Pitching the media, an Oakland org reclaiming storefronts, and decarbonization simplified
True Ventures
A Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm focused on early stage technology startups.
Pitching a contributed article
By Brooke Van Natta , True Head of PR
How can you remain in the public eye and in front of potential investors, customers, and hires when you don’t have specific news to announce? One way is by sharing a bylined article, contributed post, or op-ed.
Whatever you call them, these are simply articles you write, pitch, and place in third-party publications as a way to establish credibility and speak to key audiences as part of a comprehensive public relations strategy for any startup.
A strong contributed article either shares a unique perspective on a key topic in your industry, comments on current market trends, and/or delivers a strong opinion backed by reputable data.
I’ll share a few best practices that can help founders pitch and land their articles in publications relevant to their industries.
Select a topic and draft your story
Think about an area where you truly have subject matter expertise and an interesting and unique perspective. Are there any other founders in your industry whose writing you admire? Tap into why you trust their instincts and where their voices appear.?
A solid article topic will offer valuable advice and communicate a unique perspective. It can mention your company as part of the matrix of an industry, but it can’t be self-promotional.?
Let?these storymining questions guide your topic focus, and you can even lean on a?generative AI tool to help inspire story ideas and headlines that could capture an editor’s attention.?
Choose your target publication
Think about the most relevant publications in your industry and research whether they accept contributed content. This information will usually be listed on their websites as “contributor guidelines.” If they do accept contributed content, they likely have specific editors who handle it, so make note.
These publications could cover your vertical specifically or technology and startups broadly. Decide on three publications and editors you will pitch based on your article idea.?
Review each publication's contributor guidelines
Contributor guidelines also include details such as ideal wordcount. Some outlets might require 600 words minimum or have a 1,200 word maximum. Some require data, and others may be more focused on big ideas.?
Some publications specifically ask for a pitch first, such as Harvard Business Review and MIT Sloan Management Review, while others prefer a complete article draft up front, such as Fast Company, TechCrunch, CrunchBase News, and VentureBeat.?
Craft and nail your pitch
Once you have a short list of target publications, decide who you’ll pitch first. Unlike when publishing a press release over “the wire,” which shares your story with many news outlets simultaneously, you will want to email your contributed content pitch to only one publication at a time as an “exclusive.” Start with your top pick and if you don’t get a bite, or just don’t hear back after a reasonable amount of time, move on to the next.
Email subject line: Write an email subject line that communicates a catchy title for your article.
Greeting: Address the editor by name in your email body and briefly state who you are.
Article abstract: Offer a three-to-five sentence summary explaining the thesis of your article. Indicate that it is original, unpublished work. Include the total word count of your article too.
Establish your expertise: Include a 2-3 sentence bio for yourself and a link to your LinkedIn profile to establish your credibility.
Draft of article: If you're pitching a complete article, which I recommend in most cases, copy and paste the entire draft directly into your email body. Avoid use of attachments so your email doesn’t end up in a spam folder.
Don’t let the idea of contributed content intimidate you. Try your hand at writing an article and pitching a byline, and see where it leads! And if you’re backed by True and ever need help or guidance, you know how to reach me.
Share from our blog or learn more about our teammate Brooke.
Trueventures.org Spotlight
Sanctuary for Sustainable Artistry Co-founders, Sarah Kirnon and Miles D. , have a new vision for revitalizing downtowns in the name of small businesses and the cultural essence they embody for communities.
Sanctuary, a Trueventures.org-supported nonprofit, is reclaiming empty storefronts in Oakland, California, and turning them into vibrant “Micro Markets,” providing space for businesses that might not otherwise be able to afford commercial storefronts.
The first Micro Market opened in January of this year, and a second followed last month. We talked with Sarah and Miles to learn more about why they do what they do, and what’s next. Read more in this article by Trueventures.org's Christiaan Vorkink .
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The guide covers five pillars critical to a scalable climate strategy: instilling decarbonization into your culture, measurement, analysis, reducing and replacing, and offsets. In each section, you'll get our take on what works and what doesn’t on the path to net zero.
Select your industry and the amount of time and resources you have to allot to your decarbonization strategy to learn where to begin. Explore the guide.
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Founder & CEO @ The Group Home App/ TechStarts Rising Stars
11 个月This is incredibly insightful, particularly for entrepreneurs looking to amplify their voice and credibility in a crowded market. The emphasis on contributed content as a public relations strategy aligns well with the modern understanding that entrepreneurs need to be thought leaders in their respective fields. Contributing articles to reputable publications is a great way to demonstrate that leadership and expertise.