Try this:  start writing blog posts as if you were already a really big deal in your space, or the space that does not exisit and you inten to own.

Your startup's blog sets the stage to help build trust, thought leadership and owning the space you're in, or helping to create.  Photo by me shot in Kansas City.

I don't suggest you post these.  

Just create a post and save it for future use.  

You may or not be able to use the exact words or terms as your startup evolves, but you will benefit in one major way:  when you write down what your vision is, often times it can become a self-actualization process.

The more you write this out, the better you get at this.  

It's like any thing that you do over and over.  You'll catch your writing's sea legs.  

Don't Over Complicate It.

Write as you speak.  

Simple, plain wording that explains what you are doing, where you are headed and why you're the platform to bet on.

You never know who's watching and listening to your voice before they decide to partner, invest, buy, or acquire.

There's lots of ways to borrow from replicable models and platforms.  

Photo by me... shot on location at a carnival near the border of Mexico close to McAllen, Texas.

But when it comes to your brand's voice, it's something you need to own.

Literally.

Figuratively.  

It makes a difference in the context of the value of your brand.

Here's some simple and basic "how-to" posts that are part method and part belief sets that will help you in not only gaining media coverage, but in learning how to rise Above The Code.

1.  How To Write Great Content For Your Blog 

2.  How To Be Quotable By The Media

3.  Investors Invest in People Not Companies.  Does Your Startup Have Personal Branding Strategies for the Founders? 

4.  Is Your Startup Positioned Correctly?  Don't Let Others Position it For You.  The Value of Positioning

5.  The Startup Economy is Global.  Do You Have An Export- Oriented Mindset?

After doing PR for almost 30 years, here's something I have learned:  even when you have a relationship with a journalist or analyst (and in more recent years, and influential blogger), not every pitch sticks, even when there's been an agreement to proceed with a story.

Journalists, Analysts & Bloggers get really busy.  Sometimes, it's best to show them some love and let them be until they are back from travels, conferences, or events.  

Heart in Shoebox Top by Maya Gelfman - shot on the streets of Tel Aviv by me.

Recently, I had a great story in the works with a journalist.

The only thing is that she'd gone dark and did not respond, even after we agreed to an exclusive.  

And for good reason:  following her twitter feed and tracking her movement on Facebook, I figured out that she was traveling overseas, going to several conferences and even made some comments on her blog that her email is way overloaded due to backlog and travel.

Probably not a good time to follow up- immediately. 

Big Time Lesson Here And Some Friendly Advise...

Before you push the re-send button, do some homework, and respect that journalists, bloggers and analysts travel and run around quite a bit. 

Unless you are announcing something huge that is going to change the world, and it's more of an evergreen story, let them be.  

Remember, you're building (or continuing to build) a relationship, not a one night-stand.

Yesterday, Jeff Pulver held a real Texas-style BBQ brunch at Stubbs which included some awesome Gospel music, tons of amazing food, and a sampling of the heart and soul of Tel Aviv, some amazing startups exhibiting and taking part in SXSW.  Joining Avner Warner, Director of Economic Development for the City of Tel Aviv were founders from JamStar, Groupshot, Serendip, and HashtagArt.  Big shoutout to the team at GroupShot who's had 200,000 downloads since SXSW started. 

I am getting ready for my upcoming seminar at TechLoft in Tel Aviv on February 15.  You can register here if you would like to attend.

In advance of the event, I reached out to the first 50 people who registered and asked them what they would like to learn more about.

One common theme I am seeing is how to best reach out to, and pitch a blogger.

Bloggers Aren't Bloggers.  They Are Humans.

In all of my infinate (or so I hope) wisdom,  my advise is to stop broadly categorizing bloggers as bloggers.  

There are boy bloggers.  There are girl bloggers.  There bloggers from Texas. There are bloggers from London.  Some bloggers are into food.  Some are into technology.  Some are into health.  Some are into music.  Some suck.  Some are really good.  

So, How Do I Pitch Bloggers?

Don't.

In the beginning you are not here to pitch. Anything.

You're here to listen, engage and learn about what they write about, what interests them and where you can be helpful to them.

Then, you can ask or "pitch" with a quick email saying something like:  ".... hi Joe, I've been following your site for x months and would like to share some information about the upcoming launch of our company that should be of interest to your readers.  Our (product, platform, solution, community) enables your readers to _____.... would you be interested in learning more?"

A Seat At The Table

Remember, bloggers (like journalists and analysts) are just humans who are busy, backlogged and pitched a whole lot.

There's no standard rule for how to do this, but I often find that following and then asking is far more effective than just showing up at their front door and asking for a seat at the table.  

You gotta earn that seat first.

Make stops like the technology and entrepreneur sections of Forbes part of your weekly reading routine.  

Follow people like Larry Downes who covers the subject of disruption. 

He may or may not be a good fit for your pitch, but his writing will get you thinking.

Don't think about your technology, your platform, your service, but what is it about your company that is positively disrupting the marketplace you are serving, trying to create, or discovering as you go through your next pivot.

Reading content such as Larry's is aimed at getting you to cast a wider net and help you become a better story teller.

Note:  This post is not about getting media coverage.  Stay away from it until you are ready.

Today I spoke with a well funded start-up, and I asked them to make a wish list of media coverage where they thought they belonged.

Notwithstanding TechCrunch, Mashable, All Things D, ReadWriteWeb, etc, I asked them to think of 10 media outlets that covered their space and could drive being discovered, lead to new business, and of new deal flow.

To my surprise, the client-to-be told me that he and his team hadn't really thought about it.  

That's not a good thing.

Whatever visions you and your team have in mind for your startup, make media coverage part of your strategy.

Take One Step

You're busy.  You want (or) have a life.  And now this.  One more thing to do.  

Chances are you read stuff on the web all the day.  

Take 15 minutes per day, away from Facebook, LInkedIn, G+ and read and discover the people who are giving your space a voice.

Tune in.  

Listen.

Nothing more.  

For now.

Before you pitch...

Be strong.  Show your strength with great writing and insights that will make you a source for the media.  Photo by me - shot at the Mermaid Parade at Coney Island, NY.  

1.   Make sure your company's blog is current and has helpful information that users (and journalists / bloggers / analysts) can benefit from.

2.   When you populate content, make it original content, and not a reciting of an article from Mashable, The Read Write Web, etc.

If you are going to recite these types of cites, then expand the content and add some insight.  Why this matters, why this is important, and what to do next.

3.  When you write, show some deep, original thinking.  If someone is going to write about you, make a good impression - before you pitch.

If they are going to find you, you want to illustrate that you'd be a great source for them and have something compelling to say.

4. More than just getting your product or platform covered, you should aim to become a source to the media that will pay off in other ways beyond the launch or a new tweak to what you think may be next.

Do the work. 

This really works.  

Time and again.

Today in Tel Aviv, I gave a presentation to a group of friends and associates of Jeff Pulver's startup ecosystem in Israel.

The premise of this presentation is NOT to do PR, but how to prepare your company for PR, how to be found by the media and how to make PR and strategic communications part of the R&D process.