This document serves as a comprehensive guide to public relations (PR), detailing its definitions, goals, and strategies for measuring effectiveness. It outlines practical approaches for startups to leverage PR, including building relationships with press, crafting effective messages, and utilizing social media to amplify outreach. Additionally, it includes tips for writing press releases, managing press relations, and choosing the right PR agency.

1. Marketing-in-a-Box
Introduction to Public Relations

2. Contents
• PR – Definition & goals
• Messaging – what it is how to use it
• How to measure PR effectiveness
• PR by stages – when to use what and when
• Amplifying PR via social media
• Agencies, dealing with press and releases
• Appendix:
– PR agencies
– PR tools & sites
– The Art of Newjacking – getting free PR

3. What is PR?
“PR is the practice of managing the spread of information
between an organization or person and the public. PR can
include a person or company getting exposure to their target
audience using topics of public interest and news that do not
require direct payment.”

4. What are the goals of PR?
Goals
Communicate
Company
messaging
Communicate
Product
messaging
Crisis
management
Manage Press
Relationships

5. What does PR communicate?
The company’s main reason
for being / it’s mission
The 2-3 key points that
differentiate the company
Company positioning
statement – typically one
line
Company’s short description
– typically 2-3 lines
Company’s full description –
typically up to a paragraph
What is needed Output

6. What is included in a communications framework?
One line: Name of the company; how it’s positioned in the
market and what industry it operates in.
Multi-liner: Same as One Liner plus mention of the company’s
key product / products and what are the 1-2 things that are
unique about them in the market.
Full paragraph: One liner + Multi liner. Also includes typically
where the company is located, backgrounds of 1-2 key, high
profile founders or employees as well as who is funding the
company, number of worldwide offices and employees.

7. Practical example – Video Game Developer X
One liner: Video Game Developer X is the world leader in hyper-realistic combat
games for Tablets
Multi-liner: Video Game Developer X is the world leader in hyper realistic combat
games for Tablets. The company’s proprietary Sub-Zero platform allows for near photo
realistic combat animation while compressing data to minimize gaming lag time
Full paragraph: Video Game Developer X is the world leader in hyper realistic combat
games for Tablets. The company’s proprietary Sub-Zero platform allows for near photo
realistic combat animation while compressing data to minimize gaming lag time.
Headquartered in Berlin, Germany, the company’s founders include top executives from
EA, Activision, and Dreamworkz. The company was founded in 2006 and is funded by
Signia Venture Partners and Crosscut Ventures.

8. When do you use each?
One liner Multi-Liner Full Paragraph
• Use when time short
• First sentence of each
press release
• Mention in TV / Radio
interview
• Sales cold call
• Intro at speaking event
• Print / Online interviews
• Introductory marketing
materials (B2B) – website,
one pagers, ppt decks,
online videos
• Self-introduction at speaking
events or with TV, Radio
journalists
• When comparing self with
competitors
• As part of key executive bios
• At the footer of each
press release – the
boilerplate
• Investor / partner
presentations /
marketing materials
• In-depth product or
company videos

9. How do you measure PR effectiveness?
1
2
3
• Reach – number of impressions generated, number of unique views,
number of readers, number of TV viewers
• Tools – Meltwater.com
• Quality– Quality of publications; top 5 pubs in your particular industry /
vertical; quality of content. How accurately do the major articles reflect
the message being conveyed
• Value ($) – What is the equivalent value of the reach achieved?
• Tools – Agree with your agency ahead of time a measurement for value.
An example could be Reach x % of target audience reached x $ value per
person hit. The % audience can be a bit subjective as is the dollar value
per impression but when used consistently month on month it can
provide a benchmark for future performance

10. What to communicate / how it can help
• Company formation / key founders
• Funding announcements
• Product launches
• Key hires
• Strategic partnerships
• Knowledge, industry news, opinion
papers
• M&A activity
• Awards / Industry recognition
• Makes attracting top talent easier
• Awareness makes funding easier /
faster
• Builds awareness with prospective
clients / strategic partners
• Makes invitations to key events more
likely
• Increases chance for nomination to
awards / industry recognition
• Positively impacts M&A prospects
What to communicate Benefits of PR

11. What types of PR to do and when?
Seed / Early stage Series A-B Post Series B
• Build direct ties with key
editors / reporters in your
industry
• Use Prwire.com to syndicate
your news broadly
• Hire PR consultants using The
PR Network or other freelance
PR services on project basis
• Set up a blog and write about
your industry to begin
positioning yourself as a
thought leader
• Develop an events strategy and
sponsor events related to your
industry – always negotiate a
speaking / panel opportunity
• Hire a small / mid-size agency
specialized in your industry for
5-10k / month max
• Develop a press release
strategy and aim for 1-2
releases per month if possible
to build frequency
• Leverage and share industry
data freely when you have it to
build thought leadership
• Hire an upscale agency that
can also target mass market
media 15-20k / month
• Hire an in-house PR person full
time to manage agencies and
key press outreach
• Consider a broadcast media
agency specialist
• Add small / mid size agencies
to other key non-US markets
• Consider developing your own
industry specific event

12. Amplifying PR via social media
• Twitter
– Type: Broadcast, 1:many medium
– Tools: Hashtag for company, product and/or partner, pre-generated
max 150 characters for your news (including link), Twitter page
– *Can use Bt.ly to shorten link to news to save characters
– Created Twitter ad with download URL for app if appropriate
– Email tweets to Signia to amplify via @Signiavc, @Zawthet
• Facebook
– Type: Broadcast and Engagement; 1: many
– Tools: Facebook page, imagery where possible, video when possible,
promote page via ads with download links (if appropriate), Mention
SigniaVC, Zaw Thet and other investors in posts where possible to
share

13. Other ways to amplify PR
• Create a blog – all PR releases, news, knowledge and research should also
be sourced from your blog
– Type: 1: Many good for targeted broadcast and for user feedback
– Tools: Varies from blog to blog. Services available include – Blogger, WordPress,
Wix, Weebly among others, Always add links to blog posts; mention key persons,
funds, partners using links in any articles to provide ease of sharing / syndication,
add graphics / video where appropriate, create compelling / short headers with key
search terms in title (Google, Android, iOS, Apple, etc.)
• Other tools
– Alternative / less noisy social platforms: Quibb, Hacker News (for YC), Product Hung
– Email / CRM: create a distribution list (with clear opt out) and regularly share your
press releases and posts with press, partners, users)
– Clear company / team sections in company website together with team bios,
linkedin page links and blog section. More best practices check here
– Mobile re-targeting

14. How to source the right PR agency
1. Create a clear brief (1-2 pages) that details – who you are, your key challenges, your product(s), your
goals and what your measurable metrics are. Ask the agency for a plan on how to meet these goals
within a specified time and budget X
2. Create a short list of at least 5-10 agencies that have demonstrated track record in your industry and
send them the brief asking them to pitch
3. Get references from existing and past clients. Clearly ask which clients are current. Ask who specifically
will be on your account team, their bios and how many other clients they will manage (the fewer the
better)
4. Use whatever agency you select on a project / trial basis first (a single project or 1-3 month trial). Agree
on key performance metrics before starting any project (views, impressions, number of unique users,
value of PR)
5. Jointly establish a weekly PR meeting and monthly performance report to track progress. Any good
agency will agree to measurable metrics as well as on a frequency to review these
6. Ask the agency what feedback they would like from you and agree to a half yearly or at least yearly client
feedback where you score them on a pre-agreed list of criteria (responsiveness, number of interviews,
number of speaking agreements negotiated for free, value of PR generated, quality of publications
reached and number of times hit). Allow the agency a 360 feedback where they provide feedback on
you as a client

15. Tips on managing the press / journalists
• Don’t sell your product / company; sell yourself as
an expert / thought leader
• Press is always on a deadline. Be available or have
someone who is
• Provide data even if not directly relevant to your
product / company
• Build relationships; don’t always have an angle; give
freebies (swag, lunch, product peeks)
• Give occasional “exclusives” but not on critical
product / news
• Write the headline for them; give them soundbites
that will drive traffic interest in their news
• Never harass or antagonize them if they don’t print
what you like. Clarify; ask why?

16. Interviews - crash course in media training
• You’re always “on the record” unless you say otherwise
– Off-the-record: nothing you say can be printed
– On background: what you say can be printed but not attributed to you
• Avoid saying “no comment” - re-direct thorny questions to someone who has expertise or explain why you might
not be able to provide a response
• Avoid questions outside your area of expertise – re-direct to what you can discuss and are comfortable with or feel
free to say “I’m not sure but let me check and get back to you”.
• Stick to facts / data that you can support with numbers
• Stay positive / avoid bad-mouthing competition
• Always re-direct to the main point of what you’re trying to communicate
• If caught off guard / surprised, re-phrase the question for clarity and to buy time
• Never mention a particular journalists’ competition
• Smile, have fun and create discussion and conversation – remember you’re building a relationship

17. Tips on writing great press releases
• Keep it short! 1-1.5 pages
• Keep it simple; avoid technical jargon
• Add images, video or stats when possible
• Write the release with the reader in mind first!
• Deliver the key Soundbite. What makes this story
sexy?
• Always add key partner quotes if possible (and
approved by the partner). Prestigious partners
enhance the story
• Proofread! They might print the story exactly as
your write it (also they might not)
• Be available for questions – provide time / days
when you or a member of your time can answer
questions

18. APPENDIX
Introduction to Public Relations

19. Start-up friendly PR agencies & useful links
• SparkPR
• Mighty PR
• Atomico
• Outcast
• Brew
• Komodo (UK only)
• Tips for Finding the Perfect
agency
• How to use PR in a startup
• Why most startups don’t
get PR
• Top ranked SF agencies (by
USD$)
• Top ranked Tech PR
agencies -2013

20. Tools & Sites
• The PR Network – Site for freelance PR professionals that can be
hired on full-time or half time basis. Mostly UK based but also have
US freelancers. Broader sites for freelancers include Odesk and
Guru.com
• Meltwater – PR service that helps capture online news coverage
globally. Provides link source, number of views, audience size as
well as translation of articles in foreign languages into English
• PR Wire – News distribution & syndication service. Allows
companies to upload and distribute their news for a fee. Includes
reporting by day of where news was featured including news
source, links and audience size. Alternatives include Brand.com and
Prweb

21. The Art of Newsjacking
• What is Newsjacking?
– The art of commenting or creating news around
someone else’s story
• When is the best time to do this?
– Following a company’s earnings release (if public)
– Following a major product launch / strategic
announcement
– Following any major regulatory changes or M&A
activity in the industry
– Immediately after the news breaks but before all the
facts are out
• What’s the best way to do this?
– Take a position on an issue based on fact and data
– Have a strong point of view that is defendable and
appears impartial
– Put forward new reliable data points to support your
point of view
– Act fast!
• Reach out to the article’s author directly to provide
the information and offer an interview to explain
your position (if you’re a small company consider
offering an exclusive to the journalist)