Article 14: Can I be the PR spokesperson myself and do we need a spokesperson?
This won’t come as a surprise, but tech companies are often founded by – well, tech experts. Coders. Developers. IT specialists. People who can build incredible products and solutions, but this doesn’t necessarily mean they will be comfortable in front of a camera or microphone (or frankly just engaging in one-to-one conversations over the phone with a journalist). We are not all natural communicators.
And that’s completely understandable. Speaking to the media shines a very bright spotlight on an individual, often in high-pressure situations. One mistake and it will be online for everyone to read or watch by the afternoon. Not everyone enjoys that kind of attention.
Media Training Helps — But It’s Not a Magic Fix
Media training can absolutely help a spokesperson feel more confident and polished. It teaches structure, control, and how to handle tough questions. But, if someone is truly uncomfortable talking to journalists, that discomfort will come across no matter how much training they’ve had. So, why force it?
In the UK tech media landscape (and increasingly elsewhere), traditional media interviews are becoming less common. Many journalists are happy to receive authored content (thought leadership pieces, opinion articles, or feature comment) without ever needing to speak directly to your CEO. They face the same time pressures as the rest of us and pre-written content can be a lifesaver.
So yes, it’s entirely possible to build a strong media presence without putting your founder or CEO on the spot every time.
But It’s Not Ideal
That said, PR and earned media are still people-led businesses. Relationships, personality, and energy make a difference.
A fluent, engaging, and enthusiastic CEO (or other senior leader) can elevate your earned media coverage dramatically. They can tell your story with authenticity, and that’s something no press release or ghostwritten article can fully replace.
If your company wants to stand out, it helps to have someone at the top who’s visible and vocal.
Can You Step In as the Spokesperson?
Sometimes the question comes up: Can the internal marketing or PR manager be the spokesperson instead?
In almost every case — the answer is no!
And, so we’re absolutely clear, the journalist definitely does not want to hear and quote the PR agency representative either!
Journalists rarely want to hear from in-house marketing or communications people. They want insight from the inventor, entrepreneur, or expert — not the messenger.
Most PR agencies would hesitate to suggest a marketing manager as a spokesperson, unless it’s a genuine emergency (say, the CEO is unavailable, and a comment is needed urgently). Otherwise, it tends to dilute credibility rather than build it.
Not every founder needs to love the limelight, but every business benefits from a confident, authentic voice. If your CEO isn’t comfortable being that voice, there are options – train them, find another senior leader, or lean on authored content.
But don’t overlook the value of a human face and story. In tech PR, credibility isn’t just built on what you make – it’s built on who is willing to stand up and talk about it.
