Startup Pr Outreach

Scenario: B2B SaaS product launch

Trigger: "We're launching our analytics tool in 4 weeks. Want TechCrunch coverage. What should we do?"

Process: (1) Bundle milestones: launch + seed funding + 3 pilot customers = one big story. (2) Media chain: Product Hunt launch, Hacker News post, targeted tier-1 analytics blogs → tier-2 TechCrunch/VentureBeat → tier-3 coverage unlikely for early-stage. (3) Relationships: 4 weeks isn't enough to build organic relationships, so HARO + Twitter engagement with 5 reporters who cover analytics. (4) Pitches: direct pitch template, emphasize exclusive access, specific pilot customer results. (5) Amplification: day-of Hacker News + Product Hunt submission, founder Twitter thread, paid social boost to coverage URL.

Output: Week-by-week PR plan with pitch drafts, specific reporters, and amplification checklist.

Scenario: Previous PR attempts failed

Trigger: "We sent 30 pitches to TechCrunch reporters last month and got zero responses. What's wrong?"

Process: (1) Diagnose: cold-pitching top outlets directly is the most common PR mistake. Show the media chain — stories filter up, not down. (2) Review the pitches — apply the 6 mistakes check. Usually at least 3 apply (wall of text, no emotional hook, no clear angle, unclear timing). (3) Re-strategy: start at small blogs and HARO. Build Twitter relationships with 3-5 TechCrunch reporters over 4-6 weeks BEFORE any pitch. (4) Rewrite pitches using the Ryan Holiday template. (5) Amplification plan for when coverage lands.

Output: Diagnosis of why previous approach failed, corrected approach, and new pitch drafts.

Scenario: Unconventional PR stunt

Trigger: "We want to do a publicity stunt like Dollar Shave Club's video or Half.com renaming a town. What makes these work?"

Process: (1) Analyze the pattern: unique + surprising + shareable + on-brand. (2) Generate stunt ideas tied to the company's actual product (not random). (3) Evaluate each against emotional angle test. (4) Pick one and plan execution: budget, timing, amplification plan. (5) Have a backup: stunts have binary outcomes (viral or ignored) — have a secondary launch angle ready.

Output: Stunt plan with clear success criteria and backup launch angle.