Alexandra Chu of MedCreate: This Is How We Brought Our Business In The Media
Tags: Pr, Entrepreneurship, Founder, Public Relations, Founder Stories

Alexandra Chu of MedCreate: This Is How We Brought Our Business In The Media

Alexandra Chu is a sixteen-year-old entrepreneur focusing on both the sciences and the humanities. She started her organization, MedCreate, when she was fourteen, and she has built up an organization of hundreds of members from all over the world. Despite her young age, she is working to create an impact in both healthcare and education by merging the worlds of medicine and creativity. It all started with a question most parents ask their children, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” With interests in seemingly contradictory fields, Chu could never give a proper answer to the question. Unwilling to choose between science and art, she decided to try combining them instead.

For PRontheGO, Alexandra shares insights into the PR and growth activities for MedCreate.

Have you had any PR experience before founding your business?

No, I had no experience in anything related to PR before I founded my organization. Although I have many interests across various fields, business and marketing were never one of them.

Do you do DIY PR or do you work with a PR freelancer /agency? Please share your experiences.

Currently, I do DIY PR. It’s been a very long road with a lot of trial and error, but we’re getting somewhere.

What does the PR strategy for your business look like?

We work with many student organizations to spread word about each other’s missions. In addition, we try to take advantage of sites and news sources that offer guest postings.

How do you implement PR tactics in your everyday work schedule?

HARO sends emails three times a day, so I check those and respond immediately to relevant queries. Then, I head over to Instagram and message (or respond to) people and organizations that can further our reach. Once a week, I look into different news sources and try to submit pitches to them.

What is your experience with Thought Leadership activities? Please share examples.

In the past, MedCreate has both hosted and attended several Thought Leadership activities. Last March, we launched a pilot program where our team members led virtual classes in writing, art, medicine, dance, and music for kids all over the world. Currently, we’re working to have them implemented in children’s hospitals.

Which platforms and tools do you use for PR?

We use platforms such as HARO to find journalists who may be interested in writing about us, and we also use Instagram to develop and maintain relationships with other student orgs.

What was a PR success story of your business, and how did you get there?

One success was the very first article that was written about us. I’m apart of many groups on Slack, and a girl in one of them was looking for students who had started passion projects during the pandemic. I messaged her, and I was grateful that she was interested in featuring me in her article.

Why is PR important for new businesses?

People don’t know about businesses that are just starting out, so PR is really important because it helps increase awareness as well as build credibility and trust.

How do you get in contact with and pitch journalists?

Some news sources have their journalists’ emails written on the page, and we email that person a pitch. Other times, we find them on LinkedIn and/or Twitter, and we sent them a message. This method doesn’t always work, but it’s still a valuable tool.

What is your best growth hacking tip?

Make connections and work with others! You never know when partnerships can lead to amazing opportunities.

PR, Advertising, Marketing, Outreach, Community Building, Ambassador Programs… — From your experience, what are the most efficient tactics for new businesses for brand awareness?

MedCreate is still a relatively new organization that is navigating the big PR world, so I don’t think I have enough knowledge or experience to answer this question. But so far, using HARO has worked pretty well for us.

How do you leverage media coverage achievements?

We post the articles on social media and on our website to further drive traffic, and we ask our team members and other orgs to post on their platforms as well.

Follow MedCreate on Instagram.

Thank you!

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