How to Impress the Press & Generate Media Coverage for Your Startup
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Public Relations (PR) focuses on persuading individuals and influencing their behaviors for various benefits, such as increasing sales or establishing brand trust. Effective PR includes elements like boilerplates, elevator pitches, and press releases, which are essential for garnering media attention and connecting with audiences. Success stories, like Solar Paper's crowdfunding campaign, illustrate the importance of effective messaging and personal engagement in achieving PR goals.
![Boilerplate Template
[Company Name] is an [City, Country] based company, founded in [Year], which
provides [Products] to [Customers, Target Audience].
[Company Name] has consistently [Value Proposition].
[Company Name] is [Key Fact â such as âthe first company to provide peer to peer
payment services in Asiaâ or âa startup dedicated to solving communication issues
between friendsâ].
In the future [Company Name] plans to [do what].
For more information about [Company Name], please contact [Person] at [email],
[Phone] or visit [Website].](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/prpresentation-151113045907-lva1-app6891/85/How-to-Impress-the-Press-Generate-Media-Coverage-for-Your-Startup-19-320.jpg)
How to Impress the Press & Generate Media Coverage for Your Startup
- 2. PR is the art of persuasion
- 3. PR professionals aim to persuade people and influence beliefs. This makes people change behaviors or take actions, which benefit your company.
- 4. PR persuades... ⪠Users to download your app or visit your website ⪠VCs to invest in your startup ⪠Contributors to back your campaign ⪠Partners to sign agreements with you ⪠The public to believe you are a trustful brand ⪠Amazing people to leave high-paid jobs to join your team
- 5. Corporate PR... helps existing brands interact with the public and maintains or boosts brand value
- 6. Startup PR... breaks stories about new businesses to build awareness and establish brand
- 7. Does PR work? One good article placement can increase sales leads and drive growth Consumers believe third party endorsements more than Ads
- 8. âYou always need to think about PR, but that doesnât mean you should chase press coverage as soon as youâve got a company name. Startups should not hire a PR firm till they have customers as proof-of-conceptâ Shalini Singh, Founder of Galvanise PR When do you need PR?
- 9. PR In Action Real-life examples
- 10. Cloudike Process ⢠Interviewed founders ⢠Built company intro and press kit ⢠Distributed to global media Achievements: ⢠TechCrunch article resulted in a 10 X increase in qualified business leads through their website NOTE: Securing TC took six months and a trip to San Fransisco http://tcrn.ch/1Him39g
- 11. Solar Paper by YOLK Solar Paper is the first solar charger thatâs thin and light enough that you can fold it up, slip it inside of a notebook, and take it with you anywhere. The companyâs founder, SungUn Chang, says that itâs her mission to bring solar technology into peopleâs everyday lives. With help from G3 Partners, Solar Paper has beat out all of the previous crowdfunding campaigns from Korea, raising more than US$1 million on Kickstarter.
- 12. 6,297 backers pledged $1,021,583 Recipe for Success Press coverage of Solar Paper has been spectacular, ranging from CNBC to the Daily Mail and Mashable. The companyâs reputation was established during their prior campaign last year. The success of Solar Paper clearly demonstrates that a good product, trust from former backers, and improved crowdfunding aptitude can clearly bulldoze through cultural and language barriers. One thing that stands out is how personal this campaign is to its creator, who writes her updates in the first person, and whose passion is clearly evident in the product video. Learn more
- 13. Now weâre going to talk about⌠HOW
- 14. 1. The Boilerplate - a boilerplate is a unit of writing that can be reused over and over, for multiple press releases, without change 2. The Elevator Pitch - An elevator pitch is a short description of your product/service 3. The Press Release - PR announcement issued to the media 4. Images 5. Other items The Press Kit â âPure PRâ
- 15. The Boiler Plate âA standard piece of writing that can be reused over and overâ ⢠Usually found at the end of a press release ⢠Briefly describes the company or organization ⢠The same boilerplate is usually used on every press release ⢠Boilerplates should be up to date, clearly written and short
- 16. Not Just For press Releases
- 17. Terrible Boiler Plates âOrbotech is principally engaged in the design, development, manufacture, marketing and service of yield- enhancing and production solutions for specialized applications in the supply chain of the electronics industry. The Companyâs products include automated optical inspection (AOI), production and process control systems for printed circuit boards (PCBs) and AOI, test and repair systems for flat panel displays (FPDs). The Company also markets computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) and engineering solutions for PCB production. In addition, through its subsidiary, Orbograph Ltd., the Company develops and markets character recognition solutions to banks and other financial institutions, and has developed a proprietary technology for use, among other things, in web-based, location-independent data entry for check and forms processing; and, through its subsidiaries, Orbotech Medical Denmark A/S and Orbotech Medical Solutions Ltd., is engaged in the research and development, manufacture and sale of specialized products for application in medical nuclear imaging. Of Orbotechâs employees, more than one quarter are scientists and engineers, who integrate their multi-disciplinary knowledge, talents and skills to develop and provide sophisticated solutions and technologies designed to meet customersâ long-term needs. Orbotech maintains its corporate headquarters, executive and registered offices and principal research and development, engineering and manufacturing facilities in Israel. The Companyâs extensive network of marketing, sales and customer support teams, located in over 35 offices throughout North America, Europe, the Pacific Rim, China and Japan, delivers its knowledge and expertise directly to customers the world over. For more information visit www.orbotech.com.â Orbotech is principally engaged in the design, development, manufacture, marketing and service of yield-enhancing and production solutions for specialized applications in the supply chain of the electronics industry⌠This doesnât actually say anything
- 18. 8 Boilerplate Tips ⢠Include what your company does and for whom ⢠Describe your strengths ⢠Include your organizationâs tagline ⢠Use appropriate keywords for SEO ⢠Include specific metrics ⢠Use words that position you against competitors ⢠Include a link to your website ⢠Include contact details Keep it short and simple: 100 â 150 words http://bit.ly/1mGzs4O
- 19. Boilerplate Template [Company Name] is an [City, Country] based company, founded in [Year], which provides [Products] to [Customers, Target Audience]. [Company Name] has consistently [Value Proposition]. [Company Name] is [Key Fact â such as âthe first company to provide peer to peer payment services in Asiaâ or âa startup dedicated to solving communication issues between friendsâ]. In the future [Company Name] plans to [do what]. For more information about [Company Name], please contact [Person] at [email], [Phone] or visit [Website].
- 20. Boilerplate Example Founded in 2015, G3 Partners is Asia's first dedicated startup PR agency, based in Seoul. G3 Partners specializes in providing regional and global PR services for tech startups in Asia, and supports global growth stage tech companies with PR in Asia. G3 Partners helps clients get featured on major technology, business and finance publications in Asia and the US, such as TechCrunch and TechInAsia. G3 Partners currently serves clients in Korea, China, Singapore and the US and has presence in SE Asia since June 2015 For more information contact Nathan Millard (CEO) at nathan@g3partners.asia, give him a call on +82 10 8723 7702 or visit their website at www.g3partners.asia.
- 21. The Elevator Pitch ⢠An elevator pitch is a short description of your product/service ⢠In one sentence you should be able to explain your companyâs mission â âmy company, _(insert name of company)_, is developing _(a defined offering)_ to help _(a defined audience)_ _(solve a problem)_ with_(secret sauce)_â. ⢠Imagine youâre on an elevator with a potential investor and you can only pitch to him/her during the ride
- 22. Elevator Pitch Example âWe solve the problem of genealogy by matching possible relatives, to help genealogists create one accurate world family tree. We make money by charging enthusiasts for enhanced search and other premium features.â
- 23. Elevator Pitch Example âWe solve the problem of genealogy by matching possible relatives, to help genealogists create one accurate world family tree. We make money by charging enthusiasts for enhanced search and other premium features.â One sentence describing a service. Explains how this service is viable (makes money) and touches on other offerings that are going to lead to questions.
- 24. Elevator Pitch Example ⢠Grab attention immediately and craft a clear statement that can lead to a question by the receiver ⢠If you donât get a follow on question, youâve failed ⢠In the brief amount of time you have, you have create curiosity!
- 25. The Press Release âAn announcement sent to the press, to let the public know of company developmentsâ ⢠A press release is not an advertisement ⢠It should be factual and concise ⢠Avoid jargon and technical language ⢠Limit yourself to one subject ⢠It should announce something new
- 26. Generally writers will create their own article, based on your press release
- 27. 10 Tips For Writing A Press Release 1. Have a good reason for sending a press release 2. Grab attention with a good headline 3. Get right to the point in the first paragraph 4. Answer who, what, when, where, why and how 5. Include hard numbers or data points 6. Make it grammatically flawless 7. Include quotes whenever possible 8. Make sure it is appropriately targeted 9. One page is best, two is maximum 10. Provide access to more information âNo one can write great copy first time out. Keep practicing and get feedback to help you improveâ
- 28. Press Kit⌠what to include
- 29. Essentials ⢠Boiler plate ⢠Backgrounder (1-3 page company summary) ⢠Executive profiles ⢠Contact details for follow-up information ⢠Hi-res images (for web and print): logo, screenshot, CEO, team
- 30. Nice To Have ⢠CEO Q&A ⢠Details of Awards ⢠Previous press coverage ⢠Previous press releases
- 31. Images
- 32. ⢠Your Logo ⢠Use a high-quality image of your logo that is sharp and visible. ⢠Product Photos ⢠1-2 should be sufficient. Make sure itâs the product you talk about in the release ⢠Shots of people ⢠Make these appropriate to the audience ⢠Video ⢠The video should clearly back up what is said in the release ⢠Keep it to 60 seconds or less What you need
- 33. Sample Images
- 34. Even More Tips ⢠The press list ⢠How to build a press list ⢠How to contact journalists ⢠PR tools
- 35. What is a press list âAn effective press list is actually not a list, itâs a collection of personal connectionsâ ⢠Effective PR relies on strong media connections ⢠If writers already know you they are much more likely to listen ⢠Like friendships, building strong media connections will take time
- 36. So⌠a press list will take time to develop, and should be looked after, like you look after your friends. Writers might change jobs, but you should keep the friendship. http://bit.ly/1yRaDdk
- 37. How to build a press list ⢠Identify target publications ⢠Identify writers who cover your âbeatâ ⢠Record contact information and build writer profiles ⢠Connect with them and start interacting early ⢠Get to know their preferences / interests
- 38. Acquiring Contacts for Publications ⢠You can even buy a media list on Vocus or Mondo Times, but check: ⢠Is it up to date? ⢠What information does it contain? ⢠Is the life of the list unlimited? ⢠Which outlets are included? ⢠Will this be digital? ⢠Services like VoilaNorbert and EmailChecker helps you find emails for targeted writers and verify that they are real ⢠Most important â build a list of relationships, not contacts
- 39. How to contact journalists âSpamming 1,000 âcoldâ contacts will not be nearly as effective as pitching 10 relevant people you know very wellâ
- 40. ⢠Add value to their work ⢠Follow them on Twitter ⢠Share their relevant work ⢠Comment on their Writing ⢠Try Snail Mail ⢠Buy them a beer ⢠Send a highly personalized e-mail ⢠Keep them informed How to make friends with journalists
- 41. Tips on connecting with press ⢠Target relevant writers ⢠Ask writers how they like press kits received ⢠Send 1-2 reminders ⢠Develop meaningful dialogs ⢠Focus on the 5 Wâs ⢠Show your appreciation & keep the dialog going ⢠Keep in touch with writers ⢠Offer support with other related stories ⢠Donât demand coverage ⢠Donât chase up more than twice per press release ⢠Assume all writers have the same preferences ⢠Use excessive superlatives ⢠Donât treat Reporters like your soapbox ⢠Donât make writers feel like an after- thought ⢠Donât mistake âNoâ for âNeverâ Do Donât