At Pearscroft Communications, we know a thing or two about startups. We speak to startup owners and founders on an almost daily basis, so we’d like to think we’ve garnered some useful insights to help startups get their name out there. Regardless of the type of business you are or the industry you operate in, there are some universal rules that apply to all. Namely, without the luxury of heritage behind you, one of the greatest challenges facing all startups is the need to create trust, credibility and awareness to drive growth and attract investors. In this blog, we’ll be exploring the key strategies startups can employ to heighten their profile.

1. One of the first things to do is execute a discovery session where your official corporate messaging, identity and target audience is determined. Startups can execute a more grass roots version of a discovery session but what is crucial in determining the specific audience you want to target. Once this is identified, develop a targeted media list of publications and journalists who write for your specific audience. For instance, if you had a cybersecurity, software development or artificial intelligence company, you would want to know who writes about those specific topics in the enterprise technology sector of publications. Consider a “top 10” list and make sure you regularly check in to see what topics are being covered.

1. Once you’ve uncovered the most relevant journalists and publications that resonate with your target audience, the next step is to consider how to engage. Does your official messaging align with what journalists are writing about, aka is it newsworthy? Does your product offering or solution solve a problem the industry is facing? Once you’re sure what you have to say is newsworthy, the next step is to start drafting a public facing pitch you can use to approach journalists, producers or reporters.
2. Draft a pitch note that is clear and concise. The Australian media landscape is small and there are thousands of businesses vying for the attention of very few numbers of media personnel in any given industry. Journalists receive hundreds of media pitches every day so it’s important that your message is not only unique but succinct and respectful of the journalist’s time. You should be able to explain in a single sentence what you do and why you’re different. Ensure your language is clear and uncluttered from industry specific jargon. Put yourself in the journalist’s shoes – would this pique your interest?
3. Once you’re clear on the outlet and journalists you’re targeting, perform consistent news monitoring and analysis. Regularly observe the topics being covered and consider how they’re being reported on. After a few weeks, you can start to identify patterns of reporting and the different angles being covered. This will allow you to hone your pitch and maximise the chances of securing media coverage, a catchup with that journalist to start building rapport, or even an interview.
4. Finally, it’s important to keep in regular contact with the journalists and reporters on your target list. Compliment the article or piece they’ve written, ask if they would like any industry statistics, expert commentary or an alternative perspective. This mayn’t result in immediate coverage but it does build familiarity with your brand and it plays into the long game of PR, maximising your coverage prospects.
   These strategies may only cover the basics but following these will put you in good stead on your corporate communications journey. It’s entirely possible to develop best practice principles when it comes to media relations when your startup is small and still finding its feet. However, as you start to grow and your corporate reputation becomes more widely known, it’s well worth the investment putting something so precious into the hands of the experts. Contact christopher@pearscroftcommunications.com.au to arrange a free discovery session to fine tune your corporate reputation.