When analyzing how businesses perceive PR, imagine a scale: on the right side, you have brand recognition, audience loyalty, product awareness, lead generation, and post-sale customer support. On the left, there’s the business’s fear of publicity, negative feedback, and even outright hate. Plus, the cost of PR, with results that seem impossible to measure. In other words, businesses want it—but they’re afraid of it. Let’s break down what’s really on the left side of that scale—and whether it even exists. Public Modesty Leads to Obscurity From personal experience, I can say that many business owners have a near-panic fear of gaining too much publicity. “What if a million people read about us and start writing about us?” This fear is especially common among IT developers creating their own market solutions. They focus heavily on internal processes but hesitate to show a less-than-perfect version of their product to a broader audience. They’re afraid of drawing attention that could supposedly damage their reputation and sales. Some entrepreneurs also worry that PR activity will lead competitors to copy their ideas and strategies. My rebuttal: These business leaders rely on emotional assumptions and fail to recognize the right moment to start talking about their brand. They struggle to determine when it’s time to build communication, shape an image, and create a brand identity. By fixating on “perfecting” their product, they risk never bringing it to market at all. Meanwhile, we all know other entrepreneurs and startups that confidently launch MVPs and refine them based on audience feedback. Some even turn problem-solving into an interactive experience, openly sharing their challenges and triumphs. This transparency earns high levels of positive engagement from people. In other words, a well-structured PR strategy, the right tone of voice, and audience feedback are tools that help businesses understand customer expectations and improve their product or service—not just IT developers, but businesses of all kinds. You Have to Earn Extreme Media Hate From my experience, half of all business owners fear that a PR mistake or a flaw in their product will trigger an avalanche of negative media coverage and social media backlash, completely destroying their company’s and CEO’s reputations beyond repair. They believe the negativity will be so overwhelming that neither the product, the business, nor its leader will ever “clean up” from it. My rebuttal: This only happens when there is no PR strategy—when a company fails to plan its online presence and doesn’t know what to do after its first media appearance. Even then, such cases are rare. First, large-scale negative PR must be earned. It usually happens to big corporations that make glaringly obvious mistakes. Second, companies that develop their reputation alongside business growth significantly lower the risk of PR disasters. If a company is small and its product is new, then a well-planned PR campaign will help refine it over time based on user feedback. earned. When potential clients ask whether a PR campaign could cause them to lose control of their reputation, I always respond: If you do nothing to shape your media image, that’s exactly what will happen. If you don’t provide people with information about yourself, someone else will—and it won’t be in your favor. An information vacuum will always be filled with negativity. If you do nothing to shape your media image, that’s exactly what will happen. Entrepreneurs who try to avoid media contact entirely, fearing they won’t know how to handle increased attention after a major publication, are making a mistake. In reality, a media feature might go unnoticed, while online discussions could actually work in the company’s favor by generating additional interest. Moving Forward or Watching the Underdogs? Business owners are, of course, aware of failed companies whose owners are now haunted by scandals across the internet. Many avoid any form of publicity to prevent a similar fate. Some hesitate too long when asked to comment in the media, missing their chance to establish themselves as industry experts. That said, sometimes staying silent is a justifiable strategy. staying silent My rebuttal: The business landscape changes every day, and a competitor’s PR failure from a year ago doesn’t mean they would necessarily fail today. There’s no need to fear shadows. Many entrepreneurs avoid media contact out of fear of making a mistake and don’t know how to handle increased attention after a high-profile publication. But in reality, a media appearance might barely get noticed, while online discussions could actually boost interest in the company. If a business wants to control its reputation, it shouldn’t stay silent about its successes or hide problems. Instead, it should implement an open crisis communication strategy so that customers, partners, and competitors see systematic and transparent operations. The key is to strike the right tone—one that doesn’t invite suspicion of dishonesty. Finding PR Experts Who Know Everything About Cybersecurity or Protein Inhibitors “You don’t understand our industry.” Every PR agency hears this objection from time to time. Executives in pharmaceutical, chemical, and high-tech industries, as well as medical, legal, and IT firms, believe that only specialists with relevant degrees can write about their products. Even better if they have 10 years of experience in the field. My rebuttal: Sorry, but no. The success of a PR campaign depends on the PR professional’s ability to work with information, conduct press conferences, set up content delivery systems, monitor the media landscape, and measure campaign results. Simply put, a PR expert needs to understand PR. It’s the client’s job to explain the differences between antiviral inhibitors or the latest Linux security protocols. That takes an hour. Finding a PR professional with an exact industry background could take a year. PR. Who Can Predict the Results of a PR Campaign? Like any complex process, PR involves multiple stakeholders and many variables. If a business handles PR on its own, results may not just fall short of expectations—they may be nonexistent, even with a substantial budget. A rational business leader will naturally feel uneasy about this uncertainty and may hesitate to invest further in PR. My rebuttal: That’s understandable. Many company leaders and technical specialists don’t know how to sell their products, let alone promote them. They need expert guidance in media relations and digital marketing. A PR agency, when trusted, will gather all the necessary information about a product, industry, or technology and present it effectively to the target audience. That’s the essence of PR: facilitating the delivery of key messages. If the agency is professional and experienced, it will provide a forecast during negotiations—outlining expected results, estimated reach, potential outcomes, and associated costs. Don’t Under— Or Overspand on PR Many small and medium-sized business owners believe PR isn’t necessary in the early stages of their company’s development and remain skeptical about investing in it. They operate with a short-term mindset, expecting direct returns on every marketing expense. Their focus is on boosting sales, while PR is seen only as media coverage on TV or in major publications. My rebuttal: PR tools extend far beyond that, and impactful results can be achieved even with a modest budget. A skilled PR professional will identify potential news angles within the business and suggest ways to highlight them in offline or online media, company blogs, social networks, or industry forums—with minimal financial investment. Even at the startup stage, businesses should gradually build their PR strategy so that by the time the product launches, some brand awareness already exists. This makes sales much easier. Delaying PR efforts only makes it harder—and more expensive—to scale later. The less known a brand is, the greater the effort required to establish it. Intensive PR campaigns always require investment in media events, promotional campaigns, and video content creation. Advertising alone won’t cut it. Paid leads from contextual or targeted ads are important, but they don’t build long-term brand recognition or trust. The Compound Effect of PR Ever heard the phrase, “We spent X on PR, but nothing happened”? So have we. And that’s normal. Many business owners don’t fully understand how PR communication works, how PR agencies operate, or how specialists interact with media, bloggers, and industry experts. This lack of understanding leads to skepticism and fears of losing control over their image. My rebuttal: Good PR managers will always outline the step-by-step strategy in a PR campaign calendar and teach clients how to engage with the media effectively. And don’t trust PR professionals who promise instant brand recognition after a single publication. PR does drive customer growth and revenue—but the impact is often delayed. Over time, its cumulative effect will far outweigh short-term sales-driven marketing efforts.

Fear of Publicity: Why Tech Startups Miss Out on PR Opportunities

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