Public Relations -- A catalyst for success

Editor's note: Mark posted a reply to my article about "The Most Important things for a startup to reach mainstream." I thought his comment should become its own article. So have a read below about why Mark believes public relations (PR) is vital to reaching mainstream. 

I'm constantly surprised by the large number of techies who fail to understand or appreciate the role of good PR in launching and sustaining a company.

Good PR helps:

1. articulate a message that resonates with customers
2. generate press coverage that drives sales leads and sales
3. attract partners
4. create market leadership
5. render competitors less relevant
6. attract investors at favorable valuation
7. maximize exit valuations.

For the less enlightened tech startups who shun PR, there's an attitude of "build it and they will come." While this is true within the core of the tech community, to truly reach beyond the TechCrunch geek crowd into the mainstream, a startup needs to get media coverage in trade publications (if the product is B2B) and mainstream media such as newspapers, magazines, blogs, and broadcast radio/TV.

I often run into Web 2.0 startups that believe they can succeed based on viral marketing alone. Unfortunately, not every company can have the same viral power of Hotmail, Facebook or Skype.

Yes, it's possible to succeed without PR. Smart entrepreneurs recognize, however, that good PR acts as a catalyst - a multiplier if you will - that helps startups break away from their competitors and achieve their fullest potential.

Mark Coker is the founder of Dovetail Public Relations, a Silicon Valley technology marketing firm. Mark is a contributing writer for VentureBeat and his most recent story covered Y Combinator's Startup School.