5 Things Founders Get Wrong About PR

Author

Ash + Lizzy
April 12, 2025

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“Every marketing channel sucks right now.”

That’s from A16Z Partner Andrew Chen’s latest Substack post.

He mentioned several channels….SEO, influencer marketing, email marketing, ads. But here’s what he had to say about PR:

Obviously, we feel differently—we see the results PR delivers for our clients every day. But it’s a conversation worth having, especially since this sentiment often comes up from performance-minded founders who want immediate, measurable ROI.

PR can be an extraordinarily powerful growth lever—but only if you approach it the right way. Here’s how to rethink the most common objections and build a PR strategy that actually drives sales.

  1. PR doesn’t actually generate signups:
    Wrong. If you’re doing PR right, you’re absolutely generating signups; that’s the whole point.

    You might not be able to attribute it as cleanly as a paid ad, but we routinely see signups spike after a well-placed story. The key is consistency—PR isn’t a one-and-done move. One hit helps, but long-term results come from a sustained strategy.

  2. PR doesn’t scale; not repeatable: 
    Half true. PR isn’t scalable—and that’s exactly why it works.


    Like trust or brand equity, great press takes time. It’s not plug-and-play.


    That said, you should have clear expectations. We tell clients to expect early traction within the first three months. After that, repeatable wins come from giving your PR team something to work with: exec access, metrics, proprietary data, customer stories. The more you give, the more you get.

  3. Expensive retainers for PR experts to grab coffee with journalists:
    Oh, how we wish it were so. No one’s grabbing coffee anymore—not journalists, not comms folks.


    Retainers can be costly, and yes, some firms charge a lot and don’t deliver. But a good PR team should be transparent about how their time is spent and what it’s producing. You should know which opps were landed, passed on, or pitched—and you should ask for support in building your own media relationships, too. That way, you’re not starting from scratch if the agency engagement ends.

  4. Your competitors will get the same article next month:
    Not if you have something original to say.


    Last quarter, we secured 83 press hits for a single client—their competitors didn’t come close. Why? Because they had a clear, compelling, often contrarian POV that made them a go-to source for journalists.


    Great PR isn’t about being louder—it’s about being interesting. A great team will help you develop a message that speaks to the industry, not just your product.

  5. Press is as likely to attack you as to cover you:
    If you see the press as the enemy, PR probably isn’t your channel. Same goes if you see journalists as your mouthpiece.

    The founders who win at PR are the ones who show up for journalists—adjusting their schedules, tailoring their message to fit the story, and being genuinely helpful. Journalists remember that and come back.

PR isn’t for everyone. It’s not fast, cheap, or easy. But if you’re building something ambitious—and you’re willing to put in the time to shape a strong point of view—it can be one of the most powerful, durable channels in your entire marketing stack.

And right now, when so many founders are pulling back or overlooking it entirely, there’s huge alpha in doing it well.

📱 New in non-traditional media

Tracking the newsletters, podcasts, and creators reshaping media influence.

📰 In the news

  • Farewell, Quartz

    Zach Seward, one of Quartz’s founding journalists, shared a post-mortem on the site’s decline after being acquired by private equity. It’s a sobering read for anyone counting on digital media stability.

  • Shopify is all in on AI

    Shopify CEO, Tobi Lütke, told employees they’ll need to prove a job can’t be done by AI before making new hires. We’re watching to see how that affects their comms and content teams.

  • TechCrunch hits keep coming
    Long-time TC Europe Editor, Natasha Lomas, announced her departure after a decade at the site. Another blow for the once-holy-grail that was TechCrunch.

🎤 Spotlight on Martech creators

Generative AI is transforming marketing. If you’re building a next-gen marketing solution, here are a few non-traditional media outlets to pitch [martech edition]:

  • 🎧 MarTech Podcast

    • Daily episodes hosted by Ben Shapiro

    • Interviews with marketers using new tech to generate growth 

    • Covers real-world experiences, challenges, and practical solutions

  • 📧 MKT1

    • 68,000+ followers on Substack

    • Written by Emily Kramer, a former marketing lead at Asana and Carta

    • Companion podcast: Dear Marketers

  • 📧 Chief Martec

    • Monthly newsletters focused on martech landscape, the expanding role of data, and interviews with marketing leaders

    • Written by Scott Brinker, VP Platform Ecosystem at Hubspot

  • 🎧 Marketing Ops pod

    • Run by marketingops.com, the community-led platform for Marketing Operations Professionals

    • Weekly episodes featuring interviews with leading operators

⭐️ Favorite story of the week:

  • 4 Years of Lessons from Running My Own Bookstore - Ryan Holiday

    Personal stories and anecdotes are the best way to set your content apart. This piece is a good example of adding specific, personal, un-AI-generatable details to elevate standard thought leadership into something genuinely memorable.

⚡️ Steal this pitch

Something we’ve had great luck with lately? Post-conference follow up. If you missed a target journo at your last show, consider sending a pitch like this:

Hey XX -

I wanted to reach out since we missed you at [EVENT]. I'd like to offer a post-show opportunity to connect you with [NAME].

XX co-presented a keynote on navigating the EU's Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) and its implications for cloud-native ecosystems. XX can expand on:

  • CRA compliance for open-source projects and cloud-native technologies

  • Actionable strategies that align with CRA requirements

  • How to balance innovation and regulation

Would you be interested in scheduling a brief call to discuss this topic? Let me know your availability, and I will coordinate.

💫 Client Wins

Our clients are making headlines. Check out coverage our clients got in GOBankingRates, Carbon Herald, Techstrong.ai, PV Magazine, and more.

Want coverage like this? Say hello.

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