It’s better to get something right several times and finally present it perfectly, than to waste hard-earned resources on some hastily made small decision that makes us regret it later. We know that when you start a business on your own, you will have a lot of pressures and expectations to meet your needs, but my dear friend, only a person who handles this pressure with calmness and equanimity will lead in a better way.
The solution to the problem where most Indian startups lack a backbone is the way they approach public relations as a job. It’s nice to see that at the moment instead of trying PR on their own, they are outsourcing PR agencies for startups. But even while outsourcing, some things will make you regret your decision to hire a PR agency for your startup, and here is a list of them:
1. They are not good storytellers: Yes, storytelling is the primary art that a PR professional needs to be an expert at because for a story to have a long-lasting impact, it needs to be told in a way that attracts journalists almost immediately. Most people in PR fall short in this art and often don’t reap much benefit for startups even when they provide them with many innovative points to highlight.
2. They always talk about past clients: It’s a good idea for PR people to tell about their past clients to get leads. But once you join, if those professionals are still talking about past clients, rather than working on your project; Beware that these people are not good at anything and will not harvest you as much media presence as you claim.
3. They consider themselves experts: Yes, they may be experts in the art of storytelling, but that doesn’t mean they have to act like an expert when talking to their clients. Instead of acting like an expert, they should be curious and anxious at the stage of identifying the best possible characteristics of the client and their organization in the informative stories.
4. They’re hungry for credit all the time: Their job is to get news coverage, personal stories and of course some kind of interview as promised in the deal. Sometimes, however, PR agencies are seen defrauding startups by banking on the reprinted copy of the news coverage. Therefore, when dealing with any emerging PR agency, be very careful not to be deceived by them, and pay only for the original ones in every sense of the word.
5. It’s Expensive: You are a newcomer to the industry, and given your childhood in the industry, you are the most likely to be scammed in terms of money. There are some companies in the very broad field of public relations that will cheat you without you even knowing. So, instead of investing in these organizations, take your time and do a wealth of research on the top players in the public relations industry who specialize in the genre in which you or your organization operates.
Now, after reading all these facts, you might think PR is not good for startups. But that is unless and until you and your startup hire a trusted PR firm. Not only will the company provide you with everything promised in the deal, but it will also design customized PR strategies for you and your startup that will reap much more benefits than expected.
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