PR can be a powerful growth lever or a complete waste of time and money. The difference isn’t the agency, the budget or the headlines you want. It’s timing. This checklist is designed to help founders, startups and leadership teams make an honest call on whether PR makes sense right now or whether it’s something to park until the conditions are right. There’s no sales pitch here. Just clarity – Are you PR ready?
Tip: If you want to use this properly, copy this checklist into a doc or notes file and save it. You’ll get far more value ticking it off honestly than just skimming.
The PR Readiness Checklist
Read each statement and tick it honestly.
1. Narrative & Clarity
- ☐ I can explain what we do in one clear, non-technical sentence.
- ☐ Our positioning is consistent across our website, LinkedIn, pitch decks and messaging.
- ☐ A journalist with no industry background would understand why we matter within 60 seconds.
- ☐ We have a clear point of view, not just a product description.
2. Timing & Newsworthiness
- ☐ We have a genuine trigger (launch, expansion, funding, milestone, market shift) in the next 90 days.
- ☐ We’re not relying on PR for “general exposure”. There’s a specific reason to be visible now.
- ☐ We understand that PR is not advertising and can’t be fully controlled.
- ☐ We’re prepared for scrutiny if coverage lands.
3. Internal Readiness
- ☐ Someone internally owns PR decisions and approvals.
- ☐ We can move quickly when opportunities arise.
- ☐ We know what success would look like (awareness, credibility, investor interest, inbound).
- ☐ We’re prepared to say no to PR if the timing isn’t right.
That last one matters more than most people realise.
How to Interpret Your Score
8–12 ticks
PR may already be overdue. At this stage, visibility is likely lagging behind your progress.
4–7 ticks
You’re close, but clarity is missing. Jumping into PR now could work or backfire depending on how it’s handled.
0–3 ticks
PR is unlikely to deliver value right now. Focus on messaging, product or internal alignment first.
One Final Thought
PR works best when it’s intentional, timely and honest. The biggest mistake isn’t starting PR too late. It’s starting it without clarity.
If you’re unsure whether PR makes sense for your business right now, your answers above should already give you a clear steer and help you decide whether to move forward, pause or focus elsewhere, without pressure, retainers or guesswork.
If you’d like a second opinion or want to talk through your answers, get in touch here: hi@prplug.io
