Startups: Broadcast Your Brand Through Lesser-Known Channels

As the owner of a startup, you want to do everything you can to get the word out about your business, products and services. While you might understandably want to focus on getting your company name in the local paper, on TV and all over social media, there are also less common ways to help broadcast your brand. Consider using the following channels to help you refine and perfect your strategy.

HARO is Helpful

Help a Reporter Out, or HARO, is a free public relations website and tool that helps writers who need a source for their stories find people they can interview. If you're trying to establish yourself as an expert in your field or just get your company name published in stories, you can respond to queries from journalists looking for someone in your field. For example, let’s say you own a small landscaping company that can handle all sorts of yard maintenance as well as outside tiling and barbecue pits. If you spot a query from HARO from a writer who wants to interview sources about the current trends in patio tile, reply and express that you’d be more than willing to speak about this topic. As a major bonus, the writer will typically include a link to your company’s website, phone number and address in the article. To sign up for HARO, simply visit the website to start receiving several emails a day with a list of queries. Browse through each email as it comes in, and contact anyone you think you are qualified to help.

TechCrunch is Terrific

Another lesser known—but highly effective—way startups can get noticed is through the media company known as TechCrunch. The company has a proclivity for profiling tech startups of all sizes, and its collection of websites is capable of reaching a whopping 12 million visitors. In addition, TechCrunch has a dedicated group of followers on social media; in all about two million people keep tabs on their work through Facebook, Twitter and other sites. In addition to helping get the word out about your startup, simply being mentioned in a TechCrunch article will show potential customers you are the real deal. If you're featured in a story, you can and should post it on your website and social media platforms.

CrunchBase is Crucial

CrunchBase is a business comprised of experienced media people who are devoted to helping startups and other companies effectively explain what they do. While you might completely understand your brand, products and services, potential customers might need some help getting a better grasp on what you offer and how it all works. For example, LifeLock has used CrunchBase to explain quite effectively who they are, what they do and why the services they offer are so important to consumers. In addition to a writeup that thoroughly describes what a company does, CrunchBase can also include links to news stories about the business as well as a link to the company’s site. This way, if customers read about your startup on CrunchBase and are interested in contacting you, they can do so quickly and easily.

Positioning yourself as an expert in your field and getting profiled on just a couple high-traffic websites will garner you mentions in the media, which could easily translate into more clients and sales. Don't abandon your other marketing efforts in favor of these channels, but do give them your time and attention. As a complement to your overall marketing strategy, they could spell big bucks for your bottom line.