The document provides tips for startup founders on generating news stories after raising a Series A funding round or during the COVID-19 pandemic. It recommends focusing on growth stories that demonstrate momentum and relevance to current events. Stories should keep journalists informed on the company's progress through occasional brief updates and by cultivating relationships with reporters who cover relevant topics. The document also suggests capitalizing on opportunities to comment on major industry trends or generate coverage of unique initiatives, while avoiding overly frequent or generic pitches that media will not respond to.

1. *
How to tell stories about your
startup post-Series A, beyond,
and during Covid-19
mike@techcrunch.com
(This will be the
only graphic in
this presentation.
Enjoy).

2. *
The good news:
You raised a Series A (or more)
The bad news:
What stories can you tell now?
mike@techcrunch.com

3. *
Simple answers:
Stay relevant to the news
Maintain your ‘newsworthiness’:
- Be relevant
- Be timely
- Be novel
mike@techcrunch.com

4. *
What makes a news story?
@mikebutcher

5. *
• Typical startup stories:
Worthy but easy / a bit dull:
- Client wins
- C-suite new hires
- Product milestones
- Funding events
• More interesting & requires creativity:
Growth stories!
@mikebutcher

6. *
First, you need to think about the
long-term cadence of your
company’s ‘story’:
- The founding
- First big customers / Big hires
- Evidence of growth
- Its relevance to wider issues
@mikebutcher

7. *
After funding it’s now about
growth & momentum stories
- This boosts your recruiting
efforts
- Gives ‘social’ validation to your
company
- Keeps investors interested
@mikebutcher

8. *
Job one:
Create working (and mutually
useful) relationships with media
@mikebutcher

9. *
To do this you’ve got to keep
your media contacts ‘warm’
You want to build helpful
relationships which are
non-transactional — give and
help, don't just take or expect.
@mikebutcher

10. *
Journalists ultimately want to
build a relationship with CEOs /
co/founders
So what are some of the best
approaches?
@mikebutcher

11. *
One way: stay close to the
SUBJECTS that interest the
journalists & news outlets you
want to stay close to.
@mikebutcher

12. *
Ways to do that:
Follow them on Twitter!
Techmeme
Read the damn news!
RSS! (e.g. Feedly)
Journorequests.com
Helpareporter.com
Muckrack.com
@mikebutcher

13. *
A note on Twitter:
- It rarely hurts to Retweet or
Comment on a journo’s tweets
- It’s a real-time feed into a
reporter’s brain
@mikebutcher

14. *
Keeping ‘warm’:
- You do not need to always
send press releases!
- A SHORT, semi-regular note on
activity (BUT, don’t over-do it)
- And don’t expect a reply
@mikebutcher

15. *
E.g. Here’s a what a startup once regularly sent me:
Hi folks,
Here's the latest snippets of what's happening at XXXXXX. Oh, and join us for a beer!
If anything looks interesting and you'd like to find out more, I'm always available on the
phone - 075XXXXX - and we like sharing both beer and coffee!
This email is going out to a select group of people who've written about us before (there are
about 30 on here) - it isn't intended to be spam. If you want to be taken off the list, just say.
Happened recently:
- <Two sentences>
- <Three sentences>
Coming up soon:
- Fun event to see London's Christmas lights! Next Thursday evening we're etc
Thanks!
<CEO name>
@mikebutcher

16. *
Know your journo:
- Be aware: Journos are
swamped by incoming
- Typical day starts on messages
- *Email is read by subject line*
- There are 6+ PRs to every journo
- COVID = the average day x10
@mikebutcher

17. *
Get your CEO & execs ‘match fit’
for the media
@mikebutcher

18. *
Staying ‘warm’:
- Keep tabs on the news cycle!
- Ensure the CEO is never too
busy to comment on stories
- Don’t be a bottleneck!
- Offer quick email comment on
major events *if substantive*
@mikebutcher

19. *
- Display your expertise
- Back this up with FACTS
- Make use of CEO’s personality
- CEO personal stories can be
compelling e.g. World Remit
@mikebutcher

20. *
Other tactics and ideas to use
@mikebutcher

21. *
- Be associated with a hot story
- If possible, it doesn’t (usually)
hurt to be associated with a
celebrity
@mikebutcher

22. *
- Be creative. Brainstorm ideas
for stories in meetings
- Anticipate upcoming news
- Get AHEAD of events
@mikebutcher

23. *
- Be surprising: Attack your
competition e.g.
Uber/Postmates
- Be UNUSUAL: “This startup
uproots its entire team and
operation for one month, and
relocates to a new city.”
@mikebutcher

24. *
Get broader with coverage:
- Campaigns current in the news
e.g. Accessibility / Disability
- Politics / Brexit /
disinformation
- Immigration and talent
@mikebutcher

25. *
- Environment / Climate change
- WorkFH / Remote office
- Education / Skills
- Huawei / Move to 5G
- EC regulation / GDPR
- e-Bikes / city mobility
@mikebutcher

26. *
But, caution: If your stance on a
controversial issue comes
across as inauthentic, it can
come off very poorly. E.g.
BLM / MeToo / LGBTQ Rights
*You MUST offer real substance*
@mikebutcher

27. *
Become known for being a key
commentator on a key issue or
megatrend. e.g.
- GreenTech founders should be
experts on the environment
- Fintech founders expert on the
economy
@mikebutcher

28. *
‘Giving back’ stories:
- What are YOU doing for your
industry that isn’t about you?
- What are YOU doing that isn’t
just about your own
self-interest?
@mikebutcher

29. *
CURATE your own stories:
E.g. Run an event to discuss a
major topic and invite
journalists. It might well
generate a story?!
@mikebutcher

30. *
Stick your neck out:
E.g. “Fintech founder says better
rules around e-money
institutions may have prevented
today’s financial crisis”
@mikebutcher

31. *
A short note about exclusives /
embargoes:
- All journos want exclusives!
- Your ‘exclusive’ about
something minor is dumb
- Embargoes are best for major
events not tiny ones
@mikebutcher

32. *
What media won’t respond to:
● Branch office openings
● So-so appointments
● Minor customer wins
● Overly frequent pitches
● Generic pitches
@mikebutcher

33. *
Media will take in interest if:
- You have weird, over-the-top
spending post-Series A...
- You company has a scandal
- Executives behave badly
- Many other obvious reasons!
@mikebutcher

34. *
News in the age of the pandemic
@mikebutcher

35. *
COVID-19, the biggest story in
100 years, has almost taken over
the media.
@mikebutcher

36. *
And there are ALWAYS new
angles:
Wired: Tech to open theatres
BBC: Future of virtual meetings
FT: E-scooters are booming
TC: VC/Tech hubs post-Covid
@mikebutcher

37. *
New outlets have majored on
COVID-19 because it’s big, but
its also an endless source of
news
@mikebutcher

38. *
And finally...
mike@techcrunch.com

39. *
Dealing with rejection:
- Ask why the story didn’t work
- Don’t burn bridges / be polite
- LISTEN to the feedback you
get from journalists
- Avoid mixing ‘average’ stories
with major ones
mike@techcrunch.com

40. *
The End.
Questions?
mike@techcrunch.com