How to get media coverage for your startup by Clarissa Angurah

1. How To Get Media Coverage for Your Startup Clarissa Anugrah

2. FUN FACT! You PAY MONEY for advertisements, but you PAY publicity (media coverage) with RELATIONSHIP. HOWEVER, you could not predict the content because you don’t pay one single cent for it. That is why, media relations is extremely important in getting your media coverage.

3. News Value / PR Value DO YOU KNOW? • Online media coverage worth approximately 45-60million rupiah each. • Print media coverage usually worth more than that (it has its own calculation formula) It worth 3 times more than advertisement value

4. 1. Determine Your Key Message • People are not interested in your product. They are interested in the changes that your product would bring. • Tell a story! • Tips: write your own blog. Make the Journalists find you!

5. Tokopedia: Seller Story • One of Tokopedia’s ad campaign with the most engagement

6. 2. Create Your Media Database • Research relevant journalists. • Traditional way: Call the news desk • Modern way: Getting connected through social media (LinkedIn).

7. Traditional Way: Call the News Desk WEAKNESS STRENGTH • • Takes a long time. People in the news desk are usually available on >4pm (especially national newspapers) A possibility to get the aimed journalist’s personal information and probably other information (depends on the response of the person whom we are talking to) – IF we can build the conversation. “Hello, could I speak with the news desk?” “Hi, I am Clarissa from Tokopedia. We are planning to have a media gathering and would like to invite one of your journalists in tech column. To whom should I send the email or maybe could you please connect me with the journalist in charge?” P.S: It will be better if we have already known the name of the journalist

8. Modern Way: Social Media - LinkedIn STRENGTH • • • • • Say Hello! Introduce yourself Introduce your company Provide your contact information Ask for their contact information (e-mail address is important!) • LinkedIn could be useful to learn about journalist’s backgrounds and what industries they have covered Easier to have a further discussion • TIPS: • • • • • Keep it simple and brief. Focus on your key message Personalize your message. Express your passion through words (Don’t be boring!) Don’t pitch your stories (yet)

9. 3. Build Personal Relationships • Journalists are extremely busy. • Find out what they’re interested in. • Remember, journalists are doing you a favor (or at least they think they are). Don’t contact them only for work reasons. You are building relationship with A PERSON. Find out what they’re interested in is very important. You could start a conversation with the current trend, etc. It is impossible to have a ‘relationship’ with all of them, but it is better to have one or two compared to none. Make sure you know and actually read their articles!

10. 4. Prepare Your Media Kit • Letter of introduction • Information on the company • Product and service information • Press release • List of Frequently Asked Questions • And other important & relevant information (including photos!) Express your brand’s personality in your media kit. BE ORIGINAL!

11. 5. Send Your Pitch • Focus on an angle that creates an emotional connection – a story. (How does your product or service help others?) • Personalize your pitch • Send your pitch through e-mail, not social media Write all of the important information on the body email (press release, FAQ, etc.) and attach the original document as well. It saves a lot of their time. We have to do extra efforts to make things more effective and efficient for the journalists.

12. 6. Follow up & Maintain Relationships • Be persistent, but don’t be annoying. • Every media contact you make should be treated as a valuable business relationship. • A simple “hi” could help you get your next media coverage Pitch through email, and follow up through phone call / message / WhatsApp. “Hi! I am Clarissa from Tokopedia who contacted you through LinkedIn. I have sent you a press release about _. Have you received it yet?” “If you need anything else, don’t hesitate to contact me! I hope it suits your writing needs “

13. REMEMBER! 1. Determine your key message – tell your story! Create your media database – search for relevant journalists! (and always update!) Build personal relationships – be friends with them! Prepare your media kit – make it original and unique! Send your pitch – personalize! Follow up & maintain relationship – build chemistry with the journalists! 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.