How to deal with tech media by @mikebutcher

Mike ButcherEditor, TechCrunch Europehttp://eu.techcrunch.com/[email protected]@mikebutcherLinkedin.com/in/mikebutcherFacebook.com/mikebutcher

News is a Purple Cow

News is about my title, my traffic and my readers - not your

company

The fact that you exist is NOT news!

The fact that you exist is NOT news!

Want to make news? Join the news agenda!

Conversations usually beat press releases

NOTE ABOUT EMBARGOS

Writers don’t like them.They’d rather have

exclusivesCan you trust the writer to hold?

Better to negotiate.

PRs often say LAUNCH BIG & WIDE!

But often better to focus on one trusted / influential writer, or a few (but use different story angles for each)

Negotiate before you shoot

Why negotiate? Here’s why:

A day in the life of a stressed tech writer.

INCOMING!!EmailSMS

Voice callsSkype / IM

Facebook IM / Messages

Twitter @repliesTwitter DMsFace-to-Face

What I have on my plate on most days:3-5 News stories by

9am4-5 Feature ideas

Write-ups from tripsArranging travel

Arranging meetingsIncoming crap

Then I get this:

“@mikebutcher Hey Mike, we just

launched!”

So, for me to drop everything and write about you, your story needs to be BETTER

than everything else.

Answer: Unlikely.

So – You increase you chances by pre-briefing

E.g. One/two line email:

“Mike, we’re doing X tomorrow/next week.

Interested?”

How DO you negotiate?• We want to offer you this as an exclusive• We’re either: Ready when you are, post

whenever you like in the next few days• OR • “Exclusivity lasts for the next 2 hours/2 days”

etc• We are NOT going out to other media until

after the story is live with on your site

But put substance into the first pitch

And don’t ask permission.

Just do it“Hey Mike, Would

you mind if I sent you a press release?”

#FAIL

And: Get to the damn point!

Mike, given your background, I thought you could be interested in talking to the founder of Flat-Club Nitzan Yudan. With on-going debates on whether we are entering a second Internet bubble and predictions that this year would yield the most IPOs of technology stock since 2000, Nitzan strongly believes that the new wave of tech start-ups would only be successful if they can add value by creating new markets, rather than focus only on streamlining efficiencies. A case in point is his business – 80% of the properties Flat-Club offers have not been previously available in the market. Nitzan can also talk to you about what it means and what it takes to be a successful Internet start-up today. If you are interested in talking to him please let me know and I can arrange an interview. Below I’ve provided further information on Flat-Club and Nitzan’s bio. 

OR

Interview with the founder of Flat-Club Nitzan Yudan?

He’s experienced because…

He can talk about… the tech bubble… donkey sex… whatever

Here’s some more info below.

Thanks

Don’t be a leech. Network. Get noticed.

Your launch party is not news

Even better:

Great products make news.

A product that goes viral is much better

‘news’ than a PR release.

So build a great product.

Be a great contact

Be a cool blogger, Twitterer, Gpluser! (?)

In other words:

MAKE some damn news yourself!

• Start a fight: e.g. Apple Vs Everyone

Understand who you are talking to

Target the right title & the right writer:

• Target influencers• National papers often follow big blogs like TC

Try to pitch to a writer in person

If not, then add personality to email

pitch. Include pictures/video

Be quirky, pitch with a secret wooden box!

The media likes talking to the people in charge

Should you hire a PR firm? Maybe.

PR firms = Relationships

Introductions do the same

One company in a space is not (generally)

a story

Don’t be annoyed if you don’t get coverage

400 emails a day, other news stories, just busy, whatever. Shit happens.

Please pitch like a human

So What IS a Story?• Competition/Drama: “X will Kill Z”

So What IS a Story?• Competition/Drama: “X will Kill Z”• Gossip: “CEO/Company rumour…”

So What IS a Story?• Competition/Drama: “X will Kill Z”• Gossip: “CEO/Company rumour…”• Insight: “Trend X will change the world”

So What IS a Story?• Competition/Drama: “X will Kill Z”• Gossip: “CEO/Company rumour…”• Insight: “Trend X will change the world”• Evolution: “Startup Y is like the X for Z”

So What IS a Story?• Competition/Drama: “X will Kill Z”• Gossip: “CEO/Company rumour…”• Insight: “Trend X will change the world”• Evolution: “Startup Y is like the X for Z”• Success: “Awesome Y created!”

So What IS a Story?• Competition/Drama: “X will Kill Z”• Gossip: “CEO/Company rumour…”• Insight: “Trend X will change the world”• Evolution: “Startup Y is like the X for Z”• Success: “Awesome Y created!”• Failure: “Company X dying/screwed up”

So What IS a Story? • Competition/Drama: “X will Kill Z”• Gossip: “CEO/Company rumour…”• Insight: “Trend X will change the world”• Evolution: “Startup Y is like the X for Z”• Success: “Awesome Y created!”• Failure: “Company X dying/screwed up”• You are The Story: “Kid creates FB”• Celebrity: Ashton Kutcher invests!• Krakow company hacks Facebook!

What should you send the media?

It’s all about saving the media time• LIST OF KEY BULLET POINTS FIRSTe.g.

• WireWAX has received investment from Passion Capital• wireWAX have over 1,500 paying subscribers ETC ETC

• Video embed codes and setup for the dimensions of TC

• Crunchbase entry

•  Direct hyperlink to web-ready logo (NOT a hi-res image. This is not a fucking print title)

What should you send us? It’s all about saving the media

time• Press Release IN PLAIN TEXT IN THE EMAIL

(Do NOT send press releases as attachments)

• Screen shots are ok as attached

• Link to preview of site/app

• Extra quotes

• Links to previous articles about Startup

• Mobile phone number/Skype address for key contacts etc

To Summarize• Know Who To Contact• Create Relationships Before The Pitch• Networking and creating buzz will help,

before you pitch• Have a unique story• Personalize the pitch• Lay out the benefit for MY readers

DON’T!• Be insulting• Give me your whole life story• Send 100 bloggers the same email• Don’t send me the same pitch multiple

times – come up with new angles

DON’T!• Don’t try to PR your company because

you want your dick to look bigger

• Don’t be vague: Identify what you want covered

And now a quick word about how to connect

with London

TechHub: Connect to

London

TechHub beats expensive European conferences:

Conferences: €500+ a day

TechHub: €428 a *year*

There is ALWAYS something going on

TechHub.com / @TechHub

Yes, but how do I get on TechCrunch.com?

Mike ButcherEditor, TechCrunch Europehttp://eu.techcrunch.com/[email protected]@mikebutcherLinkedin.com/in/mikebutcherFacebook.com/mikebutcher