Founders Institute Mentor Session on Startup Publicity and Awareness Tactics and War Stories.

1. STARTUP PUBLICITY ADVICE:
PUSHING BOULDERS UP HILL
IN A NOISY MARKETPLACE!

2. What is Publicity?

3. What is Publicity?
pub·lic·i·ty [puh-blis-i-tee]; noun
1. extensive mention in the news media or by word of mouth or other
means of communication.
2. public notice so gained.
3. the measures, process, or business of securing public notice.
4. information, articles, or advertisements issued to secure public notice
or attention.
5. the state of being public, or open to general observation or knowledge.
French root:
publicity
1791, "condition of being public," from Fr. publicité (1694)

4. The 4 P’s of Marketing?

5. What if my budget sucks or I’m just cheap?

• Focus on meaningful milestones
• Creating sustainable Attention through
publicity is EXPENSIVE
• Be creative, parsimonious, generous
with your time, and shameless
• Build your reputation with column
placements
• Insert yourself into bigger
conversations that compliment your
offering
EXAMPLES (“The Secret DVD
in 2007” and “The iPAD
release in April 2010) and the
Washington Post columns in
2012

6. Percentage of Spend 2012/13
GO WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS AND BE THERE JUST
AHEAD OF THEM AND WITH THEM THROUGHOUT
THE SPREAD
(~7.5%)
(~6%)
The OthersThe Others
------------
(~12%)
(~5%)
(~7%)

7. Percentage of Spend 2012/13
• REMEMBER THAT PEOPLE BUY FROM PEOPLE
• PUBLICITY IS A GREAT TOOL TO PERSONALIZE YOUR
BUSINESS
• A WELL ROUNDED MARKETING MIX IS ESSENTIAL
The OthersThe Others
HOWEVER TO CAPTURE THE FLEETING VALUE
• OLD PUBLICITY HELPS BUILD A FORTRESS AROUND YOUR
ONLINE REPUTATION IN A DIGITAL WORLD
• GOOD PUBLICITY CONVERTS INTO ATTENTION
• GIVE THEM 1 THING TO DO (NOT MORE) TO CAPTURE

8. SHORT FORM
Q AND A CHEATSHEET (CHRIS’ OPINION)
How do you get the world to take notice of your company?
HAVE SOMETHING PEOPLE WANT, DON’T SUCK, BE AN EVANGELIST IN ALL WAYS, BE RELEVANT, AND NEVER STOP HUSTLING
AND MAKE EVERY VICTORY SMALL AND LARGE KNOWN TO THE WORLD!
What are tips and tricks to present your business?
TIE YOUR CREDIBILITY TO STORIES OR LAUNCHES BIGGER THAN YOU AND SHOW HOW YOU ENHANCE, ENABLE, OR SIMPLIFY
THE USERS LIFE IN MEANINGFUL WAYS!
What tools do you need to succeed with outreach?
THE BEST TOOL IS A SOLID AND WELL EXECUTED STRATEGY. TOOLS WITHOUT A BLUEPRINT ARE OF NO VALUE AND MAY
ACTUALLY TAKE YOUR BUSINESS OFF THE TRACK TO PROFITABLILITY. CHOOSE WISELY AFTER YOU HAVE A STRATEGY.
How do you identify newsworthy milestones?
MILESTONES THAT DRIVE ENTERPRISE VALUE TO YOUR BUSINESS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHICH ONES ARE
NEWSWORTHY. EVERYTHING CAN BE SPUN INTO SOMETHING NEWSWORTHY WITH EFFORT, BUT NOT EVERY NEWS PIECE
CAN BUILD ENTERPRISE VALUE WHICH IS ALL YOU CARE ABOUT IN THE END.
How do you craft a successful media release?
HIRE AN EXPERT TO DO IT OR GOOGLE YOUR COMPETITORS AND COPY THE FORMAT AND STYLE AND DO THEM YOURSELF ON
PRLOG.COM OR PRWEB.COM AND PAY FOR SELECT DISTRIBUTION
What are effective tactics to get social media, the blogosphere and traditional media to take notice?
What are common media mistakes for new companies?
NO COHERENT STRATEGY, SPENDING MONEY TOO SOON ON BAD TALENT, THINKING ANY ONE THING WILL WORK, AND NOT
GETTING THE DIRECT TRAFFIC AND CONVERSION RATE OPTIMIZATION RIGHT FIRST

9. FIND ME
@chrisjsnook
And www.chrisjsnook.com

10. FIND ME
@chrisjsnook
And www.chrisjsnook.com