and relaying company information to the agency, the agency will not be working optimally.

Dislike of PR by the media
Building relationships with key press and analysts continues to be more difficult as more and more companies and public relations practitioners vie for their attention. Press can be leery of PR practitioners. On the right are a few articles that show the press' perspective on the public relations profession.

More bang for your PR buck
by Stephen James
Upside Magazine, December 2000
PR program advice for budget-conscious startups.

Nine Easy Ways to Kill A Startup Through PR
by Tom Gable
Industry Standard, June 12, 2000
Outlines some surprisingly PR-friendly pressure points and revisits the industry's jargon.

Soft-Letter's Report | actual comments
Harsh but very educational report on what the media needs from PR professionals.

Startups, Make Noise or Die
by Craig Bicknell
Wired, November 11, 1999
Comments from agencies about the number of start-ups seeking PR.