Public relations can provide your business with a number of benefits, including increasing overall visibility among your target audience. But what if your target audience is made up of investors?

When it comes to getting on the radar of potential investors, PR is one of the best tools start-ups and scale-ups have in their arsenal. Why? Because it is a no-cost credibility booster that can meet your investor targets where they are already getting their news.

While any type of coverage has the potential to generate general awareness, if your goal is to create awareness among investors, here are three great places to start:

1. Round-ups and listicles — Millennial-focused sites like Cracked and Buzzfeed popularized listicles, also known as round-ups of similar products, companies or services. Today, business and tech-focused outlets from Forbes to WIRED publish these themed-list articles as part of their regular content. You can find general tech round-ups like new products of the week or enterprise tech startups to watch, and even more industry-specific lists like top DRaaS companies to watch.

Being included in a round-up that pertains to your industry or area of expertise not only showcases your company as one to watch, but also can put your brand alongside big players where your name might not otherwise come into consideration. Because these lists typically include upwards of five different companies or products, they are also more likely to be shared by those companies, increasing visibility and search rankings.

High visibility combined with the credibility that comes from being listed alongside top brands makes this kind of coverage great for attracting investors who might not have seen your company otherwise.

2. Contributed content — During the early stages of a company where a business model has yet to be proven, investors aren’t investing in your business – they’re investing in you as a founder. Your charming wit and business acumen may go a long way for those investors who already know you, but what about those who do not know you personally? In this case, PR can be used to help shape your personal perception as an industry thought leader and solid founder.  

One way to build thought leadership is by contributing articles to respected media about industry topics and trends — also known as bylined articles or guest posts. While these articles typically provide perspective that educates the industry at large vs. talks about your product or service, you’re positioning yourself as a expert in the field — one that even popular industry publications trust. When you secure a bylined article in a trusted media source, pass it along to potential investors to build credibility for yourself as a leader.

3. Awards — Another way to beef up your thought leadership credibility — and perception for investors — is through individual awards. Whether it be a “Most Influential People” nod or an inclusion on a “Top IT Professionals” list, these recognitions provide third-party validation and show how you stack up against other leaders/experts.

The right investors can be difficult to find, especially for early-stage startups. Make sure that you’re positioning your company for success by taking advantage of different types of media coverage, like round-ups and contributed content, as well as awards.

About the Author

Anna Julow Roolf is a VP at BLASTmedia, a national B2B technology PR agency specializing in media relations, content creation and thought leadership.