Handbook
/
Growth & Marketing
PR and Media for Startups
Press coverage can accelerate growth—or be a waste of time. Here's how to get coverage that matters.
Press coverage can accelerate awareness, build credibility, and drive traffic. It can also be a vanity exercise that consumes time without business impact. Here’s how to approach PR as a startup.
When PR Matters
PR Works When
Credibility matters: Enterprise sales, recruiting, fundraising.
Category creation: Explaining a new market/approach.
Major milestones: Funding, launches, partnerships worth announcing.
Newsworthy story: Something genuinely interesting to write about.
PR Doesn’t Work When
No story: Just existing isn’t news.
Wrong audience: Press readers aren’t your customers.
Too early: Nothing meaningful to say yet.
Vanity pursuit: Coverage that doesn’t drive business outcomes.
Most early-stage startups overinvest in PR relative to its impact.
Understanding How Media Works
What Journalists Want
Journalists need stories their readers care about.
They want:
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Newsworthy angle (trend, data, controversy, first)
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Expert sources they can quote
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Timely connection to current events
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Exclusive or original information
They don’t want:
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Product announcements disguised as news
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PR pitches with no story
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Generic “we exist” coverage requests
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Overly promotional language
Think from the journalist’s perspective.
Types of Coverage
News: Something happened. Funding announced, product launched, acquisition.
Trend: Your company illustrates a bigger story. “The rise of X.”
Expert commentary: You provide insight on industry news.
Feature: Deep dive on your company, founder, or approach.
Roundup: Included in list or comparison articles.
Different types require different approaches.
Getting Press Coverage
Have Something Newsworthy
The foundation of all PR: something worth writing about.
Newsworthy:
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Funding announcement
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Major product launch
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Significant customer/partnership
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Original research/data
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Founder story (if genuinely compelling)
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Contrarian take on industry
Not newsworthy:
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Feature update
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Hiring announcement
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“We’re growing”
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Generic company news
If you don’t have news, create it through research, reports, or thought leadership.
Target the Right Outlets
Match outlet to goal:
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Industry trades for credibility with customers
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Tech press for ecosystem awareness
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Business press for investors/recruiting
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Local press for regional presence
Match outlet to story:
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Funding → TechCrunch, business press
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Product → Industry trades, relevant verticals
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Thought leadership → Op-ed sections, industry blogs
Don’t spray and pray. Target specifically.
Find the Right Journalists
Find journalists who cover your space.
Research:
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Who wrote similar stories?
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Who covers your industry?
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Who writes about your competitors?
Build relationships:
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Follow on social media
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Engage with their content
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Be helpful without asking for anything
Relationships matter more than pitches.
Craft the Pitch
The email that gets a journalist’s attention.
Structure:
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Subject: Newsworthy hook (specific, intriguing)
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First sentence: Why this matters to their readers
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2-3 sentences: The story
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Why now: Timeliness
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What you’re offering: Exclusive, data, interview
Keep it:
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Short (under 200 words)
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Specific (not generic)
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Reader-focused (why their audience cares)
Avoid:
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“I hope this email finds you well”
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Long company backgrounds
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Jargon and buzzwords
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Attachments (unless requested)
Follow Up
Most coverage comes from follow-ups, not initial pitches.
Follow-up timing:
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Wait 3-5 days
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Send one or two follow-ups max
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Add value (new angle, new data)
Know when to stop:
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No response after 2 follow-ups = move on
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Respect their time
Be a Good Source
When you get coverage:
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Respond quickly to journalist requests
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Provide clear, quotable answers
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Deliver what you promise (data, interviews, images)
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Don’t ask to review the article before publication
Good sources get called again.
PR Without Stories
Become a Source
Even without your own news, you can get coverage as an expert source.
HARO (Help a Reporter Out): Journalists post queries; you respond.
Twitter/LinkedIn: Engage with journalist questions.
Be available: When industry news breaks, be ready to comment.
Position yourself as the expert journalists call.
Create the News
If you don’t have news, create it.
Original research:
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Survey your customers
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Analyze industry data
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Publish findings
Reports and indexes:
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State of [industry] reports
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Benchmarks and rankings
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Trend analyses
Events:
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Host events worth covering
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Announce initiatives
Research reports can generate significant coverage.
Thought Leadership
Write and share perspectives:
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Op-eds for industry publications
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Guest posts on relevant blogs
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LinkedIn articles
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Podcast guest appearances
Build reputation as industry voice.
Working with PR Agencies
When to Hire
Consider agency when:
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Major announcement (funding, launch)
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Ongoing PR is strategic priority
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You don’t have time/expertise
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Media relationships matter
Don’t hire when:
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Nothing newsworthy to promote
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Expecting miracles from mediocre stories
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Can’t afford the commitment
What Agencies Do
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Media strategy and messaging
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Media list development
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Pitch writing and outreach
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Journalist relationship management
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Interview prep
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Coverage tracking
Typical Costs
Monthly retainer: $5K-20K+ for startup-focused agencies.
Project-based: $10K-50K for specific campaigns.
Results vary: Agencies can’t guarantee coverage.
Getting Value
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Provide clear goals and priorities
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Be responsive to journalist requests
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Have newsworthy things to announce
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Maintain realistic expectations
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Track coverage and business impact
Agency plus nothing newsworthy = wasted money.
Measuring PR Impact
Coverage Metrics
Volume: Number of articles, mentions.
Quality: Tier of outlet, tone of coverage.
Message pull-through: Did key messages appear?
Share of voice: Coverage vs. competitors.
Business Metrics
Website traffic: Referrals from coverage.
Mentions in sales: “I saw you in [publication].”
Recruiting impact: Candidates citing press.
Investor awareness: Mentions in fundraising.
Coverage that doesn’t impact business is vanity.
Press for Fundraising
Press matters more for fundraising than for customer acquisition (usually).
Before Fundraising
Build awareness with potential investors:
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Industry coverage
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Thought leadership
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Trend pieces featuring your company
Warm up the market before you raise.
During Fundraising
Funding announcement:
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Prepare in advance with PR
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Coordinate timing with investor
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Have exclusive outlet in mind
Supporting coverage:
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Founder interviews
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“Story behind the company” features
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Industry validation pieces
After Fundraising
Announce strategically:
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Pick outlet that reaches your audience
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Time to maximize impact
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Coordinate with other announcements if possible
Common PR Mistakes
No Actual News
Pitching without anything newsworthy.
Fix: Create news or wait until you have some.
Targeting Wrong Outlets
Pitching consumer press when your customers read trade publications.
Fix: Match outlet to audience and story.
Bad Pitches
Too long, too generic, too promotional.
Fix: Short, specific, reader-focused.
Unrealistic Expectations
Expecting coverage to transform the business overnight.
Fix: PR is one channel. Expect incremental impact.
Not Following Up
Sending one email and giving up.
Fix: Persistent (but not annoying) follow-up.
Being a Bad Source
Slow responses, unavailable for interviews, not providing what you promised.
Fix: Be easy to work with. Journalists remember.
DIY PR Checklist
Preparation
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[ ] Identify 2-3 newsworthy angles
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[ ] Create target outlet list
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[ ] Research specific journalists
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[ ] Prepare pitch and supporting materials
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[ ] Have press page on website
Execution
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[ ] Personalized outreach to target journalists
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[ ] Follow up appropriately
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[ ] Respond quickly to journalist requests
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[ ] Provide requested materials promptly
After Coverage
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[ ] Share coverage on social/email
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[ ] Thank the journalist
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[ ] Track impact on business metrics
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[ ] Build on relationships for future coverage
Key Takeaways
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PR works when you have something genuinely newsworthy—don’t pitch without it
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Think from journalist’s perspective: what story interests their readers?
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Target specific outlets and journalists, not spray-and-pray
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Pitches should be short, specific, and reader-focused
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Follow up—most coverage comes from follow-ups, not initial pitches
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No news? Become a source, create research, write thought leadership
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Agencies are expensive; only worth it if you have stories to tell
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Measure business impact (traffic, sales mentions, recruiting) not just clips
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Press matters most for fundraising, recruiting, and enterprise credibility
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