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Education

Harnessing PR to drive next level. Some key strategies follow
in this article.
payment startup success Building brand awareness
and visibility
By Mike Harris Today's payment startups need to
Uproar PR gain exposure for their brand. Build-
ing brand awareness starts by devel-
oday, payments-focused fintechs number more than 5,000 globally oping messaging that gets to the core
and account for about $100 billion of total industry revenues, accord- of the company’s business value.
ing to Boston Consulting Group (see www.prsa.org/about/all-about-pr). To get this message out to a wider au-
T The number of startups in this space will continue to grow as new dience and increase brand reach and
companies leverage emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and visibility, PR pros develop impactful
blockchain to offer innovative payment solutions. As the payments market campaigns tailored to secure media
becomes increasingly competitive, payment startups will need to develop coverage in relevant publications
effective strategies that help them stand out from the crowd. Public relations is and platforms. Successful campaigns
essential to creating differentiation, communicating business value and driv- craft compelling narratives around a
ing success. company’s mission, values and solu-
tions that generate positive visibility,
What is PR? cutting through the noise to help a
payment startup stand out from the
The Public Relations Society of America defines PR as "a strategic communica- competition. Building brand aware-
tion process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organiza- ness and visibility that establishes a
tions and their publics." This communication discipline works across a variety strong market presence delivers ROI
of platforms, focusing on delivering the right messaging and information to in the form of attracting interest from
the right people at the right time. PR can achieve this in a variety of ways to potential investors, partners and cus-
help drive organic growth, attract investors, and take payment startups to the tomers.

Enhancing credibility and trust

For payment startups, credibility and
trust are vital to long-term viability.
PR can help them enhance credibil-
ity and trust among target audiences
through earned media coverage. This
coverage provides the third-party val-
idation essential to establishing them
as a trustworthy, reputable company
and authority in the industry. Other
PR tactics designed to elevate cus-
tomer trust and confidence include
thought leadership articles bylined
by key spokespeople, a consistent ca-
dence of engaging with target audi-
ences on social media channels, and
industry recognitions. Well-executed
PR campaigns can establish the le-
gitimacy startups need to become a
brand category leader that key stake-
holders trust.
Harnessing the power
of social media

In today’s digital-first environment,
payment startups must engage with
target audiences on social media
channels. PR specialists with social
media expertise can craft social me-
dia amplification campaigns that get
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