Sure, it’s an obvious point – but how do you get there?

In this day and age, there are more and more entrepreneurs starting their own businesses and looking to get their products and services noticed in a crowded marketplace. Although networking and word of mouth are great ways to generate business, it may not be enough for a startup to get their business off the ground.

What can PR do for me?

In speaking with some of these firms, they don’t have large budgets for advertising and marketing and therefore, their business development person becomes their marketing department. We have seen this type of scenario in a number of companies and that’s where PR can come in to the picture. Companies ask, “What can we do – and how quickly can we do it?”

We said, well, the usual things. Sell your point of view. Sell the consumer need. Sell into market trends. Sell your expertise in prior jobs. Sell what makes you different (the famous new-mousetrap paradigm). And once you start selling, keep on doing it.

As simple as it may seem, keeping an on-going flow of content to your audience and potential clients can go a long way. Entrepreneurs and startups come up with some great concepts; have smart people working with them, and a great Rolodex. However, how will your audience, outside of your own contacts, know you exist if you are not coming up in search engines or in reading materials that your competitors show up in?

Here is a checklist that we stand by to get your PR plan off the ground.

*Are you ready to tell your story in a meaningful way?
*Can you dedicate enough time to a PR strategy to make it work over time?
*Are you willing to develop relationships with the media to educate them on your company and products or services?
*Does your company have a compelling story and need the support to develop that story for PR?

A PR strategy is not a one-size-fits-all and should always be customized to a company’s objectives and budget, and the story they need to tell to grow their business. Can we claim that PR is a key to a client’s success in growing their business? Not always. Can PR help support positive messages and generate buzz for a company to get noticed?

Yes, if done correctly!