 I was recently asked why a start up requires PR?
Start ups have very little budget. Once the initial raw idea has been threaded into a material product, service, e-commerce website or anything in between, how do you communicate that your start up exists?
How do you let your target market know:
1. What your product or service is?
2. Why your product or service can fill a gap in the market or void in their lives?
3. How do you communicate your unique selling points?
4. Every start up has a story. How do you tell people your story?
The most efficient, affordable and credible way to create brand, product or service awareness is to utilise one of the facets of the promotional element in the Marketing Mix- Public Relations.
Public Relations can funnel your story, your start up brand, product or service to the correct demographic or target market.
Editorial is credible as it is written by a third party. It is not paid for in the same way that one pays for an advert or advertorial.
Advertising is relatively expensive for most start ups. They simply do not have the marketing budget to play around with advertising and tap out which advertising returns an investment and which does not....
If a start up doesn't promote itself in some way, the only real way to grow is through social media, ones on networks or sheer luck.
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I am a virtual PR Consultant who loves to work with start ups, SME's and entrepreneurs. I have worked in PR for many years for medium and large companies. I always wanted to help small to medium size companies create brand awareness and obtain media exposure. I work with limited budgets to create the most PR bang for little buck. My website is www.candicepr.com. I can also be emailed at [email protected] You can also learn more about me on Linked In: Candice Meisels
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Candice Meisels, Owner and PR Consultant at Candice Meisels PR
Jef- I recommend media relations as the best kind of PR for start ups. Most start ups do not have advertising budget. PR can be utilised as a more cost effective and a more credible way of creating brand awareness in targeted media. Happy to answer more questions...
Jules Brooke, Founder and Director at Handle Your Own PR
Yes, PR is a crucial part of the mix if you are trying to create credibility, awareness and of course, attract potential investors. It really is the easiest and cheapest way to market your business when it's new. I agree with Candice that media relations is where you should start. That just means getting coverage in traditional media (as opposed to event PR, crisis PR, guerrilla PR or more strategic PR. I have spent the last 7 years teaching start ups, entrepreneurs and small businesses how to do their own PR as I firmly believe it is the best option for a small business or anyone with a limited marketing budget. Once you get a story in the media it also bumps up your SEO (google loves inbound links from media outlets) and then you can really 'work it': promote the article on your website, through social channels, on your blog and in your business premises if you have a bricks and mortar office or store. To do the PR, you just need to work out your target markets (and break them down into niche markets if you can), and then to find the media that market consumes. Jason is right, there is no point getting an article in the AFR if your target market will be reading Pet mags. However, once you know your market and your target media, just go for it and watch the spike in visits to your website or an increase in sales. PR is the gift that keeps on giving too - people may well come across articles about your business over the next couple of years, depending where it is published.