For the past 2 years, Venture Capitalist funded startups have continuously evolved, each coming up with some pretty interesting and unique features. Not all are instantly successful, though. Some still go to deadpool, funded or not.
If you think you have the latest technologies applied in you new start up and will attract customers because you are providing them some useful services, you really need to focus on Press Releases. With a well structured and well distributed press release, the result will do wonders.
One of the most important things any start up can do is get good press coverage. I can bet that start ups like Profy, Zemanta, etc. have got a good start because they have been encouraging press releases and have been in front of press. I interviewed the Head of Profy marketing a while back. She made sure that Profy, a new type of social blogging platform gets the right coverage through sites like Techcrunch and Cnet through online distributed press releases. Also she gave beta invitations to press sites/blogs to encourage reader participation. By this way, profy has definitely got a loyal and permanent user base which came through press coverage and are actively participating at their blogs (profy).
If you want to take your startup at next level, first you need to have a trial user base who can report bugs and any other related error. This user base can be acquired by getting press coverage. The more exposure you get, better start for your company. You need to create that unique and exciting buzz among people so that you get people to try out your services. In other words, this will be your initial ‘beta’ group. Only a perfect start can easily lead you to next stage. If you provide good services to these initial users, they will start linking and telling other people about what you have to offer which will result in constant traffic.
It is necessary to have something useful to provide, so that people can recommend you. And a PR is a best start for any start up. Also if you have a VC funding, an advantage because that will get likely more attention. So if you still haven’t focused much on PR but on other marketing campaigns, than re-think and try to get press coverage. If nothing else than, this way you are not trodden down in this web 2.0 era where several start ups like you are competing with you.
