Securing media coverage isn’t just about having a good story – it’s about knowing how to tell it. That was the key message of EIC Scaling Club’s Online Comms Academy session, prepared by experienced tech journalist and EIC Scaling Club council member, Jennifer Schenker, and presented by another veteran journalist, Robin Wauters. 

The workshop delivered candid, actionable advice for founders on how to position their companies for press visibility – not just when they’re ready to scale, but starting from day one.

Here are the top takeaways from the session.

Think like a journalist

Before you pitch a story, ask yourself: Why would a journalist care? Founders are often close to their product and naturally focused on features or technical innovations. But for the press, it's the impact that matters. What problem are you solving? How are you changing the market? Why is this newsworthy now? 

“Journalists write for their readers, not for you,” Schenker reminded participants. “Your job is to connect your company’s story to something broader, relevant, and timely.”

It's not just about your new feature or funding round; it's about the "hook" – what makes your story unique and relevant to their audience.

Also, don’t chase press too early – media attention should amplify real momentum, not be used to create it prematurely. PR is not your first priority – first, focus on building a valuable product, growing your customer base, and proving your market fit. If you do that, media attention will naturally follow. 

Practical tips for maximizing visibility

The presentation offered a wealth of practical advice, much of which you can implement starting tomorrow:

Craft your narrative

Learn the art of storytelling to make even seemingly "boring" topics engaging. While technical founders often want to delve into the intricacies of their technology, journalists (and their readers) are usually more interested in what your technology does and how it impacts humanity, society, or a specific market. 

Define your audience and goal

Who are you trying to reach? Is it venture capitalists, potential clients, or a specific niche community? What do you hope to achieve with media coverage? Deciding this in advance will shape your communication strategy.

Prepare strong visuals

In the world of media, strong visuals can significantly lower the barrier for journalists to cover your story. Think beyond generic team photos. Consider 3D renders of your product, demo videos, or creative imagery that stands out. Take the example of the CEO  of a Turkish company, Yemeksepeti, who jumped for a photo to replicate his company's logo – a small effort that led to a magazine cover!

Be transparent about competition

Never claim to have no competition. It's a red flag for journalists (and investors). Instead, openly discuss your competitive landscape and, more importantly, highlight how you differentiate yourself. What makes your approach unique?

“The worst answer to ‘who are your competitors?’ is ‘we don’t have any,’” Schenker warned. “That signals there’s no market.”

Choose a spokesperson — and make them available

Ensure your website has easily findable press contact information – not just a generic "info@" email. Designate a dedicated media spokesperson – while the founder or CEO is often the most knowledgeable and passionate, they might not always be the best communicator. Identify who in your company can effectively represent your brand and articulate your vision. Either way, availability and responsiveness are key.

“Journalists move fast. If they can’t reach you or can’t find what they need, they’ll move on,” Schenker said.

Create a robust press kit

It’s also essential to add a comprehensive press kit (also known as a media kit) that should include:

• High-resolution visuals, 
• Founder and executive team biographies, 
• Company logos, 
• A timeline of key milestones (funding, launches, expansions), 
• Funding details, and 
• A fact sheet. 

The easier you make it for journalists to find information, the more likely they are to cover your story.

Be strategic about PR hires

The advice here was direct: try to manage your own PR for as long as possible. When you can no longer handle it yourself (e.g., for market expansion or major funding announcements), choose partners who truly understand your business and can craft custom narratives – not just send out generic press releases. Truly professional PRs are rare, so if you find one, hire them and pay them well. For specific needs, like expanding into a new market, hiring a local agency might be beneficial.

Build relationships before you need them

Don't wait until you're desperate for publicity to start engaging with journalists. Attend events, offer yourself as a source for industry insights, and provide feedback on their articles relevant to your space. Be a helpful source, attend events, give feedback on articles. These connections will pay off when it's time to tell your story.

EIC Scaling Club is here to help

The session underscored that while there's no "silver bullet" for guaranteed press coverage, a thoughtful and proactive approach can significantly maximise your chances. By understanding the media's needs, preparing thoroughly, and building genuine connections, tech scale-ups can effectively amplify their stories and accelerate their scaling journey.

This session is part of the EIC Scaling Club’s broader effort to support European deep tech scaleups not only with funding and business growth, but also with strategic visibility. From communication workshops to curated networking and media opportunities, the Club offers tools and expertise to help founders take their stories to the next level.

Got a milestone to share? A big win, a new partner, or expansion news? The Scaling Club communications team is here to help amplify it. Just reach out.

About the EIC Scaling Club

The EIC Scaling Club is a curated community where 120+ European deep tech scale-ups with the potential to build world-class businesses and solve major global challenges come together with investors, corporate innovators and other industry stakeholders to spur growth.

The top 120+ European deep tech companies will be carefully selected from a pool of high-growth scale-ups that have benefitted from EIC financial schemes, other European and national innovation programmes, and beyond.

The EIC Scaling Club is an EIC-funded initiative run in partnership by Tech Tour, Bpifrance (EuroQuity), Hello Tomorrow, Tech.eu (Webrazzi), EurA and IESE Business School.

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