Want press coverage for your startup? Keep these 3 things in mind

Have you ever wanted a local news outlet to write a story about your company, startup or product launch? It’s easier to get in touch with the press than you might think.

Journalism, unlike press releases or other public relations pieces, is reported and unbiased coverage of a company, whether it be on a product launch, funding announcement or other news. Because of that, a reported story on your company can lend credibility as you pitch to investors and acquire customers. Though talking to the media for an interview can seem stressful and scary, doing so is often one of the best ways to spread awareness of the work your company is doing.

Local startup and entrepreneurship hub Innovation Works knows that, so on Thursday it hosted an event in its Cafe IW webinar series on pitching to the press, featuring four local journalists, including this Technical.ly reporter, Nate Doughty of the Pittsburgh Business Times, Lauren Rosenblatt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Andrew Stockey of WTAE-TV Hearst Pittsburgh. The discussion ranged from what makes something newsworthy to the best method for reaching out to whether or not it’s OK to send a cold email without a press release (spoiler alert: the answer is yes!).

Here are the three things to keep in mind when reaching out to the media:

Journalists are people, too.

A lot of founders and entrepreneurs are intimidated by the press, and with good reason! All the talk of “the media” today can make journalists seem like one big conglomerate. But each reporter is a person, just like you, and the primary job of any self-respecting news outlet is to connect with sources as much as possible to tell a community’s story. So remember that when you reach out. The worst thing a news organization or reporter can say to you when you reach out is that they’re not interested. Speaking of …

Don’t take no to heart.

If a reporter says no to your pitch, don’t see that as a criticism of your business idea or of the value in your story. Often, different outlets specialize in coverage of different topics. So what might be a great piece to publish on Technical.ly might not be one for an outlet less focused on tech.

“Even if you get a ‘no’ the first time, it’s OK,” said Stockey, longtime news anchor and sports director for WTAE-TV Hearst Pittsburgh. “There are other avenues to explore if you want to get your message out.”

The best way to get your story out there is to make as many reporters aware of it as possible. (Though sometimes offering exclusive coverage to just one outlet can be good, too.) Even if you get a no back from everyone you reach out to, keep in touch for future stories. Reporters often bookmark news they can’t cover right away for a future trend or feature piece. The best way to make sure your news can be included is to stay in communication with journalists. You’re building a relationship.

Reach out in any way you can.

Most reporters make their emails public, either through Twitter or their author pages for their outlets. Usually, that’s the best way to reach out. But direct messages on Twitter or LinkedIn can sometimes work, too. Your best bet is to check the social media profiles of the reporter you want to get in touch with and see if they list a preference for reaching out. Some journalists used to be more hesitant to give out cell phone numbers, but since the pandemic, it’s become a more common practice. If it’s not made public on social media, the reporter usually includes the number in his or her email signature, and that can be a great way to reach out for breaking news, too. In fact, we pride ourselves on the number of folks we’re texting about a story.

For more tips on how to approach the media, watch the recording of yesterday’s event here. And if you ever have more questions on the best way to reach out or just want to get in touch, don’t hesitate to send an email to sophie@technical.ly.