4 tips for Asia-based startups to build their PR strategy

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“It can give you 15 minutes of fame.”

Myriam Joire, founder and editor-in-chief of tnkgrl Media shared at the second session of Global Minds Series (GMS), a collaborative effort by ALPHA Camp and Taiwan Startup Stadium to connect Asia startup communities with global experts. She was speaking from experience about PR strategies for startups.

Myriam Joire, speaking at Global Minds Series, held by ALPHA Camp and Taiwan Startup Stadium

Mryiam is best known for her work as a Senior Editor of Engadget, and as the Technology Evangelist for Pebble (which raised over US$20M on Kickstarter). A tech journalist for 10 years, these are the 4 tips Myriam gives to Asia-based startups for building their PR strategy.

1.  Start from day 1 

Plan early. Getting featured in the media is a great way for startups to build their brand name, which plays a major role in business growth.

Start your PR efforts from the day you launch your startup and plan for PR at all stages – product launch and development.

2. Craft a strong message and curate great content around it 

Without a strong message, your PR efforts will not be effective. Plan a strong and short key message by thinking of the unique selling points of your product and what defines it.

Great content is also crucial in building your brand name. Engage a professional photographer to take product shots and a videographer to shoot a quality video. You will only need a two-minute video to produce a series of five to ten seconds teaser clips.

3. Pitch and launch at an appropriate time and place 

Many Asia-based startups only focus their research on regional markets. If you intend to reach out to international media, do your research.

Take note of cultural differences and avoid audiences where your product might be irrelevant. Be aware if there are any potential news conflicts, follow up on upcoming conferences and technology trade shows to decide when to send out your media pitches or launch your product.

4. Understand the media 

Put yourself in the shoes of the journalists. This is a group of people who are often overworked and underpaid. They juggle many things besides receiving dozens of pitches a day.