Over the past months, Mr. Turtle has been sharing our mission to eliminate single-use plastic waste (you might have noticed from all of our articles). Public relations has played an important role in not only amplifying our message but also strengthening our relationship with the community. From media coverage to social media highlights, we've focused on one of our core values, transparency, and used it as a way to build trust and engagement.

One feature was in the New Times San Luis Obispo. Their article, "Cal Poly Graduates Launch Mr. Turtle to Make Laundry Sustainable," captured the essence of what we're trying to achieve. It showcased the importance of our work and reached readers who are passionate about sustainability. You can read the feature here.

In addition to this, we've received incredible support from local organizations like the Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) and the SLO Food Coop, who have helped share our mission through social media. The CIE also highlighted our success in its recap of the 2024 Innovation Quest competition, where we were recognized for our innovative solutions to combat plastic waste. Check out their article here.

Our online presence continues to grow with six articles published across LinkedIn and Medium, a Crunchbase profile, and our website [mr-turtle.com]. We're also thrilled about upcoming features, including a San Luis Obispo Channel 2 news segment and an appearance on the Wirecast Podcast by Benjamin Arts, which will both be posted on Benjamin's LinkedIn and reposted on the Mr. Turtle account.

The Importance of Public Relations

For startups like Mr. Turtle, PR is not just about visibility, it's about building trust. Transparency is a critical part of our brand because corporate America's steady decline in public trust, especially in sustainability, is a lesson we cannot ignore. The rise of greenwashing has harmed consumer confidence! At Mr. Turtle, we are committed to keeping it genuine and upfront about our company and the journey along with it. By sharing our stories, struggles, and successes, we not only engage our audience but also create accountability. It's a way for us to reflect on what we've learned and build a stronger foundation for the future.

Lessons Learned in Public Relations

In my experience, building a PR strategy comes with key takeaways:

1. Reach out to as many people as possible. Success is a numbers game. Not everyone will say yes, but someone always will! Casting a wide net has helped us land some incredible opportunities.
2. Write about as much as you can. Share your experiences, no matter how small they seem. Everything is a learning opportunity, especially through writing. At the same time, keep it concise and engaging for an audience.
3. Make everything seem bigger than it is. Every milestone is worth celebrating. Build excitement around your achievements and let people feel the momentum of your journey.

Keep sharing,

Benjamin Arts