Hiring PR when you’re not ready

- I was once approached by the CEO of a small startup that was so excited to hire PR, he couldn't wait to get going. We sat down and had a conversation about what the strategy would look like, but we didn't get very far. The conversation went something like this. "So, tell me what you're looking to achieve by using public relations?" "Well, we want to be famous in the software industry." Think about it, what exactly does that mean? Also, the software industry is huge and the ask is pretty vague. The reason that example is powerful is because like any other business strategy, there has to be a clear objective. There has to be a why to what you're doing, and there also are components that need to be in place. Otherwise, you might be jumping the gun on PR which won't let you utilize it to its full potential. Think about if you opened up your refrigerator to cook dinner but you had no idea what you were planning to make. How would you know what to pull out and prepare? I don't want you to make the mistake of investing in PR if you or your company is not ready, because ultimately, you'll waste money and look silly with the press. It's important to spend time with your why to determine clear goals, here are some qualifiers to consider before you consider PR for your business. One, have clear goals for why you want PR, saying, "I want to be famous," isn't enough. Be clear on this because PR is not one-size-fits-all, it has all different kinds of swim lanes and strategies. For example, if you are fundraising, it's important to raise awareness with investors, and that's a specific type of PR. Or if you're inviting people to a local event, it's important for you to get local media coverage, and that's another specific type of PR. And lastly, if you're trying to launch a new product, maybe working with influencers is your move. Regardless, get clear on how you want PR to help drive your business objectives. Number two, have a working product or service. This may sound obvious, but making sure it is out of beta, fully working, and that you have happy customers is important. This is one of the very first questions a reporter will ask you, so get clear on it now. Gone are the days of, "I have a great idea." In this competitive market, there needs to be more substance. Number three, understand how you are different. This is important, and one of the first questions the media will ask you as well. Remember, at the end of the day, you are solving for something, what is that? And if you are not the first, which is totally okay, what makes your product, service, or offering better? You can be the first to market and get media coverage for that. But if you are the third, fourth, fifth, you can still get media coverage if you can explain your key differentiators and you can lead with that. Lead with what you're solving for. Number four, know who your audience is, it's crucial to understand who you want to get in front of. Who is your buyer? Who is the person that you need to build trust with? Who is the person that you want to invest in your business? Who is the person that needs to hear your news that will create impact for your business? Figure out who that is, and then determine where they are consuming their information, that is where you want to be. Number five, understand what success looks like for you, this is by far one of the most important things to understand. Get over vanity metrics and flashing news sites that everyone reads, PR is about value, not volume. One to two pieces of media coverage in the right publication will take you much further than the 30 pieces in the wrong places and give you a much better ROI. Here's an example, early in my career, I got a client on the cover of the Wall Street Journal, and also, in a small tech blog that not many people have heard of. The Wall Street Journal placement didn't yield that much, while the small tech blog brought in hundreds of customers, why? Because the audience for this product was reading the small tech blog, those were the enthusiasts, those were the people that cared. PR is an investment not an expense, it's a powerful tool that if used correctly can really propel your business forward. But if not used correctly, can have the opposite effect. If you can confidently address those five points, you are in a great spot to start thinking about PR for your business.