As a startup founder, you will most likely be asked about or try to get press at some point during your company’s life. While it might seem like a good idea to always say yes, I’d argue otherwise. Doing PR/media unintentionally is a distraction.
Number one mistake is doing it because you want customers. You might get a spike in traffic, but nobody has nor will use PR/media as a sustainable customer acquisition channel. There might be exceptions but they are hard to come by. Focus instead on learning to acquire customers sustainably.
Number two mistake is doing it because your investors want you to. They might want to market themselves through you, but more than that they want a return on invested capital. You doing unintentional PR/media most of all show that you are unable to focus on what’s most important for your business.
You should do PR/media because you want to hire. You could call this “employer branding”, and it can be impactful.
You should do PR/media because you are planning to raise more funding. Investors read, and being in the press might increase the attractiveness of your round (FOMO) and lead to better terms for you.
Some should do PR/media because they perform better with external pressure. Telling the world they exist increases motivation, the work harder not to fail.
Don’t do press unless you know why you’re doing it.