AANZ February Expert Session with Richard Liew | Public Relations for Startups

This podcast link and summary are from Richard Liew’s PR Expert Session held online in February 2025.
Podcast: Public Relations: The Undisputed Catalyst for Startup Growth and Trust

Executive Summary

Early-stage businesses face the perennial challenge of establishing credibility, attracting customers, and securing vital investment in today’s competitive landscape. This article, drawing insights from seasoned public relations (PR) and media experts Richard Liu (Founder, Enzed Entrepreneur & Founder PR) and Brendan Bowen (Head of PR, Founder PR, 20+ year veteran), dismantles the common misconception of PR as a mere marketing add-on. Instead, it positions PR as a foundational, long-term strategic tool—an “overarching narrative” vital for shaping perceptions among customers, partners, and investors alike.

The core distinction lies between “paid media” (advertising) and “earned media” (PR). While advertising offers message control and guaranteed reach, PR delivers unparalleled third-party validation and trust through compelling storytelling and relationship-building with journalists. Research indicates earned media can be three times more effective in building credibility than advertising alone. This article outlines a strategic framework for leveraging PR, including critical timing considerations, the “TRUTH” acronym for crafting newsworthy stories (Timely, Relevant, Unusual/Unique, Trouble/Tension, Human), and essential preparation for media engagement. It also highlights the imperative of adapting to an evolving media landscape, embracing new channels like podcasts and owned content platforms. For business leaders, analysts, and investors, understanding and integrating PR into core strategy is not just beneficial—it is essential for unlocking sustainable growth and fostering deeply rooted market trust.

1. The Strategic Imperative of Public Relations: Beyond Paid Media

In the fast-paced world of startups, allocating resources effectively is paramount. Often, public relations is an afterthought, overshadowed by direct advertising or product development. However, as Richard Liu and Brendan Bowen emphasised, this perspective overlooks PR’s unique and potent ability to drive growth and build lasting credibility.

Defining PR: A Distinction from Advertising Advertising and public relations, while both marketing functions, operate fundamentally differently.

Advertising (Paid Media): Involves paying for space or time to disseminate your message (e.g., billboards, TV, social media ads). The core advantage is complete control over messaging and guaranteed exposure. This is akin to a company proclaiming its virtues.
Public Relations (Earned Media): Focuses on convincing third parties, primarily journalists and media outlets, to write or talk about your business. It is “storytelling” about what happens “behind the scenes”. The critical difference is that you are earning the coverage, not paying for it.

The Unparalleled Power of Earned Media The value proposition of earned media extends far beyond cost savings.

Credibility and Trust: A Nielsen study cited in the discussion reveals that a positive media story can be at least three times more effective in building credibility and trust than advertising. Consumers and partners implicitly trust information from independent third-party sources more than direct company advertisements. When a journalist or a reputable platform like News Talk ZB or NZ Herald features a company, it’s perceived as objective validation, not self-promotion.
Broad Reach: Earned media can instantly reach vast audiences, often 10s to 100s of thousands of people in a single hit, without direct payment for impressions.
Enhanced Visibility and SEO: Positive media coverage on search engine results pages (e.g., Google’s first page) alongside a company’s website significantly boosts credibility and aids conversion for potential customers, partners, and investors.
Catalyst for Investment: Media coverage is a crucial validator for startups seeking angel or venture capital funding. It demonstrates market interest and third-party recognition, strengthening the case for financial backing.

2. Integrating PR into Your Growth Strategy: The Foundational Narrative

PR should not be treated as a reactive tool; it should be deployed only when a new product launches or funding is sought. Instead, it must be integrated into the core marketing strategy from the outset.

PR as an Overarching Narrative Brendan Bowen conceptualises PR as the “underlying narrative” or “overarching story” that spans a startup’s entire journey—from idea to launch, funding, growth, and beyond. This narrative isn’t just for external media; it shapes communications with customers, strategic partners (distributors, affiliates), and investors, fostering trust and alignment. Thinking of PR as strategically shaping this narrative allows founders to maintain a consistent story about their venture’s purpose and trajectory.

Timing Your Outreach: When to Engage Media. While the desire for immediate publicity is understandable, particularly at launch, effective PR requires careful timing.

Beyond Launch: A mere website launch is rarely newsworthy for most publications, given the thousands of new businesses emerging daily.
The “Health Check”: Founders should regularly assess their readiness to tell their business story. If there are nagging doubts or the narrative isn’t fully solidified, it might not be the opportune time for media engagement. An unprepared or negative public statement can be detrimental.
Milestone-Driven: Media are typically interested in significant milestones: a revolutionary product ready for market, considerable proof of concept, or a new funding round.
People-Centric: Journalists are drawn to compelling human stories. Founders with energy, clear facts, and an interesting perspective can make a journalist’s job easier.
The “Oprah Test”: A proper thought experiment for founders is to consider if they would be fully prepared for an immediate interview on a major platform like “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” This highlights the importance of constant readiness and message discipline. Ultimately, founders must be their own “number one cheerleaders” and lead salespeople, capable of articulating their value proposition at any moment.

3. Crafting a Compelling Story: The TRUTH Framework

To increase the likelihood of securing earned media, Richard Liu proposes the “TRUTH” acronym, outlining what media outlets look for in a story:

T – Timely: Is the news fresh and current? Avoid pitching old information or events too far in the future. Also, be mindful of current events (e.g., elections, natural disasters) that might divert media attention, or conversely, identify opportunities to align your story with trending topics, offering a unique or valuable perspective (e.g., contributing to a conversation about AI rather than just announcing another AI tool).
R – Relevant: Ensure your story aligns with the publication’s focus and the journalist’s beat. Researching journalists’ past work is crucial to targeting those genuinely interested in your industry or topic.
U – Unusual or Unique: High-tech startups often inherently possess uniqueness, operating at the “cutting edge”. For others, a deeper reflection on what truly differentiates your product or approach is necessary to capture attention.
T – Trouble or Tension: Unfortunately, stories that address problems or create tension often resonate more deeply. Frame your narrative around the societal or individual problems your business solves, rather than merely listing product features. For example, instead of just launching a new soap, highlight how it addresses hygiene accessibility in a cost-of-living crisis.
H – Human: Connect your story to the human impact. Avoid getting lost in technical jargon. Explain how your technology or solution affects communities, families, or individuals. Remember that journalists, like your audience, are fundamentally human and respond to relatable narratives and benefits, not just features.

4. Mastering Media Engagement: Preparation and Pitfalls

Once a compelling story is crafted, effective engagement with the media requires meticulous preparation.

Preparation is Key:

Select the Right Spokesperson: Choose an interviewee who is knowledgeable, articulate, warm, and possesses a “gentle humour”. If the primary founder is more introverted or technical, consider another co-founder or spokesperson better suited for public communication.
Message Discipline: Every statement to a journalist should be something the company is comfortable seeing in print. Develop “bridging statements” to redirect conversations away from sensitive or unshareable topics (e.g., “That’s something we’re not able to share right now, but what I can say is…”).
Practice: Rehearse interviews with trusted colleagues or mentors to gain confidence and refine messaging.
Be Ready for Anything: Journalists can call for an interview with very little notice. Preparedness ensures that unexpected opportunities are seized, not squandered.

Avoiding Pitfalls: Absolute No-No’s Several common mistakes can derail PR efforts:

Jargon Overload: Avoid technical or industry-specific jargon. Speak clearly, as if explaining your business to someone outside your field.
Lack of Clarity: Not having your story straight or being unsure about key details can undermine credibility.
Absence of Data: Journalists value facts, figures, and data to support claims. Have relevant numbers (e.g., customer acquisition, revenue, impact metrics) readily available.
Poor Presentation: Especially in video calls, visual presentation matters. Looking professional contributes to the impression of credibility.
Unprepared for Scrutiny: Top-tier media outlets (e.g., Business Desk, NBR, NZ Herald) will ask tough, granular questions about business metrics (e.g., annual recurring revenue, burn rate, customer numbers, major clients). Be prepared to share these details, or understand that they may pass on the story if you’re not ready.
Blanket Pitches: Sending generic press releases to every journalist is ineffective and can damage your reputation. Target specific journalists and publications relevant to your story.
Overused Terms: Avoid clichéd phrases like “game changer,” as they have lost meaning and can annoy journalists.

5. Leveraging the Evolving Media Landscape

The media landscape continually shifts, with significant movement away from traditional outlets. This presents both challenges and new opportunities for startups.

Beyond Traditional Outlets:

Podcasts and Substack: These platforms offer burgeoning audiences and longer shelf lives for content than fleeting daily newspaper articles. Many credible journalists are now building their engaged audiences on platforms like Substack, providing direct access to niche audiences.
Owned Media Channels: In 2025, every company can and should be a publisher. Running internal blogs, social media channels, and even company podcasts allows startups to share their story and thought leadership and document their startup journey “under the hood”. This “genuine authentic openness” resonates powerfully with audiences and fosters trust.

While traditional media remains powerful, diversifying PR efforts to include these new channels can significantly amplify reach and engagement, providing a more robust and resilient communication strategy for early-stage ventures.

Conclusion

Public relations is not a luxury but a strategic imperative for early-stage businesses. By understanding the fundamental differences between paid and earned media, embracing PR as an overarching narrative, meticulously timing outreach, and leveraging the “TRUTH” framework for compelling storytelling, startups can build unparalleled credibility and trust. Furthermore, adapting to the evolving media landscape by exploring new channels and even becoming a publisher will secure long-term visibility and stakeholder engagement. In a world where trust signals are paramount, a well-executed PR strategy moves a startup from merely announcing its existence to meaningfully shaping its destiny.