Startup PR ~ the don’ts
August 14, 2008
Over the past few months I ahve been talking to a few PR professionals about doing some PR work for our various companies (ServiceGuy, SpringStage, WhiteBox, SimpleTicket, Architel and HighDef). The process has been confusing to say the least. I really like the people I have met and I would likely be willing to hire any one of them if I could a) afford their services and b) understood their process better. Fortunately I had an opportunity to have lunch with Angela Shah who covers the entrepreneurial beat for the Dallas Morning News and we talked about the state of the PR industry (the good, the bad and the downright scary). After my conversation I am more clear about what NOT to do, but I am still confused about how to proceed.
Steve Rubel, perhaps one of the most well known PR bloggers, has a post titled “Does the Thrill of the Chase Make PR Obsolete?” where he decries the current state of the PR industry suggest that ‘pitching is broken’. His advice to the PR industry is fairly simple, “We have to stop spamming people and make sure that companies and products are easy and a joy to discover. That’s no easy feat. Further, it means giving up control. However, in a Google age where self-discovery rules, it’s becoming a must.”
If ‘pitching is dead’ what do we do? The one thing I hear from everyone is that, as a startup, you should ensure that your PR persons ISN’T spamming people with your pitch. ‘Sending out lots of emails and hoping something sticks’ isn’t working anymore. Don’t ask me what is working, I have no idea, but would love to know…
