You just got the green light to do PR for your startup company. Where should you start?
For s
ome startups of emerging technologies, be it Internet of Things, blockchain, AR and VR, etc., creating your PR, content marketing and social media programs can be challenging. There’s a lot to do and you don’t have enough time to do it all. If you don’t have the ability to hire an agency or consultant to start the programs for you, here are basic steps to get going.
Use our PR 101 Starter Kit checklist and get ready to launch!
1) Build your press and analyst list.
Every time you read an article that is interesting to your company, jot down the name of reporter who wrote it, the publication that published it and the names of any market research analysts quoted in the article. (Check out this Google Sheets template here.)
If you have the budget for it, look at software tools from Cision, Iris PR, or TechNews (formerly IT Database) to help you build your press and analyst list.
2) Create a Content PR strategy.
Begin your content PR program by creating material that addresses the concerns that your customers and prospects face. That content can be blog posts, ebooks, and webinars. Post those on your website in a resources section.
Then, work with your CEO or key technologist and write a viewpoint article about their take on an industry issue. Place that viewpoint with a key publication in your market.
3) Build your influencer list on social media.
When you read a tweet or post that is interesting to your company, create a list within Twitter of those influencers.
Look for influencers your competitors are following and retweeting. Do the same.
Did you know you can subscribe to someone else’s lists? See if any of the influencers have their own lists, and subscribe to those as a quick way to get to relevant content.
Use social media platform tools to help you manage a consistent social media presence, such as Hootsuite or Buffer. You can batch and upload content for the upcoming week, and check in periodically to see what fresh news you want to share.
Spend 10-15 minutes a day with a targeted Twitter feed (either via a list or using Twitter search) and like, comment and retweet the news shared by influencers and analysts in your space.
4) Identify the key conferences and trade shows in your emerging technology space.
Create a list of those shows, dates, locations, organizer. (Check out this Google Sheets template here.)
Make a note of the Twitter accounts and conference hashtags to use in future social media posts.
5) Do you have a story that is worthy of a speaking opportunity at one of those conferences?
Create a list of possible speaking topics.
Submit a speaking proposal for a key conference. The submission/acceptance process can take up to 9 months, so give yourself plenty of time to do this.
Some conferences are “pay to play,” meaning that they offer a speaking slot to companies that have purchased exhibit space or they charge a fee for speaking opportunities. Note those on your overall show list.
6) Pull together a list of the key podcasts in your technology space.
Do you have an interesting/compelling/different story to tell if you were a guest on a podcast? Create a list of your speaking topics.
Find out how to be a guest speaker at those podcasts.
Follow the podcasts, hosts and their guests on Twitter.
Check back for more PR Starter Kit blog posts.
(Note: This blog post originally appeared on Marketing Profs, and it has been edited slightly.)
