Step 1: Identify what is news worthy
You need to identify how your latest Crowdfunding campaign fits into the hot topics and trends that journalists and bloggers are writing about.
For example, right now, DIY and Maker Movement are gaining traction. There are niche blogs writing about 3d printing, maker spaces, and and Arduino. There are also larger publications creating content about cool new electronics gadgets that were created in the garage and beautifully designed products that were thought up by ordinary men and woman.
If you created an electronics gadget the you may want to consider contacting publications that have written about the DIY and Maker Movement, as you are a prime example of a growing trend and therefore newsworthy.
Again, how does your story fit into the overall global discussion? What trends are you a part of? Research the publications engaged in these trends.
Step 2: Appeal to multiple audiences.
You should take the same approach described in step 1 with other niches that your product fits in. Does your electronics product use a new patent pending technology that has the potential to have a big impact on a particular industry? What organizations will benefit down the road if your campaign raises the needed funds?
For example, when Arnold Swarchennegger was working to attract media attention for his breakout film Conan the Barbarian, he appealed to multiple audiences in order to get the ink needed to fill theaters.
“To promote the movie, it was important to work every possible angle. We used special-interest magazines to build an audience – stories on sword fighting for the martial-arts magazines. Stories for horse magazines. Stories for swords and sorcery. Stories for bodybuilding magazines on how you needed top conditioning to be Conan.” – Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story
Step 3: Hustle and do the work
Now, you need to actually generate the media list using Microsoft excel or word. Be sure to write down the link of the publication, the article which made you discover a particular journalist or blogger, and their name.
There are many ways to generate this list of leads. You could use google advanced search, twitter advanced search, linkedin, technorati, reddit, or stumbleupon to research journalists and bloggers that are writing about topics relevant to your campaign,
For more information, see Finding Your Target Audience Online.
After you generate a list, check your linkedin search to see if you have any shared connections with these influencers. You can ask for an introduction via your shared connections.
If you’d like to get an idea of what a list looks like, see 30 Journalists Who Have Written About Kickstarter Campaigns.
Step 4: Provide great content
Don’t make it difficult for bloggers and journalists to write about your newsworthy campaign. Provide a list of other publications that you have been featured in. Curate quotes from your management team or customer testimonials. Write a great bio of your team members that stands out.
It’s rare that stories are just about new technological developments. What makes a story compelling is the people who came up with the product idea. What hardships have they overcome in their past? What makes them relatable to the publication’s audience?
Finally, aside from providing great informational content, be sure to forward professional images of your team and product which can be used on the publication’s website. If you don’t have high quality photos, then take a snapshot of your campaign page using a chrome app like Webpage Screenshot Capture or use a print screen application and crop the image.
Step 5: Manage expectations and keep at it.
Anyone who is successful in any endeavor (as long as it’s worth being successful at!) will tell you that rejection is a part of the game. It’s the price you must pay. Lots and lots of rejection.
It’s true that seeing too much rejection can be an indication that you need to re-work your pitch, re-think the benefits your project offers to backers, or generate a new media list, but you should expect a certain amount of rejection. Many people that you email will not email you back.
The best way to get up your conversion rate is to contact journalists and engage with their content (commenting, retweeting, etc) long before you actually need something from them.
