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How a seed stage startup got covered in almost all the prominent media in the country, with $0 Media & PR budget

In today’s digital era, establishing a robust online presence is paramount for businesses seeking growth and success. Effective public relations (PR) plays a pivotal role in shaping a brand’s image and connecting with a vast audience. HelloTask, being a user-centric company, places significant emphasis on both online and offline marketing strategies. Particularly, in the realm of online marketing, PR through various media channels assumes a vital role in HelloTask’s success.

How helloTask severely makes solutions to a big problem!
Domestic workers have become a significant source of concern for many working individuals in Dhaka city. One of the most pressing issues revolves around the availability and consistency of these workers. Those who employ domestic workers in their homes often face uncertainty regarding their workers’ arrival and reliability. Moreover, both customers and domestic workers encounter various challenges. A major concern is the lack of verification for most domestic workers. In case of any untoward incident, customers find themselves helpless. Furthermore, conventional domestic workers often lack essential training, resulting in difficulties for customers. Conversely, domestic workers face inadequate compensation for their work and are sometimes subjected to mistreatment and physical abuse from customers for minor mistakes. Additionally, they face dependency on multiple channels for job search.

HelloTask offers a comprehensive solution to address these issues through its robust technology. The HelloTask app allows customers to easily find verified and trained domestic workers. In cases where a customer’s regular domestic worker is unavailable, the app provides access to instant replacements. Domestic workers benefit from an abundance of job opportunities through the app, and they can secure dignified employment with double the salary using a simple feature phone, eliminating the need for smartphones. This technological approach employed by HelloTask effectively resolves problems faced by both customers and domestic workers, offering a transformative solution.

PR of HelloTask Team: How it helps HelloTask:
HelloTask, formerly known as RobotDako in 2018, underwent a rebranding in the middle of that year, adopting the name HelloTask. This significant transformation was widely disseminated with the help of PR efforts. In September 2018, Channel i Online featured HelloTask’s rebranding, generating awareness and visibility.

A few years ago, The Business Standard featured HelloTask, providing readers with a comprehensive understanding of the platform’s offerings, including insights into HelloTask’s pricing model and how to conveniently hire domestic workers through the app.

PR efforts continued to play a vital role in promoting HelloTask’s activities in 2020. JagoNews24.com showcased an article highlighting HelloTask’s success stories and its impactful contributions to society, shedding light on how HelloTask’s solution has made a positive difference.

Additionally, earlier this year, HelloTask received recognition in Prothom Alo. The news article focused on Bangladesh’s startup ecosystem, with a special emphasis on HelloTask’s achievements and advancements.

Not only national daily newspapers, but HelloTask also received prominent coverage on TV news channels, contributing significantly to its PR efforts. Dipto TV featured HelloTask, providing a comprehensive view from both the customers’ and domestic workers’ perspectives, illustrating how HelloTask benefits both parties.

In the initial stages of HelloTask, Independent TV highlighted the platform’s on-demand domestic workers service and payment rates in a news segment back in 2018. This coverage played a pivotal role in attracting numerous users to the HelloTask app.

The gradual development of user trust in HelloTask was further demonstrated when Maasranga Television conducted a news report, visiting clients’ homes and gathering their experiences. This positive news report significantly contributed to HelloTask’s growth and success.

NTV also featured HelloTask, showcasing its success story and how it addresses one of the major challenges faced by Dhaka city. This news coverage played a vital role in increasing awareness and understanding of HelloTask among the general public.

Conclusion:
PR plays a crucial role for startups like HelloTask, as it aids in acquiring more consumers and establishing trust among customers. The positive news coverage garnered through PR efforts is especially valuable, as it fosters customer confidence, a vital aspect for any business. These elements contribute to the growth and success of HelloTask, enabling the company to flourish.

The accumulated PR achievements have been instrumental in positioning HelloTask as a well-established company. The gradual accumulation of positive coverage has bolstered its reputation. Looking ahead, HelloTask aspires to become a unicorn with its exceptional products and services, and PR will continue to be instrumental in expanding its reach to every corner of Bangladesh.

When we first launched HelloTask, I reached out to one of my dearest journalist friends asking- Brother, we have launched this exciting service in the city, can you by any chance feature us in your TV channel?

Well before telling you the response I got, let me tell you the name of the TV channel he worked for. It was Masranga TV. I think this is one of the most viewed TV channels in Bangladesh with millions of viewers.

He came up with a witty response- “we only cover people in a news who either done a crime or won a nobel prize. You didn’t do any of the things yet”

I was not upset. I did not expect at all that he would go for it. As we didnt have any money to spend on PR & marketing, I took a shot asking that favor.

I got our first coverage at Prothom Alo- within next two months. For giving the context to the international readers, Prothom alo is like newyork times in Bangladesh. Most read news paper in the country. Every urban households get their physical paper in the morning. It was a lead news at the “Capital Page” of that paper & we went viral over night.

So how did we land our first media coverage? Did you spend a fortune to get us a paid PR? Well no, turns out the journalist was our customer and she was super impressed with the service we provided. She talked to our workers first, gather information how & why we are doing things then decided to give us a free PR.

After that news, we got featured at more than 10 local newspaper in the country and some of them we didnt know even. I had to find out the article by using google. Then I reached out to every single journalist and asked, why you guys decided to give us that Free Marketing? Almost all of them either were our customers or some of their known were our customer and told good things about us.