PR ON THE GO December 27, 2023

Why and how to incorporate PR into your daily startup activities

Most startups rely on paid marketing efforts and are busy improving their ROI to drive traffic and generate leads. They only scratch the surface of the vast opportunities for earned media placements and third-party endorsements that can be offered through PR efforts - and that are completely free. Instead of truly immersing themselves in the world of relationships, collaborations and partnerships that PR pursues, they often embark on outreach activities that are automated by AI. But this is something that can actually hurt media relations.

We asked our PR and growth experts for their advice on why and how startups should incorporate real PR activities into their daily routine. The experts share actionable steps, from establishing credibility with initial PR to securing public interest with relevant PR, offering a compilation of fifteen valuable tactics for startups to enhance their PR efforts.

• One daily outreach email
• Get mileage out of content
• Start off strong
• Monitor and respond to media inquiries every day
• Professionalize your social media
• Boost domain authority
• Share insights that resonate with your brand's values
• Create clear, compelling pitches
• Effectively manage your startup's delicate reputation
• Create a strong narrative and engage
• Pitch for guest post proposals
• Do your homework on the media outlets that cover your field.
• Become noteworthy and the answer to someone's problem
• Create your startup story like a movie trailer
• Link PR to stellar customer service

1) One daily outreach email

Emily Reynolds-Bergh, Owner at R Public Relations

"PR can feel daunting to new business owners, but it shouldn’t be! Think of PR as making friends. A daily outreach email to a local journalist, neighboring business, or regional influencer is a simple, relationship-building tool that takes no more than five minutes to complete. Your only goal is to build a rapport with these individuals, so that when an opportunity arises, you already have friends in the media and community to help you promote your business."

2) Get mileage out of content

Paige Arnof-Fenn, Owner at Mavens & Moguls

"PR today is so much more accessible, hiring an agency can help but is not required to get coverage. Content marketing is the new PR and including short-form video and snippets in your outreach are a great way to go. A featured snippet could be things like a how-to list, summary paragraph, or information table. If it gets picked up it saves users time and Google will link to your full page. So landing a featured snippet is quite the accolade and can drive a good chunk of traffic. To get the most out of your PR the key is to repurpose content by turning a series of articles/blog postings/newsletters into a book/e–books then turning every piece of content/media hit into a tweet and share links to the content on all your social media platforms. Turn articles into infographics and video your talks to share over social media. Once you have a piece you are happy with it makes sense to get as much mileage out of it as possible. Find creative ways to leverage your thought leadership so that your audience finds you easily."

3) Start off strong

Ivy Bernabe, SEO Performance Marketing Manager at Tidal Digital

"Positive public relations can benefit nearly anyone, but startups stand to gain more than the average company trying to look good by publishing a few "puff pieces."

Good first impressions are priceless, as a company that messes up its public image in the beginning will spend the entirety of its existence trying to remedy that image instead of moving forward. It is therefore recommended to start off strong. Good PR not only fosters trust but also establishes a startup's credibility in a competitive environment.

PR helps in building a network of media contacts, leading to increased exposure and potential long-term partnerships (the value of which cannot be overstated). Effective PR strategies also address negative publicity and can nip it in the bud before it blooms into an image-destroying thorn in the company's side."

4) Monitor and respond to media inquiries every day

Precious Abacan, Marketing Director at Softlist

"Startups should make PR a regular part of their activities because marketing and public relations are crucial for any business. PR helps tech startups understand their target audience and craft messages that make them stand out. It's important to consistently reach out to journalists and experts to keep them informed about who you are, what services you offer, your company, and its brand. A consistent and disciplined approach to media outreach can lead to chances for comments, interviews, and more.

My advice is to always monitor and respond to media inquiries and journalist requests every day. Digital PR is a big part of PR strategies today, and it can be a tremendous benefit.

Right now, lots of journalists are looking for expert insights for their articles. You can offer your high-quality opinions, insights, or even short quotes to get some exposure for your company. I highly recommend using services like HARO, Featured, Help a B2B Writer, and Qwoted. Most marketers and PR experts would agree with me on this. The best part is that the PR success from this is very cost-effective, and the return on investment is really high!"

5) Professionalize your social media

Mark Damsgaard, Founder at Global Residence Index

"PR not only helps in building brand awareness but also establishes your credibility, attracts potential investors, and fosters a positive public perception. You can integrate PR into your daily activities by optimizing your social media profiles first, especially on LinkedIn.

This means completing your profile, making sure that you have a decent, professional-looking profile photo and cover photo, a concise summary of your background, updated contact details, and complete information about your experience and expertise.

Then, try to post regularly. Share articles and insights about topics that apply to your industry. This will help build your online presence and authority in your field."

6) Boost domain authority

Justin Silverman, Founder and CEO at Merchynt

"As a startup, gaining domain authority with Google is a must, since organic leads will always be your most cost-effective form of lead acquisition. One easy way to boost your domain authority is to work with PR experts to get featured in major publications, which link back to your website. The sooner you do this, the sooner you can start getting organic leads to your website."

7) Share insights that resonate with your brand's values

Marco Genaro Palma, Content Marketing Manager at PRLab

"Startups should integrate PR into their daily activities to enhance visibility and credibility, which are crucial for increasing ROI and gaining a competitive edge.

A solid first step is to build relationships with media and influencers relevant to the industry. Achieve this by sharing stories or insights that resonate with your brand's values and goals.

Such connections position your brand as a thought leader, differentiating it in a busy market and ultimately drawing in more clients and stakeholders."

8) Create clear, compelling pitches

Bobby Lawson, Technology Editor/Publisher at Earth Web

"To stand out in the digital business world of new ideas and competition, startups need to speak clearly. Small tech companies need public relations to build trust, a good name, and brand recognition.

In the tough field of IT, trust is very important. Public relations work, like interviews, articles, and reviews from experts, can help a business be the best in its field. People who might invest in, buy from, or do business with the company can trust it more.

When a new business opens, PR is very important. With the right message, smart media placement, and social media participation, startups can reach leaders in their field and potential customers.

New businesses can make money with good PR. Investors may be interested in new projects, collaborations, and partnerships if you get media attention for your successes, ideas, and other significant accomplishments.

As you talk about your startup's USP, goals, and biggest accomplishments, make sure the story is interesting. This story will help you engage with the news and people who are interested.

Write short, compelling pitches for a variety of media outlets. Make it clear how the story of your company aligns with what people are interested in. One-on-one pitches can get you more press."

9) Effectively manage your startup's delicate reputation

Kseniia Mykolaienko, CMO at Parentaler

"Incorporating PR into operations can be beneficial for startups in effectively managing their public image. Startups often face a delicate reputation, and implementing PR strategies can help mitigate crises and maintain a positive perception in the eyes of the public.

I have witnessed firsthand how our PR efforts played a role in addressing company mishaps or product failures, instilling confidence in our customers. To get started, startups should focus on establishing relationships with journalists and influencers, while also developing a crisis communication plan."

10) Create a strong narrative and engage

Sam Tarantino, Founder at Harmonic Reach

"Startups should integrate PR into their daily activities because it helps to build credibility, increase brand awareness, and foster relationships with key stakeholders. Based on my experience as CEO of Grooveshark, one of the most effective steps to get started with PR is creating a strong narrative.

A compelling brand story can capture attention and resonate with your target audience. But remember, it's not just about broadcasting your message; PR is a two-way communication. Engage with your audience, respond to their queries, and value their feedback. This approach helped us to create an SEO marketing machine and resulted in significant growth for our startup."

11) Pitch for guest post proposals

Alan Redondo, Founder at Ardoz Digital

"Brands should integrate daily PR activities because I believe that putting in the time and effort to keep up with PR strategies leads to bigger benefits and a better return on investment. Essentially, good PR can lead to profit!

A company that boosts its reputation through various unique PR methods is more likely to attract new potential customers. People get more chances to engage with the company through its business stories and press releases. Aside from getting journalists to write about your startup, I also recommend pitching directly to major business magazines and websites like Forbes.com, Inc.com, Entrepreneur.com, and FastCompany.com with guest post proposals.

This might be tough in the early stages of your startup, but as you gain more experience, you'll naturally collect more real-life stories. These experiences can then be the foundation for captivating and intriguing articles."

12) Do your homework on the media outlets that cover your field.

Lucas Ochoa, Founder and CEO at Automat

"Startups need to weave PR into their everyday tasks because it's very important for getting press coverage and media attention, which are ultimately key for increasing visibility and building a good brand reputation.

My advice is to do your research and choose your target sources strategically. There was a time, and it might still be true for a lot of founders, when every new startup was itching to get covered by TechCrunch. For many, getting featured in TechCrunch could really turn the tide in their favor, bringing a lot of attention and other advantages.

That's what we did with our startup, Automat. We managed to get our startup business featured in TechCrunch. So, you really need to do your homework to figure out which blogs, newspapers, other media outlets, and journalists are focusing on your specific area and market."

13) Become noteworthy and the answer to someone's problem

Stefan Campbell, Owner at The Small Business Blog

"I make it a habit to tell the readers of my business publication not to ignore the value of PR in their company's daily—and at times, simple—activities. Effective PR is essentially covert and free advertising, so why not take advantage of the opportunity and build goodwill toward your business through such a simple step?

Without a doubt, the best place for any startup (or seasoned business) to begin a positive PR campaign is on social media. These free platforms offer the built-in perk of presentation and spotlight without much effort.

The main goal of PR is to become noteworthy and the answer to someone's problem. I know the best way to present professional PR materials on these platforms is to offer the opportunity to digitally share press releases, even at the public level.

With social media so ingrained in our daily lives, I believe this is a perfect medium to obtain compelling PR and give people something to talk about and seek out."

14) Create your startup story like a movie trailer

Chetan Patil, Owner at Patil Law

"Think of a startup as a growing garden. Public relations, or telling people about the startup, is similar to planting seeds for a garden to grow. Create a short and interesting story about the startup, similar to a movie trailer. Share this story frequently through press releases, interviews with the media, and social media.

Consider it like spreading the word about your garden. This storytelling draws attention to and helps people remember your startup. It's similar to making your garden stand out and more appealing. So, by sharing your startup's story regularly, you're watering those seeds and assisting your garden of recognition and success to grow."

15) Link PR to stellar customer service

Saya Nagori, Founder at Wander DC

"The saying, “All press is good press,” applies in most cases, but I would say there are some caveats. Startups should consider relevant and interesting PR to be the hook they need to secure public interest and approval.

I own a travel business, so any positive press that I strive for includes that which declares my professional capabilities and stellar customer service. It is important to make these goals my 'PR plan' through everyday activities and interactions.

One way to secure such positive standing is to go straight to the source and advertise or be featured in business-related hard copy and digital publications. For example, if I can advertise in a travel magazine along with a quick customer review quote, I present my company's name to the public as well as showcase positive feelings toward my business.

I would also advise businesses to set themselves apart and offer expert advice on related subject matter through social media or news outlets. This has been a successful PR move for me because potential travel clients see that I do know what I am talking about, therefore credible customer service is likely to follow."

#PRontheGO

This expert panel was published in collaboration with Featured.