Startup Press Coverage.

Whether you’re looking to spread information around a product launch, fundraising, partnership, or award, standing out from the crowd can involve a bit of hard work.

In a world that is saturated with information, you’ll need to carefully develop a strategy to get media coverage. Here are steps that will help you develop an approach to get your startup into the news.

‍

#1: Start With A Compelling Story

A 2022 survey of 3,800 journalists reports that over 50% of journalists receive more than 50 pitches a week via phone, email, and social media. Standing out from the crowd is important and one of the most effective ways of doing that is by having a compelling story with some level of human interest. This means going beyond saying why the company was started but stating why your startup needs to exist, what makes you unique in the industry, and how you are changing the world.

Coming up with a great story makes your message more impactful and sets you off to a great start. Stories usually lay the groundwork for facilitating media coverage. Readers are more likely to remember stories as opposed to isolated figures and facts such as hiring a new CTO.

‍

#2: Proactive Goal Setting

Just as having a goal with direction is necessary in order to win a race, it is also crucial for the success of your startup.

Setting goals can apply to an entire startup, or smaller particular divisions and parts of the enterprise. These goals can either be for a daily, quarterly, or annual basis depending on your purpose. Additionally, goals can either be short term, usually constrained within a specific time frame, or long term goals, which act as a compass to steer the startup in a certain direction.

Take into account the bigger picture when setting your objectives instead of vanity metrics. Clearly defined objectives make it possible to assess if your objectives are working or not. These objectives can include announcing the launch of a new product, its features, benefits, and target audience. Thereby creating awareness by seeking coverage in relevant publications for the intended target market.

‍

#3: Build Rapport With Journalists Before You Need Them

Establishing trust and rapport with a journalist by either phone, email, or social media can be a daunting task, but it is needed if you want to pitch your story, get media coverage, or build a long-term relationship.

Pitching to the press or journalists to cover your company is like asking for a favour. It’s therefore important to establish a relationship with them in advance. Before reaching out to a journalist, do some research on their background, interests, and previous work. Ensure you know what topics they cover and their preferred style in covering them. This approach helps with tailoring a message, and avoiding unnecessary and needless pitches.

Successful media outreach is all about established connections. Your relationship with the journalists in question vastly determines the chances of your coverage as they will be more inclined to read your pitch.

Ways in which we can engage with journalists in 2023 includes following, liking, and commenting on their posts on platforms such as Linkedin, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, and also sharing helpful resources with them.

#4: Build The Perfect Pitch

Pick a target and make sure the target is a good fit for the pitch. This could mean targeting a writer who has covered artificial intelligence if you are building an AI platform. Researching a writers’ work and how your idea could help them advance their previous work can also be a useful strategy.

When pitching your story to a journalist or the media, approach it from the journalists’ point of view. It is important to ask questions around if their readers will care about the story or if it offers a new perspective on an existing topic.

Journalists are similar to founders in the sense that they have no time to waste so make sure to lay out all the important information early on.

However, in an ideal scenario, you would have done your homework, know what kind of stories they cover, and built a relationship such that there would be no need to pitch at all.

#5: Seal The Deal

In the case of a positive response to your pitch, make sure to have everything handy for your story. For instance if it’s the launch of a web app, make sure it is ready. Also make sure you will be available if they request for an interview. In essence, make sure that you have your press kit at hand. Be mindful that you are building a reputation with the journalist so it is key to make their life easy.

Productive media coverage is usually a continual coverage for your brand and not often a one-time feature. If they’ve featured you once, there is a high probability that they are likely to cover you in future.

Final Remarks 

In conclusion, make sure to keep in touch with the journalists who featured you in the past and work hard to maintain those relationships as they will be useful when you might have more news to share.  

‍