Why Most Startups Don't 'Get' Press

PR guru Brooke Hammerling gives step-by-step advice for startups looking to get good press coverage without an agency.

Outline

"I can't tell you how many times we've met with early-stage companies, and they start by telling us their big vision. They say, 'This is what we're about and what we want to change.' But when we ask them what they actually do, they can’t tell us. If you can’t answer that question, don’t do anything else until you can. Nothing else matters."

This is Brooke Hammerling , unfiltered. Her company Brew Media Relations match-makes young companies with journalists, influencers and anyone else who can help propel them to stardom.

When To Go It Alone

No matter how many PR agencies or freelance consultants say otherwise, a small startup can pull off a solid media relations strategy without shelling out for help, Hammerling says. In fact, there are only three reasons an early-stage company should consider retaining the services of a firm:

It’s entering a crowded market.
It’s a very disruptive company.
There’s a legacy CEO involved who has history with the press.

If none of these three are true, then relax. "Everybody else should focus that budget on development of the product and building a team internally."

You Are Your Message & Your Message Is Everything

When Hammerling takes on a new client, the first thing she does is separate the key members of the team, including the investors. Then she fires questions at them about the product: “What are you? Why are you? Who are you? What problem are you solving and how are you solving it? Why should people care right now?”

This was Hammerling’s approach with GroupMe, the mobile messaging startup bought by Skype in 2011. “It’s a great example because they were entering a very crowded space, but it wasn’t chat and it wasn’t just texting — we didn’t even want to call it an app,” she says.

PR isn’t about hits and it isn’t about placement. It’s about focusing your voice. It’s about finding your place in the market.

Prepping for Launch

Needless to say, Hammerling has seen a lot of missteps like this and more. She’s had startups come to her three days before their scheduled launch asking for a turnkey media strategy.

Like creating messaging, preparing for an effective launch starts with a list of questions designed to suss out your real motivations for doing PR:

Do you just want a lot of attention early on?
Is the goal to attract a ton of users? Customers?
Is the announcement more about recruiting top talent?
Do you want to raise more capital or VC interest?

The answers to these questions will shape your approach and your story.

Getting on the Media’s Radar

Once you have your plan, it’s all about placement. How do you get attention in the deafening echo chamber of today’s technology news cycle?

“Figure out who’s covering your industry — whether it’s the broader tech industry, internet of things, consumer internet, mobile, whatever,” Hammerling says. “Then there will be those few reporters who cover that specific area you’re in. Make sure you read everything they write.”

Once You Have Their Attention

If you’ve put in the time cultivating your media network, it’s time to invest even more in learning how to talk to them.

Some founders may need this boost more than others, and it’s important to recognize which type you are. “Technical founders may have a more difficult time because they aren’t comfortable shortening their ideas or statements to be more catchy.

People have a tendency to think today's news is just tomorrow’s trash, but not now. The internet is forever and people have long memories.

The Irreplaceable Voice of the Founder

The vast majority of the time, the founders are the voice and heart of the company.

It’s telling that founders are the ones up at night, obsessively reading comments, thinking about how they could do better next time. They care the most about the company’s success — and that devotion is like energy in a bottle.

When a product, message and strategy align with a founder who can deliver it all clearly and persuasively, there’s no telling how powerful that can be.

As Hammerling puts it, an agency putting out a press release says “agenda,” a passionate founder going straight to the press says, “Hey, look at this, it’s going to be cool.”