Don't worry, we're all okay... After fighting our way through the afternoon traffic and one dodgy garage pie later, Tim and I found ourselves pulling into Cassia at the Nitida Wine Estate in the Durbanville Hills – brilliant venue! It was here that Brian Berkman from PR-Net hosted Vanessa Clark from Clickatell in giving a highly enjoyable marketing brief.

The topic: PR skills required to handle a technology client. As QuirkStars we didn't quite fit the PR-agent mould, but as WebPR is an integral part of of what we do at Quirk, we found ourselves appreciating and taking real value from what Vanessa had to say. 

Below I have listed 10 points that Vanessa made and struck home with me. I have kept them from the PR-agent's point of view.
 

1. The technical industry is fast-moving and filled with young, colourful individuals that make for interesting and positive stories.
2. Cover the PR angles – awareness, leadership and education.
3. Know what your client's customers want and always keep them in mind – don't always believe the client's opinion on this! Ask questions like: What are they looking for? Where are they looking for it?
4. Translate the tech babble into business solutions – at the end of the day you're trying to sell a product.
5. Remove the hype – people are weary of tech-hype; offer real value through a good story.
6. Keep the human element - people want to relate.
7. Know and understand your client's products! You'd be surprised at how often this isn't the case. It may involve reading and asking silly questions, but it really needs to be done.
8. Know your client's local market – this includes all players from press to customers.
9. Know your client's wider market and ensure that local and international messages are not conflicting.
10. BE INTERESTED IN TECH! This can not be stressed enough – if it doesn't interest you, don't waste your time doing it.

 
Although some of these may seem basic and straightforward, they are worth giving thought. And when I say this I don't just mean PR people. I just hope I haven't got it all wrong here! If I have, I do apologise.

Tim did us proud by breaking a wine glass when he got up to ask a question – it appears that bottle of wine from Stormhoek didn't manage to sneak past his desk unnoticed after all...;-) Sorry Tim.

Personally I thought the evening was a great success for all and found it nice to have a casual forum where people can share ideas and experiences over a glass of wine. It was also nice to see a familiar face or two (at least for a newbie like me) such as Jan Badenhorst from Psitek who contributed to a very stimulating conversation with Tim and I. Thanks again to Vanessa and Brian for a delightful evening both during and after the presentation.

Eventually, as the mist rolled in over the water (literally), we said our farewells and made our way back into the city. I'm already looking forward to the next one.