Public Relations

Watch TV? Do much reading? Listen to talk radio? The news that you experience comes from a combination of reporters uncovering their own story themes and pitches sent to reporters by outside sources. As a new entrepreneur with a great business fresh on the scene, you may have a highly appealing story that reporters are interested in learning and writing about. And if they do write about your business, it can be a homerun opportunity for you.

We often refer to “the power of PR,” a phenomenal way to generate awareness about what you’re up to--virtually for free--that will touch potentially thousands or millions of people. Many entrepreneurs say their PR efforts have benefited them in ways they could never have afforded to pay for. Doesn’t that sound tempting?

The question for you should be whether you choose to do your PR in-house or, instead, use a professional like Rembrandt Communications, the firm StartupNation uses. There are pros and cons to both strategies. As for doing it in-house:

Pros of in-house PR

• Your passion is contagious and gets the reporter’s attention
• You control the message more closely

Cons of in-house PR

• You’re an amateur and your pitch to reporters may seem that way
• You don’t have the preexisting media contacts that a professional has

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing involves hooking up with other businesses or organizations that share a similar target audience to yours. With affiliate marketing, you work out a mutually beneficial relationship through which you swap advertising or share revenues with the other organization, and reach more people with your marketing message.