3 tips for pitching press a green tech startup

It’s no secret that the world is dealing with a climate crisis, and hundreds of sustainable technology startups have popped up over the last few years developing solutions. Whether it is green power, environmentally friendly transport, or even vegan meat alternatives, each one is working to make a difference. But in order for a green tech startup to achieve the best results, the message must be amplified in the right way. 

To paraphrase a famous saying, if a green tech startup launches and nobody hears it, does it even make a sound? We’ve got three tips for pitching great stories to the press so that you can be sure to generate some noise and get your startup noticed.

Research publications and journalists before pitching

We’ve all seen a generic pitch bcc’d to an entire media list. It isn’t fooling anyone, especially not the journalists who receive it. With some reporters receiving hundreds of emails each week, the pitch has to be well-targeted – you can’t just research a publication, you also have to check out the journalist’s beat and needs. This means going beyond a copy-and-paste email that swaps a name in and out of the salutations. The body of the content must be personalized as well, not to mention the story itself.

Whether you are sharing funding news or launching a sustainable tech product, each announcement will have different publications that will cover it based on the subject matter. A financial publication would cover funding news but not necessarily a partnership announcement. A travel outlet may cover a new environmentally-friendly tech product, but only if it’s geared toward travelers. Understanding the target verticals for the story at hand will enable you to map out the target outlets. This will ensure the pitches are sent to publications that will actually be interested in writing a story. 

Once you select the publications, you must narrow down the target even further. Don’t pitch a story on sustainable tech to a publication’s crypto reporter. This will most likely result in the email being thrown straight into the bin and could even get you blocked from future pitches. Targeted pitches are much more valuable. Do research on the journalists. Read the masthead, find the reporter’s Twitter profile, or even connect on LinkedIn. Figure out what topics they usually write about, and incorporate this knowledge into the pitch. This will not only ensure the story is told to the right person but will also win some brownie points as the journalist will see you did your research.

Simplify the tech talk

Journalists at the top tech publications cover stories across a variety of industries, so don’t expect them to be experts in every subject. Avoid using jargon. Sustainable technology can often be complicated with lots of moving parts. Simplify the language used so that everyone can understand it, not just scientists and your team. Remember that the press materials are written for the journalists, not for green tech experts.

To help the journalist understand what the tech startup does, paint the bigger picture. Allow the journalist to understand how the technology could be used in a wider context – and how the technology fits into the whole climate change narrative. Give use-case examples of real people that will be affected. At the end of the day, sustainable technology is making real change. Make sure the journalists understand that.

Time your pitch strategically for maximum impact

You may have written the perfect, personalized pitch, but if the journalist doesn’t open the email, then it doesn’t matter anyway. The timing of the email you send is as important as the pitch itself. Don’t send the email at just any time of the day or week, but strategically think about when it will make the biggest impact and, at the very least, be opened. For example, do not send out an email at 6:00 p.m. on a Friday. The journalist is signing out for the week, so the email may simply be skipped or deleted on Monday morning.

With successful tech publications touching every corner of the earth, startups are often pitching journalists from the other side of the world. Monday morning may seem like an ideal time to reach out to a journalist; however, if it is a bank holiday for the journalist, the email could be missed entirely. This takes us back to the first point – do your research!

Time zones must also be taken into consideration, as no one likes getting an email outside of office hours. If you work in the United States but are pitching a European publication, send your emails in the morning. You don’t want to leave the journalist with a bad taste in their mouth if they get an email at midnight – especially if the news will be old by the time they open it the next day.

Amplify your green tech message with effective PR

Sustainable technologies are making waves in the industry, and with the climate crisis, the startups developing these solutions are as important as ever. But for the technology to truly make a change, it must get the exposure it deserves, and that all starts with the right PR. Do your research to ensure the announcements don’t fall on unreceptive ears. With a compelling pitch and a media kit filled with easy-to-use high-resolution images to back it up, your green tech startup will be splashing across news headlines in no time.

Ready to take your green tech startup to the next level? Start crafting targeted media pitches that resonate with the right audience. You can ensure your message gets noticed with thoughtful research, clear communication, and perfect timing. For more tips and personalized PR support, contact us at SlicedBrand to boost your startup’s visibility and make a lasting impact in the sustainable tech space.