The first time I got on TechCrunch, I was living in Anchorage, Alaska.
The trick is:
1) Build something that is unique (or at least has a twist). No one wants to talk about yet another restaurant review site.
2) Build something controversial (or at least something that is interesting to talk about). I met a guy in Seattle who is trying to build (I kid you not) a social network for car insurance customers...zzzzzzzzzz
3) Talk about what you've built in a clear, compelling, and sticky manner. Try to understand the audience that you're speaking to and communicate it in a way that speaks to THEM. Most hackers suck at this. It requires a combination of information design and copy-writing.
Good advice in any case!
CONDOR IN SNEAKERS: Staring & directed by Robert Redford as Bishop. Who leads a team of smart hackers who first work out the what, "make things people want" then ruthlessly executes the how. All the time, incremently adjusting the what. The focus, just work on making "black box" the best in the world and getting as many customers as possible. At the same time, outsmarting those who seek to take a shortcuts in hard road to startup success.
BISHOP: "Well here we have it gang. We know the deal, build the 'black box', release it early, incremental improvements and build up the customers."
MOTHER: "Come on 'Bishop' that theory has been well and truly debunked. Just last week in my latest edition of Conspiracy Theory, you know the Marketing edition. It says in black and white, 'the only way to get recognised' is a quick word to Crunch and your gold!."
WHISTLER: "Did you mean 'Capitan Crunch'? Did you know Crunch did prototype work for Apple ][ telephony hardware, but Jobs got it canned."
BISHOP: "No he means the 'Silicon Alley' of the Noughties. TechCrunch is a waste of time. Look these guys can't even scale their website, they don't listen to their customers. When the advertising falls they are history."
MOTHER: "You mean I've been reading this Marketing edition and it's not true? But they have influence right? Just one email to the editor, then BAMMM. Instant recognition. I simply don't believe you."
CREASE; "It wasn't Jobs, 'Whistler'. It was Gates. Don't worry we settled that one siphoning off his fortune to charity and planting logic bombs in Windows Vista. You don't think he's quiting Microsoft for the love of giving money away do you?"
BISHOP: "Crease enough pranks. Carl hows the new features going? Whistler whats the growth rate this week? Mother come, lets have a quick chat on your sources of information"
Some quick refs ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sneakers_(movie)
(assuming trying to network yourself into his level is futile)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1331688095520243666&hl=en
Good luck though, if you're not being referred from someone "in the know" you probably wont get covered. But never hurts to try.
Once it's built, it's not 'buzz', it's marketing. Hire suits for that.
