Traction PR Playbook
Use this skill for the PR-side traction channels: targeting blogs, publicity,
and unconventional PR. The output should be a concrete pitch/test plan, not a
generic awareness strategy.
Source Traceability
Primary source: Traction, chapters 6-8 and the appendix. Authoring notes:
converted lines 903-1232 and 3323-3334.
Channel Selection
- Targeting blogs: use when niche audiences trust independent writers,
newsletters, or community blogs.
- Publicity: use when the company has a local, industry, timely, data, or
human-interest angle.
- Unconventional PR: use when a remarkable stunt, contest, comparison,
customer delight move, or creative asset can carry the story.
Workflow
- Define the traction goal and target customer.
- Choose the PR channel most likely to reach that customer.
- Build a media or creator list with relevance notes.
- Write the hook in one sentence.
- Create the asset: demo, data point, customer story, contest, giveaway,
founder narrative, or visual.
- Draft outreach that makes the recipient's job easier.
- Define conversion tracking before outreach starts.
- Run a small test, then decide whether to expand or stop.
Output Format
# PR Traction Plan
## Goal And Audience
- Traction goal:
- Customer:
- PR channel:
## Story Hook
[One sentence.]
## Target List
| Target | Why Relevant | Angle | Outreach Path |
|--------|--------------|-------|---------------|
## Outreach Draft
[Short pitch customized to the target type.]
## Test Design
- Sample size:
- Asset:
- Tracking:
- Success threshold:
- Kill threshold:
## Decision Rules
- Double down if:
- Iterate if:
- Kill if:
Quality Bar
- Do not pitch generic product announcements.
- Make the recipient's audience fit explicit.
- Tie coverage to a measurable conversion path.
- Keep early tests small before scaling outreach.
1---2name: traction-pr-playbook3description: Plan PR-oriented traction experiments from Traction, including targeting blogs, publicity, and unconventional PR. Use when pitching bloggers or reporters, designing publicity stunts, earning launch coverage, or validating PR as a startup growth channel.4license: MIT5compatibility: Codex, Claude Code, and other Agent Skills-compatible clients.6metadata:7 version: "0.1.0"8 displayName: Traction PR Playbook9 category: Marketing10 tags: traction,pr,publicity,marketing,startups11---1213# Traction PR Playbook1415Use this skill for the PR-side traction channels: targeting blogs, publicity,16and unconventional PR. The output should be a concrete pitch/test plan, not a17generic awareness strategy.1819## Source Traceability2021Primary source: Traction, chapters 6-8 and the appendix. Authoring notes:22converted lines 903-1232 and 3323-3334.2324## Channel Selection2526- **Targeting blogs**: use when niche audiences trust independent writers,27 newsletters, or community blogs.28- **Publicity**: use when the company has a local, industry, timely, data, or29 human-interest angle.30- **Unconventional PR**: use when a remarkable stunt, contest, comparison,31 customer delight move, or creative asset can carry the story.3233## Workflow34351. Define the traction goal and target customer.362. Choose the PR channel most likely to reach that customer.373. Build a media or creator list with relevance notes.384. Write the hook in one sentence.395. Create the asset: demo, data point, customer story, contest, giveaway,40 founder narrative, or visual.416. Draft outreach that makes the recipient's job easier.427. Define conversion tracking before outreach starts.438. Run a small test, then decide whether to expand or stop.4445## Output Format4647```markdown48# PR Traction Plan4950## Goal And Audience51- Traction goal:52- Customer:53- PR channel:5455## Story Hook56[One sentence.]5758## Target List59| Target | Why Relevant | Angle | Outreach Path |60|--------|--------------|-------|---------------|6162## Outreach Draft63[Short pitch customized to the target type.]6465## Test Design66- Sample size:67- Asset:68- Tracking:69- Success threshold:70- Kill threshold:7172## Decision Rules73- Double down if:74- Iterate if:75- Kill if:76```7778## Quality Bar7980- Do not pitch generic product announcements.81- Make the recipient's audience fit explicit.82- Tie coverage to a measurable conversion path.83- Keep early tests small before scaling outreach.
ConcertoNotes