Startups are already faced with the challenge of building a brand from scratch, but it’s how you get recognised that’s important. Effective PR strategies can help startups gain the awareness they need and the visibility they desire.

We sat down with PR expert and BIG little LDN founder, Emma Critchley-Lloyd, to find out some of her tips and tricks start-ups can use to get their name out there.

Understand your target audience

Competition is high regardless of your industry, which is why it’s so important to meet your audience where they live. By identifying who your target audience is, you can create tailored PR campaigns that captivate and engage on the platforms they consume content.

Build relationships with journalists

Whether you’re a start-up, scale up or well-established brand, journalists are busy, and they are for life, not just for when you need them. Like with any human being or business relationship, it takes time to build connections, trust and rapport to the point they start recognising your name in their inbox. It’s important to start as soon as possible and be consistent.

Journalists receive hundreds of emails a day, with a large percentage of those emails not being at all relevant, which is why if you want to be noticed, you need to be memorable for the right reasons. Consider what makes your brand interesting, what’s the captivating hook, offer samples if you can, make the package unforgettable and craft your pitch in a way that really gets them caring.

Leverage social media

Use social media to share your brand’s story and engage with your audience. By identifying who your target audience is, you’ll also find out which social media platforms they use. Many of the PR projects we work on have involved social media and influencer marketing as an add-on to support storytelling and maximise exposure.  

Social media should contribute to a seamless brand experience. Rather than looking at your strategy as siloed channels, make sure your chosen channels, PR strategy and branding all work in sync with one another.

Create compelling content

Your stories need to captivate audiences whilst staying true to your brand’s messaging. Compelling content should inform, educate or entertain an audience so getting the hook in your story right requires experience and skill.

If you’re working with a PR agency, they will need:

• Access to relevant team members to interview

• Branding and marketing materials

• Efficient communication channels  

Press events  

Press events create exciting buzz that gets the media going. Your brand wants to be at the centre of the conversation which is why a successful PR event has the right branding, talkability, memorable moments and attendees to win positive media attention.

Monitor and measure results

It’s important that you use analytics tools to track the success of your PR efforts and make necessary adjustments throughout a campaign’s lifespan to get the biggest bang for your buck. Keep a close eye on the media landscape and acknowledge that the fast-paced nature of the media means that strategy may require adapting due to significant events in the news.

Work with an award-winning PR agency

Effective PR strategies are essential for startups looking to build a recognisable brand and meet their target consumer. By understanding your audience, building media relationships, and creating compelling content, you can establish a strong public presence.  

However, we understand that in startup culture, time is of the essence. Teams are stretched as it is, and PR requires dedicated time and effort that many businesses just don’t have. We offer accessible and affordable PR packages thanks to our lean-agency model, perfect for brands with smaller budgets but looking for a voice reserved for giants.  

If you’d like to find out how BIG little LDN can support your PR strategy, get in touch.  

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