Why Your Startup's PR Strategy Is Probably Backwards

Jan de Vries · 2026-09-29

You know how it goes. You picture landing a massive feature in TechCrunch or Forbes and watching the customers roll in overnight. It's a classic founder fantasy. But here's the thing—that playbook is about 15 years out of date. Back then, venture capital was harder to come by, and a few big publications really could make a company. Today? It's a different world entirely. Founders often treat PR like a trophy. They walk into an agency and say, "Get me in the biggest publication you can." It's understandable, but it misses the point. The reality is that startups need to prove they're real companies, not just momentary bets. PR isn't about a single splashy article. It's the discipline of building trust at scale. Chasing one-off wins isn't a strategy; it's a distraction. ### The Media Landscape Has Shattered Traditional newsrooms have shrunk. The industry has fragmented into a million niche outlets, podcasts, newsletters, and social channels. That's not a bad thing—it's an opportunity. But you have to be willing to adapt. The old broadcast model is gone. You can't just shout into the void and hope someone hears. You need to start with why you're even doing this. ### Start With The "Why" Early on, you grow through sales and performance marketing. That works. But leveling up requires something more. You need a larger pool of customers, enterprise buyers, serious investors, and senior talent. A great product and killer ads do the heavy lifting, but they can't manufacture trust. They can't build a reputation that speaks for itself. That reputation shifts from nice-to-have to essential when you hit a major milestone, usually your first significant venture round. A launch is rarely news—it happens too early, before you have the traction to prove real-world impact. PR only works once that traction exists. Until then, your energy is better spent building the substance that coverage will later reward. > "PR reflects reality; it doesn't create it. Your story needs to be built on something real first." ### Map Your Stakeholders First Before you obsess over specific magazines or podcasts, think about your objectives. Are you raising funds? Hiring a leadership team? Entering a new market? How do you want your company to be perceived in 12-24 months? This clarifies not just what you do this month, but how this month's work fits into the bigger picture. Then, identify your stakeholders—the people who help you reach those goals. For most startups, that's: - Clients and customers - Investors - Top talent Depending on your industry, you might also need to consider: - Strategic partners - Regulators or government bodies Investors and potential senior hires dig deeper than customers. They want to know who's behind the company, why it will win, and what the culture is like. They'll check third-party sources: reviews, comparison sites, and the earned media that PR secures. Earned media is powerful because the platforms and people behind it—expert journalists and niche authorities—are inherently trusted. ### Crafting Messages That Move People Stakeholders are persuaded by verifiable facts, strong metrics, and concrete success stories. - An investor won't back a team that might not deliver. - A senior candidate won't join a toxic environment. - A regulator needs evidence of competence and credibility. Each group wants something different. Your job is to choose which points matter most to each and deploy them at the right time, in the right place. That's messaging. Some messages are for one audience only; others work across the board. Unlike some marketing, every PR message must be verifiably true, backed by facts, stats, and examples. Don't forget: PR reflects your reality. It amplifies what's already there. So build something worth amplifying first. Focus on substance, then let the strategy for telling that story follow. It's a longer game, but it's the only one that builds lasting value.