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You Need PR: An Approachable Guide to Public Relations for Early-Stage Companies by Jenna Guarneri

May 14, 2022 Melanie Hawken

Jenna Guarneri

Book Review

Did you know that about 90 percent of startups fail within the first five years of operation and one of the major reasons for their failure is poor brand awareness?  Entrepreneur Jenna Guarneri, author of the book You Need PR: An Approachable Guide to Public Relations for Early-Stage Companies, believes that having the right exposure is vital to gaining new clients, growing the company, and securing future funding—in general, company success. But startups and small businesses don’t always have the kind of skills or resources they need to increase their visibility in an already oversaturated media landscape. Her new book is on a mission to help change that.


Jenna Guarneri, CEO and founder of JMG Public Relations, and author of You Need PR: An Approachable Guide to Public Relations for Early-Stage Companies, believes that, equipped with the right tools and thinking, entrepreneurs and business leaders can become their own effective publicists. In her insightful new book, she presents the key principles and practices behind good PR, showing you how to:

  • Establish your brand, including how to humanize interactions to build a loyal following

  • Build your press materials to develop the best possible story

  • Formulate a strategy to launch your PR initiatives

  • Deliver on the media interview and follow up appropriately

A practical guidebook and powerful tool for any entrepreneur or small business owner, You Need PR offers a smart, step-by-step, do-it-yourself approach to publicity that will allow you to enhance your company’s reputation and build lasting business momentum.

Author Quotes

You Need PR was written by a founder for founders. We are our clients. We as a PR firm are a startup. We understand what it takes to get noticed, and we know how to use what you have to secure press.

PR is important to the long term success of a startup, because it considers all the factors that go into building a loyal following.

You Need PR is designed to teach you how to look at your startup from a more holistic perspective, analyzing every possible channel that a message can be delivered through. It allows you to look through the lens of your audience and how they perceive you during each and every touchpoint.

About the Author

Jenna Guarneri is the chief executive officer of JMG Public Relations, an award-winning PR firm based in New York City. Jenna counsels innovators who are changing the world with their B2B and B2C venture-backed startup companies. She is known for delivering quality work while fostering meaningful relationships with her clients, team, and media contacts. Jenna is an authority with a proven track record on reputation management, media relations, and brand communication. Jenna launched JMG Public Relations in 2015 to offer a unique blend of creative thinking, strategizing, and implementing public relations campaigns. Jenna and the JMG team are committed to fostering relationships that provide quality work to help clients reach a multi-platform audience while building and establishing their brands. Jenna is at the cusp of the ever-changing media world and delivers a fresh approach with high-impact results.

www.jmgpublicrelations.com and www.youneedpr.co.


Why LoA loves it…

As a woman-owned business and brand, it’s so important to be able to break through the noise and stand out from the crowd, particularly when you are a startup. Using the power of PR to help you to get noticed, to get your messages to resonate with your audiences, and to be able to connect with potential buyers, should be a no-brainer. In her new book, Jenna and her team take you step-by-step through the process of using PR to your advantage, and building those media relationships that can help you to stay visible and on message as you grow. This is a great read for women-owned startups who are looking to build their media profile and make PR work for them. — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo, Lionesses of Africa

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Happy Coffee Experiences…If you are a fan of great coffee you will love Happy Coffee, founded by Princess Adeyinka Tekenah in Nigeria. She is a Coffee Entrepreneur and a Mom, and the founder of this growing ind Image of the Day / Mon Choco

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Celebratory cake…If you are anything like the sweet treat-loving team at Lionesses of Africa, you will love a slice of the great cakes on offer from Spez Catering in Kenya, founded by Esmeralda De Souza-Obwaka Image of the Day / Eloli

African luxury couture…For those who want to stand out from the crowd, Dibo Ndumbe Eyoh, co-founder and co-creative Director of Eloli, an award-winning luxury African fashion brand in Cameroon, has just what you need. Image of the Day / The Joinery

Sustainable Tote Bags…We have always been big fans of The Joinery, the sustainable and ethical product design brand based in South Africa founded by Natalie and Kim Ellis, and their exciting Future Tex™ fa Image of the Day / Barbara McKenzie

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