If I Were Starting PR From Scratch Today...

PR has a branding problem.

Somewhere along the way, it became synonymous with splashy headlines, glossy features, and the idea that if you just email the “right” reporter, you’ll wake up on the cover of Forbes or quoted in The Wall Street Journal.

That version of PR makes us pros look really cool in movies. But, surprise! That’s not how it is in real life.

So, if I were starting PR from scratch today — no media lists, no relationships, no brand recognition — first, I would recognize and accept that.

* deep breath *

Then, here’s exactly what I’d do.

Not “customers.”
Not “founders.”
Not “women in tech.”

One person. A specific, uncomfortable-to-narrow-down human with a job title, a set of pressures, and a reason to care about what I’m saying.

The earlier I define that person, the easier it is to define everything else — my angle, my pitch, my voice, and the reporters who actually care about what I have to say.

Before I ever say a word, I have to know who I’m talking to.

Not what I sell. Not what I’m launching. What I think.

PR without a point of view is just distribution. And distribution without perspective is noise.

If I can’t articulate what I believe about my industry — what’s broken, what’s overrated, what people are getting wrong — then there’s nothing for a reporter to grab onto. Journalists aren’t looking for product descriptions. They’re looking for insight, context, and informed opinion.

Before I wrote a single pitch, I’d make sure I had something worth quoting.

Not 150. Not a giant media list scraped from somewhere. Just 10.

Ten people who consistently cover the themes I care about. And, at least in the beginning, they wouldn’t be writing at Tier 1 nationals. They’d be writers at trade publications, niche newsletters, local business journals, and smaller podcasts.

Why? Because relevance beats reach.

The fastest way to get ignored is to pitch someone who doesn’t cover what you’re talking about.

This is the part people skip because it doesn’t feel productive.

I’d read reporters’ articles regularly. I’d respond thoughtfully when something genuinely resonated. I’d share their work and add commentary. If I had relevant data or perspective, I’d offer it — without attaching a press release.

Not because I expect coverage right away, but because by consistently showing up in their inbox and LinkedIn DMs with something useful, I’m building credibility for the time my name shows up and it really matters.

When you have news to share, it shouldn’t feel random. It should feel familiar.

No expectation that the first pitch lands. Or the fifth.

At the same time, do not assume that silence means rejection. Don’t give up when nothing happens immediately.

PR compounds. It doesn’t spike (at least not sustainably). The founders and executives who benefit most from media coverage are the ones who keep showing up long after the novelty wears off.

If you treat every pitch like a make-or-break moment, you’ll burn out. If you treat it like part of a longer narrative you’re building over time, the pressure shifts — and so does the outcome.

And here’s what I wouldn’t do:

PR gets painted as glamorous, as if it’s just a few clever emails standing between you and a major headline.

But long before the byline, the feature, or the quote… there’s a lot of unglamorous, consistent work.

Define your audience.
Develop your point of view.
Build relationships.
Stay in the game.

The headlines, if they come, are a byproduct.

Not the starting point.

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If you’re building a brand or thought leadership platform this year, I’d love to know:
Which of these five feels hardest right now?

See you next week,
Megan