4 ms·

Before I got into tech I founded a PR agency. I agree that you shouldn't outsource PR as a startup. If you can't fumble your way through a pitch to a journalist

Before I got into tech I founded a PR agency. I agree that you shouldn't outsource PR as a startup. If you can't fumble your way through a pitch to a journalist you either a) have a shitty product or b) shouldn't be running a business. Journalists are remarkably tolerant of the amateur if she is honest and believes in what she's doing. The 'clueless staffer' email is a bit old though. No agency worth their salt would put out something like that. I'd say the #1 issue in PR is not having a solid story to work with. 'PR in the boardroom' is considered the holy grail of agency/client relationships and frankly pure BS if anyone ever tells you they have it. PR doesn't guide business decisions. That means the business is either newsworthy or it isn't, regardless of what the agency does.

ugh 16y ago
PR agencies just can’t make the launch of a USB stick sexy. In my limited experience with PR agencies I have sadly seen that they seem to have huge problems telling that the client. They will write a press release when the client tells them to, no matter how unimportant the thing the client wants to announce is. I think this article is quite apt, small companies and startups don’t really need a PR firm. A long and intensive relationship between client and PR agency is the foundation for good PR work by the agency and such relationships just won’t happen when you are a startup. Journalists don’t bite, be nice to them, make it easy for them and write good stuff for them. That’s all.