Why PR is Critical to Growing a Martech Firm in APAC
Recently, Amperity, the leading customer data platform (CDP) for enterprise consumer brands, broke into the APAC market, opening a new office in Melbourne with 2 new senior hires. And it’s up to Area Vice President Billy Loizou to lead the company’s sales and marketing efforts while building a team of dedicated experts on the ground. The end goal? To help local brands make better use of customer data to scale their business.
And when it comes to martech growth strategy in the APAC region, Billy has seen the good, the bad and the downright ugly. From over-investing in sales people and under-investing in PR and marketing support, to trying to ‘copy and paste’ a US strategy in the region, the mistakes can be costly - and sometimes lead to martech vendors having to withdraw from regions altogether.
In this ‘Walk and Talk’ episode, AZK Media's managing director, Azadeh Williams chats with Amperity Area Vice President Billy Loizou about what it takes to sustainably expand into a new and emerging region - and if you’re a martech vendor on a growth mission, you won’t want to miss Billy’s insights.
Critical mistakes to avoid when expanding into a new region
When trying to break into a new market, Billy says it’s vital to remember why you’re there in the first place. “Don't get caught up in an acronym that you're defined by right like CDP. What does CDP even mean?
“Instead, you need to help the market understand what problem you're solving. And show them how to use that solution to solve their pain point,” he says.
Billy says he’s also seen big tech vendors enter a new region and go on a hiring spree — something he wouldn’t necessarily advise. “The second ‘big fail’ is over hiring,” he shares.
“Some organisations assemble a big team, but then they don’t have enough clients. This leaves employees sitting there, figuring out what their job is.”
The third big fail, Billy says, is not having PR support to elevate your thought leadership in the new market. “You need a proper PR strategy. You need a go-to-market plan. And you need local agencies that can help you expand that quickly,” he says.
Without a solid foundation in place, you risk burning out your team. It’s a story heard on repeat in B2B marketing and one that has touched the lives of many across the globe. According to a survey that polled nearly 7,000 professionals, more than 83% of marketing and communications professionals said they were burnt out. The number one reason was the lack of separation between work and life. An ‘unmanageable workload’ came in at a close second.
Why marketing and PR is critical for tech companies in APAC
When companies enter a new market, oftentimes, nobody has ever heard of them before. That’s where a local PR agency comes in. “When launching in a region like Australia, PR is so important. It’s paramount to success,” Billy confirms.
“PR helps you get your message and brand out there. PR has the perfect placement of channels to make that message clear about what problems you solve.”
Choosing the right marketing and media partner
When it comes to selecting a local PR and marketing agency in the region you are expanding, it’s vital to consider a few things. Number one, Billy says, is to ensure a good fit culturally. After that, it’s all about skillset.
“They need to specialise in taking ideas out of your head and articulating them in a way that resonates with your intended audience before pushing them out to market. You want someone who can push you and guide you in the right direction — it’s more important than ever,” he says.
Check out the full interview here.
