Ask any successful founder or expert in the startup ecosystem, and they will vigorously emphasize the importance of timing. The timing behind releasing the MVP (market-viable product), going public, and using PR strategies for growth are crucial considerations. While time is of the essence, it is equally necessary to have a proper set of PR strategies in the initial growth stage of startups. Propelling them toward the required targets set by passionate and alluring founders, PR strategies are what help startups grow in the first dawn of their journey to be functional.
Change is constant. Growth is eternal. The vision founders or team leads follow while launching a startup makes scaling a significant issue. Expanding the PR front is one of the few viable ways that can help massively with growth. Simply put, PR strategies are a good investment that doesn’t need financial backing, which is key in the early days. Public relations (PR) mostly focuses on generating a positive image and value through the media, newspapers, and events. It is different from marketing in the sense that it’s not directly a tactic used to drive up sales. Investing in amplifying your company’s PR is mostly an investment and can greatly help growing startups thrive in a competitive environment.
Now, to address the elephant in the room, when should companies start highlighting the efforts to elevate the PR of their brand?
The time a startup begins to address customers on a large scale or goes beyond its own circle of the audience is the time PR should be looked into; in other words, the growth phase of a startup. PR tactics, when implemented with proper research, can position the products of a startup in exactly the places they want, providing them the opportunity for the growth they desperately seek. An in-house PR campaign can lead to practical outcomes, too. A startup’s initial brand image can visibly radiate transparently to people across society when PR is done correctly. This can also lead to better reliability factors when it comes to fresh grads or random people wanting to apply to the startup. Presently, a website and social media profiles are a must, and good PR can ramp up the traffic, which can gather traction. A good example we can use to understand better is Canva. Canva is a popular platform used for designing posters, presentations, logos, etc. It first raised interest in the dreadlock days of the COVID pandemic. To gain the attention of designers and to expand their customer base when they first started while competing with other powerhouses like Adobe, they engaged with local communities. They offered them free tools to work with. As a result, this created a positive image of the brand that gained the attention they needed.
Textbook techniques like heavy advertisements, PR campaigns, or event sponsorships are highly unrealistic because finances are limited in the early days. So, what founders and team leaders can do is engage in innovative and strategic PR tactics. To start with, on a personal level, team members can go on public platforms and talk about their journey. They can provide their insight into the entrepreneurial journey they have been on, the company and the value they created, and the product they want to release.
This can come in the form of guest blogging or speaker engagements. Moreover, team leaders can create networking events with personnel similar to themselves to gather a spark among the people in the industry in order to create a positive brand image.
Founder-driven stories are quite appealing to anyone. Coming up with a concrete solution and helping people is a true monument to what human beings should be doing. As a result, directly pitching to media personnel or editors can also be a viable outreach PR strategy. Connecting with them over time is simultaneously an effective method to look for investors should anyone need them. In the future, if things work out and the company becomes even bigger, the connections will definitely come in handy.
From a broader aspect, trying to win over people on social media through customer engagement posts/incentives can also turn out to be quite productive. In today’s tech-oriented world, where people get first-hand updates from social media, a properly segmented publicity event can elevate the brand image in a good way. Huge short-form content-based media houses are always on the lookout for exciting startups around the block. An interview or a simple session can help any startup or company cater to the mass audience about their vision. Founders can also try to connect with podcast creators and content creators who work in a similar niche so that they can reach a different audience.
Social media influencers are a different approach companies can take. Influencers are internet celebrities who work with different brands to promote their products. With an avid follower base and a resounding presence, influencers are a good medium between a product and the audience it wants to reach. However, they may ask for financial incentives, so in that case, a proper contract should be made with little to no financial losses on the company’s side.
In the beginning, a startup journey is filled with a concurrent stream of obstacles. Good PR is arguably the only aspect separating the fine line between growth and death. While it may be a bit tough to start, it will surely help in ways we can’t estimate. However hard it may seem, a documented PR approach can help solve a lot of problems and gain the attention of investors or venture capital firms to fulfill its potential.
Author: Malik Araf
