After working hard to build your product, how do you promote it to get the media exposure it needs? How do you get the word out to customers? How do you create the attraction or preference towards your product in the face of competition? This blog post answers this nagging question on the mind of every entrepreneur.
One of the best ways to get the word about your business out to your target audience is by exposing it to the media your target audience consumes.
Social media began in the early 2000s. Since then, it has evolved and spread very quickly. It has changed the way humans communicate and consume information as well as the way brands conduct business and market their products. Owing to affordable and easy access to the internet, there is a spring-up of online activities especially through social media usage on a daily basis. Social media is not just” MySpace” anymore as in the early 2000s. Social media is now Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Snapchat, Pinterest, YouTube and so many more social media platforms.
Virtually everyone is on different social media platforms. According to statistics, there are an estimated 3.6 billion people using social media worldwide and it is expected to get to 4.41 billion people by 2021. So if you’ve ever wondered where your target audience is, it is time to realize that most of them are now online. In present times, before anyone makes a purchase decision, the first place they go to check out an unfamiliar product is the world wide web. In fact, not being able to find records of your product online is a huge red flag. How then does one begin to build the requisite media exposure for one’s business? Below are five ways to get media exposure for your Startup.
START WITH YOUR STORY
According to Niel Patel, “Nothing beats a good story. By developing a strong and compelling story, you’ll be off to a great start. Your story will lay the groundwork for facilitating media coverage“.
Henry Ford is famous for being the man who taught America how to drive. Why? He sold a very good story that customers could relate to and connect with. In a time where horseless carriages (automobiles) were still the exclusive preserve of the rich, Henry Ford shared an unbelievable story of mass producing reliable and affordable “automobiles for the masses”. This story was so attractive, he got free coverage from the press of the time.
You have to do something that will get the media’s attention. That’s why recently a lot of Startups try to use social media celebrities to launch their products or borrow their stories as the foundation for the advancement of their new product. Very recently, this strategy was used by House of Lunettes who leveraged on the popularity of Big Brother Naija Celebrity Tacha. House of Lunettes leveraged Tacha’s influence and the love of her fanbase to launch a fashionable eyeglass line branded with the name and logo of Tacha’s fanbase “TITANS”. It was reported that they sold 1500 glasses in 2 hours after Tacha announced that she was the House of Lunettes brand ambassador.
BUILD A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH JOURNALISTS
You can pitch to a journalist to cover your Startup story. However, successful media outreach is all about relationships so it’s better to be in a habit of establishing rapport with journalists ahead of time before making your pitch. Don’t send your media releases straight through to the general news desk. You run the risk of having your story overlooked if you do this.
Target specific reporters to increase the chances of having your story covered, especially social and community affairs reporters in bigger news outlets. Reporter details can generally be found on a news website, or through a quick phone call to the news outlet.
HIRE A PR CONSULTANT (IF YOU CAN)
Publicity is absolutely critical for businesses. Not every Startup can juggle the intricacies of building a new business, managing employees, taking financial risks, and yet efficiently manage the image of the business. This intricate part of your business may be relegated to the background especially if you and your team do not have the skills. The job of managing the public repute of your business demands PR skills which include; developing stories about your brand that your target audience can connect with, building a network of relationships with journalists, and more.
Doing it yourself is great but they often fall short in areas where you have not developed the requisite skills to be able to do it yourself. Content creation, storytelling, media management, crisis management are all job roles that require expertise to execute. Sometimes, it is best to relax and let the experts work their magic.
Public Relations and Reputation management agencies can get you the media coverage and awareness your brand needs. Agencies like Caritas Communications can handle all your public relations and reputation management needs and even provide media training for your team.
MAKE USE OF A PROFESSIONAL CONTENT CREATORS FOR YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE
Quality and engaging content for your social media page is a very effective means of growing and creating recognition for your start-up. You need to be able to identify what your audience likes to engage with so as to enable you to create content that captivates them. Other than content related to your business, you could also share inspirational quotes, educational content, and some humor from time to time. This will make your business page less salesy, more human, and more interesting.
Furthermore, you need to always make sure to update your social media pages with fresh content regularly. It keeps your page busy and interactive. Marketing videos that tell your brand story and advertise the benefits of your product is a plus. This way, your audience knows your business.
ADVERTISING YOUR START-UP FOR MEDIA EXPOSURE
While you are pitching your news stories to journalists and using social media platforms to create recognition for your start-up, you can also tell your brand story using credible sources like Wikipedia. Write about what your brand represents, your core values, your contribution to the economy, and more. If you do not already own a website, you should start working towards earning one now. Your website is your digital brochure. It is available to anyone searching for your services 24/7 and will tell your brand story for you.