Want to get your startup or small business featured in top-tier media, even when you don't have news? This step-by-step guide shows you how.

1. No News?
How to Get into the
Media Anyway
STARTUP PR SECRETS

2. How do companies get in the media?
Do Something Bad
Real BAD News
Do Something Nice
CSR
Do Something Big
Real News
Comment on any of these
Thought Leadership
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3. Putting it into Practice
Provide context to make your
statements more relevant to the
story
Help the journalist tell a great
story, don’t try to directly
promote your product
Make bold statements and
predictions, but back them up
with evidence
Demonstrate your experience,
presenting your unique point of
view

4. Example
After years of consumer complaints, airlines have found a way for
passengers to see value in add-ons, even if not so long ago, they were
included in the price of the ticket, said Jay Sorensen, president of the
airline consulting firm IdeaWorksCompany.
“It’s on the rise because it works, it generates more revenue per
passenger and it seems to generate fewer complaints as well,” Mr.
Sorensen said.
…
A recent IdeaWorksCompany report noted the growing importance of
bundled or branded fares to the bottom line at airlines — not only major
airlines but also low-cost carriers, which use them to lure business
travelers.
…
“Anytime you give the consumer three choices, more often than not,
they’re going to choose the middle choice because it feels like a safe
compromise,” said Mr. Sorensen of IdeaWorksCompany. “And that’s the
magic in this method.”
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5. Thought Leadership Process
Research Outreach
Backgrounders
Solicited
Responses
Unsolicited
Responses
Your objective is to build relationships
with reporters so that you and your
company become a trusted, first point of
contact to comment on news.
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Learn more on slide 6 Learn more on slide 7
Learn more on slide 8

6. Thought Leadership Process
• What kinds of stories can you comment on, based
on our expertise?
• What publications are covering these kinds of
stories?
• Are these stories and publications relevant to our
target audiences?
• Which reporters at these publications are most
relevant to us?
• Who are the right spokespeople inside of your
organiztion for each topic?
Research
Find out where it is best
to direct your resources
for the best Thought
Leadership results.
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7. Thought Leadership Process
I really enjoyed reading your article
on XYZ.
At GLOBAL CO., we’re deeply
involved in industry X because we
supply the companies with Y.
Based on our expertise in XYZ, we
believe X, because Y.
Next time you’re writing an article on
XYZ, please let me know. I’d be happy
to connect you with one of our
executives or engineers who can
provide some background information.
Outreach
Make initial contact
with reporters to let
them know that you
exist. Email reporters
after they have written
a relevant article.
Express interest and
admiration
Briefly and relevantly
introduce your company
and expertise
Provide a unique
perspective
Set the stage for further
communication.
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8. Thought Leadership Process
Most of the time, your first
comments for a story you
pursue will be on background –
i.e. no one from your company
will actually be quoted.
This is an opportunity to build
a relationship with the
reporter.
Backgrounders
Solicited
Responses
Once you’ve established a
relationship with a reporter,
you’re likely to get asked for
comment whenever the
reporter feels there’s a
relevant story.
These comments will be
published as actual quotes in a
story.
Unsolicited
Responses
Sometimes you’ll feel that a
story is just too good to pass
up and that your company
must comment. In this case
you can pro-actively pitch your
expertise to a reporter.
Be careful though. If you come
across as pushing an agenda,
the reporter will see you as
overly biased or self-serving.
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9. How to get quoted
Start with your conclusion.
Make statements. Don’t build arguments. Assert an
idea, backed up with an example that proves it.
No commas!
Make short, declarative statements, rather than
speaking in long, complex sentences that are filled
with punctuation.
Have a strong point of view.
Be bold. Don’t get complicated. Express your view
with conviction and enthusiasm, repeatedly.
,
“
!
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10. What Not to Say
Avoid criticizing others
That includes your
competitors
Stay on neutral ground
Don’t take stands on issues not
related to your business
Don’t give personal opinions
Keep it all related to your business
and your area of expertise
Avoid technical jargon
Keep things simple or you’ll lose
your audience
Don’t speculate on what
other people think
Avoid hypotheticals in general
Nothing is EVER “off the
record”
Reporters can and will use anything
you say, even in casual settings
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11. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Erik Cornelius
Co-founder | G3 Partners
erik@g3partners.asia
Erik is G3 Partners’ COO. He has more than a
decade of PR, marketing and market research
experience in Korea, serving clients ranging in
size from startups to Samsung. His
professional passion is telling the stories of
Asian startups to the rest of the world.
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12. CONTACT US
execs@g3partners.asia
www.g3partners.asiaConnect with us: Facebook
MARKETING • PR • GROWTH
for Startups in Asia and Beyond
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