The Two Most Important Questions To Break Through in the Media

In today’s tech world, startups are vying for attention– from investors, from customers and especially from the media. Early stage companies are hungrier than ever for press coverage, relying on media buzz to introduce their business, products, or services to the world. But amidst a noisy and overcrowded environment, it can be challenging to capture, let alone retain, attention from the media.

It’s understandable that many tech businesses have their sights set on securing coverage in influential publications like The Wall Street Journal and Tech Crunch. However, not every announcement or product roll-out will be deemed newsworthy enough to merit placements in these outlets. There’s an art to building storylines and engaging with high-profile outlets (all news stories are not created equal)! It’s our job to guide clients through the process so that we can focus on the outlets and storylines that will make the biggest impact. And sometimes clients are surprised to learn that doesn’t always mean the biggest name publications. 

We encourage every client to ask themselves two important questions to determine just how weight your story may have:

1. Why You? 

Of all the possible companies doing incredible work, why should the media care about yours? What pain points are you solving for your customers? What are you doing that’s unique and differentiated from your competitors? What are you talking about that’s new or fresh enough to feel new?

We know that your company is innovative and industry-moving. But can you succinctly talk about why it will matter to your clients, partners, employees and investors?  It sounds simplistic but in fact, it can be one of the most foundational parts of building your communications strategy.

2. Why Now?

Why should the media take notice of your company or news at this exact moment in time? What other news trends or events are happening that make your story more relevant? What data points do you possess to create more urgency around your news? What storyline can you weave that will grab the attention of reporters right away?

We like to think of these as the ‘door openers’ to the media discussion- timely hooks that insert your company into relevant discussions. And, thought of with the lens of relevance, they should constantly be changing. 

When you can answer these questions with specificity and confidence, chances are you have a story that will pique the interest of the media and hit home with your target audience. And whether that’s in The Wall Street Journal or a publication more specifically tailored to your industry or audience, differentiating your offering and adding relevance to your story can help cut through the noise.