PR strategy for a fundraising : a practical guide to maximizing press visibility

Fundraising rounds are a communication opportunity “not to be missed,” insists Estelle Monraisse, president of Alter’Com Conseil, “which is why you must start early and follow a clear process.” What are the best practices for talking about a fundraising round? Here are some insights.

Embargo, exclusivity, media selection: how should the announcement be organized?

To build a PR strategy around a fundraising round, several steps are necessary. The first—and “one of the most important and essential,” explains Alter’Com’s PR specialist—is to make sure all investors and involved employees do not disclose the information before the official announcement. Otherwise, a leak could allow journalists to publish early and “compromise the entire strategy,” she warns. Anticipation and coordination are therefore key to deploying a PR campaign around a fundraising round. At Mascaret, the rule is clear: “If you want your fundraising round to be properly covered in the press, the ideal is to prepare your PR strategy one month in advance.” In concrete terms, this means “creating a week-by-week timeline with all tasks and deadlines up until the press release goes out on the big day,” the expert explains.

“The announcement of these fundraising rounds is usually made under embargo or as an exclusive by sending a press release to journalists,” adds Juliette Fontanillas of Bpifrance. Hence the importance of having enough time to prepare the communication. “Practically speaking, we select six to eight media outlets, including established ones like Les Échos, Maddyness, FrenchWeb, L’Usine Digitale, or BFM Business, and additional specialized press depending on the sector,” illustrates Estelle Monraisse. For a fundraising round in the medical field, for example, “we also turn to health media or outlets dedicated to medical technologies, in addition to the general ones,” she continues. “We send them the press release ahead of time, under embargo, which allows us to schedule interviews and secure coverage on the day of the announcement.”

At Bpifrance, the process is similar, with one exception: “For the same fundraising round, several investors may be involved,” explains the media relations officer. She must therefore “coordinate with the other press officers to determine who has the strongest relationships with journalists. Bpifrance is well recognized among economic media, but less so with journalists specialized by sector. So we decide together who is the most legitimate to communicate with each target.”

What should a fundraising press release include? The essentials

Beyond anticipation and coordination, a strong PR strategy relies on a press release capable of “sparking media interest,” reminds Bpifrance’s media relations officer. That depends on its content: “For large fundraising rounds, journalists naturally focus on the financial details,” she observes. “But our role is to find an original angle and showcase the company’s ambitions, development objectives, and how the arrival of investors will support its growth.”

The vocabulary and writing style matter just as much: “I’m not a finance expert. My role is to make the operation understandable for everyone. When I write a press release, I constantly ask myself: if I read this tomorrow, would I understand it easily? Is it accessible? I simplify financial jargon as much as possible to deliver a clear message to the general public.”

To build their messages, communicators must gather data “on the company’s history, including previous fundraising rounds, if there were any, key growth figures, and information about the market in which it operates to contextualize its ecosystem and development potential,” lists Estelle Monraisse. “It is also essential to name the investors or business angels involved, the amount raised, and the type of funding, whether equity or debt,” she adds. She also recommends including investor quotes: “They should explain why they chose to invest, what created that ‘wow effect,’ and what convinced them.” Visuals are also key “to illustrate the business. Highlighting these elements adds value and depth to the press release.”

Training leaders to speak to the media: the importance of media training

Once the press release is written and validated by all stakeholders, another task begins: preparing company representatives to speak to the media. “Generally, when we promote a fundraising round, we try to organize interviews between the company’s president and journalists,” explains the head of Alter’Com’s PR division. “We first identify who will speak and ensure that person is available in the three to four days before the release goes out,” she continues. “For young companies, it’s common for the president or spokesperson to be inexperienced with interviews. In that case, we offer media training to prepare their message. We also explain how an interview works, what key messages to use, and that you cannot deliver fifteen messages in a single interview.”

After sending the press release: maintaining relationships with journalists

Once everything is ready, press officers can send their press release to journalists. But this does not mark the end of their work—“quite the opposite,” says Estelle Monraisse. “Even if journalists have already covered the news, you must not stop communicating with them. It’s essential to keep sharing updates about the company, highlighting the products, the leadership, and the team.” This can include “a short discussion or a coffee near the newsroom to present the company in more depth and strengthen their interest in future topics,” she adds. “It’s long-term work that requires time and energy, but it is essential to building the company’s reputation and ensuring lasting visibility. Unlike advertising, which disappears quickly, this ongoing follow-up helps keep media attention and build a real relationship with them.”

For Juliette Fontanillas, this stage is “an opportunity to analyze press coverage, understand journalists’ expectations, and draw lessons to improve future press releases.” For instance, “if we realize a journalist wasn’t interested in the fundraising amount but instead in the founders’ story and development plans, then we adapt our communication for future campaigns.”

As our experts explain, the success of a PR campaign around a fundraising round relies on several key pillars. Here are the ones to remember:

• define a clear angle that goes beyond the amount raised and highlights the company’s vision and ambition

• provide strong data on the market, growth, and company positioning to contextualize the operation

• include quotes from investors that explain their conviction and strengthen the project’s credibility

• add visuals that illustrate the business

• train leaders to speak to journalists and deliver a clear message

But beyond the announcement itself, building long-term relationships with journalists is what enables companies to turn a financial event into a true springboard for visibility and credibility.

Read also :

• Maïwenn Régnault (Oxygen PR): “In the United States, journalists want exclusives — factual, direct, and evidence-based”
• Fabrice Cousté (B SMART) – “PR can make our work easier”
• LBO and PR : The keys to building a public relations strategy around an LBO
• Pascale Barillot (Association Communication Publique) : “We don’t have the luxury of making mistakes