When Should a Startup Think About PR?

This is the third in a series looking at PR questions I get all the time.

In this episode, I look at when a startup should think about PR. When I ran business development for Archetype (formally Text100), we'd receive RFIs and RFPs from startups all the time. Many were wanting full service PR support. But, during qualification, we'd often find that they weren't ready for full service. In fact, many didn't have PR building blocks such as a differentiated proposition, a clear understanding of the audiences they wanted to reach, nor verticals they wanted to focus on. The one thing the often had in common was a desire for top tier media coverage - a challenge without the building blocks.

The key is for founders to think about the goals they want to achieve at each stage of their evolution - and seek PR support to best reach clearly defined audiences. If you want funding, see how an agency or consultant can help you raise your profile with VCs and investors. If beta customers are testing your software platform, how can PR help make the tests successful and build case studies? And if you need word of mouth to grow fast on launch, how can an agency help you build an influencer base that's ready to spread the word on cue?

As your business grows, expand your communications program accordingly, and please avoid the ready, fire, aim approach that will only end in (expensive) tears.

As always, if you like the video, please 'like' it. If you think your connections will like it, please 'share'. And if you have a point of view, please 'comment'. Of course, if you think it's the best thing thing since sliced bread, feel free to do all three...

Special thanks to Konstantinos Papakonstantinou and the team at https://boardstudios.com/who made me look so much better. And for more B2B advice and content, take a look at https://b2bnxt.com/.