This is one of the best roundups of PR advice I've seen. (andreasklinger's points are also spot on.)
Couple things to add:
1) Remember that embargoes need a journalist's opt in. You can't give them the news and order them not to publish until a given day and time. If you give them information without their agreement on an embargo, they can publish any time they want. So you need to keep some major details back when you ask for the embargo: e.g. "Our startup has some funding news to announce -- would you be interested in the embargoed press release?"
2) Just like with BD, building a relationship means helping reporters out even when you don't need them for a pending announcement. 5-minute favors, intros, explanations about the tech in your sector. That's how you can help...
3) Quotes: Many reporters have to adopt a relatively neutral voice in their writing. They face constraints on what they can say. They use quotes to spice up their stories. So try to make your soundbites more exciting than the surrounding newsprint, not less. They'll have a better chance of getting published.
4) Aunt Agatha: Journalists are professional explainers. If they write for a general readership, they're really writing for intelligent outsiders who do not have great familiarity with what you do. So avoid jargon. You words that a normal, intelligent person would understand. Reporters sometimes call that reader Aunt Agatha.
5) Exclusives. I disagree with Michael in some situations. If you have big news, and you give a reporter an exclusive, you cannot give it to any one else. Which is a huge missed opportunity. Instead of blowing your chance for coverage every else, try to find ways to tailor stories to specific outlets; i.e. "We can't give you an exclusive, but we can work on this angle exclusively and I'll only put you in touch with certain members of the team for interviews..."
I was a journalist for 10 years, full time PR for 2, and now I devote my 5%, like Michael, to maintaining relationships. I used to give talks on PR. Some of this material might be useful:
Talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAWZBdLVj24
Slides
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzcEIIxKcYncOHd4VTBrU29ObFE...
PR Handbook (2013)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzcEIIxKcYncbUk2ZjRHS1hmQUk...
Couple things to add:
1) Remember that embargoes need a journalist's opt in. You can't give them the news and order them not to publish until a given day and time. If you give them information without their agreement on an embargo, they can publish any time they want. So you need to keep some major details back when you ask for the embargo: e.g. "Our startup has some funding news to announce -- would you be interested in the embargoed press release?"
2) Just like with BD, building a relationship means helping reporters out even when you don't need them for a pending announcement. 5-minute favors, intros, explanations about the tech in your sector. That's how you can help...
3) Quotes: Many reporters have to adopt a relatively neutral voice in their writing. They face constraints on what they can say. They use quotes to spice up their stories. So try to make your soundbites more exciting than the surrounding newsprint, not less. They'll have a better chance of getting published.
4) Aunt Agatha: Journalists are professional explainers. If they write for a general readership, they're really writing for intelligent outsiders who do not have great familiarity with what you do. So avoid jargon. You words that a normal, intelligent person would understand. Reporters sometimes call that reader Aunt Agatha.
5) Exclusives. I disagree with Michael in some situations. If you have big news, and you give a reporter an exclusive, you cannot give it to any one else. Which is a huge missed opportunity. Instead of blowing your chance for coverage every else, try to find ways to tailor stories to specific outlets; i.e. "We can't give you an exclusive, but we can work on this angle exclusively and I'll only put you in touch with certain members of the team for interviews..."
I was a journalist for 10 years, full time PR for 2, and now I devote my 5%, like Michael, to maintaining relationships. I used to give talks on PR. Some of this material might be useful:
Talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAWZBdLVj24
Slides https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzcEIIxKcYncOHd4VTBrU29ObFE...
PR Handbook (2013) https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzcEIIxKcYncbUk2ZjRHS1hmQUk...