Founders should follow these seven tips for PR work

The right public image can be decisive for the success of a start-up, especially in crisis situations. Startbase spoke to five experts and wrote down the best tips.

It was a LinkedIn entry that initially caught the eye alongside all the usual self-congratulation: Lena Jüngst, co-founder of the aroma bottle start-up Air up, commented on a critical Spiegel article. The journalists had scrutinized and questioned the sustainability promises of the fragrance water provider. In her LinkedIn entry, the co-founder thanked them for "the time and effort they put into the research." They are constantly striving to become more sustainable and transparent.

So far, so constructive. Many users of the career network praised the founder's openness. However, there was also headwind, mainly because of a sentence at the end of the statement. Jüngst writes there that her company is against "personal and destructive criticism." At the same time, according to Der Spiegel, the founder did not attend an interview appointment. Air up also initially refused to answer written questions.

Startbase spoke to communications experts to find out how start-ups can behave more skillfully in similar situations - and what they should bear in mind when it comes to public relations. These are the most important tips.

1. don't promise the blue sky

Few things are more embarrassing than making grandiose promises and then backtracking later. Carina Goldschmid, head of the consulting firm "Startup Communication", therefore advises not to lay it on too thick when communicating. Claims such as "the next Amazon" often backfire when things don't go as well as hoped.

Overly vague formulations such as "sales in the high six-figure range" are also not a smart tactic. "Many founders underestimate the ability of journalists to find out business figures on their own," says Goldschmid. It is better to communicate figures transparently and not leave the narrative to the press.

2. communicate transparently

Start-ups should not give the impression that they are trying to hide something. Bad business figures or a deal that fell through? It is advisable to communicate openly, advises Pola Moitroux, crisis communications expert at communications consultancy Finsbury Glover Hering. "Compared to other countries, Germany is more skeptical about disruptive business models, which is why start-ups have a greater obligation to explain themselves in order to build trust," she says.

If a start-up receives critical questions from a media outlet, it is therefore advisable not only to answer the questionnaire, but also to offer the journalist an introductory interview - i.e. an interview that should not necessarily be quoted from. "This gives the founder the opportunity to speak more openly with journalists and explain the context," says the crisis communication expert. This is particularly worthwhile if not everything can be communicated in the official written answers due to restrictions.

"It makes you feel more confident to admit mistakes and announce solutions."

Tijen Onaran, CEO Global Digital Women

According to entrepreneur Tijen Onaran, the strategy that start-ups should never adopt when dealing with critical questions from the press is the salami-slicing tactic. What the head of the consulting firm Global Digital Women means by this is to reveal the truth bit by bit when asked. "It makes you feel more confident to admit mistakes and announce solutions."

3. stay calm in the face of negative reporting

PR expert Marcus Prosch believes that it is perfectly okay not to leave critical reporting uncommented, even on social media. It is the job of journalists to question. "However, the founders should leave it at a concise, factual clarification on LinkedIn, Facebook and the like and not keep adding to it publicly." That would lead to nothing. "Instead, seek direct contact and dialog with the author and discuss your point of view," he advises founders. Lectures or even threats are an "absolute no-go". After all, journalists are not the cause of start-ups' problems, they just report on them.

Pola Moitroux from Finsbury Glover Hering also advises being able to withstand criticism. "Critical and free reporting is a valuable social asset. Start-ups should also react calmly and not immediately threaten a lawyer if their company is not only applauded," says the crisis expert. What may appear to be enforceable under media law can quickly backfire and, in the worst case, result in a shitstorm.

It is much more important to talk to employees, customers and investors about the negative reporting. "It is particularly difficult for the closest circle to bear when the company is publicly criticized," says Moitroux. "Employees may even be approached by friends and neighbors." Founders should therefore discuss the points of criticism openly with them.

4. build up a good journalistic network

Even with journalists who have previously been critical of your company, founders should maintain contact, advises crisis communication expert Pola Moitroux. "It is always more professional to be open to dialog. Hardened fronts do not lead to benevolent reporting," she says.

Regardless of crisis situations: It always makes more sense to seek direct contact with the press instead of just responding to inquiries. Several communications experts say the same thing. Marcus Prosch, for example. "Even without a specific reason, founders should contact journalists," he says. Of course, journalists should not be approached at random, but rather those who regularly report on the relevant topics. This would keep the founders in mind and the likelihood of a new product being written about would be higher than with a cold call.

5. Set the right topics

At some point, too many press releases run the risk of ending up in the spam folder. That's why communications experts advise start-ups to focus on specific topics. According to communications strategist Marcus Prosch, it is helpful for founders to put themselves in the journalists' shoes and ask themselves three questions: "Why should the topic be written about? What exactly is the unique selling point? And what makes this story so unique?" Once the start-up has developed its own story, it should specifically approach a journalist who is an expert on this topic. "However, some topics can also be covered widely," he says. Financing rounds are one example of this.

Another trick, according to PR consultant Julia Schössler, is to offer topics exclusively to one journalist. "That's a win-win situation for both sides," says the founder of PR agency Schoesslers.

6. building your own persona as a brand

What distinguishes start-ups from large corporations: There is no board of directors at the top, which is replaced at regular intervals, but often still the founders themselves. This makes start-ups interesting for the media, as entrepreneur Tijen Onaran knows.

Building a personal brand right from the start.

Tijen Onaran, CEO Global Digital Women

"Female founders are often interesting, unconventional personalities," she says. Investors would generally not only invest in a start-up because of the exciting product, but also because of the people behind it. "That's why you should build a personal brand right from the start." Social media is suitable for this. "Founders shouldn't just engage in sales communication there, but should present themselves as approachable people with their own story."

Carina Goldschmid, head of "Startup Communication", also gives this tip. "Start-ups shouldn't just communicate about their product - especially if there are competitors doing something similar." Instead, they should talk about their motivation and explain why they founded the company. "It is important to highlight the social relevance of the start-up."

7. don't hire amateurs for public relations work

Would founders do their company's IT themselves if they are not qualified to do so? Probably not, suspects PR consultant Julia Schössler. In the same way, they should not take public relations work lightly, she warns.

"Founders should already take PR expenditure into account in their business plan," she says. Because if you don't spend money on public and internal communication, you are saving money at the wrong end. From a certain size at the latest, start-ups should hire a communications expert or commission an agency with PR work. This pays off at the latest when the first critical reports are published. Unlike the founders themselves, professional PR employees have more distance from the company and can react in a more considered manner.