How to Catch Up with Your Competitors’ PR Success: a 6-Step Guide

PR is something every B2B tech company should be doing, whether DIY (for the founder mode folks) or with an agency (like Propllr).

But sometimes getting started with PR takes external motivation – something like seeing your competitors get great media coverage, winning prestigious awards, and speaking in front of your customers and prospects at conferences.

Thankfully, if you find yourself trying to catch up to a competitor PR-wise, their wins can actually help you accelerate your efforts. Here’s how.

1. Go to Your Competitors’ Press Pages

Most companies finding success with PR share those wins on their press page. So, as a first step, go see what coverage your competitors are getting. As you look at the placements they list on their sites, think about which of those articles could have been you.

• Did a reporter quote their founder on a topic your founder is an expert on?
• Did a publication run their contributed article on a topic one of your people is expert on?
• Did a publication cover a news event similar to one you expect to have soon, such as funding, a client win, or research?
• Are they focused on any particular industry verticals or topics?

These questions will help you decide which outlets could be targets and what kinds of opportunities you can land with them.

AI Bonus Prompt: “Look through (competitor)’s press page and tell me what kinds of articles they've been in and which publications, conferences, and award programs are mentioned.”

2. Look at Competitor Press Releases

Many companies write press releases announcing key PR wins, like speaking engagements, awards, event participation, and analyst coverage. Look through a few years of releases and ask the following questions:

• Do they share awards that you would qualify for?
• Do they promote speaking slots on relevant topics or at suitable conferences?
• Are there any mentions of technology analysts with positive coverage?

Positive answers to any of those questions suggest that you should be looking at the same targets.

AI Bonus Prompt: “Look through all of (competitor)’s press releases and help me understand what kinds of things they announce.”

3. Evaluate Competitor Messaging

While this effort is about leveraging your competitors’ PR wins, it doesn’t mean you want to say or do everything they do. As you collect the articles, podcasts, speaking opps, and awards, see if you can identify themes, messages, or stories your competitors focus on. Ask yourself:

• Are they consistent in what they say and how they say it?
• Can you see the connective tissue from one win to the next?
• Are there gaps in coverage or insights that you can fill?
• Could you provide a useful counter-perspective, or at least a fresh voice?
• Can you match – or improve on – their messaging discipline?

AI Bonus Prompt: “Evaluate (competitor)’s messaging in media coverage.”

4. Find Spots Where Your Competitors Aren’t Showing Up

A press page filled with placements might make a competitor’s lead feel insurmountable, but pay attention to what’s not there. Ask yourself:

• Are they ignoring industry verticals?
• Are they skipping podcasts?
• Is all of their coverage local?

A close evaluation can find holes in their efforts, and you can fill those holes before they do.

AI Bonus Prompt: “I have a (category) technology startup that competes with (competitor). Please evaluate their PR wins, including media coverage, speaking at conferences, awards, and industry analyst coverage, and let me know gaps that I might be able to focus on first.”

5. Ask AI

There are always risks of fabricated answers, but AI should be part of your effort. A prompt like this can be helpful:

“I have a (category) technology startup that competes with (competitor). I am starting a PR program for the first time and would like to learn from what is working for them in their PR efforts, including media coverage, speaking at conferences, awards, and industry analyst coverage.”

More tips on how to use AI in PR: Generative AI is Your New “Co-Founder.” Just Don’t Ask it to Pitch Journalists.

6. Say Hi

By now you should have a list of media targets, conferences, award programs, and possibly a few technology analysts who should know who you are and what you have to say. So what are you going to say? How are you going to prove you’re not just another me-too technology company?

First, don’t start things off by talking up your company or product. Instead, focus on why you would be a great source or resource on the topics the reporter or outlet covers.

Here’s a simple approach to get you started:

Hi, [Reporter’s first name] –

I’m the founder of [your company’s name], which [super easy / clear description of what your company does].

We recently [note a milestone], and having seen your coverage of [reporter’s relevant coverage area], I thought it would be a good time to send a quick note to get on your radar.

If it helps, here are a few timely topics where I think I could be helpful:

• Topic
• Topic
• Topic

Please don’t hesitate to reach out if I can ever be a resource for you.

Best,

[Your name]

AI Bonus Prompt: “I want to send (name of reporter) a note to introduce myself as a source for future coverage. My longer-term goal is to secure media coverage for my (category) technology startup, but right now I just want to connect and build a relationship. For this prompt, review that reporter’s recent coverage and draft an email that would encourage a reply from this reporter. I don't want it to be too long, too braggy, or too complicated.”

Your Competitor’s PR Success Built a Ladder for You

As you get started catching up on the competition, a few items to keep in mind:

1. Be strategic: Don’t copy everything your competitor has done. Focus on the opportunities that align best with your company's strengths and goals.
2. Stay authentic: While learning from competitors is valuable, be sure you never copy their voice or messaging. Be you.
3. Be persistent: The steps above are just about getting started in the race, not winning it. PR success requires consistency and focus.
4. Evolve your approach: You’ll find some things work and some things don’t. Ditch the duds and focus on the winners.

Catching up to a competitor with a ton of PR success can seem insurmountable, but much of their success is a ladder that will speed your climb to their heights. They’ve shown you the way, now you just have to execute.