PR Basics for Startups
When starting a new business venture, you might be thinking how you would go about doing Public Relations (PR). You may or may not have an idea of PR but you know that it is important for the success of your business.
Unlike big million- dollar companies, think Walmart, Toyota, Exxon Mobil, JP Morgan Chase, which probably have their own PR experts, agencies and specialists, start- up companies has to work with limited budget and staff.
Sure, there’s a lot of things on your mind right now from daily operations, paperwork, accounting, legal procedures, recruiting staff, budget plans to urgent meetings. As a result, many start- up companies tend to overlook the importance of Public Relations or simply put, PR. Nonetheless, PR is more important for startup entrepreneurs in order to get your brand, products and services known across your target consumers, clients, partners and potential investors.
Here, we will share the definition and mechanics of PR.
New Wave of PR
First, let’s define what is PR. PR could mean a lot of things for different people. In general, PR is building the brand image of the company, generating good publicity, and establishing harmonious relationships with customers, clients, media outfits, shareholders and investors. PR can also increase sales, generate profits, attract investors,and also build credibility of your company.
In the advent of social media, the marketing strategy employed by businesses has changed. More so, part of Public Relations is getting featured not only in traditional media such as newspapers, television and radio, but also in online media and social networking sites and blog sites- Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, etc. Nowadays, feedback from consumers in online networking sites can ripple from one to another, that can make or break a startup company. Getting positive attention to your brand, product and services online and offline is one of the strategic ways to expand your customer base.
As long as your products and services addresses a problem with the end-users in mind, Public Relations would be a useful tool to let them know about your company in a positive way. Part of PR is developing relationships with reporters, bloggers, customers and investors. Also, credibility for the brand and earning the trust of consumers are a result of building positive public relations.
With PR, you’ll be more attuned to the market’ wants and needs, and can craft better marketing strategies and improve your performance in the market. This will also expand your customer base and grow your business. The moment you’ve put off PR, other businesses are gaining more customers and expanding their reach globally. So get out there and do PR!
To give you an idea of the how-to’s of PR, we will share to you how to get relevant media coverage and other PR techniques in this site. Let’s get your business going to the top!
