As a brand — consumer, tech, lifestyle, you name it — it’s essential to inform the right people about your mission, product releases, and more. But finding the right people — journalists, mainly — is a job within itself. That’s why The Press hook exists. Think of us as a modern Rolodex, connecting publicists, marketers, and brands with journalists that cover relevant topics. In short, brands match with journalists who are more likely to write about their product, and journalists spend less time sorting through dozens of random PR pitches to find something that catches their eye. 

No matter if you’re a brand or journalist, The Press Hook is an effective PR strategy for you and your work. So, what is it exactly? Read on to find out. 

First, a backstory.

Like most entrepreneurs, Michelle Songy identified a crucial problem in the market — the difficulty for small businesses to get quality PR — and created a solution. Using her ten-plus years of experience working with major brands like Coca Cola and American Express, as well as her entrepreneurial efforts as the founder of Cake Technologies, she launched her own PR firm catered to startups and small businesses. That wasn’t enough for Songy, though. Shortly after, she began The Press Hook at the beginning of 2020. Her goal (and the company's): to quickly and effectively pair brands with media. 

So, what exactly are we doing to help brands and media?

The answer is two-fold: To enhance PR strategies for brands of all size and scope, The Press Hook acts as a marketplace specialized in pairing brands with journalists based on information provided. Through this, The Press Hook streamlines the everyday process of pitching and writing to make sure that brands put their best foot forward, and journalists don’t waste any time weeding through the mud. 

But it’s not just all talk. To put their plan into action, The Press Hook sets out to achieve the following five goals.

1. Be in the know at all times. The Press Hook is continually building relationships with new brands (whether they’re startups or simply new to The Press Hook) and finding new trends and topics that align with the brand’s goals. 
2. Source relevant information to aid both brands and journalists. To do so, The Press Hook gathers content ideas, products for roundups, and expert commentary specific to a brand or release that can be pitched to journalists for future stories. 
3. Be timely and accurate. No one likes someone who shows up late to the party — or worse, shows up late and lies their way through it. The Press Hook strives to give the most up-to-date information, press releases, and imagery. On the flip side, brands will get the most accurate information about journalists, including their current publication and beat so that they can pitch the most relevant stories.
4. Let the numbers speak for themselves. The Press Hook uses data to identify a publication’s reach and readership. Because of these, brands can gauge if it’s worthwhile to pursue a specific journalist to achieve their goals — whether it’s purely based on numbers and metrics, intent, or all of the above. 
5. Give a voice to the little guys. The Press Hook was first started to elevate the voices and mission of small businesses and startups. By employing these data-based PR strategies, The Press Hook helps grow the size of their business, and introduce them to new, impressionable audiences. 

As a brand, what is The Press Hook doing to make my life easier? 

Consider The Press Hook your one-stop-shop for your brand’s PR efforts: Here, you’ll have a centralized space to organize brand assets, information, press releases, imagery, and pitch details. As a brand, you won’t have to rely on back-and-forth emails with journalists to pitch and share product details, meaning there will be less room for typos and errors in the long-run. You can even tag your information by various categories so that relevant journalists can find your brand quickly. 

When a journalist discovers your brand and wants to learn more (even though let’s face it, all of your information is already on The Press Hook), they can message you directly through the platform, so you don’t have to track down emails. 

Here’s how The Press Hook works for brands: 

From start to finish, the entire sign-up process is rather quick and cost-effective, making it accessible and affordable for even the smallest brands. 

1. Create a profile using automated guides and templates. Then differentiate your profile with content tags, and make sure it aligns with the appropriate newsworthy trends and topics. 
2. Submit any news. Whether your brand is launching a new product, making a big leadership announcement, or merely promoting itself ahead of the holiday season (or none of the above), draft up a press release and submit it on The Press Hook to be distributed to relevant media across the platform. 
3. Let the right journalists notice you. In due time, relevant media will reach out to you for further information about your services, products, or brand. That’s where the magic really happens. 

As a journalist, what is The Press Hook doing to make my life easier? 

For starters, The Press Hook knows that sifting through PR pitches is a job in itself. Because they allow you to create a customized profile and then employs a matchmaking-like system to connect you with brands, you’re able to take away the middleman and get straight to the good stuff: the news. Once you find something worth writing about, you don’t have to hunt down the right contact or track down related photos because everything’s already on their platform. You can even message brands directly through the platform so that all of your conversations — especially sample requests and tracking details — can be kept in one place. 

Here’s how The Press Hook works for journalists: 

FYI: It doesn’t require a ton of time or effort to create and manage a profile on The Press Hook — and the results are well worth it.

1. Create a profile that highlights the publications you write for, the type of content you publish, and your interests for brands to pitch more relevant stories. Tell The Press Hook — and the brands that use it — exactly what kind of editorial content you focus on, including product roundups, gift guides, recipes, seasonal features, travel guides and more.
2. Follow brands or topics that interest you. By taking the time to find specific brands, topics, or trends to follow, you’ll be more likely to spot potential product inclusions and stories that are relevant to your field. 
3. Connect and communicate. Because you follow specific brands, you’ll receive press releases that are relevant to you. You also can message brands directly on The Press Hook in case you need more information, product samples, or something else to make your story happen. 

What are The Press Hook's cost and plan options? 

Most effective PR strategies cost money, and they are no exception. The difference: The Press Hook is far more customizable and affordable than other available platforms. While you can pick from the three available plans — Live, Active, and Super Active — to align with your budget, you can also customize your own plan to best fit your needs. 

Live ($49): This plan is a great starting point and gives you the basics, including a templatized press kit, the ability to tag trends and topics, and an option to receive media requests. 

Active ($149): In addition to the benefits of the Live plan, you’ll also get a templatized press release, the ability to distribute press releases widely, and additional PR and media training.

Active +($249): In addition to the benefits of the Live and Active plans, you’ll also get access to media profiles in the The Press Hook database, the ability to message directly on The Press Hook, and a content review.