Funding Announcements for Startups

​So, you are a startup.  You have your business plan in place, have some funding (with more in the pipeline), are actively building company infrastructure and developing your product.  But – you’re not ready to announce your product yet.  Can PR help you at this junction?

The answer is a resounding “Yes!”  PR can help get your company on the radar and lay the groundwork for your product announcement as well as with both potential customers and investors.

For example, if you have funding in place, you can announce this even before you are ready to announce your product.  A funding announcement can also let you lay the groundwork for your announcement when you are ready.  

Don’t have funding yet?  There are a whole slew of things you can do through PR to help create visibility, and to help create traction among potential investors and customers.  These include press releases on your company formation, personnel announcements on strategic hires from senior executives to board of advisors, contributed articles and more.  All of these can help create awareness and media buzz, even before your product is ready to be announced.  Already announced your product?  Add in things like press releases on customer contracts and partnerships, PR at tradeshows/conferences, speaking engagements, editorial calendar opportunities program and company-hosted webinars.

The important thing about PR for startups is a regular program of media outreach.  Don’t do just one press release, then nothing for six months (or longer).  The PR process builds over time, and both the media and investors can have a short memory given the volume of news coming out.  

PR can be beneficial for startups no matter what stage.  Incorporating PR into your business plan even at this early junction can go a long way to helping you achieve your goals and objectives, especially with investors and potential customers.