A good public relations agency has the resources and the experience to help strategically position a company and carry out an effective PR program. If a company chooses to audition an agency, it should tell a similar tale to the one found in this article. And even for a small firm (such as a Web design business or an local Internet Service Provider) that doesn’t believe it has the budget to hire a PR agency, the following are some points to keep in mind when promoting a small high-tech business.

Positioning a company and developing the correct key messages should be a significant part of a PR program. All other tasks should fall in line with these aspects of a plan. The product cannot be all things to all people; find a niche and stick to it. The message will thus be stronger and time will be better spent.

A company should set realistic goals in terms of results from the public relations or marketing communications program. Press coverage is the Holy Grail of technology companies, but publications should be viewed realistically. Trying to get in The Wall Street Journal or The New York Times when the paint is still wet on the open sign may prove to be a poor use of resources. More important is to zero-in on smaller, more focused trade journals, local publications or consumer magazines (depending on the product) that are likely to reach the most important audiences.

The relationship with the media is the nuts and bolts of a PR program. Use resources available online or off-line to determine inside information about editors and reporters and what they are writing about. One can find out who is the best person to talk to, how they prefer to get information and even when is the best time to call. These tools will allow a company to be a true resource for those who cover the industry instead of just flooding them with the latest product or company news.

Be ethical. Technology, being what it is, makes dishonest behavior easy. As part of a PR plan, the message should not over-hype or over-promise. In an interactive environment where instantaneous feedback is the norm, companies and agencies alike must consider the consequences of ethical malfeasance in terms of the messages delivered and promises made. The impact of unethical behavior on the credibility of a company can be devastating in the eyes of the press, not to mention customers or investors.

Building and promoting a small business in the face of daunting statistics and an even more daunting reality is often an uphill battle. There are many excellent public relations agencies in the Puget Sound area that would be equipped to handle high-tech business from the Kitsap Peninsula.

(Editor’s Note: Paul Forecki is the managing director of Sterling Communications, Inc., a high-tech public relations agency thatprovides strategic communications counsel. He may be reached at (253) 853-5030 or pforecki@sterlingpr.com.).