The Pub Test: How to Know if You Have a Story Worth Pitching
One question separates the pitches that land from the ones that get deleted before lunch. Most founders get the answer wrong not because they don't have good stories, but because they're framing the story for the wrong audience.
Before you write a single word of a press release, ask yourself: if I told this to a stranger at a pub, would they lean in or check their phone?
If they'd lean in you have a story. If they'd check their phone you have a company update. Company updates don't get covered. Stories do.
What makes a story, not just an announcement
- It affects people beyond your customers. "We launched a feature" is internal news. "1 in 3 founders can't get press coverage before they have traction" is a story.
- There's a number that surprises someone. Data is the fastest path to credibility. Counterintuitive findings land harder than product releases.
- There's a person at the centre. Human stories carry more weight than corporate announcements. The founder. The customer. The hire who signals something about where the market is heading.
- There's tension. A gap between what people assume and what's actually true. That tension is what makes a journalist keep reading.
What it looks like in practice
A company wanted to lead with a $3 million capital raise. The agency led instead with the board member a former executive from one of the world's most recognized tech brands. That signal was the story. The $3M was supporting evidence. It landed as a national exclusive. It would not have landed as "company raises $3M."
The full framework how to find the angle, how to match your story to the right media tier, and before/after pitch examples is in Lesson 2 of the course.