Editors and reporters are inundated with pitches, and most startups struggle to cut through the noise. What earns attention isn’t another product announcement, but a perspective that signals expertise, proof of measurable results, and a narrative that ties into broader industry conversations. When founders position themselves this way, media coverage becomes less about luck and more about strategy.
Here, Fast Company Executive Board members share actionable ways to secure positive publicity and build lasting visibility.
1. ADD TO THE BIGGER STORY
Don’t just pitch products—contribute to the big-picture story. We position our company within the national AI infrastructure conversation, showing how resilient data centers power AI innovation. Offer journalists insights, not updates. Be the expert they call when breaking news hits your space. – Christina Kosmowski, LogicMonitor
2. UNDERSTAND THE MEDIA’S AUDIENCE
First (and this is tactical, not philosophical), understand what drives the media’s revenue—it’s clicks. You need to understand the media’s audience and tailor your pitch. Give them unique parts of stories no one’s ever told before. Be strategic in how you’re parsing out your content and headlines. Ultimately, if they don’t see their readers interested in it, it doesn’t matter how good your story is. – Jim Welsh, Peak Nano
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3. CRAFT NEWSWORTHY, PERSONALIZED PITCHES
It’s noisy out there. To gain media attention, startups should focus on unique, newsworthy stories that align with industry trends. Craft concise, personalized pitches and engage with journalists. Position your team as thought provokers and create shareable content on social media. Showcase real impact with customer success stories and milestones to build credibility and trust with the media. – Patti Fletcher, PSDNetwork, LLC
4. BRING TIMELY VALUE TO REPORTERS
Reporters are looking for stories that bring value, not just something promotional. To get in front of them properly, you need to be consistent in offering something timely and relevant to what they cover. Bring a new perspective to the conversation within your industry. Share your perspective. This will lead to success. – Debra Andrews, Marketri LLC
5. KNOW YOUR NICHE
Identify what you do best, what problem you are uniquely positioned to solve, or what compelling point of view you can offer based on deep experience with a specific situation. Once you have that, start sharing openly: on social media, the web, podcasts, at events, and in communities. When you showcase your expertise, the media (and potential customers) will see you as an excellent, go-to source. – Karen Budell, Totango
6. ADDRESS INDUSTRY TRUTHS OTHERS IGNORE
Position your startup around uncomfortable industry truths journalists sense but incumbents won’t acknowledge. Build relationships with beat reporters by offering insights into industry dynamics, not product pitches. When it makes sense, weave in narratives that expose problems your solution addresses. The goal is to become the authoritative voice on problems customers feel but competitors ignore. – Christine Alemany, Thrv Advisors
7. DRIVE ATTENTION THROUGH BOLD INNOVATION
Do something remarkably different than what other companies are doing. Success most often comes from the disruptors. Running as many fast, cheap, and weird experiments as you can that disrupt the status quo is a surefire way to shake up ideas and industries. True innovation will naturally beget media interest. – Elliott Parker, Alloy Partners
8. LEVERAGE THE POWER OF INFLUENCERS
Job number one is to create a raving fan. Job number two is to multiply that number. The voices of influencers, whether organic or inorganic, are critical to a brand’s credibility. When trusted people talk about brands they trust, others listen. Positive publicity starts with one influencer and can expand from there. When the ripple effect is strong enough, the media takes notice. – Bryan Buck, ON Partners
9. POSITION YOURSELF AS AN EXPERT
Reach out to a reporter to offer yourself as an expert resource. Journalists seek to understand context and connection, and they need insights from industry authorities. When you have news for your own startup to share, the media you have established relationships with will have context and connection with you. Remain honest and transparent, and act with integrity; that’s how you build trust. – Mack McKelvey, SalientMG
10. FOCUS ON IMPACT
We always find that startups get the most coverage when we focus less on what they do and more on who they impact. Show results, customer traction, and proof that the product is solving a real problem. – Kristin Hege, Convey Communications
11. SHARE PROPRIETARY INSIGHTS
Focus on your proprietary insights and knowledge. What data do you own, and what does it say about the market trends and forces that define your industry? Starting with insights can lend credibility and bolster stronger thought leadership while “giving” rather than “selling” something to the journalist and readers. The sales come from generated brand awareness afterward, but it is not the primary aim. – Lexi Sydow, interos.ai
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12. CREATE MEDIA, DON’T JUST CHASE IT
Most startups chase media coverage when they should create media themselves. Launch industry newsletters, host expert roundtables, or publish original research. When you’re the source that reporters rely on for intelligence, coverage becomes inevitable rather than solicited. Become the journalist, not the story. – Kathleen Lucente, Red Fan Communications
13. DEFINE YOUR HOOK LIKE A REPORTER
Selling a story to a reporter, editor, or influencer is not unlike selling your product to a customer. You can’t just build it and expect them to come. You need to give them a reason to devote precious ink to your brand, and it really helps to have someone who thinks like a reporter to help you define your hook. – Bob Sprague, Yes&
14. BUILD TRUST WITH CONSISTENT STORYTELLING
Startups earn media attention by being clear, credible, and relevant. Tell a compelling story that shows impact, solves real problems, and positions your brand as a thought leader. Consistency, expertise, and authentic insight capture interest far more than hype ever will. – Dr. Katrina (Katya) Rosseini, KRR Ventures
15. EARN COVERAGE WITH AUTHENTIC INSIGHTS
Startups should lead with credibility—not hype. We gained meaningful media interest by sharing real insights, not pitches: specific case challenges, market trends, and firsthand experiences that offered value to readers. Clear storytelling grounded in expertise consistently attracts authentic coverage and builds trust over time. – Muhammed Uzum, Grape Law Firm PLLC
16. CONNECT TO THE CULTURAL ZEITGEIST
It’s not enough to be interesting; you have to be newsworthy. This means connecting what you do—your product, service, or offering—to something that’s already in the cultural zeitgeist and having a unique take on it. – Richard Swain, DesignStudio
17. ADD VALUE WITH DATA AND INSIGHTS
Share genuine industry insights instead of pitching products. When we engage meaningfully with journalists, they naturally turn to us for expert commentary. Build relationships by adding value to their stories first. Data-driven insights or customer stories with ROI perform especially well—our surveys have earned coverage in top publications because they reveal trends reporters need to cover. – Jaime Bettencourt, Mood Media
18. STAND OUT WITH UNMISTAKABLE MESSAGING
Startup brands need to set expectations upfront, as getting attention is going to be hard. Then, they have to communicate what is truly newsworthy about their offerings amidst a society that is maxed out on news and social media stimulation. If a startup is bringing real value to the market, then they must find the most outrageous way to communicate that and do it over and over and over. – John William Patton, ProVention Health Foundation
19. BUILD A COMPELLING NARRATIVE
Startups need an engaging narrative to get media attention, not a huge budget. Journalists look for new perspectives, authentic impact, and sincerity. Therefore, start with the why: identify what issue you are trying to solve, rather than the product’s characteristics. Who are you helping? Why now? Stay current in your field, interact with reporters on social media, and provide knowledgeable criticism. – Christena Garduno, Media Culture
20. FOCUS ON IDEAS, STORIES, AND RELATIONSHIPS
New does not always mean interesting. That’s the key: identify who you are targeting, what is interesting to them, and what media covers that story. It sounds simple, and it is. Good ideas, great stories, and strong relationships build a media portfolio. – Monica Hickey, The Evoke Agency