The biggest PR mistakes founders make

Getting press as a startup founder can feel like catching lightning in a bottle. You have a great product, maybe even funding or traction, but the press isn’t biting. Or worse, your story gets ignored entirely. It’s frustrating and all too common. The truth is, many first-time founders get PR wrong. Not because you’re bad at telling your story, but because you don’t understand how the media works. Here are the biggest PR mistakes you might be making—and how to avoid them.

Spraying and praying (or even worse, double pitching)

One of the fastest ways to tank your credibility is writing one generic pitch and blasting it to 200 journalists, spraying and praying. Journalists can spot a mass pitch miles away. They know when they’re part of a bulk send, and it makes your story feel like spam. 

Journalists don’t always reply right away or at all. That doesn’t mean they’re not working on something. It just means you need to be strategic and respectful with your outreach.

You might be tempted to pitch multiple journalists at the same publication, thinking it increases your odds. But if one of those journalists is already planning to cover your story and finds out you sent it to someone else at their outlet, the trust is gone—and often, so is the coverage. 

Your pitch shouldn’t feel like marketing spam. It should be a personal message. If you’re not taking the time to understand a journalist’s beat, interests, and recent work, why should they care about your news? Personalize every pitch and mention a recent article they wrote. Explain why your story fits their coverage area. One strong, targeted pitch beats 100 generic ones.

Not searching for the right journalist

Pitching the wrong person wastes everyone’s time—and hurts your brand. Say you’ve launched a new crypto project, and you send it to someone who covers consumer gadgets. That pitch is going straight to the trash. The reality is that you’re probably short on time, and deep media research falls through the cracks. 

This is where tools matter. AI-powered tools like Dazzle do the heavy lifting for you—automatically surfacing the most relevant journalists based on your story and industry. You still need to decide who to reach out to from a smart, curated list.

Pitching too late

Timing is everything. A huge mistake you might make is waiting until launch week or the night before to start pitching. Journalists, especially at top-tier outlets, work with lead times. Many already have their editorial calendars mapped out weeks in advance.

If you show up in their inbox the day before launch, asking for coverage, it signals that you don’t understand how the process works and comes across as disrespectful of their time. Start building your PR timeline well in advance. Four to six weeks in advance is the absolute bare minimum for a story. Research and outreach come first, long before your product goes live.

Issuing a wire release before getting organic coverage

You might think that putting out a press wire will attract top-tier media attention. But if the wire hits before any journalist has covered your story, it actually kills momentum. Press release wires make your story look old. Once it’s out in the wild, it’s already announced, and most journalists don’t want to rehash what’s already public—they want exclusivity or first-look angles.

The best press strategy is to secure organic coverage first, then use a wire to amplify it once the initial stories are live.

Believing the product sells itself

You need to believe in your product, but that isn't what PR is about—it’s about telling the right story to the right audience. The startup space is so saturated. If you’re not actively pitching, positioning, and amplifying your message, you’ll get drowned out, no matter how amazing your product is.

Media coverage gives your startup authority, visibility, and social proof. It opens doors to investors, customers, and partnerships. But none of that happens without intentional outreach.

How to get it right

If you want to succeed with PR, be intentional about your goals, deliberate about who you reach out to, and respectful of the journalist’s time and process. You should know that relevance beats reach, quality beats quantity, and that a thoughtful pitch goes much further than a generic blast. Most importantly, you should stay organized and consistent in your outreach. Tools like Dazzle help make this process smoother—keeping your pitches smart, your media lists organized, and your story in the right hands at the right time. Because your story matters. And when told well, it can open every door you’re knocking on.