As our archive of stories and resources continues to grow, we’ve decided to bring some of our most popular tips back to the front page. Unsurprisingly, PR advice tops our list of most sought-after stories amongst entrepreneurs, and so we’re starting there. Let’s get to it.
1. Due diligence: Media coverage for your company should be earned, not blasted. BrewPR’s Jackie Lampugnano shares how companies can earn great media coverage.
2. Real relationships: Trusted sources drive the modern writer’s coverage, which is why warm intros and real connections are so important. Without them, your email blasts will have trouble standing out from the pack.
3. Truth, trust and transparency: In order for PR to truly work for everyone involved, three things are required, according to AirPR CEO Sharam Fouladgar-Mercer.
4. PR doesn’t work in a vacuum: Hiring an agency does not automatically mean that you’re going to see an increase in earned media.
5. Commitment: Many companies have this idea that PR has an “on/off” switch, and when you turn it on it’ll work immediately. But, you need to commit to PR as an ongoing strategy if you want it to really make an impact.
6. Cut $59K from your budget: X shares when companies should hire outside help and when they should keep in house.
7. Persistence: You need to be persistent in your initial efforts to get press. Understand that they are extremely busy and always be respectful if they pass on your pitch. You’ll find that beyond the initial spikes in traffic, press can also make an impact on your business development and fundraising efforts.
8. Your pitch is unclear: If an email is confusing or painful to read, reporters are going to blow right past it. My colleague Erica Swallow, a tech journalist and creator of the online class Startup PR: Getting Press on a Tight Budget, says, “Most pitches I receive from newbie publicists and clueless startup founders are lengthy, full of jargon, and lacking a clear thesis about what the company does and why I, or my readers, should care.”
9. Listen to yourself pitch: You may not know it, but you have a “pitching voice” that’s different from how you normally speak. For some, this is great. For everyone else, you will likely sound un-conversational, condescending, or robotic. Recording your pitches can help.