Anyone that has ever been associated with a startup understands the desire to gain immediate attention and accolades from the media. In fact, without significant funding, well-recognized customers or phenomenal website traffic, a startup’s battle to become famous will likely end in defeat.
On the other hand, there is a winning formula to building a steady flow of articles and social media followers. It may seem simplistic, but the best strategy is to start small. In a recent post at iMedia Connection, blogger David Murdico points out that this approach leads to less wasted effort, less disappointment and stronger growth.
Murdico suggests that startups can take the initiative to create videos, start social media campaigns, contact editors and sponsor contests. But with this many avenues, how do you know where to start?
Consider the following best practices to get on the PR playing field:
- Video– Murdico says to look for an online video agency that can create a variety of social media content. Unfortunately, even short videos can be costly. You might consider bringing your smartphone to the next company PR event. Simply recording the event on your iPhone can provide quality video for your website and social media pages.
- Social Media– With all of the talk generated by social media experts, it can be intimidating to know how to get started in the genre and what type of content to post. Relax. You’re an expert in your business and likely come across interesting industry news daily. Take a moment to post the story to your Facebook page. Retweet relevant articles in your Twitter feed. Make a commitment to add people and companies to follow on a weekly basis. Before you know it, the activity levels will start to increase organically.
- PR– Murdico makes an excellent point when he advises startups to stop sending out email blasts to hundreds of media outlets and journalists. He’s absolutely correct to recommend picking a handful of targets and sending them personalized story ideas.
The key is to prioritize objectives and start with highly focused PR activities. Determination, progress and patience will likely pay big dividends. Who knows, before long, editors could be calling you for stories.