You have worked hard, sacrificed your social time and injected money into the success of your project; however, giving your project the exposure needed for it to soar may be the toughest hurdle yet. Putting together a publicity campaign may not be an easy fit, and have a limited budget takes away the ambitions of enlisting the services of a high-end PR firm.
Fortunately, you still can rustle up some major interest in your startup using low-cost techniques such as:
1 – Communicate Your Higher Purpose
In today’s highly competitive market with a highly robust and diverse startup culture, it is doubtful that you will be the first to market with a new service or product. Overall, what counts is that you are keen on offering a solution to a problem. However, the media will not be quick to ride that wave based on the merits you purport for your product or services.
Therefore, you should be clear on what your business stands for; your philosophy, your view of the issue and how you intend to resolve it, and what makes your approach uniquely different from the rest in the market. In short, you should cook up something exciting and appealing, something that offers the media a fresh perspective. Be very vocal about what’s relevant in your field and be consistent as well as open to difference of opinions. Also, draw inspiration from past experiences and use them to make an authority figure for resolving the present problems. Follow all of these tips and read this piece of content on how to become a Forbes contributor and watch the magic happen.
2 – Find Like Minds With Influence
If you are looking into means of communicating with influencers, then you there is a long list of options that includes blogs, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, as well as leading industry publications. However, you should take the time to familiarize yourself with the different audiences of these influences before you reach out to connect with them and brainstorm ideas and creative ways of introducing your business (services or products) to them.
Consider this scenario: some few years back, an online eyewear brand did research focusing on the styles that all the fashion reporters, bloggers, and editors that wore glasses preferred. Armed with the information regarding what each influencer liked; the head designer then came up with personalized video messages for each of these individuals suggesting to them a style of eyewear that would be their style statement. The message also included a virtual consultation. Of the many influencers that were contacted, 70% of them took advantage of the offer, and 65% blogged, shared or wrote of their experience in a positive light. Overall, the promotional cost was small, but its reach was significant.
3 – Leverage Direct-To-Public Opportunities
Most companies are never quick to relate or consult with a Public-Relations practitioner, especially when they are in the early stages of conception and a competitive market. It is during this stage that most brands will benefit from being architected in a manner that articulates how the public will levitate towards what the company has to offer.
Your business should be aware of what it is as a brand so that it can be in a better position to make the most of on direct-to-public opportunities such as speaking events, social media, and network marketing. It is all about designing relatable values and embracing the trendy language when trying to develop a hip culture with interesting spokespersons.
4 – Develop Valuable Content
Every industry, include the media scene, needs engaging content. But such material should always be relevant to a target audience. Sadly though, most entrepreneurs and businesses create articles, blogs, and infographics to pitch a product or service. The approach does work, but not for everyone. It may grab the attention of the special-interest media, but not the mainstream press outlets.
The overall objective of the press is to feed the public with factual information in a well-balanced point of view. The content the churn is structured in a manner that gives a well-rounded look into a topic giving it a voice that can be shared amongst others in the industry. Why not take advantage of this as you try to reach even to the influential competitors in your sector.
5 – Strive To Gain Recognition
Being new to the market does not mean you should take the back seat when it comes to gaining recognition. Do not leave it to the grounded and seasoned players, make your mark and let your presence be felt in the game. Your industry may have numerous awards and accolades worth considering, and you may not have to part with your money when applying.
You can go for more than the business awards. You can opt to celebrate your people (partners, clients, and sponsors) through honors such as “Shakers and Movers” or “Women to Watch” or “30 Under 30”. You can even look for more prestigious company accolades such as “Startups to Watch” or “Most Influential Innovators and Concepts.”
Also, look into annual lists accomplished business that media outlets publish in their online editorial calendars or their previous publications and then apply for them. If you are picked, then such honors to your name can be a means of bagging the attention of leaders, investors, and analysts in your field as well as other sectors.
