StartUp Communication: The way to sustainable PR success via classic media with a plan and perseverance.

The PR strategy along the way demands diversification, acting carefully and purposefully. It is worth planning a targeted, strategic and long-term approach, especially in the case of classic media with a wide reach and a regular audience. 3 tips from PR practice.

1. PLANNING IS HALF OF THE BATTLE: DESIGN A CONSIDERED COMMUNICATION STRATEGY

As a matter of course, you want to generate feedback for your own company as quickly as possible. But awareness is not always synonymous with PR success. You can reach a lot of people with large-scale and expensive advertising and social media campaigns, but what is the point if the majority of recipients perceive the company’s message simply as advertising? Sure, that can work, but it is not comparable to a true PR success. That’s why you should first think about who exactly you want to reach out to. Is it about customer acquisition? Should investors be addressed? Do you want to draw attention to yourself as a potential employer among skilled workers? The trust factor of an editorial, i.e. an independent publication, probably carries much more weight in these cases. This results in a wide spectrum of media and communication channels. It depends on the right communication strategy. The more precisely this is conceptualized, the more efficient the subsequent campaign execution will be. Financial and human resources are noticeably reduced in the long term through well thought-out preliminary planning, since later adjustments become less frequent. It also ensures that from the very start, your company’s message reaches the relevant people, who sometimes provide valuable feedback.

2. PRINT, RADIO, TV: TAKE A LOOK AT CLASSIC MEDIA

It is equally important for the success of the PR strategy for a founder to focus on the entire range of public relations tools. The philosophy of many start-ups – especially in the tech sector – to rely 100% on social media such as Instagram and Co., means that a lot of potential for more media resonance remains untapped. Due to the necessity of making contact with the right journalists from the established media, initiating a publication may be more time-consuming than preparing a post. But it’s a worthwhile investment. The resulting published content promises a long reach and sustainable visibility, due to an interested core audience and regularly high traffic. Thanks to the journalistic view from the outside, such publications convey trust and a certain standing in the relevant market – far more than self-created content in social media. Publications in the classic media are an important building block in building a professional corporate reputation. Especially when it comes to business relations, such as establishing a good investor relationship for future funding.

3. INDIVIDUAL & UP TO DATE: STAND OUT WITH THE RIGHT FORM OF ADDRESS

Even before the initial contact, the way into the established media requires extremely careful preparation. Using thorough research to determine which journalists cover the subject area relevant to the company is a must. Their previously published content provides orientation, which can also come from sources other than the final target medium, especially in the case of freelance authors. If the interest profile for your own start-up idea is compatible with this track record, contact can be made. What is important here is a well-prepared personal and individual approach that shows how your own company history relates to current debates and contributions in which the author is involved. The more specific the essence of the story becomes clear to the readers or audience, the higher the probability that it will stand out from the multitude of inquiries.

MORE THAN SOCIAL MEDIA: COMMUNICATIVE QUALITY THAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE

Even if social media have made it easier for start-ups to customize their public appearance, they should not remain the only means of communication. Thinking big and consistently addressing well-known media can lead to new dimensions when establishing a company and become a game changer, so that the intensive preparatory work, both independently and with the help of a PR agency, is rewarded in the form of more customers, funding and qualified employees.