We now live in a world where new technology is popping up left, right and centre, with whole new sectors building and emerging faster than ever before. But as the pace of technological developments continues to increase, tech businesses can find it hard to market new innovations to an audience that is not familiar with their sector.

For instance, most people now know about Uber and Airbnb, companies that operate in the emerging sector that is the sharing economy. However, according to our research, more than half (60%) of people still aren’t sure what the sharing economy is.

This can also be said about the latest phenomenon Pokemon Go, a game based on augmented reality – the game has rapidly gained success, despite most people being unaware of the technology behind it.

So how do you market your company from an unknown sector to consumers and succeed?

Finding your audience

Probably the most important rule for having a successful tech business is finding a niche. If your idea is completely novel or unknown to the majority of consumers, it can be difficult to convince people that what you are offering is worth their time.

The first hurdle to overcome is convincing potential users that there is a need for you, and this is why it is vital to spend time researching your market. Although this can be time-consuming, it is a worthwhile investment that will help you figure out whether there is room for your product, who your target consumer is and what their needs are. It can be tempting to make assumptions about the sorts of people who would be interested in your product and what will entice them to give it a try. Whilst this may be helpful to get the idea off the ground, the most important aspect of understanding your target audience is to gather data, data and more data.

Build a consistent brand

A business cannot succeed if no one knows about it. No one is going to use your service or buy your product if they don’t know what it is that you are offering. This is why it’s important to get the word out there. However, before you do so, create some clear marketing guidelines to make sure that your brand has ongoing consistency. Having a stable and clear brand identity and messaging throughout the business and in your marketing strategies is key to gaining traction. Do this before starting any big marketing push.

Humanise your brand

Of course, when it comes to tech, people can be reluctant to engage with brand new ideas and even be afraid of tech developments.

People tend to fear what they don’t understand – this is particularly true when it comes to new tech. One such example of misunderstood tech is artificial intelligence, something that that seems to turn off most people as soon as they hear about it. Yet Google, the most popular search engine, uses AI technology across the majority of its products. Their success comes not from attempting to explain every aspect of what they do, but instead to present their brand in a simple, easy to understand manner.

Clearly articulate what your tech products and services do and make sure you humanise your offering, making the most of the people who use it as brand advocates. A quick way to humanize your service is to provide case studies for the press and testimonials from those who are currently using your service. Don’t overlook word-of-mouth marketing, or underestimate the power of referrals and reviews, as this can help spread the word and build trust in your brand simultaneously.

It can be hard for a company in an emerging tech sector to market themselves to potential consumers, but if you do your research and target your audience effectively, familiarise them with a strong brand identity and demystify the sector through bringing that human factor to your business, you are creating a great base for success.

Morgan Young is an acquisition manager at easyCar Club.