This Week's Question

A.  It sounds like you have laid the solid foundation needed to gain more widespread media attention. Getting noticed by the quantum trades is the first step, and it establishes a solid foundation for additional media coverage. Mainstream reporters require a comfort level that the company is legitimate and the best way to achieve this is to be covered in the trades. Quantum trade reporters know and understand the industry, and their willingness to write about your company gives mainstream reporters, who likely don’t know or understand quantum very well, assurance that the company is real. 

 The next steps are to begin customizing pitches around announcements for other types of media such as sci-tech, enterprise IT, business and investment. 

 This entails ensuring the news angle, technical language and, most importantly, context are relevant to their audiences. For example, New Scientist likes to delve into the weeds on the latest technology advances while Bloomberg will want to know the potential commercial impact and if there are any partners who can verify that impact. 

 And, of course, there are a myriad of other ways to secure media attention beyond press releases, including newsjacking (offering executives for comment to media on breaking news stories), feature story pitches that go deeper than the daily news, bylines, media interviews at events, company or executive profiles, etc.   

A.  This really isn’t an either/or question. A company with an effective PR program very likely will have both an internal communications person (or team, if it’s a larger company) and a PR agency (or PR consultant, if it’s very early stage). The internal and external teams work hand-in-hand to create and execute what is best for your company. In the quantum tech industry, which has more complexity than most, having a well-coordinated, consistent PR program is important.

The role of the in-house PR person(s) can be critically important.

Their job is to examine the company’s activities from a PR perspective: Is it newsworthy? Are there third-party validators to leverage the story? Is there a peer-reviewed paper? Who can speak to media on this topic? Are there other marketing tactics to complement the editorial push? How would this news announcement benefit the company’s business model? What is the proper timing for the announcement? Lots of questions and being in-house is beneficial to gaining answers to those questions.

The in-house communications person also serves as the point person for the PR agency. Just one example: While the agency may set up tremendous interview opportunities, being able to reach both the C-Suite and subject matter experts quickly is essential to success. The CEO may overlook an urgent email from the agency offering an interview with Forbes, but the in-house PR person can lend a hand by tracking down the CEO to save the interview opportunity.

While the in-house PR person has the inside track, the external PR agency can provide breadth and depth in PR that’s needed for success. Typically, an account manager is designated at the agency, but the client can benefit from a team working on the account, whether every day or as needed. The right agency will field an experienced team, ideally with experience in your industry, and this usually is not found in-house with smaller companies. Further, agency tools, such as Muck Rack, the premier media guide, are valuable for the company and are more likely found at an agency, which amortizes the cost across several clients.

Generally, an in-house PR person can serve as a intermediary between the outside PR agency and the company, identifying story opportunities, securing approvals for releases and other content, and facilitating prompt replies to media.  However, there is often little time for an in-house person to conduct extensive media relations, which is critical to securing regular coverage.  That's where the outside PR firm can excel and bring value in addition to writing releases and providing a wide of variety of other services such as awards and speaking opportunities that in-house PR often doesn't have time to pursue. 

At its best, it works as a truly symbiotic relationship. The in-house person does better when an agency is engaged. And the PR agency does better when there is a dedicated communications person inside. When you want the best PR experience for your company, this is your best choice. 

A. This is a good question, and one seldom asked in advance. Communication between client and agency is an important aspect of the relationship and when it is not smooth, the success of the PR program can falter. 

We typically meet with our clients via video calls, weekly, or sometimes every other week. Calls can be just 15 minutes to touch base or can stretch to an hour when the news pipeline is full. Using and sharing an online weekly status report is useful and can be updated prior to or during the call. With the complexity of quantum companies, these calls are vital. 

The PR agency does best with a single client point of contact who can both receive and send emails, texts, calls, slacks – whatever you use to communicate – and then be responsible for handling or delegating. Likewise, the agency should have a single point of contact as well, usually the account manager, although usually others are on the call, too. 

One important element of client-agency communication is direct contact with upper management. It can be the CEO or founder in a startup, or the CMO in a more mature company, and contact can be monthly or even quarterly, but it’s important it happens. Even though the client point of contact communicates agency work to upper management, it is incredibly useful to talk directly to the company leader to better understand his or her views not only on the company but on the overall industry. These regular conversations allow the agency to play the role of media and analysts to understand the C-suite's current take on the company’s business and messaging priorities as well as their perspective on current industry issues and trends. This helps the agency in its strategic planning and also provides fodder for “newsjacking” opportunities, byline article topics, speaking and awards submissions, and much more. 

The best client-agency relationships happen when 1) the client point of contact is knowledgeable about the company and has at least a general understanding of the PR process, 2) the CEO/Founder/CMO is willing to engage in regular, although less frequent, meetings with the agency, and 3) the agency’s account manager is both attentive to the client’s needs and willing to provide objective PR feedback to make sure the PR tactics are truly effective.

A. This is a good question, and one seldom asked in advance. Communication between client and agency is an important aspect of the relationship and when it is not smooth, the success of the PR program can falter. 

We typically meet with our clients via video calls, weekly, or sometimes every other week. Calls can be just 15 minutes to touch base or can stretch to an hour when the news pipeline is full. Using and sharing an online weekly status report is useful and can be updated prior to or during the call. With the complexity of quantum companies, these calls are vital. 

The PR agency does best with a single client point of contact who can both receive and send emails, texts, calls, slacks – whatever you use to communicate – and then be responsible for handling or delegating. Likewise, the agency should have a single point of contact as well, usually the account manager, although usually others are on the call, too. 

One important element of client-agency communication is direct contact with upper management. It can be the CEO or founder in a startup, or the CMO in a more mature company, and contact can be monthly or even quarterly, but it’s important it happens. Even though the client point of contact communicates agency work to upper management, it is incredibly useful to talk directly to the company leader to better understand his or her views not only on the company but on the overall industry. These regular conversations allow the agency to play the role of media and analysts to understand the C-suite's current take on the company’s business and messaging priorities as well as their perspective on current industry issues and trends. This helps the agency in its strategic planning and also provides fodder for “newsjacking” opportunities, byline article topics, speaking and awards submissions, and much more. 

The best client-agency relationships happen when 1) the client point of contact is knowledgeable about the company and has at least a general understanding of the PR process, 2) the CEO/Founder/CMO is willing to engage in regular, although less frequent, meetings with the agency, and 3) the agency’s account manager is both attentive to the client’s needs and willing to provide objective PR feedback to make sure the PR tactics are truly effective.

A. This is a good question, and one seldom asked in advance. Communication between client and agency is an important aspect of the relationship and when it is not smooth, the success of the PR program can falter. 

We typically meet with our clients via video calls, weekly, or sometimes every other week. Calls can be just 15 minutes to touch base or can stretch to an hour when the news pipeline is full. Using and sharing an online weekly status report is useful and can be updated prior to or during the call. With the complexity of quantum companies, these calls are vital. 

The PR agency does best with a single client point of contact who can both receive and send emails, texts, calls, slacks – whatever you use to communicate – and then be responsible for handling or delegating. Likewise, the agency should have a single point of contact as well, usually the account manager, although usually others are on the call, too. 

One important element of client-agency communication is direct contact with upper management. It can be the CEO or founder in a startup, or the CMO in a more mature company, and contact can be monthly or even quarterly, but it’s important it happens. Even though the client point of contact communicates agency work to upper management, it is incredibly useful to talk directly to the company leader to better understand his or her views not only on the company but on the overall industry. These regular conversations allow the agency to play the role of media and analysts to understand the C-suite's current take on the company’s business and messaging priorities as well as their perspective on current industry issues and trends. This helps the agency in its strategic planning and also provides fodder for “newsjacking” opportunities, byline article topics, speaking and awards submissions, and much more. 

The best client-agency relationships happen when 1) the client point of contact is knowledgeable about the company and has at least a general understanding of the PR process, 2) the CEO/Founder/CMO is willing to engage in regular, although less frequent, meetings with the agency, and 3) the agency’s account manager is both attentive to the client’s needs and willing to provide objective PR feedback to make sure the PR tactics are truly effective.

A. Choosing the right PR firm for quantum companies can be critical to their ultimate success. Quantum companies often find themselves with little marketing budget or staff and need to rely heavily on media coverage to tell their story to potential investors, partners, early adopters and new recruits.   

Now that quantum has become mainstream news, many PR agencies are joining the fray to snag a quantum client or two. However, the key to finding a solid PR partner in quantum is not about which agencies represent well-known brands but much more about who can actually understand your science, translate it to broader audiences, and secure stories that have impact. Here are some key recommendations to consider for your search. 

1. Start with the companies whose coverage you admire 

Look at quantum companies—large and small—whose media presence appears credible and not filled with unsupported claims. Check their press releases, bylines and earned coverage. Most companies list their PR firm at the bottom of releases. 

2. Ask trusted insiders 

Tap your VCs, board members and partners for advice and recommendations. Many have seen which PR firms can deliver and have a vested interest in helping you succeed.  Also, if you’re on a friendly first-name basis with a couple of industry social media influencers or journalists (like our TQS expert members Brian Lenahan and Doug Finke), it’s not an imposition to ask them who’s good to work with.  

3. Prioritize actual quantum experience 

Quantum is not a space where a generalist tech PR team can “figure it out” – even those dedicated to deep-tech can have an uphill battle understanding quantum science and the quantum industry. A firm with real quantum experience will shorten onboarding dramatically and place you on the right path for coverage almost immediately.  A good rule of thumb is to request previous media results and client references to be sure. 

4. Understand the agency model 

Larger agencies come with higher overhead and a common pitfall: the senior person who sells you may not be the person who works on your account. Smaller firms often give you more senior attention but may have narrower bandwidth. However, it should be noted that HKA, which is uniquely dedicated to the quantum industry, also has global contractors and agency partners at their disposal to expand staff and services as needed. 

5. Clarify what content development you may need 

Some companies only need press releases and media outreach. Others need bylines, blog posts, social media posts, website copy and more.  Not many PR firms have strong quantum content teams so it’s best to see writing samples. 

6. Ask how they start a program 

Any credible PR agency in the space should tell you they start with a discovery audit of your current communications as well as your business goals.  They should then provide you with a strategic narrative and messaging that tells your story in a compelling way to the market.  

7. If in doubt, start with a project 

Testing a PR agency with an initial project, such as a press release announcement, is a low-risk way to determine if the agency not only has the correct approach but is easy to work with and dependable.

A. By a wide margin, LinkedIn is the most popular social media channel worldwide for the quantum community.  It is both the most widely used and most influential channel. You will find pages for quantum companies, founders, C-suite executives, researchers, investors, analysts, policymakers, media outlets, individual journalists and more.

We like to think of LinkedIn as the primary public square, where everyone gathers to share information, get new ideas, debate whether a finding is real or hype, acknowledge accomplishments, promote events, post blogs and newsletters, and so much more. Those a little older may also view it as a modern version of the office water cooler.

Following the industry on LinkedIn is invaluable for the growing numbers of those new to the industry and those looking to join it. For “newbies” we recommend focusing on the technologies and sectors most relevant to you and then following companies as well as thought leaders. You can get both macro and micro views of the industry by paying attention to the posts, newsletters, videos, etc. every day. And LinkedIn is also an excellent way to grow your own following in the industry.

The fact that the global community prioritizes LinkedIn makes it even more effective. LinkedIn is used in most regions of the world, bringing the global quantum community together unlike on any other platform. The translation feature helps us learn from others even if we do not know their native language.
The next most used social media platforms in quantum are X and Mastodon, but gathering insights and developing relationships is best done on LinkedIn. 

A. It’s true that many people mistakenly believe that all tech PR is the same. 

There are at least three different types of tech PR: consumer, B2B, and deep tech. Of course, there are commonalities among all types of PR, but each branch of tech PR has a different focus and distinct best practices. 

As the name implies, consumer tech PR promotes products that people can use now.  Press releases focus on product features, often citing better, faster, more convenient or more stylish product details. These are physical products that you can hold, or at least touch, such as a mobile phone, a smart TV, or a laptop computer. 

When PR is done for B2B tech companies, the focus is usually on explaining how the product can improve enterprise operations in the near term. Buyers are companies that make decisions based on ROI and other real-world benefits. A B2B tech press release likely describes the product’s efficiency, reliability, integration and cost savings, among other aspects.  

Now let’s look at PR for deep tech, which includes the quantum tech companies we work with every day. To attract media attention, a press release for a quantum tech company should be written in language a non-scientist can understand and provide both context and vision for its technology. The industry is at an early stage, built on scientific breakthroughs and complex engineering. Commercialization is coming, but it’s not here yet. Without commercial products to describe, the company must highlight its scientific credibility and provide third-party validation from reputable partners, including respected academic researchers. Of course, peer-reviewed articles on their research are helpful, too.  

So instead of snazzy new features that consumer tech requires, or near-term enterprise benefit, deep-tech PR, especially nascent, complex fields like quantum, focuses on building trust among investors, partners and early technology explorers. 

Tech PR is not one-size-fits all. 

 A. In a word, YES! While some people seem to be born knowing just what to say, in every situation, it’s a rare person who knows how to ace media interviews without at least learning basic “do’s and don’ts.”

It’s important to recognize that every conversation with a reporter is important, whether top-tier, trade publication or industry blogger. They provide an easy way to speak to either very large audiences or very targeted ones – both can be extremely helpful to a quantum startup’s fortunes. For maximum results, company executives should treat every interview opportunity with as much care and attention as they would a new business meeting -- and preparation is key.

Media training does not have to be lengthy or complicated, although preparing for a top-tier interview can require more rigorous focus. A general training session with basic learnings can be done when the company begins its PR program, focused on the company’s media messages, and a variety of common-sense tips when dealing with a journalist. This gives a good foundation for the interviews that follow. Then, with each interview opportunity, the PR person (in-house or agency) can provide specific suggestions for the interview, including specifics about both the reporter and the media outlet. They will also provide a critique on how the interview went and what could be improved upon next time.

Don’t ‘wing it’ – give the reporter useful information while getting your message across so they will come back to you as a source again and again. 

 A.  A media backgrounder is a PR tool used to maximize interview opportunities. This brief document is valuable for both the interviewee and the interviewer, as it can lead to a better interview and, ultimately, an accurate article and a more substantial company presence.

The backgrounder is prepared by a company’s in-house PR team or the outside PR agency after an interview is scheduled. Done properly, the backgrounder gives the interviewee background both on the person conducting the interview and the media outlet that will run the article, and the anticipated topics. With this, the person being interviewed can be more comfortable and prepared for how the conversation will flow.

The backgrounder typically includes a brief description of the interviewer with his or her bio and a thumbnail photo (easily taken from a LinkedIn page). It also briefly describes the media outlet, including audience, circulation or VPM. When possible, it includes links to articles previously written by the interviewer. In some cases, questions provided by the media contact may also be included although those shouldn't be necessarily expected. Media often wish to let the interview take a natural course without pre-made questions.

We highly recommend preparing and using a media backgrounder before every interview. When interviews go astray on occasion, it’s often because the person being interviewed is not prepared sufficiently to meet the specific needs of the media. 

A. The pace of news is always different, from one company to another, and from month to month. It’s easier for a large, established company to maintain a steady pace of news releases, but with start-ups and even scale-ups, news opportunities tend to be less frequent.

Regardless of your company size or age, it is important for companies to stay in front of their audiences. A variety of public relations tactics can make this happen, ideally year-round with special attention during periods of no news. 

• Thought leadership, for example, is independent of news announcements. The founder and/or CEO are the ideal people within the company to leverage this opportunity. Successful thought leadership helps the company communicate its value by building confidence and trust in the leadership. The campaign can include byline articles in industry publications along with expert commentary contributed to the industry news of the day. Be careful - thought leadership does not mean promoting your own company directly. It's about promoting your expertise and insights, which in the end will promote your company without saying or writing anything about your products. 

• Because your company is in an emerging tech sector, also look at opportunities to educate your audiences. You can create explainers that create better understanding of your company’s technology or quantum tech generally.  

• Surveys offer another opportunity to stay top of mind. You can gather and share industry data through surveys which can generate strong media attention provided the survey is created with this in mind. 

• Conferences are another way to stay in the limelight even without news to announce. Whether through paid sponsorship or a no-fee invitation, industry meetings are a good way to maintain momentum and visibility. With effort, media interviews can be scheduled at conferences that focus on your company’s growth and vision or on your views as a thought leader. 

• Perhaps the easiest method of staying in the forefront lies in your own social media channels. LinkedIn holds the largest concentration of people working in quantum tech, so building up your followers and consistently posting and reposting relevant information can bring excellent results. While your social channels include news announcements, they also should be where the company’s personality and special features are on display. Use LinkedIn to amplify your messages, ideally creating conversations in the comments.

A.  Contrary to what some people believe, most reporters do not want to make mistakes. They try hard to gather information needed to write an accurate, informative article. However, many reasons can cause a reporter to unintentionally miss the mark, once, if not more often, in the article about your company.  

Assuming you are in the quantum industry, the complexity of your company’s news may make you more vulnerable to mistakes. You can take a few preventative steps to avoid mistakes, and then another step to remedy the situation after the fact. 

If the article results from an interview, you can send the reporter written information prior to the interview or after your conversation is over, particularly on topics most challenging to lay people. This helps reporters get the information right and may prevent spelling and other errors that can occur with interviews. 

Also, don’t be afraid to check with the reporter during the interview. You can ask if they understand your comments or need a different explanation. Suggesting analogies or examples will help the material be more easily understood. 

Fortunately, some reporters will ask you to review your quotes, as well as the trickier parts of the article, to make sure their reporting is correct. This is ideal! However, it’s more likely they will run with what they think is correct without asking for a review.  And it's generally considered very bad form to ask to see the article before it is published. Journalists prize their independence and may be insulted by the ask. 

So, what happens when it shows up and there are errors? If it’s in print, there is usually little you can do. However, most articles run only online, or at least before print appears. In that case, if it’s a factual error, you can write a brief and polite email to the reporter pointing out the correct wording and asking for the article to be updated. In our experience, reporters easily agree to do this when it’s an article with technical content. They don’t want to be wrong either. But if it’s factually correct and you just don’t like the tone, or you have changed your mind about how you wanted to answer a question, it’s best not to push for a correction. It’s likely you won’t get it, and you may alienate the reporter and reduce the chances of future coverage. It's also a good idea to put CORRECTION REQUESTED in caps in your subject line to get their attention.

A.  This is a very good question that many companies fail to address. When you hire a PR agency, you are initiating a two-sided relationship that works best when both sides are highly engaged. While every company and every PR agency handle things differently, we can explain what works with our clients and this may be helpful as you contemplate adding a PR program.

When we use our preferred campaign approach, in which PR activities are undertaken on a continuing basis rather than as a one-off project, we request weekly, or occasionally a bi-weekly, virtual meetings (i.e. Zoom, Teams, Google) between HKA and our client. With more established companies, our point of contact may be a CMO or a PR director/manager.  When we work with truly early-stage companies, we tend to meet with the Founder/CEO or a similar executive as they have not yet established an in-house marketing team. Meetings typically last 30 minutes and keep both parties informed and in sync.

We share a status report at the beginning of the meeting and afterward, we send action items for both of us. Our point of contact, whether it’s the CEO or PR manager, is asked to perform tasks such as gathering information from the scientists, reviewing and approving our work, keeping us informed of company news such as papers published, new partnerships or customers, speaking engagements, etc. 

A. Absolutely, yes. This is true in all sectors but especially quantum where commercial advantage for businesses is still in the future. Early-stage PR focuses on establishing credibility, explaining the problem you are solving, and positioning the company within a broader technical or market context. This can support fundraising, partnership discussions, and talent recruitment well before revenue exists. 

The emphasis is not on selling a product, but on articulating why the work matters, how it is differentiated, and what milestones lie ahead. Done correctly, early PR helps set expectations and build trust over time rather than rushing to generate attention at launch. 

Of course, the challenge can be finding news “hooks” to use to communicate the company’s messages. However, an intrepid in-house PR person or your PR agency will leverage stories such as an important new hire, a published paper on a technical achievement, a talk at a conference, and many more opportunities for visibility. Besides news announcements, joining the conversation in the media as a thought leader can be extremely valuable – using “newsjacking” techniques to add your voice to related news.  

A PR campaign also communicates your narrative through social media posts and blogs that do not require a news hook for traditional media. You tell your story to the audience you have hopefully been building up social sites such as LinkedIn.    

 A. The key to a strong award application is in the writing of the submission. If the strengths and differentiators of a company or product are not clearly communicated, an award-worthy application will be overlooked. This means closely examining the award organizers’ requests and providing information that caters to the language of the organizers and very clearly represents the differentiators. Because each award is different, do not make the mistake of assuming a one-size-fits-all response can bring award recognition.

When nominating a quantum product or company for a mainstream technology or business  award, it is important to make the topic of the nomination accessible and relevant to the  judges. This means putting your explanation in context, and using simple, clear language to  describe what the product or company does so that the judges, who very likely have  minimal background on the topic, can understand. If you are citing benchmarks hit, make  sure to provide enough explanation.

Are there case studies  your company can cite? Third-party validation goes a long way in  awards applications. With technology that many laypeople are unfamiliar with, demonstrating a practical application in a case study is a great way to demystify what the  product or company actually does and this validation from outside the company can be  critical when the submission is evaluated.     

  A. Regardless of your industry, certain individuals are recognized widely as thought leaders. These people are knowledgeable beyond the walls of their company. In the quantum tech industry, the role of thought leaders is to help drive the conversation on deeper levels, such as industry direction, broad technology advancements, workforce issues, ethical considerations, etc. Conversation can take place in writing, i.e. Substack, Medium, LinkedIn posts, or delivered through podcasts or keynotes and conference panels.

Thought leadership does not come overnight, although sometimes it seems someone is suddenly in the limelight. People are perceived as thought leaders over time, the more often they offer their views, the more their leadership position is cemented. It is important to recognize that thought leaders do not focus on promoting their company or their own achievements. Their broader, expert views is what sets them apart.

Benefits come from positive exposure that reaches beyond the confines of their company. Thought leaders tend to be interviewed by the media, contacted for new partnerships, solicited for their views by analysts and invited to speak at conferences. Overall, thought leadership can lead to more success for both the individual and the company.      

  A. Whether you are a keynote or on a panel, speaking can be a valuable PR opportunity if you think strategically ahead of time. You have three audiences: people attending the conference, your LinkedIn followers, and media who may attend the conference. Let’s evaluate each audience: 

Keynotes generally attract most conference attendees, but panels often run simultaneously on a specific track. Because it’s often difficult to select which panel to attend, you can inform other attendees before the conference, either through an email or a LinkedIn post, or both. 

Similarly, LinkedIn posts can attract your followers, whether or not they attend. If the conference provides a ready-made graphic for your post, use it! If not, create your own, including the topic, as well as noting any well-known panelists joining you. 

As for media, your PR team, whether in-house or agency, can obtain or generate themselves a list of media likely to attend the conference. Alerting them to your panel at least a month in advance is always a good idea as media schedules generally fill up fast. Outreach can lead to highly valuable in-person media interviews at the conference. Occasionally, media will be fully booked at the show but will be good with a call after. The good news is that media interviews can often be secured whether you're speaking or just attending an event.      

  A. FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) documents can be very helpful to media covering your news and can lead to more, and better, coverage. When the topic is complex (and what isn’t in quantum?) or when you know the reporter has minimal background in covering quantum companies, an FAQ can make the difference between getting coverage or not. Or between an accurate story, or one filled with misconceptions. Reporters DO want to get your story right, but quantum tech is challenging for most journalists so doing whatever you can to help them is wise. Do make sure to know their focus – is it technical? Or business? Or one of the vertical markets quantum tech will affect? The most effective FAQs are ones that not only state the facts clearly but also include your company’s key messages woven into the answers. Also, it’s important to be clear and jargon-free when interviewed – but that’s another Q&A!     

 A. There are many reasons why a press release does not get the attention the company believes it deserves. Sometimes, the media list is the culprit, and other times the release isn’t distributed or pitched correctly. Unfortunately, it’s often the press release itself, which may include quotes from founders or others from the C-suite, but lacks a third-party validator. The press release must give journalists confidence that the information is objective, accurate and important. The third-party validation may come from a use case partner or a respected academic researcher. You are more likely to achieve positive media coverage when all three line up: a solid release with a third-party validation, a carefully targeted media list, and media outreach that includes strategic pitching.    

A.  When you want your news to be easily searchable on the internet, especially for ChatGPT-related platforms, a fee-based wire service (different from free editorial wires such as AP and Reuters that require significant news to be considered) is needed. While having your news on the wire does not replace customized media outreach, it does give you a URL to use with your social media, website and other uses. It also lets you showcase your news exactly as you want. However, these days using a wire service is not an efficient way to generate legitimate news coverage. A variety of companies provide wire service distribution, some better than others, with varying fees. We believe it is not necessary to use a high-cost wire as the results are similar, just make sure it is a legitimate company.

In contrast, to truly gain editorial coverage, your in-house PR team or PR agency will “pitch” your story to journalists with custom media list. The “pitch” tells the journalist why the news is important, often putting it into context. For stories with technical information, and that describes most quantum tech news releases, giving the journalist context can be critical to coverage. The most efficient media outreach programs use a combination of a wire service and pitching to your custom media list. 

A. First, scan through the three or four most recent episodes and review the topics. Are they relevant to your business? Next, consider the guests. Are the names familiar? Are they executives, subject matter experts, or? Are you a good fit with them? 

Finally, listen to the first five to 10 minutes of an episode to get an idea of the tone of the conversations. Some hosts are formal, others more casual. Think about your comfort level of having a conversation with the host. This review will give insights into whether the podcast is a good fit for your message and use of your time.  

One more thought: podcasts do not always share a listener count, making it difficult to evaluate on that basis. Realize that a podcast interview is often good content to post on your own website and social channels, and to share with prospects. Those uses can be more compelling than the total number of listeners. 

A. In some instances, it is valuable to provide updates about your company in both formats, a press release and a blog. It’s fine to cover all your bases on the bigger stories. But there is a distinction. When the information would not be considered news by reporters, or is very technical in scope, yet you wish to convey this information to your own audiences, a blog post will be less expensive and you are able to write it exactly the way you want it to read. In contrast, if you believe your company news has sufficient news value to appeal to media, write a press release that can be sent to a custom media list, as well as through a fee-based wire service. When accompanied by a strategic pitch, this can lead to interviews and articles beyond the scope of the press release. Over time, you will be able to get a sense of which method works best for your company.

A. Investors want to invest in companies that already are doing well or show strong signs of doing well in the months ahead. In the young quantum industry, doing well doesn’t necessarily mean revenue. It means a logical, defensible road map and a communications program to update progress. Solid communications goes a long way to instilling confidence in potential, and current, investors. Your communications should be consistent across all channels and distributed to both traditional and social media outlets, targeted to reach your desired audience. Recognize that exaggerating claims, or other hype, may gain shortterm interest, but over the long haul, an honest media relations program that is easy to understand works.

 A: Before you begin outreach, create a strategic action plan to guide your next steps, including anticipated news angles. Clarify your media messages – what you want to tell media about your company. Identify and prioritize audiences – who do you want to reach. Ensure your website and selected social media channels reflect the company properly. Make sure your website is up and running for a few days so there are no glitches on launch day. Line-up third-party experts – academics, investors, partners – who can validate your company story with media.