founders paras chopra, chapter by chapter
38. Give Journalists Something Surprising
Press covers what is new, consequential, or counterintuitive—not what merely excites the company.
Founders experience every release as important; journalists sort among hundreds of pitches by asking what will satisfy readers’ curiosity. Familiar, incremental announcements are not news. The story needs a surprising fact, breakthrough, conflict, or consequence that remains interesting outside the company.
Write the headline a reader would choose before writing a release. Lead with the genuinely unexpected part and explain why it matters now. If no such element exists, skip the press campaign and use a channel suited to routine product communication.
Original sketch and model by Paras Chopra. Read the source chapter.