Top 5 tips to master Public Relations Basics for your startup

Public Relations (PR) as we know it is changing. Less elusive and increasingly accessible, it’s now entirely possible for businesses to do their own PR without the need for 50-strong team of staff and a six-figure budget. No one is better at selling your business than you are, so read ahead for five handy tips that’ll help you DIY your PR.

1. Never turn down anyone for a coffee: Today’s interns are tomorrow’s CEOs. You never know who you’re going to meet, or who they can connect you with – you may just come across that one person who will change your business forever.
2. Understand your customer: It’s perhaps obvious, but a true understanding of your customer is crucial in successfully promoting your product or business. So you know who buys your product – great. But where else do they shop? What do they do with their weekends? Where do they go on holiday? Your customer is not just buying into a product but a lifestyle, so an understanding of the life they lead will help you to market your business in the best way possible.
3. And who you’re pitching to: Be realistic and don’t waste yours or the editor’s time pitching to publications that don’t suit your target audience. Read through every magazine, newspaper and website you’re pitching to, even just once, and you’ll have a far more thorough understanding of the regular stories and features that your product or business could sit in.
4. Make sure everything looks good: Research shows that people form first impressions within just a seven second window, meaning that the first thing that your customer needs to see is something that communicates your business in the most positive light. Uniformity is also crucial; a colour scheme and a consistent font and tone of voice will help your business to appear as professional as possible.
5. Patience and persistence: PR takes time – it’s frustrating, but it’s true. The process from initial introduction to physical coverage can take months but you have to start somewhere and as you persist, editors will become increasingly more aware of who your brand is and what it is you have to offer.

Top 5 tips to master Public Relations Basics for your startup

Sandile Shabangu

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