“Maybe, maybe not.” (Janet Falk)

You have a new company, product or service. What’s your next step to tell the world about it?

Recently, I spoke with two founders who viewed their launches differently.

In the first instance, online research revealed there were no news stories about the company or its technology products. When I mentioned this observation to the founder, I was astounded by his response:

I thought if we built a good product, people would come.

In a previous role, this executive was familiar with contacting the media about news; yet, he took no steps to reach out to reporters for this new company.

Later that same day, I received an email inquiry from someone who had learned marketing tips from my long-ago podcast appearance. She asked for:

guidance in communications about her new legal services firm,

specifically, strategies she might quickly implement to market her practice.

Two new companies with diametrically opposed plans for communication activities to announce their services and grow their client base.

NEWS FLASH: Your new company, product or service will not attract customers by its mere existence and word of mouth.

Instead, you must actively publicize your business and promote the product or service.

Consider these eight tactics:

Lead workshops, perhaps with a client, to showcase the product and its stellar results.

Create an announcement and send it to the relevant industry, business and local media outlets to generate a news story.

Promote the announcement on the social media platforms where potential clients and referral sources may read about it.

Share the announcement with others in the networking groups where you are a member.

Compose case studies of client successes and post them on your website.

Invite a client to co-author an article for their industry media and promote it when it is published.

Solicit customer testimonials and LinkedIn recommendations.

Include a link to the description of the service or product in your email signature.

This Month’s Tip

YOU are in the YOUR NAME business. If you do not invest in promoting your company and your services and products, who will? Not your employees and not your clients.

Note that these tactics are nominally FREE. They require only your time. You can perform them yourself, or with the support of a communications professional.

Contact

The value of your service may speak for itself, but you must amplify it and direct its voice to the right audience. Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, book an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Together, let’s actively cheer for the new company, product and service you have built.

See also Is Your Company’s Launch a Secret? and Best Communication Practices to Launch a Business

Image credit: McKinley Owens