The ultimate guide to PR

Emilie Gerber, founder and CEO of the PR agency Six Eastern (100+ tech clients, previously PR at Uber and Box), walks through a highly tactical playbook for getting press for startups. The conversation covers why press matters beyond direct signups, which publications fit which stories, how to pitch funding news and product launches, finding podcasts, reaching reporters, and how to choose and budget for a PR agency.

01Key learnings

• Press often delivers second-order value: third-party validation for sales emails, recruiting outreach, and investor or sponsor credibility, even when it doesn't drive direct signups.
• For funding announcements, keep the pitch simple: amount raised, investors, and one line on why it matters, offered as an exclusive to the most relevant beat reporter.
• Follow up respectfully every three or four days with new information, and move on to other relevant reporters after a few attempts.
• Match publications to story type: TechCrunch for funding and some product news, Axios for deals, Business Insider for entrepreneurial journeys, VentureBeat for AI, Fast Company for future of work, Forbes for awards and contributor pieces.
• Pitch the broader narrative or underdog angle rather than the feature list, such as framing a launch as taking on a known incumbent, which gives reporters an easy frame of reference.
• Find podcasts by searching your customer vertical, then check that hosts have guests in your buyers' roles, the show is actively publishing, and past guests are peers you want to be associated with.
• Start podcast outreach with a short friendly note asking if the host is open to guest ideas, which gets more replies than a long pitch.
• Warm relationships matter less than a concise, specific, well-targeted note; keep pitches to about three sentences and avoid putting everything in the first email since everything said is on the record.

Summary and takeaways written by PM Atlas; quotes are short excerpts. © the original author.