a16z Podcast | The Why, How, and When of PR | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

PR is crucial for startups to establish their story, create brand recognition, attract talent, raise funds, and communicate with customers.

Key Insights

• 😊 PR is a long-term process that requires consistency and ongoing effort to shape a company's narrative.
• 🫄 Hiring an agency or PR person with knowledge of the industry can provide valuable insights and relationships with media outlets.
• 😊 Successful PR requires collaboration between the PR team and founders, with founders playing an active role in shaping their company's story.
• 📰 PR plans should be flexible to adapt to changing circumstances and news cycles.
• 😝 Situating PR within the organization, closer to the CEO, can ensure alignment with the overall company strategy and messaging.
• 😊 Success in PR cannot be solely measured by metrics and should be evaluated based on the impact on brand reputation and awareness.
• 🉐 PR can be a valuable tool for startups to differentiate themselves and gain competitive advantage in crowded markets.

Transcript

hi everyone welcome to the a 6nz podcast I'm sonal and I'm here today with Margot van mockers who runs the marketing team at Andreessen Horowitz is an operating partner and co-founded one of Silicon Valley's top PR agencies Outkast and I'm here at Kim milosevic who used to work at Outkast did PR at Skype and multiple other places and is a partner a... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: Why is PR important for startups?

PR helps startups establish their story, attract talent and customers, raise funds, and communicate their value to the market.

Q: When is the best time for a startup founder to bring in a PR agency?

It depends on the complexity of the company's story and the stage of the product. Generally, hiring an agency becomes more important as the company grows.

Q: How do you measure PR success?

Success can be measured by the number and quality of media coverage, interviews secured, and positive sentiment generated. However, it is not easily quantifiable and should not be judged strictly based on metrics.

Q: Should founders maintain their own PR relationships or hire a PR person?

While founders should have a direct relationship with the media, hiring a PR person or agency can provide expertise, leverage existing relationships, and help scale PR efforts effectively.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• PR serves as a forcing function for the CEO and team to define their company's story and brand, beyond just getting media coverage.

• Startups should make the most out of key moments such as funding announcements, product launches, and customer announcements to generate media attention and build awareness.

• Engaging in PR can be beneficial for enterprise software companies with long sales cycles and for startups aiming to disrupt established markets or create new categories.