Ask HN: PR for Startups?

Posted by prhn01 on Tuesday August 23, 2011 @12:13AM
from the ask-hn dept.

Long-time HN member using a throwaway account for business reasons.

I’m thinking about launching a PR firm focused on helping startups/small companies and am hoping for some feedback.

I know it’s been done before, but I haven’t seen it executed well. I’ve spent time at both startups and PR firms and still see a massive void that needs to be filled.

I understand there’s a stigma around hiring PR firms at small companies because they’re typically too expensive, they don’t understand the needs of a small company, they don’t help you acquire new customers, the results are difficult to measure, etc.

So, what else? What are you looking for in a PR firm? Would you never, ever hire a PR firm? Do you currently work with an awesome PR company that I should know about? In SF and want to discuss over coffee? Any feedback in the comments or by email (in my profile) would be greatly appreciated.

( 4 comments | 11 points | on HN )

Re:Ask HN: PR for Startups? by luvcraft on Thursday August 25, 2011 @12:47AM (#2923793)

Could you model your PR business to take equity in exchange for your services? Most lean startups wouldn't be able to pay you much cash, but I think a lot of them would be willing to give you equity. In fact, I think taking equity rather than cash would offset the "the results are difficult to measure" issue you mentioned; if I give you $5,000 to do some PR for my startup, then (to my mind) you have the money regardless, and you could be spending 60 hours a week for two months traveling the world and evangelizing about my startup to all the right people, or you could just ask a friend to post it to his blog and call it good.

If you have equity, however, then your profit is tied directly to the success of my startup, so I could rest assured that you would have a (literal) vested interest in making my company successful.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: PR for Startups? by katherinehague on Wednesday August 24, 2011 @12:00PM (#2921194)

This is a question I too have been asking myself over the years. I'm a marketing consultant, and I LOVE startups. But trying to find work with early stage startups is really difficult because they generally can't pay much, or prefer to hire developers over marketing resources. So I end up working mostly with companies that are further along and have revenue, but wish I could figure out a way to work exclusively with startups and still make a living. If there were a way to scale these services beyond just a 1:1 effort to revenue ratio that would be ideal...

Thought you might like this article: http://thenextweb.com/media/2011/08/21/pitch-perfect-a-start...

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Re:Ask HN: PR for Startups? by MrMike on Tuesday August 23, 2011 @01:44AM (#2915504)

Happy to be your alpha tester =)

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: PR for Startups? by prhn01 on Tuesday August 23, 2011 @01:49AM (#2915517)

Awesome! Drop me a line with your contact info at pr.hn.01 (at) gmail (dot) com and I'll be in touch shortly.

[ Parent | on HN ]