“For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for nature cannot be fooled.” –Richard Feynman.
When it comes to Public Relations, what do you do if you are a self-funded startup on a shoestring budget? The answer is simple. No money = no fancy Madison Avenue PR firm. Of course, necessity is the mother of all invention, so at NewsCred, we do all our public relations ourselves, using every possible channel or innovative (read: free) marketing technique we can think of. So far, the results have been surprisingly effective.
Its amazing how far you can get if you don’t come across as a ‘PR type.’ Nobody really likes talking to PR people, so when I make a phone call or shoot someone an email, I do my best to sound as non-PR as possible (no offense to any PR people reading this – I’m sure the work you do is invaluable). Most of the time, when I reach out to people in the industry, I’m just looking for some feedback, or help, or just hoping to bounce some ideas around. One strategy that seems to work best: I don’t ever feel embarrassed to flat out say “Look, we’re a self-funded startup so we can’t afford any PR. I’m just reaching out to you directly in the hope that you’ll like our story.” I’m not sure if its because of our honesty, or because of pity, but the responses are always heartfelt and helpful.
Techcrunch UK has a really good discussion going about PR. I think the most important takeaway is that no PR firm can replace the passion, drive, energy and obsessive craziness that is associated with a startup’s CEO. I love spreading the word about NewsCred because I really believe in our mission. Furthermore, I enjoy doing it. The adrenaline and buzz that you get when a huge industry heavyweight (or even a passionate blog reader) responds to your email is second to none. At some point, we may have to pay for someone to take over some of the media responsibilities so that I can focus on things like growing and driving our company, but until then, we’re doing it ourselves. And loving it.
BTW, thanks to everyone for filling out the surveys. The results are fantastic and I can’t wait to share them with you as soon as the survey closes. For those who haven’t yet, please help us out and take 5 minutes. It’s good for your health, promise.
I work in PR and was impressed with the post. Honesty and passion will get you guys far I’m sure. At some point though, you’ll need to take on a PR agency or bring on a PR guy within your team… You dont want to chase down media interviews all day. Good luck.