One common issue that many creators of crowdfunding projects have is how to get PR – or the best ways to get their story out to the general public by putting out press releases, networking, and pitching to journalists, bloggers, etc.
Luckily, many experts have shared their advice on this topic. Before getting started with PR outreach for your Kickstarter or Indiegogo, check out the tips and bits of wisdom below that detail how to get your message out there effectively.
Caitlin Kelly
Writer for the New York Times. View her personal website here.
“I delete virtually every email pitch I get. They’re 99.9% useless … have nothing to do with me or what I am working on. The only two emails I opened recently that were useful to me came from people who actually noticed (!!) what I cover. I had written a story about women car designers and someone pitched me an interesting and offbeat story related to automobiles. It actually made sense … The other one was a follow-up from someone who knows the NYT runs special sections every year, and that I write for those sections … and asked if I was looking for ideas (which I was.) THAT is useful. That is someone actually paying attention to what I need … Sadly, it is very rare.” – Source.
Al Ries and Laura Ries
The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding
“Today brands are born, not made. A new brand must be capable of generating favorable publicity in the media or it won’t have a chance in the marketplace. What others say about your brand is so much more powerful than what you can say about it yourself. That’s why publicity in general is more powerful than advertising. And why over the past two decades, public relations has eclipsed advertising as the most powerful force in branding. Credentials are the collateral you put up to guarantee the performance of your brand. When you have the right credentials, your prospect is likely to believe almost anything you say about your brand. Credentials are particularly important in the publicity process. Reporters and editors are quick to dismiss advertising claims as puffery.” – Source.
Brady Bautch
Public Affairs Specialist at Veterans Health Administration Office of Public Health – Population Health
“When I worked as a journalist I saw at least 100 press releases cross my desk each day. What caught my eye was a solid headline with a good hook and then a solid news peg right in the lead. The ultimate factor was the decision of, “is this important to my audience? Is it relevant and timely?” – Source.
Heather Carson
President and Co-Founder of Onboardly Media
“Traditionally, when we wanted to get media for our clients, we’d just send a pitch email, including the media release. While this worked for some, it wasn’t foolproof for most startups. Now, we identify a month early what journalists we’re targeting and send a simple intro email; introducing ourselves and asking their permission to send them a pitch(s) in the future. We also ask what style they prefer, how much notice they like, etc. Not only does this work – we’ve noticed a large increase in coverage rates as a result.” – Source.
Greg Galant
CEO of Sawhorse Media, Creator of Muck Rack and The Shorty Awards.
“My first, second and third rule for using Twitter is to be interesting … I also follow (and over time have been followed by) many journalists, entrepreneurs and experts. Engaging them in conversation over Twitter has led to many great relationships, business opportunities, and quotes.
Twitter and social media are now a required part of PR outreach. That doesn’t mean you should crudely just tweet pitches to random journalists. Every communication you have with a journalist … should be informed by what they’re sharing on Twitter. Twitter’s also a great place to build a relationship with journalists and establish yourself as an expert before you need to pitch. I became a source for a CNET article simply because I tweeted at a journalist in response to a question he had.” – Source.
Chris Anderson
Assignment Editor at KING-TV
“Finding the right audience and right spin is extremely important. A pitch telling us why we should put this story on our evening newscast (i.e. why the subject is interesting) and how it will fit in to the NEWS rather than wanting us to do a 1:30 commercial for something is something to keep in mind. Also, tailoring a pitch to a journalist (as all are different) is very important too, know their “beat” and style, if possible build up a good professional relationship with them.” – Source.
Conclusion
These expert tips on getting PR for your company (or crowdfunding project) give a glimpse into what it takes to get noticed. Instead of sending out the same email to dozens of random journalists, it is a lot more worthwhile to cultivate relationships with bloggers and media figures who write about a topic related to the story you want to pitch. Remember to choose your timing wisely and provide them with clear, to the point, newsworthy information.
Did you find these tips helpful? Leave any questions or comments below!
