| Marketing a startup is one of the biggest struggles for | | | | everyone else is clamoring to make contact with the |
| any entrepreneur. You need to increase sales and | | | | star, take that opportunity to get to know the reporter. |
| grow your customer base, but effective advertising is | | | | Building a good relationship with the right members of |
| expensive. While the internet provides significant | | | | the press is invaluable. If they can count on you to |
| opportunities for low-cost and no-cost marketing, many | | | | provide informative and interesting quotes or sound |
| business owners overlook the value in establishing an | | | | bites, you will not only build your reputation as the |
| in-house public relations system. | | | | expert in your field, but your company will garner free |
| What is Public Relations? | | | | advertising every time you are used as a source. |
| Public relations encompass the work that needs to be | | | | Finding the right outlets, and knowing their editorial |
| done to get your company in the news. The efforts | | | | schedules, is critical. Don't just randomly send out press |
| should include building relationships with appropriate | | | | releases, but do your homework so you know they |
| news editors, writing effective press releases, and | | | | are going to the right person at the right publication. |
| planning how to best use press relations to enhance | | | | Most magazines have a three-month advance |
| your marketing plan. Of course, it is possible to hire a | | | | requirement, meaning articles they write today will not |
| PR firm to do this work for you, but they can be | | | | be published for three months. Local newspapers and |
| expensive and do not have the same stake in seeing | | | | magazines tend to have much shorter news cycles. |
| your venture succeed as you do. In addition, a PR firm | | | | Keep this in mind when setting up your public relations |
| will have to be taught about your company -- what | | | | marketing plan. Select the media outlets that are likely |
| you do, how you do it, what will be newsworthy, and | | | | to meet your objectives. Whatever your target market |
| who should be targeted. You will be charged for the | | | | reads, that's where you want to be. Gather all the |
| hours it takes to get them up to speed. A better | | | | editorial information you can about these sources. |
| entrepreneurial option is to teach yourself all you can | | | | Read the magazines (and subscribe), watch the TV |
| about effective public relations, then assign the tasks | | | | shows. Pay attention to the details of how they |
| to your key employees as you grow. | | | | present information. If a single, square, color photograph |
| Planning PR | | | | is standard with an article, be sure that is what you |
| The primary objective of public relations is to expose | | | | send. If articles are short, keep your press release |
| more potential customers to your company and | | | | short. Building these contacts takes time, but is well |
| product(s). You may have a secondary objective of | | | | worth your effort. After a few distributions, you will |
| exposing potential investors to your company, as well. | | | | establish a system for reaching your best opportunities |
| Thus, your first step is to define what is and will be | | | | and the time required will be significantly reduced. |
| newsworthy about your business. Sending out | | | | Writing the Right Press Release |
| sporadic press releases is far less effective than | | | | Press editors are flooded with press releases, often |
| developing a steady stream of publicity. The editors | | | | reviewing a hundred or more each day. The trick is to |
| who review hundreds of press releases per day are | | | | make your press releases stand out to the reviewer. |
| more likely to notice yours and hopefully become | | | | Every news item you distribute should say "News |
| interested in your progress if they see your company | | | | Release" and your company name at the top. Avoid |
| name on a regular basis. | | | | sending press releases on standard letterhead. The |
| News events are fairly easy to come by with a | | | | next line is your headline. Headlines can be the most |
| startup. Consider planning press releases for: | | | | difficult, yet most important line in the entire document. It |
| - What your business will do | | | | needs to grab the editor's attention and urge them to |
| - Who will benefit from your product or service | | | | read on. Reporters and journalists are looking for news |
| (consider seeking "testers") | | | | items that are important to their readers. Spend some |
| - Securing investors or financing | | | | time on the headlines, they are your first obstacle to |
| - Business launch or grand opening | | | | getting free press. |
| - New product releases | | | | The body of your press release contains two parts -- |
| - New contracts awarded (with your client's | | | | the news item itself and a general company |
| permission, of course) | | | | description. The news item should include complete |
| - Staff changes and additions | | | | answers to the classic questions -- who, what, when, |
| - Website content additions, especially freebies | | | | where, why, and how. Use an active voice -- say |
| - Events you sponsor or co-sponsor | | | | what you do, not have done or will do. Include quotes |
| Once your business is launched, every milestone that | | | | from you or other key employees and be sure to |
| you noted in your business planning is an opportunity | | | | make the information relevant and interesting to your |
| for a press release. Be creative and stay on top of | | | | target market. |
| the process. Interesting news is important, but | | | | The final paragraph of your press release should be |
| consistency is critical. | | | | "About the Company" -- a good description of what |
| Meet the Press | | | | your business does. Include media contact information |
| The best planned PR campaign is only as effective as | | | | at the end, with at least your name, title, telephone |
| who it reaches. Do your due diligence in finding the right | | | | number, and email address so that the contact can |
| news sources to reach your potential customers. Most | | | | reach you for more information. Excellent samples of |
| newspapers and television stations have editors | | | | press releases from within your industry can be found |
| dedicated to business news. Find out who they are | | | | at PRWeb by searching your keywords. |
| and make an effort to get to know them. Let them | | | | Get Your Public Relations Started |
| know that, as an expert in whatever it is you do, you | | | | Wherever you are in the startup process, get to work |
| are more than happy to provide information on your | | | | on developing your company's public relations plan right |
| business, industry, target market, or whatever else | | | | away. Identify the media most relevant to you, and |
| they need. One great way to meet members of the | | | | brainstorm newsworthy items that you plan to |
| press (local, anyway) is through networking events. If | | | | distribute. PR can be an effective marketing tool and |
| there is an important guest or popular speaker, | | | | it's free. Don't overlook the possibilities for your venture, |
| chances are the beat reporter will be there. While | | | | get started today. |