How Startups Can Thrive in PR’s New Normal

Like most industries, public relations, including technology PR, has had to change over the last year and a half. Although PR has always had to adapt to the times, its recent evolution has been more, let’s say, forced. The unique qualities of the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to the usual ebbs and flows of the news cycle, have challenged startups to make the most out of their brand positioning strategies. Considering there’s been lots of news about startup financing and valuations are soaring, there is an increased influx of stories, and startups need to break through the noise by paying close attention to the evolving needs of reporters.

A recent survey of PR professionals provides important insights for startups to take into consideration when crafting their PR strategies. According to the survey, the most difficult factor that arose during the pandemic was getting a story placed in the news cycle. We’ve all seen it -- article after article on the latest variant, vaccine approvals, and daily statistics flood our news feeds daily. As we come to a place where COVID-19 has become the norm, we’re also seeing a massive bump in positive coverage around explosive growth with huge funding rounds and regular IPOs. It’s affected the way startups have to pitch stories, but it’s also made them think more carefully about what they’re putting out there. 

More Humanity Despite Less Human Interaction

Though the pandemic has caused less human interaction, in a way it’s made our society more human. There are many ways for this positive aspect to shine through in startups’ PR planning. For example, altering your emails to take into account what’s currently going on in your target audience's life goes a long way. Start the email off with something like, “I hope you are well and staying healthy” or  “Sending positive thoughts to you, your family, and friends.” If you follow a particular journalist on Twitter and see online that their pet had to be taken to the vet, adding a genuine note to check how the animal is doing is a small gesture that would be appreciated. 

Another way technology PR has become more human is through companies’ Corporate Social Responsibility teams. Businesses that have the ability to have launched significant humanitarian efforts, either through financial contributions or by offering free products or services to those in need. Many companies are acknowledging the fact that many people lost their jobs and are out of work because of the pandemic. Startups that don’t have the resources for a financial donation can donate time or incorporate an inventive way to give back into their PR strategy. Anything, no matter how big or small, shows their audience that they care. 

Mindfulness is Appreciated

Startups have also realized they need to fine-tune their pitching process to meet the needs of journalists. Perhaps the biggest, and most obvious, trend that has stemmed from working remotely is the fact that we are online all the time. Subsequently, with all of the hours on social media and browsing the web, we, along with journalists, want to be protected. Secure browsers, antivirus softwares, and two-factor authentications have blown up and for good reason. Check journalists’ twitter profiles before pitching them to see if they specify if they’d like people to use an encrypted email address. Journalists like to take some time off every now and then (and don’t want to be bothered!). Startups should also keep up-to-date with the different beats of outlets and reporters. There’s a lot of movement in the media, and following along with reporters and their coverage can help startups identify who would potentially be interested in a story.

Startups should not only take into consideration what they are pitching, but also when they are pitching. The best day to pitch is Monday, with Tuesday coming in as a close second. Startups should consider that contacts could be planning their publishing schedules for the week on Monday. However, they also need to remember that contacts are coming back to a full inbox after the weekend and emails may get lost in the shuffle. Again, doing your research before pressing send won’t hurt. Check the contact’s social channels to see if they were up to something over the weekend and could be out of the office. If a picture of them sipping a margarita at the beach comes up, the strategy needs to be re-evaluated. 

Creativity Wins

Startups are utilizing creative pitch angles to get their news heard. There are actually many ways to weave products or services into pandemic-related articles -- along the lines of “Best desk chairs for working from home,” “Zoom use up another 20%,” and “Top 5 destinations for when the world opens up again.” 

In addition to thinking outside of the box about pitching angles and speaking opportunities, startups should also be creative with their thought leadership strategies. More people are reading online content these days, so coming up with engaging thought leadership pieces gives startup execs a huge opportunity to shine. Tech startups can even consider using thought leadership pieces from their HR teams as a way to improve their employer branding.

The Future of PR 

The majority of media relations specialists believe public relations needs to be redefined in the next five years. They also believe that the importance of the public relations and communications function will grow in the next five years. Both in-house press relations and PR agencies for startups should have this on their radar.

A lot of changes we’ve seen in the industry over the past year are here to stay for the near future. Successful startups are honing their PR strategy and becoming more intentional with every single message they communicate as well as how they communicate it. In addition to that, they are focusing on the light at the end of the tunnel. Times have changed, but at the end of the day, we’re all human.