PR for Startups: 5 Do’s When Talking To Reporters
Media pitching is hard, but there are a few golden rules that help to crack the code. When planning a PR strategy for a startup, focus on what matters most - and our checklist is here to help you shape your priorities.
Last week, we looked at five common don’ts - things that you should never do when building media relations. Now, let’s focus on do’s - some of the best practices to ensure your DIY PR goes where it should.
Note — there is no silver bullet in building media relations. Lots of it is about common sense, mutual respect and getting the best out of what you (hopefully) already have - a promising product, a great team and a clear vision of the change you’re making in the industry. So, here goes…
Define your message
It all starts simple - have a clear understanding what you would like to communicate.
You know that you want some good PR, but what exactly you want to tell the world? Decide on the news you’d like to deliver - it could be a product launch, a new great hire, a comprehensive industry research, a partnership with a well-known company, or some great initiative you’re taking which is relevant to the current agenda. Start your PR with a clear message - check out some headlines on TechCrunch or VentureBeat for inspiration. And once you do so, reach out to PR Guy to get some help shaping your pitch.
2. Perfect your pitch
Once decided what to communicate, shape how to deliver the message.
A well-written pitch makes half of success in media relations. Short, clear, to the point and showing your product at its best - here are some qualities of a great pitch. Remember a golden rule: one pitch = one subject. If you have more to share, spread it into separate messages across the same month. Make sure your pitch is well-styled, proofread and has all necessary info - or ask us and get your pitch written in less than 24 hours.
3. Fit in the agenda
Make your story newsworthy by adding hooks tied into current events.
Even a great story might get lost in the reporter’s inbox if there is a bigger fish to fry in the current media landscape. Check the latest news - make sure your story is timely to the current affairs. Make it relevant to what the journalist is typically writing about. And finally, provide a reason to pick your story out of the 100s - a fresh view, an unusual angle or a unique perspective make a difference.
4. Identify your audience
‘Spray and pray’ technique doesn’t work anymore.
Reaching out to the right journalists makes another half of success when building media relationships. Ensure you’re picking the right media - and the right reporters within. For example, a news outlet might have 10 technology reporters, ranging from the ones covering social media to the ones writing about aerospace or robotics. Don’t forget about the local press - if you only working in a specific city or area, they might be your best fit. And the best of all - with PR Guy, you get not only a pitch, but a curated list of journalists who are most likely covering news like yours.
5. Build long lasting relationships
Nurturing good media relationships pays off in a long term
Like many, you probably start with the ‘cold pitches’ to someone you don’t know personally. However, with time, you start getting responses and - hopefully - media coverage. And when you do, make sure you maintain those connections and keep the conversation going with the reporters who got interested in your pitch. Keep and expand an up-to-date database, follow them on Twitter and when it’s time to reach out again - don’t forget to mention they already covered your news before. It’s the personal approach that makes all the difference.
Your business and your product are your number one priority right now. Do your PR, but keep your media relations targeted, focused and on point - and outsource as much as you can until you can really afford a PR consultant or an agency without deprioritizing crucial business tasks. Tools like PR Guy are here just for that: we help creating quality media pitches and getting contacts of the relevant journalists, all at a fraction of the cost compared to traditional PR.
It's our job to share the knowledge. Whether you're early-stage, pre-seed, or already funded contact us to receive step-by-step advice for startups looking to get good press coverage without an agency.