Top PR Tips for Founders Seeking Investment
If you are a business owner looking to seek investment, it is important that you present yourself in the best way possible, to ensure investors are drawn to your project.
It can be difficult to raise awareness if you are only just beginning your professional career. Therefore, it is essential that you put every possible method in place to gain the correct traction to your company.
One highly recognisable example of a company that created buzz about their project before launch was Airbnb. They used press releases to generate buzz about their upcoming launch, and the company’s first ever press release in 2006 was created to announce the website and invite people to sign up as hosts or guests. After this, Airbnb received a substantial $600,000 from Sequoia Capital in 2009, which was a turning point for the company, giving them the traction to become the market leader they now are.
Investors consider many factors when deciding whether to provide your company with a financial foundation. This includes personal image and reputation, experience and credibility. You can ensure that you have the best possible chance of gaining investment by following our top tips.
Define your target audience
Before putting the measures in place to begin your PR campaign, it is essential that you define your target audience.
Who is the main audience for your product and service, and who are the second and third most important audiences? It’s important to spend time working this out, or you won’t correctly define what tactics you use in your campaign.
By identifying your future clients’ needs and preferences, you can tailor your next steps accordingly, and take the guesswork out of knowing which PR channels to use.
Use appropriate PR channels
Another way to ensure positive PR for your upcoming project is by using every type of PR channel appropriate to your defined audience.
List media such as magazine, newspaper, blog, podcast and broadcast ideas that may be relevant. List what social media you will use.
Founder profiles are of particular importance at this stage in your company’s growth, and as part of this, a solid social media strategy is key.
Utilise those around you
Brand ambassadors are vital for creating a positive reputation, especially in the founding stages of a company or brand.
And we are not talking about celebrity influencers here (unless you have one involved in your company). Start closer to home. Everyone involved in your project – from staff to suppliers, and friends and family – have a role to play and act as an ambassador for your brand. Do they know what your vision and mission is? Do they know the key messages?
It is important that everyone is ‘singing from the same hymn sheet’.
