One of the biggest challenges for startups is keeping in the public eye – getting the word out on a consistent basis to drive an audience, customers, buzz, etc. There are lots of marketing techniques for startups but one that I think is under used and under appreciated is PR.
Public Relations is all about getting the word out. But generally, PR is used to reach the mainstream press and a mainstream audience. So a lot of startups – especially those living in a Web 2.0 bubble – don’t focus much energy on PR. If your startup is in the Valley or another true startup ecosystem you may be able to generate sufficient buzz through the community, but for the rest of us, we need everything we can to keep in front of people, garnering attention.
The thing with PR is that it’s not just for attracting mainstream press, although that’s a good reason to use it. The press certainly looks at blogs, social media and less traditional avenues for its scoops, but they still work via press releases & press relationships as well. And even companies living in a Web 2.0 bubble – the ultra-coolest of the cool consumer apps only for the “Facebook crowd” – can still benefit from breaking into the mainstream. Ultimately that ultra-cool Valley crowd is still pretty small, and you’ll need to break out beyond it for real success.
So what can PR bring a startup?
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