How startup PR works

Since I was on the Influencer list by Cédric Bollag When I landed, emails from startups that wanted to be featured in my blog skyrocketed. The startups or their PR agencies send me a media release about the launch of their new product or a success, sometimes even pre-written articles, and expect me to copy the texts one-to-one. As an entrepreneur and also as a blogger, I know: it doesn't work that way. That's why I'm sharing my startup PR tips here.

Startup PR is not mass mailing!

With most of the inquiries I receive, it is clear at second glance that they are mass mailings. Subject lines like “New Startup” or “Media Release” are not particularly appealing. Every now and then the salutation is personalized, but the email then refers to “your newspaper”. That doesn't make a good impression and shows that the senders haven't engaged with my blog.

Take the time, find the right influencers and write a personal email (or at least a personal section). This proves that you took your time and take the recipient of your message seriously.

Does my topic fit the format of the blog?

I have first portrayed startups here in the blog. When I was in the Ukrainian summer Odessa the lively startup scene I got to know each other, so I decided to introduce some of the startups there. I did this because I was interested in the scene, the startups and the entrepreneurs behind it.

The authors often write that they find my articles exciting and have been following the blog for a long time. Which is why they then come up with the idea of ​​the fifth moving startup from Bielefeld, Germany* could be interesting for my readers remains a mystery.

Following on from the first startup PR tip, you should not simply send your media release to all the addresses you find somewhere on the Internet, but rather select the appropriate magazines and blogs. Ask yourself who the readers might be, what they are interested in and whether your startup is relevant to them. Most journalists and bloggers want their articles to be read, so the chance of them picking up your topic increases if it fits the topic.

By the way: Just because you're doing a startup doesn't mean that startup media is best for you. These are only read by other entrepreneurs and investors (in absolute numbers, by quite a few people), and most likely not by your target group. You can reach them better on other platforms.

Is my media release authentic?

As is well known, I approach some topics quite critically. When I receive a media release in beautiful PR language about extraordinary successes, I look at it from different perspectives: As an entrepreneur, I am interested in what strategy was used to achieve the successes, what goals the startup has set itself and what I can learn (and pass on) from it. As a blogger, I question the media release: Are the successes really as great as they were portrayed? Is there perhaps a story behind it that is more interesting? Does it provide material for more in-depth research?

My tip: Of course you can and should point out the successes of your startup. But avoid too many superlatives. This is more evidence of a bad PR agency than actual success - shortly before the fall of the Soviet Union, its newspapers reported the most fantastic success stories...

Build a relationship

Many journalists want to know more about who they are writing an article about. Startups in particular want to know them over a longer period of time in order to be able to write an interesting story. It is often a matter of distinguishing hot air from substance. Journalists are often lulled by PR agencies (that's their job), so they want to look behind the facade. It is therefore important that you build a personal relationship with the journalist or blogger: keep them up to date and inform them from time to time about the current status of the startup, especially if they have shown interest or have already reported on you. If you get along well with the journalist or blogger, you may be able to pass on information off the record - i.e. background information that is relevant but may not be published.

Be polite

I try to answer my emails as quickly as possible. However, due to time differences or other priorities, I occasionally miss one, especially when it comes to mass emails (then I don't feel obliged to respond). It's okay to follow up after a few days, but please stick to netiquette. It is certainly counterproductive if you insist in a mushy email that a journalist should write about you.

This should actually go without saying, but it is surprising how often comments or questions are written in an unfriendly manner... it is certainly not intentional if a journalist or blogger has not yet responded to your well-formulated message.

Contact me!

If you think that your story could be interesting for me or my blog (and you are not exactly a Bielefeld moving company), please feel free to contact me! I'm always happy to meet new acquaintances from the startup scene, and maybe we can write a post together.

Have you had other experiences or would you like to get rid of something else? Feel free to comment below or on Facebook and Twitter.

*Made-up example.