How to be Media-Ready Before Launch Day: Don’t Wait for the Headlines!

This may be the most thrilling email that a founder ever receives. It’s an indication of interest and visibility as well as possible press coverage  from a journalist, podcast host, or award committee.

But for many, that enthusiasm quickly turns into panic.

Suddenly, you’re rummaging through old folders for headshots, struggling to come up with a one-paragraph business summary and questioning if your brand colors are even the same on all of your online posts.

By then, after gathering everything, the chance could have slipped away  or the rushed materials are not representative of the quality of what you are building.

That’s the silent (sniffling on the tarmac) cost of not being media-ready.

And in 2025, with brand perception traveling faster than product development, being press-savvy isn’t a nice-to-have it’s basic hygiene.

Media Doesn’t Wait  And Neither Should You

PR is a tool that we usually think of in a reactive sense. A thing that occurs after you launch yourself. After you raise. After you “have a story.”

But listen here’s the fact that most start up founders and SMEs are missing.

The story doesn’t begin when you’re in the papers. It begins when someone decides to search for you.

In the fractured media world today, discovery is ongoing  and a bit of a game of chance. Reporters and podcast hosts are constantly lurking around social media, newsletters, product forums, LinkedIn and, yes, even Slack communities for promising companies and intriguing people.

It also may occur before your big announcement. Before you feel “ready.”

If there isn’t clarity and confidence in your presence, it may walk right on by you and you’d never know it came knocking.

Real Talk: What Being Unready Means

Let’s imagine two scenarios:

Founder A has created an amazing SaaS product that addresses a real problem. They quietly signed up 1,000 paying customers. A journalist comes across a post from the founder in a LinkedIn thread and begins to investigate.

What they find:

• No press page
• No founder headshot
• No clear company bio
• No product screenshots
• A stagnant About page updated in 2023

Result: Nothing happens. The journalist moves on. Another founder gets the coverage.

Founder B, however, has yet to publicly launch  but does have a simple, clean media kit on an online press kit software page that lives on their web site. It includes:

• A short, confident bio
• Founder photo
• Screenshots of the beta app
• A quote about their mission
• Press contact email

Result: The journalist makes contact, impressed with the professionalism and polish.

Product is Great in Both Scenarios But then only one founder gets the shot  because they were ready.

It’s Not Hype, It’s Trust

And in particular for first-time founders, there’s a lot of pushback around the idea you should be so “press-ready” so soon.

• “I don’t want to oversell.”
• “We are not too big for that yet.”
• “We’re still figuring things out.”

Totally fair. But media-readiness isn’t hype, it’s trust.

It says:

• We take ourselves seriously
• We’ve been thinking about what’s going to be effective in reassuring people
• We’re ready to collaborate
• We respect your time

Whether you are talking to a reporter, an investor, a podcaster or even someone you’re trying to recruit, your story is as much a part of your product as the product itself. The packaging of it legibly is a reflection of confidence and maturity.

What to Include in a Simple Press Kit

You don’t have to have a PR agency or a budget with bells and whistles.What you actually need are just a few building blocks, in one place.

This is what a bare-bones, workhorse press kit looks like in 2025:

1. One-paragraph company summary

What you do: who it’s for, and what makes you unique.

Example:

We're a UK fintech startup helping freelancers get paid faster, with instant invoicing and automatic reminders. Founded in 2024, we have already helped more than 3,000 solo workers throughout Europe better manage their cash flow.”

 2. Founder bio and headshot

A few short cool sentences and a high-definition picture that reflects who you are.

 3. Product visuals

Actual screenshots or product images. Easily polished mockups are not enough to satisfy the demand for exploration.

 4. Company milestones or stats

Those can be downloads, revenue, funding, awards, or anything else product usage related.

 5. Press contact

Make it easy. Preferably one, to be checked once per day.

 6. Optional: Previous press, testimonials, quotes

If you’ve been mentioned or there’s some praise in there, put it in. Social proof matters.

Host all of this on its own page (for example, your company. com/press) or a public Google Drive folder with shareable access.

Why This Matters Now More Than Ever in 2025

In a content world increasingly dominated by AI, real stories and, better yet, stories told by real people shine through the murk. But only if they’re accessible.

Today’s media darlings are not always the biggest funded entities. They’re the people who make life easy for storytellers.

And these storytellers? They aren’t just journalists.

They include:

• Conference organisers
• LinkedIn influencers
• Content creators
• Startup accelerators
• Community managers
• Potential partners

Each one of them needs to get your brand quickly at some point. A well-done press kit enables them to do so.

A Word About Photography

In the Business Age the emphasis on photography, in submissions, is rightly highlighted too. And it’s not just about your article getting picked up — it’s about the power of visual storytelling.”

Here’s what works:

• Natural light
• Candid over staged
• Your workstation / product in the environment
• A photo that captures your personality and energy

Gone are those stiff-looking studio shots that are way too posed. Think storytelling. Think mood.

If a journalist can get a sense of your personality in a photo, they’re more likely to engage  and write.

Final Thought: Press Doesn’t Make You But it Can Speed You Up

You don’t need Forbes tomorrow.

But when someone discovers your product, your pitch deck, your post  and they like what they see  ensure they find more than a name.

Insist that they discover and disseminate a counter-narrative.

And what’s more, make sure they find it quickly.

Because the best media strategy in 2025 is not about seeking attention. It’s just being ready for it when it comes.

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