How to Pitch Your Startup to the Media

Gaining media attention for your startup can be difficult and seems elusive. Most startups don't have the budget to hire a public relations/marketing firm and marketing teams aren't focused on getting traditional media interviews. So how do startups get the media attention they need to grow their customer base and increase their bottom line?  This month, we'll focus on how building a good public relations strategy that can:

• Effectively tell your brand story
• Build a list of valuable journalists to contact
• Identify the right target audience
• Help you pitch a story that gets you covered
• Grow your customer base organically

Meet our featured guest-Sederia Gray

Sederia is currently on the Global Media Relations team at FedEx. In her position, she develops FedEx PR related to workforce, technology, and advertising and sponsorships. After completing a U.S. Congressional internship, she began her career as the Director of Public Relations for her family-owned non-profit, Southern Foundation for Homeless Children, securing funding from technology companies including Google and Boeing. After receiving her MBA from Howard University, she began working for Boeing in the Supplier Management division, and later on the Government Affairs team where she served on the Chief of Staff’s team in Federal Legislative Affairs. Sederia has a passion for helping create opportunities for children of color in STEM. In 2016, she began managing publicity and digital media strategies for tech startups landing features in publications including GeekWire and Blavity. She supports social media for her clients at events including SXSW and AfroTech. She is graduate of The University of Mississippi where she was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

This event is virtual and free. 

Every month we invite you to better understand and to embrace Startup Grind’s Values:

Give First (before you ask)

Make Friends (not just contacts)

Help Others (before you help yourself)

And to broadcast Startup Grind’s Mission:

Startup Grind is the world’s largest community of startups, founders, innovators, and creators. We bring like-minded yet diverse individuals together to connect, learn, teach, help, build, and belong. We do this daily through our local events, flagship conferences, startup program, partnerships, and online media + content - collectively reaching over 3.5 million individuals worldwide.

Our global community of 600+ chapters in 110 countries worldwide is here for you. Let us know... How may we best assist you? (I.e. - Can we help facilitate warm introductions to businesses, mentors, and/or investors to grow your startup here or elsewhere?)

Ways You Can Participate this Month:

Join our Volunteer Team- Do you like to meet new people? Are you outgoing? Do you like to meet founders and engage with startups? Our Volunteer Growth Curve allow you to participate on your schedule but grow within our organizations. We're growing our community and programming so we need all hands on deck!  Interested? Sign up here.

Listen & Learn - Are you a member of our local entrepreneurial ecosystem? Are you looking for inspiration on how to start your startup? Are you wondering how to combine your passion with giving back to the community? We encourage you to come meet, learn from and have the chance to ask questions of our featured guest. Here's a video that showcases what we're about!

Support our community - Startup Grind Memphis' monthly events are an effective and valuable opportunity fof founders and professionals to connect, learn and grow in our startup ecosystem. We offer our events free ( or at low cost) to allow for maximum participation but we could do so much more with your donations to our chapter. Each month we have options where you can attend and give to our chapters. 

Support Tiers:

Chapter Supporter: $5

Your support helps us fund programs and events specifically for startups in our ecosystem at zero to low-cost.

Chapter Cheerleader: $10

As a thank you, you will receive special recognition at our event and in our newsletter.

Chapter Champion: $25

You will receive special recognition at the event, newsletter, and social media.

Event Sponsor- $85

You will receive special recognition at the event, newsletter ,social media and website.