One of the first things you must remember is that to market to tech, you need to be part of the community. However, simply not wearing a tie does not make you part of that community !
If you want to reach tech clients, follow a few of these rules and notice a few of the trends …
- They think they are every bit as smart or smarter than some of your best professionals. A lot of them can battle you for pedigrees anytime: do not place too much emphasis on this beyond necessary demonstration of experience and quality.
- They love to see that you have done this for other tech companies. Know their names and their products - not just “we did IPO for…”
- They cluster. A lot. Their culture almost encourages cooperation more than most industries. Want to talk about a “boys club”? This is one of them. Referrals are huge, but they want professional advisers who have a big presence. This is where marketing comes in: they like to brag about the great lawyer or adviser they have. They also like to see a press article, an ad or airport display and say, “that’s OUR firm!”
- Paint a picture. Guess how many firms in this area can do patent work? A whole bunch. The winner is the one that can paint a picture for a tech CEO of how your firm can put him/her on the beach due to the incredible success of his patent.
- They like one stop shops. The less they have to worry about like screening and hiring ten different law firms, the better.
- They like revolutionary thought. Stand out. Be creative. Emphasize personality. Remember, many of these folks started their companies to change the world. Don’t look too much like a part of that old world they left behind.
- Realise that a lot of emerging tech firms view hiring a law firm as a necessary evil. If they could do without, they probably would. The main thing they worry about is that a firm will slow them down. While we know these things take time, you need to be able to communicate a constant state of movement towards the end goal.
- They are very worried right now. Help them see the light at the end of the tunnel, not just the long road to get there.
This eTip has come to you by courtesy of Daryl Cross of DFW TechBiz in Dallas For Worth, Texas.
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