Every startup shares one common trait –
They’re trying to disrupt the status quo.
It’s hard.
Legacy competitors in the space – in some cases huge companies with massive resources and years of operation – dominate. Their longevity begets MMM, market muscle memory, which adds to the challenge.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking the combination of the right public relations and all the permutations of owned/social media put the startup on a path to a better world.
But there’s something more fundamental that startups should do in building their public profiles:
- Apply storytelling to their communications.
This can be a huge differentiator for startups in contrast to their legacy competitors who are typically communicating with dry and safe language. As a general rule of thumb, the older the company the dustier the words.
Startups should be brave in telling their story and the backstories that make up who they are.
One of the biggest hurdles any startup must get over is one of trust. Startups by definition don’t have a track record. The market and specifically potential customers wonder in back of their minds, “Are they for real? Will they last?”
People need to know the company before they will trust the company.
That’s the power of storytelling in a startup’s communications. No matter how high-touch the startup, it’s not going to experience one-on-one interactions with every relevant member of the target audience. But storytelling in a startup’s communications cultivates the feeling of knowing the company in a way that scales.
Where to start?
Try the About section on the company website.
Before writing, take the time to review the About sections of your competitors. Notice how they all sound alike using the same nouns and verbs to explain what they do in clinical terms that would make a professor proud.
Instead, share why you do what you do. What inspired you to start the company? Let your beliefs and passion come through. The idea is to create emotional as well as intellectual touch points.
In short, let the market get to know you!
Note: If you enjoyed this post, you might check out “Top Five Reasons to Work with Startups on the PR Front.”