PR to Profitability: Three Things Startups Should Consider Before Hiring a Public Relations Firm

3. Evaluate Short-term Needs and Long-term Growth Prerequisites

One of the biggest challenges that startups face is finding a way to accomplish short-term operational goals while bringing their big picture vision to life.

For example, it is a common misconception that having media presence will immediately translate into a huge spike in inbound customer requests and sales. While media exposure can be a lead generation mechanism, its main benefits lie in shaping positive sentiments around the brand and conveying its market value to key audiences.

Many entrepreneurs naturally gravitate towards PR because it gives them an opportunity to convey their vision and reap dividends from the future potential of their company. However, very often the best way to veer towards a direction of growth is by addressing immediate priorities and short-term business objectives.

To that end, prior to hiring a PR firm for your small business, it is critical to formulate your company’s most pressing communication needs – brand awareness, content development, online presence – and make a decision about the most effective channel to address those priorities.

Without a doubt, front page coverage in The New York Times and can be a powerful catalyst for your market momentum. However, a truly successful PR campaign can help propel growth and bolster your new business pipeline.

Furthermore, looking beyond media relations there is a tremendous benefit in engaging a specialist to help frame your market proposition, brand messaging, and critical differentiators for target audiences. However, PR should not be approached as an end-goal but a vehicle to achieving business objectives.

Looking at PR as a tool, it is important to evaluate if it’s the right tool for you prior to introducing it to your arsenal.

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Ilina Dimitrova is a PR professional, social media enthusiast, and strategic marketer for B2B brands. She specializes in driving thought leadership strategy and building credibility for startups, small businesses and Fortune 500 companies.