Three reasons why you should start doing international PR today

by SF Agency
April 19, 2023

The world is so large! Trying to get media attention at home is hard enough, how could you possibly get people to in other countries to care about what you do? Better stay in the comfort zone. Wrong!

Starting international PR can seem daunting, but getting going can be the difference between your company standing out in the crowd or disappearing into the grey masses. To help you leave the competition in the dust, here are three reasons why International PR should be top-of-mind for any company looking to expand outside their home market.

Get known where no one knows who you are

There is always some local hype when an exciting company creates a new and impactful solution. You have your local network, investors and first adopters cheering you on and amplifying your message. However, that hype usually stops at the border. Having spent years building a local reputation means very little when taking your company abroad, where no one knows who you are or why they should care.

If you have some media coverage in the bank as you arrive on new shores, that changes the game. For example, imagine how helpful years media talking about how fantastic Tesla’s batteries were helped them when they launched in new countries. More of your potential customers, partners or investors are likely to have heard of you before you make your big launch. The job of introducing yourself suddenly becomes much easier. If people have read about you in the news, chances are they’ll want to listen to what you have to say.

Make people trust you

Humans are naturally suspicious of new things. That’s part of why many new companies die and big, well-known brands keep selling! If you have to choose between something you know and something you don’t know, chances are you’ll go with what you’re familiar with. That’s what makes breaking into new markets so hard.

No one will ever think that your own marketing is objective. That’s why media coverage is so valuable. If a journalist has taken time out of their day to write about you, it tells people that you are trustworthy. That seal of approval can be a great door-opener. Because when potential customers or investors have to choose between you and someone who hasn’t got that media coverage, chances are you’ll be the one benefiting from that familiarity bias.

Grow your media profile as you grow your business

If a journalist has written about you once, they are more likely to do it again! They know who you are, what you do and have taken an interest. Obviously, you need to have newsworthy content for them, but starting to build those relationships early means as you grow, you can keep building awareness over time. International PR is different because the relationships you build are often less personal and more professional – you are less likely to bump into media contacts at events, but that also means having good contacts is even more valuable.

Growing your company means more milestones, launches, funding rounds and interesting data insights you can share, and having contacts in place makes more people know about your business. Starting too late means putting lots of money and time into it, while an early start and continuous work means you’ll always be ready to tell the next story to the world.

Time to get started!

Download our free beginner’s guide to international PR, with free templates, tips, and more!

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