Spoiler alert: It’s not them—it’s you.

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If your PR strategy still looks like a press release + pray moment, we’ve got bad news: You’re ghosting your own potential.

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The Real Problem? Your PR Is Playing It Safe.

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Let’s rip the bandage off: most startup PR is as bland as a day-old bagel.

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You’re pitching with no story. Sending mass emails like it’s still 2010. Crossing fingers instead of crafting strategy.

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Journalists aren’t ignoring you because they’re “busy”—they’re ignoring you because your pitch is boring. (Harsh? Sure. Helpful? Absolutely.)

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57% of journalists get 50+ pitches a week. 

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99% of those end up in trash.

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So if your email starts with “I hope this finds you well…” you’ve already lost.

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Earned Media Strategy: What That Really Means

“Earned media” isn’t free press—it’s earned attention. That means doing more than broadcasting your announcement, it’s more about engaging with what audiences care about.

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Here's why it works:

• 25–40% of traffic & lead gen comes from earned media
• 59% of CMOs say earned media trumps paid ads
• PR-savvy companies see 23% revenue growth and 53% more website traffic

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That’s real ROI—not bragging rights.

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Storytelling > Spray-and-Pray

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Three pillars of a rockstar earned media pitch:

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A Sharp Angle

Forget “we launched an app.” That’s wallpaper. A sharp angle sounds like “we’re the Tinder of hedge-for-hire”—unexpected, punchy, unforgettable. That’s what makes editors bite. We snagged a TechCrunch feature by pitching a founder vs. Goliath story. No press release. Just narrative power.

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Relevance & Value

Journalists don’t care unless their audience does. Your story needs to tap into current conversations, cultural shifts, or urgent problems. Founders who lead with truth and edge get coverage. Even TechCrunch says authentic founder narratives are what really land.

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Targeted Relationships

Don’t spray and pray. Know who covers your space. Read their work. Engage smart. Build actual relationships—not just pitch lists. Because when your name hits their inbox, it should feel like a perfect match, not a cold call.

In short: your pitch should feel like a remix, not elevator music.

At DBALP, we don’t do one-size-fits-all. We build PR strategies like mixtapes—custom, catchy, and made to be played loud.

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💡Case in point
We got a founder featured in TechCrunch by skipping the generic release and instead crafting a “startup vs. Goliath” pitch. Why did it work? Because it had teeth.

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Flipping the Script Starts with Ditching the BS

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Build Before You Pitch

• Write your own headline before typing an email.
• Pre-build relationships: mention them on LinkedIn/threads.
• Use data-led storytelling—“95% of PR pros say data helps wins”

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Founder-Driven Visibility

• Founders = PR magnets. TechCrunch says “founder voice matters most”
• Got 20 minutes with your CEO? Write their words for them—blog, game-changing quote, tweetable insight.

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Metrics That Matter

Stop tracking vanity: “impressions,” “mentions.” Start tracking:

• Referral traffic
• Qualified leads
• Backlinks & search lift
• Shared sentiment
• Set goals upfront.

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Embrace Earned Attention

Social + PR combo = 🔥This isn't old-school press clips—it’s interactive value:

• Shareable content
• Interactive formats
• Functional value (expert quotes, research)
• Multi-channel amplification

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Case Study: ToDo Robotics Didn’t Just Get Press, They Got Positioned

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In just six months, ToDo Robotics went from under-the-radar to the go-to voice in hospitality automation. 

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We put the spotlight on CEO Marianela Nanninga as the Latina trailblazer transforming service tech, landed 20+ media placements with a jaw-dropping 69% open rate, and scored mentions in outlets with a combined 4.9M monthly readers.

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We didn’t pitch robots—we pitched impact.

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Check the full case study here →

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Final Mic-Drop: You Don’t Need More Pitches. You Need Better Ones.

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If your PR feels like a treadmill—running fast, going nowhere—it’s time to jump off and sprint in a smarter direction.

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We don’t do fluff. We don’t do safe. We do press that hits, lands, and lingers.

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Ready to flip the script on your meh PR?

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Let’s get loud. 

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Book your strategy call →

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