PR Strategies for Startups.

1. PR Strategies
For Startups

2. Who Am I?
Myriam Joire:
• Studied applied math. / elect. engineering
• Video game developer (15 years)
• Tech journalist (10 years)
• Product / Media strategy advisor (3 years)
• LucasFilm, Sony, Dolby, Engadget, Pebble

3. What is PR?
Public Relations includes:
• External communications
• Customer relations
• Social media
• Media relations

4. Why Does PR Matter?
PR is a flash in the pan
But it can ignite a fire
And while it won’t guarantee success
It can give you 15 minutes of fame
And push your launch forward

5. When To do PR?
• PR and marketing go hand-in-hand
• Start planning for PR early
• Incorporate PR at every stage
• Allocate time, money, and people to PR

6. Marketing vs. PR
Marketing crafts the message
PR delivers the message
It’s a symbiotic relationship
It’s a feedback loop

7. Media Relations
Relationships with the media take years to
develop
+ Good PR takes a lot of experience
= Hire a professional or an agency

8. Craft a Strong Message
• What’s your product? (elevator pitch)
• What are your key features?
• What are your key differentiators?
Iterate until you get it right

9. Create Great Content
• Hire a photographer and videographer
• Take beautiful photos of your product
• Shoot a quality video (2 min)
• Edit a few 5-10 second teaser clips
Use this content for everything

10. Launch Strategies
• Don’t reveal too much ahead of time
• Have a teaser page (website)
• Reviews are always best (pre-production)
• Demos / briefings (prototype)
• Announcements / news are terrible
This is where planning for PR early pays off

11. Launch Date
• Be mindful of conflicts with other news
• Be aware of conferences
• Pitch around 2AM PT Mon-Wed
• Setup an embargo
• Tuesdays at 10AM PT is the best launch time
• Don’t pitch between Black Friday and CES

12. Launch Targets
Acquire or build a media list:
• Research coverage for similar products
• Identify publications and reporters
• Find contact info (*)

13. Understand the Media
• Overworked, underpaid
• Receive several dozen pitches a day
• Looking for new, cool, and unique products
• Prefer products that will be shipping soon
• Juggling many other more important things
• Reviews, events, breaking news

14. Pitching dos
• Keep your pitch short, sweet, and to the point
• Email the media
• Personalize your pitch
• Include images and (short) videos
• Setup an embargo

15. Pitching don’ts
• Use long and formal pitches
• Call the media (*)
• Waste the media’s time
• Pitch stale / irrelevant news
• Pitch too often / harass

16. Speaking with the Media
• Be prepared, know your message
• Practice your briefing / demo
• Relax and take your time (*)
• Be conversational and inclusive
• Ask to speak off the record if necessary
• The media don’t want to trick you

17. Bad Example

18. Good Example

19. Questions?
Myriam Joire
tnkgrl@gmail.com