The Advanced Start-Up PR Guide to Superior Storytelling + Media Messaging

How to Master Your PR Messaging For Your Start-up: An Advanced Guide

If you’re running a startup, you already know how important effective promotion is to grow your business. And if you want to accelerate your company’s brand recognition, be considered top in your field as a thought leader and secure your space in the marketplace, there are few things more effective than press coverage.

Here’s the deal: PR can really make a difference in putting you on the map. In fact, it generates conversion rates that are 10 to 50 times higher than advertising. That’s because people tend to trust “earned” media more than traditional paid ads. Why? Because you’ve been vetted by a journalist, producer or host and deemed publicity worthy. When people read about you in the Wall Street Journal, for example, you’re automatically elevated to the status of known brands, CEOs, founders that have already graced their pages. It’s assumed that you are at their same level — or soon could be.

But getting that kind of exposure doesn’t happen by accident. It’s no coincidence that you see, hear or read about the hottest start-ups on TV, radio, podcasts, and in print. They’ve got great products, services, tech advances, innovative ideas and ground-breaking inventions for sure, but that’s not the only reason they’re getting coverage.

Behind every great brand story featured in consumer and trade media is a thoughtfully developed public relations strategy. And with the right strategy, in particular their messaging strategy, you can metamorphosize your start-up from unknown into an industry, business and household name.

That’s why I’ve put together this advanced guide to help you get the kind of press coverage that leads to recognition, sales, partnerships, opportunities, book deals, speaking engagements and TED talks. By increasing your visibility and credibility you’ll organically and easily acquire more customers, clients, connections—and next round funding—that will set the stage to take your start-up to the next level.

But first things first: mastering your messaging for the media. Studies from the Director of the Center for Neuroeconomics Studies, Dr. Paul J. Zak, has researched how good stories connect us deeply to each other, inspire trust, move us emotionally and inspire action. Which translates to motivating us to be more helpful to each other and even to give money.

According to psychologist Jerome Bruner in his book, Actual Minds, Possible Worlds, “thoughtfully embedding a fact within a story increases the chances of recall by 22 percent.” Which means that when you make your message more powerful by backing it with facts that people will have a greater chance of remembering your story when it’s connected to a relevant statistic.

In addition, a stellar story can actually alter our brain chemistry, making us more trusting and opening our minds to new ideas. So, it’s crucial to get your stories just right.

How to Craft a Compelling Signature Start-Up Story for the Media

The first question practically any producer, journalist or host will ask you is, “Why do you do what you do.” Why did you start this company? What motivated you? Often called your hero story, story of origin or signature story, you’ll need to have this at the ready. While there are 5 main types, yours can be a variation or deviate completely from them. They are:

1. A childhood experience that shaped who you are
2. An aha, defining, or life changing moment.
3. A family legacy or ancestral tradition that influenced who you have become.
4. A hobby that turned into a career.
5. A discovery of a gap or something missing in the marketplace.

Here is a fill-in-the-blank template that you can complete in 5 minutes to create your compelling signature story.

A well-crafted signature story that you share at the beginning of your media interview sets the tone for the entire interview and when designed well can actually modify our brain chemistry, leading us to become more trusting, more receptive and open-minded to fresh concepts, novel ideas, and new thoughts.

However, creating a compelling story that captures the media’s attention is no easy feat. There are multiple elements to keep in mind when crafting a startup story that truly resonates.