By Nicola Savage, Business Communications

Speed has worked with early stage businesses since long before the dotcom boom. During the last ten years, the start-up landscape has changed dramatically but the fundamental point that PR can have significant impact with a limited marketing budget still stands.

Personally, I have worked closely with VC’s and the businesses they invest in. Eager entrepreneurs have to be some of the most challenging but rewarding clients there are and we have launched hundreds of businesses from supermarket shopping comparison sites to WiFi providers.

The key is to invest in PR at the right level for your business. That might be a one day media workshop arming you with the basic tools to deal with the press or a six month launch programme.

You shouldn’t be thinking year long retainers – your business is likely to change dramatically within that time-frame and your PR programme will need to adapt accordingly. PR is great at building value but if you are going to take the time to do it, make sure it is effective.

Sending out press releases won’t get you far – it is about understanding the press and offering insight and content beyond your sales pitch. It is about realising that your business quite possibly won’t make front page news but there will be an influential audience off or online that your proposition will resonate with – find them.