Why PR Comes Before PMF

2025-02-26

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Do you want to know the difference between marketing and PR? Marketing is when you say something nice about yourself; PR is when other people say nice things about you. Jenna Guarneri is the founder of JMG Public Relations and author of the bestseller "You Need PR." In this episode, she shares DIY PR tactics that help founders establish themselves as experts, attract customers, and raise their profile with investors — without spending a fortune on an agency. If you’ve ever wondered why reporters never get back to you, we cover that, too. Key tak...

Do you want to know the difference between marketing and PR?

Marketing is when you say something nice about yourself;

PR is when other people say nice things about you.

Jenna Guarneri is the founder of JMG Public Relations and author of the bestseller "You Need PR." In this episode, she shares DIY PR tactics that help founders establish themselves as experts, attract customers, and raise their profile with investors — without spending a fortune on an agency.

If you’ve ever wondered why reporters never get back to you, we cover that, too.

Key takeaways from this episode:

✅ Why PR comes before PMF in the startup playbook
✅ The biggest PR misconceptions founders have (and how to avoid them)
✅ How to craft a media pitch that actually gets responses
✅ DIY PR strategies for building credibility before you hire a firm
✅ The right way to engage with journalists without being ignored
✅ How PR can help secure funding and drive startup growth

If you’re trying to take control of your PR strategy and attract positive attention, listen in.

RUNTIME 31:28 EPISODE BREAKDOWN

(1:52) How Jenna sets client expectations on what PR can and cannot accomplish.
(5:14) Key signals that indicate an early-stage startup is ready to hire outside PR.
(6:41) “The founders usually are amenable to PR and doing media interviews. It kind of comes with the territory of being a founder.”
(7:59) How to get started with DIY PR by sharing thought leadership that creates value.
(11:35) “PR should be done at the very beginning, right from the very start.”
(12:20) The right way for stealth startups to approach PR.
(13:02) The top reasons why reporters ignore pitches — and how to avoid them.
(15:21) Crafting a news hook that genuinely engages journalists.
(17:33) How your world changes when PR starts working.
(18:50) “Effective public relations will drive the business in a number of ways.”
(20:50) How to interview and vet a PR firm before making a commitment.
(22:46) PR is a long game: “We can't work miracles in three months.”
(25:22) Why using ChatGPT to pitch reporters is a terrible idea.
(27:42) “Content creation does take a lot of time, a lot of energy, but it goes a long way really quickly for brand awareness.”
(30:14) The one question Jenna would have to ask before hiring a PR firm.

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