earned-media-outreach

---
name: earned-media-outreach
description: When the user wants to get press coverage, appear on podcasts, or build relationships with journalists and content creators. Also use when the user mentions "podcast guesting", "press outreach", "PR", "media exposure", "get on podcasts", or "journalist outreach".
related: [founder-thought-leadership, cold-outreach, content-strategy, launch-strategy]
reads: [startup-context]

tags: [nontechnical, startup-founder-skills, earned-media-outreach, writing]
---|------|----------|-----|-------------|---------|
| [name] | [host] | [who listens] | Tier 1 | [which angle] | [email/form] |
| ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |

#### Journalists & Publications
| Name | Publication | Beat | Recent Article | Pitch Angle | Contact |
|------|------------|------|---------------|-------------|---------|
| [name] | [pub] | [what they cover] | [recent relevant piece] | [which angle] | [email/X] |

#### Newsletters
| Newsletter | Author | Subscribers (est.) | Pitch Angle | Contact |
|-----------|--------|-------------------|-------------|---------|
| ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |

### Pitch Templates

**Podcast Pitch:**
Subject: [subject line]
[Draft email — 150 words max]

**Journalist Pitch:**
Subject: [subject line]
[Draft email — 200 words max]

### Appearance Prep Sheet
- **Bio:** [2-3 sentences]
- **Headshot:** [link]
- **Talking points:**
  1. [Point + story]
  2. [Point + story]
  3. [Point + story]
- **CTA for audience:** [one clear action]
- **Topics to avoid:** [if any]
```

## Frameworks & Best Practices

**Finding the right podcasts:**
| Search Method | How |
|--------------|-----|
| Topic search | ListenNotes.com, Apple Podcasts, Spotify — search your industry keywords |
| Competitor appearances | Google "[competitor founder name] podcast" — they've already found shows in your space |
| Guest crossover | Find one good podcast, then check where their past guests also appeared |
| Podcast directories | Podchaser (has contact info), Rephonic (audience data), Matchmaker.fm (guest matching) |
| X/Twitter search | "[your topic] podcast" or "just recorded a podcast about [topic]" |

**Pitch principles:**
- **Lead with their audience, not your product.** "I can teach your listeners how to..." beats "I'd love to share about my startup..."
- **Reference a specific episode.** "Your episode with [guest] on [topic] resonated because..." proves you actually listen.
- **Make it easy to say yes.** Include your topic, 3 talking points, and bio in the first email. Don't make them do research.
- **Short pitches win.** Podcast hosts get 50+ pitches/week. 150 words max. Journalists get 200+. Be brief.
- **Timing matters.** Pitch journalists on Tuesday-Thursday mornings. Avoid Mondays and Fridays. For podcasts, timing is less critical but avoid holiday weeks.

**What makes a founder a good podcast guest:**
- Tells stories, not features ("We almost ran out of money in month 3..." not "Our platform leverages...")
- Has a genuine point of view — agrees with the host on some things, disagrees on others
- Gives actionable takeaways listeners can use immediately
- Doesn't hard-sell — mentions the product once naturally, lets the host ask about it

**Common mistakes:**
- Sending press releases instead of personalized pitches
- Pitching the product instead of the story
- Not researching the host/journalist before reaching out
- Saying yes to every podcast regardless of audience fit (your time is limited)
- Forgetting the CTA — you get 1,000 listeners and they have nowhere to go
- Not repurposing appearances into social content, blog posts, and email

## Related Skills
- `founder-thought-leadership` — media appearances amplify your personal brand
- `cold-outreach` — similar outreach mechanics, different audience
- `content-strategy` — repurpose media appearances into content
- `launch-strategy` — coordinate press with product launches

## Examples

**Prompt:** "I want to get on podcasts to promote our developer tools startup. Help me find shows and write pitches."

**Good output includes:** 15-20 podcasts that feature developer tools founders (with contact info), tiered by relevance, 2-3 media angles based on the founder's story, and customized pitch drafts for the top 5 shows.

**Prompt:** "We just raised our seed round. Help me get press coverage."

**Good output includes:** List of journalists who cover seed-stage funding in the relevant sector, a pitch angle beyond "we raised money" (what the funding enables, the market insight, the founder story), and draft pitches referencing each journalist's recent coverage.