This document provides advice for startups on how to effectively pitch news stories about their company to media outlets like TechCrunch. It emphasizes creating relationships with journalists before pitching, having a unique story to tell, personalizing the pitch, and focusing on the benefit to readers. It also outlines what not to do, such as being insulting, giving unnecessary backstory, or sending vague pitches. The overall message is that startups should proactively work to create their own newsworthy stories rather than just trying to get publicity for publicity's sake.

1. Mike Butcher
Editor At Large
TechCrunch.com
mikebutcher@techcrunch.com
Twitter: @mikebutcher
Linkedin.com/in/mikebutcher
Facebook.com/mikebutcher

2. News is a Purple Cow

3. News is “Man Bites Dog”

4. News is also about making
my publication AMAZING

5. Just BEING a startup does
not make you “News”

6. The fact that you exist is
NOT news!

7. The fact that you exist is
NOT news!

8. Want to be part of the
news? TIME your news to
be RELEVANT

9. Conversations usually beat
press releases

10. Why? Conversations are
about getting to know the
news media.

11. Negotiate before you shoot

12. Why negotiate?
Here’s why:

13. A day in the life of a
stressed tech writer.

14. INCOMING!!
Email
SMS
Voice calls
Skype / IM
Facebook IM / Messages
Twitter @replies
Twitter DMs
Face-to-Face

15. What I have on my plate on
most days:
3-5 News stories by 9am
4-5 Feature ideas
Write-ups from trips
Arranging travel
Arranging meetings
Incoming!

16. Then I get this:

17. “
@mikebutcher Hey Mike, we
just launched our startup!
Want to write
about it?
”

18. So, for me to drop
everything and write
about you, your story
needs to be BETTER than
everything else.

20. Answer: Unlikely.
So – You increase you
chances by pre-briefing
E.g. One/two line email:
“Mike, we’re doing X next
week. Are you Interested?”

21. Ideal pitch over email:
Mike!
We are launching X.
It will compete with Y.
It’s better than Y because.
We have raised Z money.
From XYZ investors.
Let us know / it’s exclusive.
Here’s more links (no PDFs)

22. How DO you negotiate?
• We want to offer you this as an exclusive
• We’re : Ready when you are, post whenever
you like in the next few days
• OR
• “Exclusivity lasts for the next /2 days”
• We are NOT going out to other media until
after the story is live with on your site
• The story is embargoed, but here’s the info

23. But put substance into the
first pitch
And don’t ask permission.
JUST DO IT
“Hey Mike, Would
you mind if I sent you a
press release?”
#FAIL

24. And: Get to the damn point!
Mike, given your background, I thought you could be interested in talking to the
founder of BLAH BLAH BLAH. With on-going debates on whether we are entering a
second Internet bubble and predictions that this year would yield the most IPOs of
technology stock since 2000, BLAHs trongly believes that the new wave of tech start-
ups would only be successful if they can add value by creating new markets, rather than
focus only on streamlining efficiencies. A case in point is his business – 80% of the
properties Flat-Club offers have not been previously available in the market. BLAHcan
also talk to you about what it means and what it takes to be a successful Internet start-up
today. If you are interested in talking to him please let me know and I can arrange an
interview. Below I’ve provided further information on BLAH.
OR
Interview with the founder of this startup?
He’s experienced because…
He can talk about… the tech bubble… donkeys… whatever
Here’s some more info below. Here’s a link
Thanks

25. Your launch
party is not news

26. Even better:
Great products
make news.
A product that goes viral is
much better ‘news’ than a
PR release.
So build a GREAT product.

27. Be a great contact

28. Make Your OWN content!

29. In other words:
MAKE some damn news
yourself!
• Start a fight:
e.g. Apple Vs Everyone

30. Understand who you are
talking to

31. Target the right title & the right
writer:
• Target influencers
• National papers often follow
big blogs like TC

32. Try to pitch to a writer in
person
If not, then add personality
to email pitch. Include
pictures/video

33. Be quirky, pitch with a
secret wooden box!

34. The media likes talking to
the people in charge

35. Should you hire a PR firm?
Only when you really need
to.

36. PR firms = Relationships
Introductions do the same

37. One company in a space is
not (generally) a story

38. Don’t be annoyed if you
don’t get coverage
400 emails a day, other news stories, just
busy, whatever. Stuff happens.

39. Please pitch like a human

40. So What IS a Story?
• Competition/Drama: “X will Kill Z”

41. So What IS a Story?
• Competition/Drama: “X will Kill Z”
• Gossip: “CEO/Company rumour…”

42. So What IS a Story?
• Competition/Drama: “X will Kill Z”
• Gossip: “CEO/Company rumour…”
• Insight: “Trend X will change the world”

43. So What IS a Story?
• Competition/Drama: “X will Kill Z”
• Gossip: “CEO/Company rumour…”
• Insight: “Trend X will change the world”
• Evolution: “Startup Y is like the X for Z”

44. So What IS a Story?
• Competition/Drama: “X will Kill Z”
• Gossip: “CEO/Company rumour…”
• Insight: “Trend X will change the world”
• Evolution: “Startup Y is like the X for Z”
• Success: “Awesome Y created!”

45. So What IS a Story?
• Competition/Drama: “X will Kill Z”
• Gossip: “CEO/Company rumour…”
• Insight: “Trend X will change the world”
• Evolution: “Startup Y is like the X for Z”
• Success: “Awesome Y created!”
• Failure: “Company X dying/screwed up”

46. So What IS a Story?
• Competition/Drama: “X will Kill Z”
• Gossip: “CEO/Company rumour…”
• Insight: “Trend X will change the world”
• Evolution: “Startup Y is like the X for Z”
• Success: “Awesome Y created!”
• Failure: “Company X dying/screwed up”
• You are The Story: “Kid creates FB”
• Celebrity: Ashton Kutcher invests!
• Cairo company hacks Facebook!

47. What should you send
the media?
It’s all about saving the media time
• LIST OF KEY BULLET POINTS FIRST
e.g.
• WireWAX has received investment from Passion Capital
• wireWAX have over 1,500 paying subscribers ETC ETC
• Video embed codes and setup for the dimensions of TC
• Crunchbase entry
• Direct hyperlink to web-ready logo
(NOT a hi-res image. This is not a fucking print title)

48. What should you send us?
It’s all about saving the media time
• Press Release IN PLAIN TEXT IN THE EMAIL
(Do NOT send press releases as attachments)
• Screen shots are ok as attached
• Link to preview of site/app
• Extra quotes
• Links to previous articles about Startup
• Mobile phone number/Skype address for key contacts etc

49. To Summarize
• Know Who To Contact
• Create Relationships Before The Pitch
• Networking and creating buzz will help,
before you pitch
• Have a unique story
• Personalize the pitch
• Lay out the benefit for the title’s readers

50. DON’T!
• Be insulting
• Give me your whole life story
• Send 100 bloggers the same email
• Don’t send me the same pitch multiple
times – come up with new angles

51. DON’T!
• Don’t try to PR your company because
you want to be famous
• Don’t be vague: Identify what you want
covered

52. Yes, but how do I get on
TechCrunch.com?
(Do all of the above)

53. Mike Butcher
@mikebutcher
Thanks!