Tips for Launching a Startup to the Media

Launching a startup to the media isn’t easy. Even though you’re convinced that a startup press blitz will play an important role in getting your company or product off the ground, the mechanics of launching a startup to the media aren’t very clear—and that’s assuming you have the time and energy it takes to perform an initial PR campaign in-house.

Unfortunately, a poorly executed startup PR blitz has the potential to do more harm than good. So to protect your brand and gain maximum exposure to the right audiences, it’s critical to understand the basics of launching a startup to the media before you begin.

Launching a Startup the Media: Knowing Your Story

One of the most important aspects of launching a startup to the media is to know your brand story. Every startup has (or should have) a story—a narrative that talks about the origins of the company, the problem(s) the company is trying to solve and other distinctive brand characteristics.

As you prepare to publicize your brand and products to targeted audiences, it’s essential to clarify your story and communicate it to everyone in your organization. The nightmare scenario is that you have multiple or even conflicting versions of your story in circulation, confusing prospective customers and diluting your message.

After you have nailed down your story, you will need to condense it into bite-sized parcels that are suitable for distribution in short videos, on social media sites and through other channels. At Walker Sands, we specialize in helping new companies successfully articulate their stories across a variety of PR and marketing channels, improving the reach and impact of the content associated with launching a startup to the media.

Other Tips for Launching a Startup to the Media

The success of your business will be directly impacted by your initial startup press blitz. But launching a startup to the media is a multi-faceted process that requires attention in several key areas:

1. Resources. The best startup PR campaigns distribute the right messages to the right audiences at the right times. From the outset, you will need to consider the resources you have for communicating key messages at various stages of the campaign. Internal experts and employees can be extremely valuable for communicating with media outlets, but don’t discount the possibility of using your customers to discuss their experiences with your products.
2. Measurement and Metrics. At Walker Sands, we believe that good public relations campaigns should be measurable. As you begin to develop a strategy for launching a startup to the media, decide how you will define the success of the campaign and identify metrics (e.g. inbound leads, site traffic, etc.) that can be used to gauge your progress.
3. Professional Partnerships. Campaigns for launching a startup to the media can become highly nuanced. Your company has a lot riding on the outcome of your initial startup press blitz, so rather than trying to manage it yourself, consider partnering with a professional PR firm that is experienced in startup public relations.

Walker Sands has a solid track record in helping startups develop and execute campaigns for launching a startup to the media. From start to finish, we have the expertise and resources to ensure that your brand and products are presented to targeted audiences consistently and in the best possible light.