Strategies for Startup Success: Mastering These Five Principles to Gain Attention for Your Venture
Lize Hong, the founder of strategic communications firm Venture Vox, shared her insights on getting startups noticed at our recent conference. Hong has worked closely with founders to craft messaging that cuts through the noise and helps them tell their stories effectively.
According to Hong, founders should not chase press for vanity, but for strategy. Every press release is a vehicle for a story, and using clear structures to tell that story helps founders connect emotionally while illustrating their traction and vision. However, not every update deserves press attention; some updates are better shared on LinkedIn or the company blog.
Hong emphasises the importance of articulating the problem a startup solves, the solution it offers, and the benefit for the customer in plain language. Founders must learn to tell their product's story well enough for the world to care. To do this, Hong recommends preparing three core stories to tell their story: product story, founder story, and company story.
Before talking to journalists, Hong advises founders to ensure they have a working product, a clear message, and a compelling story. Research who you're talking to, prepare your key points, and practice answering tough questions. A clear, factual follow-up email helps journalists get the details right and builds relationships for future coverage.
Local coverage could open doors when expanding in a new market. Press can help startups build credibility with investors if the priority is raising a round. However, it's important to remember that a story should be newsworthy to have a chance at press coverage; it should be timely, relevant, impactful, or unusual.
Hong has helped hundreds of startups build their brands across Europe and the US. She believes that communications is a core part of building a successful startup, not an afterthought. Clear messaging, structured storytelling, strategic PR, and brand alignment can transform a startup from overlooked to unforgettable.
Despite her extensive work, there are no search results that provide information about Lize Hong or the strategic communication company Venture Vox she founded. It's clear that Hong's strategies are making a significant impact in the startup world, helping founders navigate the complex world of communication and PR with ease and confidence.
