I will write concisely, without water — only the essence in 7 steps.

Step 1 — Conduct your own research and collect a database with the relevant media resources or individual bloggers: based on the topics covered, geography, audience. Study their prices and opportunities to be published for free, collect contacts of the representatives.

Step 2 — Establish relationships with the editors and authors - do not start like "Hey, I have a startup, and I want to be published". No, be different: share your specific case, describe a great achievement or partnership, explain what makes you awesome, use emotional dressing in your letter to get attention.

Step 3 — Show how you can be useful. For example, you are developing an RPA startup, so I can assume that you have conducted multiple researches of this market vertical. It means that potentially you can write a cool expert article on this topic - this is how you can get maximum of the content that you have. Starting communication with media based on not only the story and basic description of your startup, but also researches like this (that evidently can build your expert brand) will definitely make you stand out of the crowd.

Step 4 — If it is a press-release that needs to be published on a particular day, start negotiations 1 or 2 weeks before the publication, agree on the exclusiveness of the publication if needed, it is also a good idea to send your version of the press-release to help the media better understand why you turned to them and what you are all about - this will also save journalist’s time on editing and again - increase your chances to be published.

Step 5 — Many media resources have guides and manuals on how to get published there - take this point into account while making your own research, maybe there is a google forms or something like this for the incoming content. At least on Startup Jedi we have the one :)

Step 6 — Do not sit and wait when will the journalist message you - take initiative into you hands, media is also thirsty for cool stories, so be the first reach them.

Step 7 — Be honest! Honest with the figures, numbers, plans, achievements, team. Any misleading information will play against you eventually..

Why am I talking about this? Because I believe that any startup needs content-marketing, needs being public in the Internet and be able to share their story. If you are not online and google can’t google you  — you don't exist.

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And two more important things — your goals and topics

As for the focus of interview, you should determine for yourself what you are expecting:

• Customer relations: getting new clients or early-adopters, brand building;

• Investor relations: getting noticed by VCs and business angels - this is relevant for those who are actively fundraising;

• Human relations: attracting new employees based on the company values;

• Media relations: building relationships with niche media and journalists for future publications;

• Or even government relations.

Based on this, adjust your message and the content you are going to share online.

And finally I would like to highlight possible topics to turn to media with. I can suggest as follows:

• We are releasing a new awesome app (preferably if your founder or investor is a well-known person);

• We raised investments;

• We have prepared an expert article about a specific technology, niche,

• or We conducted a research about a topic that your media may be interested in;

• We can share a practical case “How we did this and that”.

Be simple, don’t use complicated vocabulary, be detailed, but leave the space for questions so people had motivation to explore you project later.

That is. In the next article I will share with you the topics you can cover in a story about your startup. Go Venture! Bye!