The simple way to get press for your startup

Building a PR machine is hard work, but for cash-strapped startups it can make all the difference. This post will outline my approach to getting your PR efforts in gear.

Press kit
Start with a simple press kit. Give journalists and bloggers something that is easily digestible. The more work you can do for them, the more likely you are to get press. Here are some items to get your press kit started:

• Company headquarters and where it currently operates
• Logo and pictures of your product/service in action
• Who the founders are (include social media links and photos of founders)
• Elevator pitch and mission statement
• Major products/services, including breakdown of features
• How much those products/services cost
• When those products/services were launched
• What platforms any mobile products are available on
• Overarching market statistics
• Any existing press on your venture

Make the press kit available on your website. You can put all of these resources into one zipped folder or use online software like brandfolder.com to create and host your press kit.

Get your first article
I don’t recommend going for a big publication right away. Instead, start smaller so you can test your messaging and get some early wins. Focus on niche and local publications.

Niche publications
Niche publications are typically struggling for content and they are open to newcomers. Your outreach should be narrowly focused on how you solve problems common to their audience. Simple social media or google searches should show you small publications and social media channels relevant to your company, industry, or mission. Whomever shows up in your searches is who you want to be talking to.

Local publications
Local publications are looking for innovators in the area. Your outreach should play up your local connection and local impact. You should not run into challenges getting local coverage. Look for hyper-local blogs and state entrepreneurship publications.

Leverage that coverage for growth
Once you have some coverage, you should start working up the ladder. Use your existing coverage to build credibility for your startup. When you feel good about your messaging, share your story with the local news stations. The news station should post a 2–5 minute video to their site after it airs. That video will be gold for your outreach efforts.

Update your press kit with your locally written and video coverage. You now have a “demo reel” to share with larger publications. Include the updated press kit in your outreach efforts.

Mainstream publication outreach
Target regional and mainstream publications. Start by trying the traditional story submission routes. Any significant publication will have a dedicated email address or submission form on their website. Google search the publication name plus “submit a story”. The results should show you how to submit your story for review.

If that does not work or you do not receive a response, try the side door. Look for individual writers/editors at the publication that focus on your industry and/or startups. Sometimes you will find their contact information in the byline of similar articles. If not, then google search their first name, last name, and email domain (ex: “john doe @techcrunch.com”) or use a tool like http://name2email.com/ to discover their email address. You should also reach out to them on their social media profiles. In my experience, hitting multiple contact points for an individual over a 48 hour period is your best bet at getting a response.

Blogger outreach
To find influential bloggers, search social media platforms for posts that contain keywords relevant to your business. Look for the original authors and websites creating that content. Alternatively, you can use tools like buzzsumo.com to simplify your operation. If used correctly, you should receive way more value than the $79/month it will cost you.

Outreach messaging
Regardless of the publication, here are some general rules to follow.

• Subject line should be lower case for a casual outreach. Or standout with special characters. (ex: “Local company making impact on community” or “Introduction // Company Name”)
• Make your email personal to them
• Use their name in multiple locations. Always use their name in the greeting (ex: “Hi Bob,”)
• Reference and compliment their recent work that is relevant to your company/industry. If you really want to increase your chances, leave a comment on some of their content before reaching out
• Introduce yourself and share your mission statement. This is a good spot to include your press kit
• End with a clear call-to-action. Don’t leave the email open-ended. Make it easy for them to continue the conversation. Simplest way is to ask if they are interested in learning more.
• Upgrade your email signature so it includes your name, job title, company name, and contact information. Make it easy for them to contact you through their preferred method.

Email template:

— —

Hi Bob,

I really enjoyed your article last week on emergency preparedness (link to article). Your article will help bring attention to the topic.

My company, The Awesome Company, provides emergency response training for everyday people. Every minute matters in an emergency and evidence supports training likes ours can help save lives in our community. So far we have conducted workshops for businesses and universities in the Ann Arbor area.

We are trying to build awareness of our services and share our mission with community leaders. Would you be interested in learning more about us and possibly sharing our story with your audience?

Thank you,

John Doe

Founder at The Awesome Company

248.555.1431 | john@theawesomecompany.com | press kit

— —

Track your outreach
Make a simple spreadsheet to track your outreach. Create a row for every contact. Track their name, publication, position, related work, contact information and notes. Add a column to track the number of times you reached out. Add a column for “Engaged (y/n)”. Add a column for “Published”.

Reach out at least 3 times for every contact. If you are not receiving a response, try multiple contact methods. Reach out respectfully every 2–3 days until they respond.

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This post should be enough to get you going with your outreach. Once you start, you will quickly learn what works and what doesn’t work for your company and industry. If you establish a foothold with some local coverage, leverage that coverage for greater coverage, and routinely perform high quality outreach, you should see some success within 1–2 weeks.