All Segments
The ultimate guide to PR | Emilie Gerber (founder of Six Eastern)
43 segments available
Emilie Gerber is the founder and CEO of Six Eastern, a top PR agency that’s worked with over 100 tech companies, from stealth startups to publicly traded companies. Before starting her own firm, she worked at Uber, where she led PR for the business development team and B2B programs. Prior to that, she worked at Box on product communications, with a focus on product launches and partnership announcements. In our conversation, we discuss: • Why, and when, getting press is worth your time • Common misconceptions about the impact press can have • The second-order effects of press • Which areas each publication (TechCrunch, Axios, The Verge, etc.) cares most about • How to craft your pitch • How to find and reach reporters • How pitching press is different from pitching customers • The effectiveness of direct communication through social media versus traditional press — Brought to you by: • Sprig—Build a product people love: https://sprig.com/getstarted?utm_source=lenny&utm_medium=podcast • Eppo—Run reliable, impactful experiments: https://www.geteppo.com/ • Vanta—Automate compliance. Simplify security: https://vanta.com/lenny Find the transcript and references at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-ultimate-guide-to-pr-emilie-gerber Where to find Emilie Gerber: • Substack: http://onbackgroundintel.substack.com • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilie-gerber-59612230/ • Website: https://sixeastern.com/ • Email: hello@sixeastern.com Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Emilie’s background (04:56) The value of press and second-order effects (12:57) When press is not worth your time (17:01) Different publications and their suitability (25:36) Avoiding negative stories (27:23) Finding aligned podcasts and awards (30:55) Advice for reaching out to reporters (37:23) Controversial pitches (41:16) Avoiding category creation (43:26) Examples of pitches that have worked well (52:35) Pitching to Lenny (55:42) Effective pitching strategies (57:44) Improving pitch announcements (01:03:01) Press releases (01:07:06) Crafting a compelling story (01:09:41) Traditional press vs. newsletters, podcasts, and social media (01:12:43) Building a social media presence (01:17:54) How to get a Morning Brew feature (01:19:32) Advice on choosing a PR agency (01:22:25) Timing and budget for PR (01:25:31) Lightning round Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com. Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed.
Segments Timeline
Tactical PR Insights
Emilie Gerber emphasizes the need for startups to understand the tactical steps required to gain press coverage. She discusses the importance of finding a compelling story within a product's messaging and shares insights on effective pitches, including examples of successful and unsuccessful outreach strategies.
"no one ever gets this tactical in PR there's just so much theoretical you know conversation and examining the big blunders but like at the end of the day if you're a startup that wants to get coverage..."
The Value of Press
In this segment, Emilie Gerber discusses the second-order effects of press coverage, explaining how it can validate a business and enhance credibility. She highlights the importance of press for both B2B and consumer companies, using examples like Perplexity to illustrate how effective PR can drive growth and signups.
"I bring you Emily Gerber after a short word from our sponsors let me tell you about a product called sprig NextGen product teams like figma and notion rely on Sprig to build products that people love ..."
B2B Press Strategies
Emilie shares her perspective on the impact of press for B2B businesses, emphasizing that the real benefit often lies in the credibility gained from media coverage rather than immediate growth. She discusses how logos from reputable publications can enhance outreach efforts and the importance of storytelling in press coverage.
"to be talking about press a lot of people say that trying to get press isn't really worth your time it doesn't drive signups it doesn't drive growth you could spend your time on other things and have ..."
Understanding Affiliate Marketing
Emilie explains the concept of affiliate marketing, where publications earn commissions on sales generated from their articles. She discusses how this practice is common among consumer companies and highlights its significance in driving product reviews and recommendations.
"people are thinking about doing the calculus of is it worth investing and trying to get press for a B2B business related to what I we were talking about offline so when I I got these stories in like F..."
Pitching Fundraising Announcements
In this segment, Emilie provides insights on how to effectively pitch fundraising announcements to reporters. She emphasizes the importance of clarity in messaging and the need for follow-up to ensure coverage, sharing strategies for making a compelling case to publications like TechCrunch.
"however we actually don't do affiliate marketing so there there's probably going to be a lot of people that have a a much more insightful perspective on it but affiliate is essentially when you work w..."
The Art of Pitching to Reporters
In this segment, Emilie shares her insights on how to effectively pitch funding stories to reporters. She stresses the importance of being concise and direct, providing relevant information about the funding round, and following up respectfully with new information to maintain engagement with reporters.
"a funding story I think the first thing that Founders or whoever is reaching out uh on behalf of the company does wrong is they kind of they kind of convolute the message like when we pitch a funding ..."
Targeting the Right Publications
Emilie explains the significance of targeting the right publications for press coverage. She highlights TechCrunch as a go-to for funding announcements and discusses the importance of understanding each publication's focus and audience to maximize the chances of getting covered.
"works I I think I yeah I think if you can just be like really concise and direct and say what you're looking for out of the relationship and it tends to be um a pretty easy process and yeah Tech wrenc..."
Navigating Publication Changes
Emilie addresses the rapidly changing landscape of media, sharing recent changes at TechCrunch regarding op-eds. She emphasizes the need for startups to stay informed about these changes and adapt their PR strategies accordingly to ensure effective media outreach.
"each one is best suited for so you're talking about how Tech wrench is essentially really good for fundraising when I think about other Publications there's like axios and Verge I don't know if they d..."
Maximizing Coverage Opportunities
In this segment, Emilie discusses various ways to maximize coverage opportunities with TechCrunch, including applying for speaking slots at their conferences and participating in their podcasts. She highlights the importance of leveraging multiple avenues for exposure beyond just funding announcements.
"talk about it in its current state um so yes Tech crunch a go-to for a lot of funding announcements a go-to for some product news too even sometimes um I would say the areas where they don't have dedi..."
Understanding Axios and Business Insider
Emilie provides insights into Axios and Business Insider, explaining their focus areas and what types of stories they typically cover. She advises on how to approach these publications, particularly emphasizing Axios's deal-focused reporting and Business Insider's interest in pitch deck stories.
"and I actually have heard really great feedback from clients um on Tech crunch uh you know driving website traffic the day of the announcement especially it's I haven't really been able to pinpoint wh..."
Crafting Compelling Pitch Decks
Emilie discusses the strategy behind creating effective pitch decks for Business Insider. She explains how sharing core messages and selectively redacting sensitive information can lead to successful coverage while ensuring that the pitch deck aligns with the company's narrative.
"and actually axio has recently launched or I guess has been launching over the past uh year or so um Local Edition so they're they're really branching into local news and so that can actually be a rea..."
Leveraging Lists and Awards for Exposure
In this segment, Emilie highlights the value of participating in lists and awards published by outlets like Business Insider. She explains how these opportunities can provide significant exposure for startups and discusses the ease of submitting for these features.
"looking for um so so yes if you're looking for a funding story Tech crunch past others past that's a good option um they also are huge on like the entrepreneurial Journey kind of pieces like similar t..."
Identifying the Right Publications for Your Story
Emilie shares her top recommendations for publications to target based on the nature of the startup's story. She discusses the relevance of outlets like VentureBeat for AI news and Fast Company for future of work topics, emphasizing the importance of aligning the story with the publication's focus.
"Venture beat is huge for AI news we pitch them all the time for a like any any client that we work with that is you know building AI capabilities um has a new offering related to AI perfect publicatio..."
Navigating Major Publications
Emilie provides insights on how to approach major publications like The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. She discusses the challenges early-stage companies face in getting coverage from these outlets and the importance of building relationships with relevant reporters.
"are my top ones um I'll stop there that's amazing and those are the most commonly requested and the ones you mostly go after yeah they're the most realistic for most startups um there are ones like Th..."
Avoiding Negative Press
In this segment, Emilie discusses strategies for avoiding negative press coverage. She emphasizes the importance of preparing spokespersons with clear messaging and understanding the reporters' perspectives to mitigate the risk of unfavorable stories.
"there when you look at earlier stage companies that are getting coverage in those Publications that's what's happening now let's say you're a tiny bit further along and your series B series C you know..."
Finding Aligned Podcasts and Awards
Emilie shares her approach to identifying aligned podcasts and awards for startups. She discusses the importance of qualitative analysis in selecting the right platforms and emphasizes the need for startups to understand their target audience when seeking media opportunities.
"they're targeting people that want to learn about public markets and so if you're not a public company like they have their cmbc disruptor 50 list which is focused on companies that will soon be at th..."
Finding Aligned Podcasts and Awards
Emilie Gerber shares her strategies for identifying aligned podcasts and awards that can amplify your PR efforts. She emphasizes the importance of qualitative analysis, ensuring the right spokesperson is pitched, and actively listening to your audience's media preferences. Gerber also discusses the significance of researching podcast hosts and initiating friendly outreach to build connections.
"after is there a tip you could share of how to find aligned podcast or Awards like how to how you find a list of here we should go after these I mean we use we use Google we just use search engines ba..."
The Power of Cold Outreach
In this segment, Emilie Gerber discusses the effectiveness of cold outreach in PR. She explains that having prior relationships with reporters is not as crucial as many believe, and that thoughtful, well-crafted pitches can yield positive results. Gerber emphasizes the importance of being direct and maintaining professionalism in communications with reporters.
"you know so many people start with this very long email introducing themselves or going really deep and you can you don't have to do that and especially because you know maybe only one out of every 10..."
Crafting Effective Pitches
Emilie Gerber provides insights on crafting effective pitches for reporters. She advocates for concise communication, suggesting that successful pitches should be no longer than three sentences. Gerber also highlights the importance of clarity in subject lines and the value of pointing out gaps in a reporter's coverage to capture their interest.
"good at writing really thoughtful notes to the right people and and in a way now you know now we do have a relationship and so you know it can come from a cold email but now you know it's a it's easie..."
Leveraging Controversial Perspectives
In this segment, Emilie Gerber discusses the impact of presenting controversial viewpoints in pitches. She shares a case study involving a client that challenged the positive narrative surrounding a popular business practice. Gerber explains how taking a critical stance can attract media attention and lead to successful coverage.
"yeah saying what your intentions are right away like are you trying to get a Q&A are you trying to get a story like are you trying to get a funding story like I mentioned before um is very crucial um ..."
Avoiding Category Creation in Pitches
Emilie Gerber advises against positioning companies as category creators in PR pitches. She explains that this approach often fails to resonate with reporters and suggests focusing on how a company improves upon existing solutions. Gerber emphasizes the importance of providing a clear frame of reference for reporters to understand the value proposition.
"for the business like you don't want to go commenting on regulatory things if that's not it's if you don't want to you know necessarily um be a part of that conversation but there are I think instance..."
The Pitfalls of Category Creation
Emilie Gerber discusses the common misconception among startups that positioning themselves as category creators is effective for PR. She emphasizes that reporters prefer narratives that compare new companies to established incumbents, providing a clear frame of reference. By focusing on how a startup can outperform a well-known competitor, pitches become more compelling and relatable to the press.
"this could be a really interesting story awesome yeah is there anything else broadly in terms of pitch advice to get the attention of a reporter that comes to mind and I know this is like a lifetime o..."
Crafting Compelling Product Launches
Emilie shares a successful example from her work with Ramp, where they framed a product launch as a challenge to a major competitor, Bill.com. This approach garnered significant media attention, illustrating the importance of positioning in PR. By highlighting the competitive landscape rather than merely announcing a new feature, they captured the interest of major outlets like CNBC.
"awesome this episode is brought to you by vanta when it comes to ensuring your company has top-notch security practices things get complicated fast now you can assess risk secure the trust of your cus..."
Telling Impactful Stories in PR
In this segment, Emilie discusses her strategy for promoting Column Tax's partnership with Propel, focusing on the social impact of their tax filing software for low-income families. By tying the story to broader societal issues and avoiding generic growth metrics, they secured coverage in Fast Company, demonstrating the power of narrative in effective PR.
"if we had pitched it as them you know creating a new category of this all-in-one software which Tech I mean yeah that it could be argued that's another way to tell the story um I I don't think CNBC wo..."
Innovative Pitch Formats
Emilie recounts a creative approach taken for the launch of Gamma, a modern presentation tool. Instead of a traditional press release, they created an engaging presentation that showcased the product's capabilities and included user testimonials. This innovative format not only captured attention but also led to successful media coverage, highlighting the importance of creativity in PR pitches.
"is our job amazing is there any other examples otherwise I'll share your pitch of someone coming on my podcast and what worked about that I do want to share one more because it's my favorite I want to..."
Effective Pitching Strategies
Emilie shares insights on how to craft effective pitches by focusing on unique growth stories and relevant data points. She emphasizes the importance of understanding the audience and tailoring pitches accordingly, using examples from her own experiences. This segment provides valuable tips for anyone looking to improve their PR outreach and engagement with reporters.
"follow the typical like issuing press release format and is that something we could link to for people to check out is that just on their site okay yeah I actually had to for some reason do some diggi..."
Balancing Quality and Quantity in Outreach
In this segment, Emilie discusses the balance between quality and quantity in PR outreach. She explains her approach to targeting reporters and the importance of offering exclusives to generate interest. By focusing on a smaller number of well-researched pitches, she maximizes the chances of securing media coverage while maintaining respectful communication with journalists.
"that was like the kind of thing that you'd be interested in and how did you figure that out is it from emails we were exchanging ahead of that is it listening to some podcasts how did you get to those..."
Learning from Ineffective Pitches
In this segment, Emilie shares examples of ineffective press releases and pitches, illustrating common pitfalls in communication. She emphasizes the need for clarity and relatability in messaging, using a specific case study to demonstrate how jargon can obscure the core message. This advice is crucial for anyone looking to improve their PR strategies.
"try not to do like blasting we don't do blasting media it's not about sending the same person or the same uh pitch to a single list of people um it's figuring out you know which ones do I want to real..."
Crafting Clear Messaging
Emilie provides actionable tips for creating clear and engaging product messaging. She stresses the importance of answering fundamental questions about the product and its audience, and how simplifying language can enhance understanding. This segment is essential for founders and marketers aiming to communicate effectively with their target audience.
"your point about referencing a incumbent to help you understand what the heck you're talking about and you wouldn't necessarily need to do that in like your press release but I think you know they cou..."
The Shift from Press Releases to Blogs
Emilie discusses the declining relevance of traditional press releases in modern PR strategies. She advocates for using blog posts as a more effective alternative, allowing for a more personal and engaging narrative. This segment highlights the evolving landscape of media and the importance of adapting communication strategies to current trends.
"is just think about who's this what does it do who's it for who are the customers is there something else along those L that you shared there as a bull Point well I mean if you're talking about like w..."
Finding Compelling Stories
In this segment, Emilie shares insights on how to uncover compelling narratives within less prominent companies. She illustrates this with a case study of a startup founder's personal story that resonates with broader themes, demonstrating how to leverage unique angles for media interest. This advice is invaluable for PR professionals seeking to create impactful stories.
"them this mention of logs is where I wanted to go next actually so it's a good segue but before we do that is there any other examples that you wanted to share of uh less than ideal ways of pitching a..."
Navigating New Media Platforms
Emilie explores the integration of newsletters and podcasts into PR strategies, emphasizing their growing importance alongside traditional media. She discusses the challenges of building a social media presence and the need for authenticity in communication. This segment is crucial for understanding how to effectively engage with modern media landscapes.
"a good macro Point as well it doesn't always need to just be about you if you have an idea for you know a conference session put it reaching out to you know colleagues that you've worked with at other..."
The Power of Personal Branding on Social Media
In this segment, Emilie explains the significance of personal branding for executives on social media platforms. She shares insights on how executives can effectively engage with audiences, the challenges they face, and the potential benefits of being bold and controversial in their online presence. This approach can enhance their company's PR strategy and visibility.
"don't want to they don't want to read your latest blog post like they don't want to read like like a relevant article that you're like social person just decided to put out there when you have an exec..."
Learning from Successful Executives
Emilie reflects on her experiences working with Aaron from Box, highlighting the effective communication strategies he employed on social media. She discusses the importance of being timely and relevant in PR, and how a strong social media presence can lead to increased media coverage and business opportunities.
"I think I think for a lot of execs that we work with it does feel like it's something that's really hard like there's a lot of overthinking making sure it's right like you can get really in your head ..."
Tactical Tips for Media Features
Emilie shares a tactical approach to securing features in popular media outlets like Morning Brew. She explains how to effectively fill out submission forms for features, emphasizing the importance of crafting engaging and non-promotional responses to increase the chances of being featured.
"we'll link to his Twitter account this is Aaron CEO of box by the way I I think I mentioned at the beginning and then we just started talking about Aaron also I realized uh he tweets about this someti..."
Choosing the Right PR Agency
In this segment, Emilie provides valuable advice on selecting a PR agency. She discusses common misconceptions about larger agencies, the importance of understanding initial engagement strategies, and the need for recent writing samples. Emilie emphasizes the significance of meeting the team that will handle your account and avoiding extensive RFP processes.
"funny enough they have an interview with Zuck today that they published on morning Brew so you could be you alongside Zuck morning there you go yeah maybe before we get to our very exciting lightning ..."
Budgeting for PR Services
Emilie outlines the budget considerations for hiring a PR agency, discussing expected costs for different levels of service. She provides insights into what startups should anticipate in terms of monthly retainers and one-off project costs, helping listeners understand the financial commitment involved in effective PR.
"thank you for sharing all that what if you're going for just like a oneoff just help me get one story what's like a range there for a budget you should expect yeah um I would say between 10 and 20 um ..."
Lightning Round: Book Recommendations
Emilie shares her current favorite book, 'How to Change Your Mind' by Michael Pollan, as she prepares for a personal retreat. She reflects on the importance of changing perspectives and neural pathways, especially in the context of leadership and personal growth. This segment highlights the intersection of personal development and professional leadership.
"that's very top of mine right now um so it's how to change your mind by Michael pollen um I'm actually I leave tonight for a week long um solosy and Retreat oh am amazing we should have done this aft..."
Favorite Shows and Post-Apocalyptic Themes
Emilie reveals her favorite TV genre—post-apocalyptic survival shows—highlighting 'The Walking Dead' as her comfort show. She also discusses her recent enjoyment of 'Yellowjackets,' a series filled with shocking moments and psychological depth. This segment showcases her personal interests and how they influence her perspective.
"I'm excited to hear how it goes I'm not a big book recommender I I have like ADHD and reading full books is like very hard for me and so um yeah so I'm just going to leave you with with that one um I ..."
Interview Questions that Challenge Candidates
Emilie introduces a new interview question designed to assess critical thinking and client relations. She explains how this question helps gauge a candidate's ability to handle client expectations and creatively push back when necessary. This insight is valuable for those involved in hiring for PR roles.
"in the way that I was looking for hardcore do you have a favorite interview question you like to ask and you can take this in any direction you want yeah so I have like a new one we actually just reva..."
Discovering the Apple Vision Pro
Emilie shares her initial skepticism about the Apple Vision Pro and how her perspective changed after trying it. She discusses its potential applications in her work and the excitement it brings for future PR strategies. This segment highlights the importance of being open to new technologies in the PR landscape.
"using it for work I think I think it could be a really good use case for just like our my day-to- day at work after I had tried it the next day I like messaged a bunch of clients that I thought had li..."
Life Motto: Strong Opinions, Loosely Held
Emilie reflects on her life motto, 'strong opinions, loosely held,' emphasizing the balance between being opinionated and open to change. She discusses how this philosophy applies to her work and personal life, encouraging adaptability in a fast-paced environment. This segment encapsulates her approach to leadership and decision-making.
"podcast interview prep along with a bunch of other stuff so uh good good find for customer I think they're going to do great wish I was an investor I'm a happy investor I rarely Angel invest and I was..."
Connecting with Emilie Gerber
In the closing segment, Emilie shares how listeners can connect with her and her agency, Six Eastern. She highlights her newsletter, 'On Background,' which provides valuable resources for PR professionals and companies without dedicated PR teams. This segment serves as a call to action for those interested in learning more about PR opportunities.
"great people to bring on Amazing is there anything specific you're looking for and people you're hiring for people that may want to reach out other than they've been in PR ideally some B2B experience ..."