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What are some PR best practices?

Good press can drive real traffic to your campaign. What matters most is the message: PR is roughly 30% the messenger and 70% the message. Before you reach out to anyone, make sure your story is clear, compelling, and easy to share.

1. Identify your target outlets

Start by listing the outlets most likely to reach potential investors in your industry: traditional press, magazines, blogs, YouTube channels, podcasts, newsletters, and influencers.

Then look at a few adjacent markets. For example, Elio Motors didn't stop at automotive outlets — it also targeted outlets covering technology, the environment, and transportation.

Go niche. If you run a boat company, an article read by 2,000 passionate boaters will likely convert better than one read by 100,000 random readers.

2. Decide how you'll pitch

  • Work with a PR firm. If your budget allows, hire a firm that specializes in your industry and already has relationships with the press you want. Start working with them early, ideally before your campaign launches.

  • Use a news wire service. If a firm isn't in your budget, you can send your press release through a wire service such as PR Newswire.

  • Pitch on your own. Build a list of relevant writers, reporters, bloggers, and producers, with as many names and email addresses as you can find. When you reach out, mention a piece of theirs you've read and explain why your company would interest their audience. Writers love hearing from people who actually read their work.

3. Helpful resources

  • HARO (Help A Reporter Out): A free daily digest of journalist requests for expert sources

  • Qwoted: Connects journalists with expert sources and PR contacts

  • ProfNet: Connects journalists with experts

  • SourceBottle: A free service that connects journalists with sources

  • Muck Rack: A database of journalists and media contacts for building pitch lists

  • Similarweb or Semrush: Estimate website traffic so you can judge an outlet's reach

4. Follow the rules for promoting your offering

Regulation Crowdfunding (Reg CF) limits how you can talk about your offering outside the StartEngine platform:

  • Off-platform communications (press releases, interviews, social posts, emails) that mention your offering's terms, such as price, security type, amount raised, or deadline, may include only limited “tombstone” information. They must also direct readers to your StartEngine offering page.

  • Press coverage you help create counts as your own communication. For example, an article based on an interview with your CEO must follow the same rules.

  • General news about your business (product launches, milestones, partnerships) that doesn't mention your offering's terms is generally fine.

When in doubt, review your materials with your legal counsel before publishing. [Link to StartEngine's marketing/advertising rules article]