The big question: Can you afford start-up PR?

It’s no secret entrepreneurs and startups need to do more with less. Budgets are almost always tight and PR can often be seen as an unnecessary luxury. However, with a few DIY strategies and tricks of the trade, even the smallest budget can deliver great startup PR.

• No Budget – The same DIY spirit that got your startup going can be applied to just about anything, including PR. Not being ready to allocate budget doesn’t mean you need to forgo marketing altogether. Invest in an expert to set-up your PR strategy and to give you some training and then save money by doing your PR in-house, tapping into experts who can advise you. At Little Bear PR, we provide PR startup packages that provide all the tools and training to get you going and a top up service in case you need to check-in for some extra help along the way.
• Budget under £2K/month – You may be at the stage where you can allocate some budget to PR, however not enough to employ an agency. Freelancers can be a really effective alternative to guide and execute projects you may need help with. For example, you can employ a freelancer to update your media section on the site, write content for your blog, establish a social media channel or advise the most effective ways to contact the press. Using a freelancer benefits both your budget but provides a low level of support for your small business to build on.
• Budget 5K/month – If your startup has grown to the stage where you have a good size budget for start-up PR activity, consider hiring an agency that specialises in your market. Specialist agencies have a better understanding of the hurdles startups face. At Little Bear PR, we look at challenges such as funding, beta testing and soft launches. Agencies like ours are able to execute effective strategies to reach investors as well as consumers and industry influencers alike.

Whether you have significant budget or no budget at all, it’s still possible to create startup PR opportunities for your small business. Do you research, get networking and get some advice from the experts to make sure you’re seen by the right people and your business is as successful as it can be!