How to Plan a PR Campaign in Australia: The Complete Founder’s Guide
- Simon. P
- Oct 7
- 5 min read
Updated: Oct 10
I’ve sat with founders who thought PR was about blasting out press releases and hoping for coverage. When you learn how to plan PR campaigns properly, you stop gambling on attention and start creating predictable visibility for your business.
PR is more than media mentions—it’s about shaping perception, building trust, and earning credibility that advertising can’t buy.
When Jess launched her health and wellness startup in Melbourne, she paid $4,000 for a generic press release distribution service. The story got buried, no journalists followed up, and she gained zero traction.
Six months later, she book a session with us and we planned a PR campaign around the launch of her new eco-friendly product line. We built a press kit, pitched 15 relevant journalists directly, lined up customer testimonials, and timed social media teasers. Within four weeks, she landed features in two national outlets and three niche blogs. Sales spiked, and her brand credibility soared.
The difference wasn’t budget. It was planning.
What Exactly Is Planning a PR Campaign?
Planning a PR campaign means designing a structured strategy to share your story, product, or milestone with the right audiences through earned media and public relations.
It covers:
Defining goals (awareness, reputation, crisis management).
Identifying audiences (customers, investors, media, partners).
Crafting your story (newsworthy hook).
Building media assets (press releases, press kits, visuals).
Choosing channels (journalists, podcasts, blogs, events).
Timing and coordination (launch dates, embargoes, follow-ups).
PR isn’t just about coverage—it’s about credibility.
Why This Could Make or Break Your Business
Brand Awareness: PR puts your name in front of thousands of potential customers for free or low cost.
Credibility: Media coverage builds trust faster than ads.
Investor Attraction: Journalists covering your milestones adds weight in fundraising conversations.
Crisis Protection: Planning PR means you’re not scrambling during negative events.
Long-Term Leverage: A good story gets shared, reposted, and stays online for years.
For early-stage founders, PR can be the cheapest and most powerful marketing lever.
Before You Start
Checklist before planning your campaign:
Define your main objective (awareness, sales, fundraising, credibility).
Identify your audience (media, customers, partners, investors).
Craft your brand story or hook (why is it newsworthy?).
Collect proof points (data, testimonials, milestones).
Prepare media assets (bio, press release, photos, product shots).
Research relevant journalists, blogs, and podcasts.
Set a timeline (launch date, follow-ups, campaign window).
Strong preparation saves time and increases coverage.
How to Plan a PR Campaign:
Step by Step
Step 1: Define Clear Goals
Awareness? Investor confidence? Customer trust?
Set measurable outcomes (e.g., 5 media mentions, 10 podcast spots).
Result: Everyone knows what success looks like.
Step 2: Identify Your Audience
Customers: lifestyle publications, podcasts.
Investors: financial press, startup blogs.
Partners: industry trade media.
Result: You target the right outlets, not just random media.
Step 3: Craft a Newsworthy Story
Launch: new product, expansion, funding round.
Impact: community, environment, innovation.
Hook: a surprising stat, quirky stunt, or trend connection.
Result: Journalists see your pitch as news, not spam.
Step 4: Build Your Media Assets
Press release (1–2 pages, clear facts).
Founder bio + headshot.
Product photos and video.
Fact sheet (company stats, mission).
Result: Journalists have everything they need instantly.
Step 5: Choose Your Channels
Mainstream outlets for awareness.
Niche industry blogs for credibility.
Podcasts for deep dives.
Social PR (LinkedIn announcements, Twitter posts).
Result: Your story reaches both wide and targeted audiences.
Step 6: Time Your Campaign
Align with events (product launches, awareness days).
Offer embargoes for exclusivity.
Stagger coverage for longer relevance.
Result: Maximum impact from your timing.
Step 7: Pitch and Follow Up
Send tailored emails to journalists.
Reference their work and explain the value to their audience.
Follow up after 5–7 days politely.
Result: Higher chance of coverage than generic blasts.
Step 8: Measure and Repurpose
Track media mentions, backlinks, social shares.
Repurpose coverage into website badges (“As seen in”).
Share across your email and social channels.
Result: PR turns into long-term marketing assets.
Mistakes to Avoid
A Sydney SaaS founder sent the same press release to 200 journalists. Nobody picked it up. Personalisation is key.
An e-commerce brand pitched without photos. Journalists skipped the story—no assets, no coverage.
A Melbourne startup launched PR with no clear hook. The result was generic coverage that didn’t drive leads. Always find your angle.
Real-World Examples
Who Gives A Crap gained national attention by mailing journalists toilet rolls with their launch story. Memorable, relevant, and perfectly aligned with their mission.
A Perth fintech sent a jargon-heavy press release about “digital transformation synergies.” Media ignored it. Simplifying language into a clear benefit would have landed coverage.
The difference? Storytelling vs corporate speak.
What It Costs and How Long It Takes
DIY / In-house:
$0–$100 cash; expect 15–30 hours of research, pitch writing, and media follow-up. Time is the biggest cost.
Template/Resource:
$100–$300 for PR campaign templates and press release guides;
reduces time to ~8–12 hours.
Professional/Done-for-you:
$5,000–$15,000/month with agencies;
faster, and hits your pocket.
Ongoing: Tracking mentions, updating media lists (~$100–$500/year in tools).
Hidden Costs: wasted time pitching irrelevant journalists, missed opportunities from poor timing, or damage from unprofessional outreach.
Mentor Tip: Prove your angle with DIY first—then upgrade to agency support once you’ve got traction.
What to Do Next
By acting today, you turn PR from “hit or miss” into a repeatable growth lever.
➡️ Get your free Media Asset Guide from ProDesk. [ProDeck.com].
➡️ Pitch to Placement — need proof fast? We’ll drive a podcast/press hit in 30-90 days and convert it into a scalable PR engine [Noize.com.au].
➡️ Momentum > motivation. Grab The StartupDeck. Use the cards to assign targets, deadlines, and proof. [theStartUpDeck.com].
The Bottom Line
PR campaigns can transform a startup’s visibility, trust, and growth trajectory. But success comes from careful planning—not random press releases.
When you plan PR campaigns well, you create structured outreach that gets journalists interested, customers engaged, and your brand positioned as credible.
Founders who master PR planning punch above their weight, winning attention usually reserved for bigger players.
FAQs
Do I need a PR agency to plan a campaign?
Not always. Many startups succeed with DIY PR if they’re strategic and consistent.
What makes a story newsworthy?
Something new, surprising, or tied to a bigger trend. Plain product launches usually aren’t enough.
How many outlets should I pitch?
Start with 10–20 highly relevant outlets. Quality beats quantity.
How do I measure PR success?
Track mentions, backlinks, inbound leads, and traffic spikes from media coverage.
Can PR really drive sales?
Yes—while PR is indirect, strong coverage builds trust that drives conversions over time.
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