In essence, PR for startups is how you cultivate mutually beneficial relationships with the public and generate positive brand awareness as your startup grows into a full-fledged enterprise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While bigger organizations can afford to work with professional PR firms to expertly manage all PR-related affairs, your humble startup likely doesn\u2019t have the budget to do the same. That being said, there\u2019s a lot you can do yourself to build positive PR for your startup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But first...<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Earned media<\/a> in terms of brand mentions<\/a>, product reviews, and features is far more effective than branded content or ads in every stage of the purchase funnel. In fact, 92% of consumers<\/a> trust earned media<\/a> \u2014 aka PR \u2014 over traditional ads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To be more specific, here are just a few of the many benefits of focusing on PR for your startup<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n And that\u2019s not all. To witness these benefits yourself, however, you have to control how the public perceives your startup. If you don\u2019t proactively create and promote your own story, then the public will craft its own narrative for your startup on which you\u2019ll have little-to-no control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your brand messaging largely decides whether your startup will succeed and so, you must consistently reiterate who you are, instead of leaving it to the public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With the importance of startup PR crystal clear, here are six battle-tested tips you can implement right away to succeed with your startup\u2019s PR efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before you do anything, your first step needs to be setting a clear goal for your PR plan. Ask yourself or brainstorm with your team the \u201cwhy\u201d behind your upcoming PR efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Is your goal to gain attention for a new product launch<\/a>? To build brand awareness<\/a> and thought leadership in reputable magazines? Or to showcase the fast growth you\u2019re achieving and encourage investment?<\/p>\n\n\n\n With a clear goal, you can then craft a coherent PR plan for your startup with a unique value proposition (aka why should anyone care), and also determine the exact audience you are trying to reach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The journalists you\u2019re about to pitch most likely get hundreds of similar cold pitches. The last thing you want to do is send a generic or uninteresting pitch that gets lost in the noise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Start with <\/strong>finding the right journalists to cover your story<\/strong><\/a>. Then, take the time to do detailed background research before you pitch. Read their past stories and try to figure out what makes them tick. Mention their past work in your pitch if it\u2019s relevant \u2014 it shows you know who you\u2019re pitching to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Moreover, provide as much context as you can. Why did you choose them in particular? Why is your story useful to their audience? How does your story stack up against their top-performing ones?<\/p>\n\n\n\n And before you hit \u201csend\u201d, here are a few best practices to perfect your pitch and stay out of their trash can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
How to do PR for your startup to get noticed<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Have a clear goal<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Do your homework and perfect your pitch before hitting \u201csend\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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