The Startup's PR Journey | Phase 2: Reaching Your Audience

Having meticulously crafted your core narrative in Phase 1, the next crucial step is to amplify that story and ensure it reaches the right ears and eyes. Phase 2 is all about strategic outreach, building relationships, and effectively communicating your message to a wider audience.

The Power of Targeted Outreach

Simply having a compelling story just won’t do - you need to proactively share it. This phase focuses on identifying and engaging with the key players who can help disseminate your message.

• Identifying Your Media Allies: Instead of broadly targeting "the media," pinpoint specific journalists and media outlets that align with your industry. For a tech or innovative startup in Serbia, prime targets include:

  • Tag Media TV (tagmedia.tv) and Radomir "Lale" Marković: As a prominent figure in Serbian IT media and editor of Tag Media, he's ideal for tech and innovation-focused pitches like product launches, innovative tech solutions, startup funding news, or founder interviews. Offering a compelling demo or video content can be particularly effective here.

  • WebMind (web-mind.rs), part of BizLife: WebMind is excellent for deep dives into digital business, IT, AI, and blockchain startups. You can pitch in-depth features on your technology, specific applications, or analyses of digital market trends. BizLife (bizlife.rs) itself offers a broader business audience for significant milestones or impact stories.

  • Biznis.rs (biznis.rs): This comprehensive business news portal has dedicated "Inovacije" (Innovations) and "Preduzetnik" (Entrepreneur/Startup) sections. This is perfect for pitching startup funding news, stories about economic impact, job creation, or industry-specific innovations.

  • eKapija (ekapija.com): A leading regional business portal with a dedicated "StartUp" section. They're keen on investment rounds, participation in accelerator programs, significant product milestones, and international market entries, making them a primary target for B2B startups and those with significant growth news.

• Crafting the Perfect Pitch: Your pitch should be concise, compelling, and clearly articulate why your story is newsworthy and relevant to their audience. Highlight your unique value proposition and how it addresses a current problem or trend.

  • Bad Pitch Example: "Our startup launched a new app. It's really cool. Want to cover it?" (Too vague, no value proposition.)

  • Good Pitch Example: "Subject: Exclusive: [Your Startup Name] Disrupts [Industry] with AI-Powered [Solution] to Solve [Specific Problem] – [Journalist's Name], given your recent coverage on [related topic], I thought you'd be interested in how our new platform, [Your Startup Name], is enabling [specific benefit, e.g., small businesses to manage inventory with 90% greater accuracy], directly addressing the supply chain inefficiencies you highlighted last month."

• Building Genuine Relationships: PR is built on relationships - we have written about it here. Beyond sending pitches, engage with media professionals on social platforms by commenting thoughtfully on their articles, sharing their work, or offering yourself as an expert resource for future stories, even if it's not directly about your startup. For instance, if a tech reporter tweets a question about cybersecurity trends, offer a concise, insightful answer.

Leveraging Diverse Channels

To effectively amplify your story, you need to utilize a mix of communication channels, beyond just traditional media outreach.

• Thought Leadership Content: Position yourself and your team as experts by creating insightful blog posts, articles, or whitepapers that address industry challenges and offer solutions. For a SaaS startup, this might mean publishing an article titled "The Future of AI in Customer Service: A 2025 or 2026 Outlook" on your company blog, or a whitepaper on "5 Ways Blockchain is Revolutionizing Supply Chain Transparency."

• Strategic Social Media Engagement: Your social media presence should go beyond promotional posts. Engage in conversations, share industry news, and use platform-specific features. On LinkedIn, share an insightful analysis of a recent industry report, on X (Twitter), start a thread breaking down a complex feature of your product, or host a live Q&A session.

• Partnerships and Collaborations: Explore opportunities to collaborate with complementary businesses or industry associations. This could involve co-hosting a webinar with a non-competing software company, creating a joint educational e-book with an industry expert, or offering a bundled service with a complementary product.

Measuring Your Impact

As you amplify your story, it's essential to track your progress and understand what resonates with your audience.

• Monitor Media Mentions: Use tools like Google Alerts, Mention, or Cision to track every time your startup, key personnel, or product is mentioned across news, blogs, and social media.

• Analyze Engagement Metrics: Look at specific data points:

  • Website Traffic: How many visitors are coming from articles or social media posts linked to your PR efforts?

  • Social Media Engagement: Track impressions, likes, shares, and comments on your posts.

  • Lead Generation: Are PR campaigns contributing to an increase in sign-ups, demo requests, or product inquiries?

• Gather Feedback: Actively seek feedback from your audience, customers, and partners through surveys, direct conversations, or social media polls. For example, after a media mention, ask new website visitors how they heard about you.

Phase 2 is a dynamic period where your well-defined narrative starts to gain traction. By strategically engaging with media, leveraging diverse channels, and diligently measuring your impact, you'll set the stage for sustained growth and influence.

Read more: Why PR Matters for Startups

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