How to get your startup in the media

You are an early-stage founder eager to generate buzz and excitement around your business. You live and breathe your startup, but how do you catch the media's attention and inspire them to write about it? I've had countless conversations with founders who are itching to get noticed but feel unsure of where to begin. The two main challenges? First, identifying the right people to approach. Second, figuring out what exactly to say.

Here are five practical tips to help you navigate the world of media coverage.

Why does it matter? Simply existing isn't enough

Many startups fall into the trap of merely stating what they "do." But this isn’t enough. 

You need to work out how what you do is relevant to the audience of the publication you are targeting.

Looking at people’s problems is always a good start. Have a think about the social, economic or broader issue that your product is tackling. How can you make it relevant to the audience?

Data is a powerful tool for providing perspective and adding a human angle to your story. When discussing a partnership, for instance, don't solely focus on its implications for the involved parties. Highlight what it means for the market and, most importantly, for your customers.

If you are emailing about your businesses, make sure you give the back story.  Share the personal journey of the entrepreneur behind the venture. Did you overcome significant adversity? Emphasise these aspects. People are curious about the personalities behind successful business leaders.

The art of newsjacking: positioning yourself as the expert

There are only so many times a company can tell its founding story. You need to think of other ways to get media attention but not everything your company does is ‘news’. In fact, not very much that an early-stage company does is inherently newsworthy.

The founders who leave a lasting impression in the media are the ones who know how to share their wisdom without being self-serving or drowning us in technical jargon. You are a founder, you are likely an expert in something. You have experience and insight that few others have.

It’s this insight and expert commentary that is of value to journalists. Keep on top of the trends in the publications you want to be in and seize the moment to "newsjack" breaking stories. Offer your unique perspective or add value to the conversation. By engaging with topical issues, you'll captivate your audience and position your startup as a thought leader worth paying attention to.

Navigating the media maze

First, it's essential to determine your target audience. If your goal is to reach potential investors, getting mentioned in TechCrunch could be a strategic choice. However, if your aim is to reach customers, it may not be the most effective route.

Once you've identified your audience, consider which media outlets to target for reaching them—financial, tech, cleantech, etc - and make a list of journalists who are writing on topics relevant to your business.  A helpful starting point is Google News. Look for journalists covering your industry and also search for your competitors to see who is writing about them. Add these journalists to your target list.

Instead of taking a scattergun approach, focus your efforts on a select few publications, around 5. This targeted approach yields better results. And remember, it's not just editors you should aim for; junior journalists can be great too, as they often write stories more frequently.

Getting personal: building relationships with journalists

You have your list of target publications and journalists. Follow them on social media; it can be a helpful way to gain insight into the topics they cover, and some journalists even include their email addresses in their bios.

Before emailing journalists, make sure to do your homework and only pitch them stories that are genuinely helpful or relevant to their beat. Engage in meaningful conversations on social media platforms as well. Our founder once commented on a post by a prominent journalist from The Times on LinkedIn, and as a result, she started to follow him. Bingo. Our company updates now organically appear in her newsfeed.

A regular bugbear I hear from journalists is founders who ask them to change copy. Unless something is factually wrong in the article, it is not appropriate to ask for copy to be changed. Journalists will not describe your business in the way you write your own marketing. And never ask to see the article before it’s published!

AI as a tool, not a replacement

And finally…Use AI to sense-check your copy and ensure you’re not sending a journalist an email with grammatical errors. But please do not get AI to write the copy. It’s generic. We want to hear your unique voice, and this can only come from you.

I use ChatGPT to check grammar or Grammarly, which is currently rolling out generative AI features to users. Simple prompts such as ‘please can you check the grammar and flow of this copy’ do the trick.

Good luck and happy pitching!