How to get press for your product | Jason Feifer (editor in chief of Entrepreneur magazine)

Feifer compares seeking press with raising money: know the purpose before starting. Awareness for a product or credibility during fundraising may be useful goals. Coverage is not automatically valuable if the company is not ready to use it.

He sympathizes with founders who feel their work deserves attention, but says that feeling is not a tactical reason to pursue coverage. Name the outcome you need rather than using a feature story as proof of your worth. This is his advice, not a promise that a particular goal will produce press.

Writers and editors serve their readers, listeners or viewers rather than acting as a publicity service for founders. Explain what your story offers that audience. A company description alone may not fit the publication's purpose.

Feifer says different parts of one business may suit different media. A consumer product angle and a founder-learning angle may each need a different outlet. Preserve the facts while changing the emphasis, rather than forcing one preferred narrative everywhere.

His examples emphasize looking at the publication's actual work before pitching. A seasonal roundup, reported feature and practical lesson are different formats. A grounded pitch should fit what the outlet publishes, not an imagined format it does not use.

He warns against pitching the editor-in-chief by default because that person may not source the stories. Look for who writes about your subject and read their work. His account of his own editorial role is not a current staffing directory for every publication.

He suggests looking at where competitors were featured to identify audiences and formats worth investigating. This does not guarantee an outlet will cover a similar company. Use it to refine relevance, then decide whether outreach serves the goal you began with.