PR Content Leadership
The Challenge
Hai Money was a brand new sub-aggregator entering Australia’s fiercely competitive mortgage broking industry with zero media presence, zero credibility, and zero relationships with the journalists who shaped industry opinion. As a startup in a market dominated by established players, building trust and recognition quickly was essential. The mission was clear: establish Hai Money as a credible industry player through strategic media relations and put the brand on the map fast.
What I Achieved
In just 12 months, the campaign secured 9 published articles across Australia’s three most influential financial services publications: MPA (Mortgage Professional Australia), The Adviser, and Australian Broker. Every single article was published exactly as submitted with zero corrections and zero retractions, demonstrating the quality and accuracy of the content delivered. Within a year, brokers were proactively mentioning during recruitment calls that they’d “seen us in the news” - the kind of third-party credibility and industry recognition that advertising budgets simply cannot buy.
How It Was Done
The media presence was built through three strategic approaches. First, building real relationships with journalists by studying what each publication covered, understanding their editorial priorities, and reaching out with stories they would actually care about rather than bombarding them with generic press releases. Making their jobs easier by delivering publication-ready content that required minimal editing established reliability and trust.
Second, identifying truly newsworthy angles. Not everything that happens internally warrants media coverage, so the approach became ruthlessly selective about what to pitch. The focus stayed on moments that genuinely mattered to the industry: strategic partnerships, unique community events, market expansion initiatives, and broker success stories. These developments were transformed into compelling narratives that editors wanted to publish because they delivered real value to their readers.
Third, delivering consistent quality every single time. Every piece submitted was accurate, well-written, thoroughly fact-checked, and deadline-ready. This consistency transformed editors from gatekeepers into advocates. They began reaching out proactively for Hai Money’s commentary on industry trends and developments, which is the ultimate validation of successful media relations.
Published Coverage
The Business Impact
The media coverage delivered measurable results across multiple business functions. The sales team immediately began using the media coverage in broker recruitment pitches, and when prospective brokers mentioned “I’ve seen you in the news” during conversations, it fundamentally changed the dynamic. The brand transformed from unknown startup to credible industry player overnight. Board meetings began featuring media coverage as tangible proof of market traction, giving investors confidence that the company wasn’t just claiming to make waves but was actually featured in the publications that mattered most to the industry. From a cost perspective, the coverage was equivalent to significant advertising value, but with substantially higher credibility since editorial coverage carries far more weight and trustworthiness than any paid advertisement could achieve.
What I Learned
This experience demonstrated that relationships trump everything in media relations. The journalists who initially ignored emails became the strongest advocates once they consistently saw quality content being delivered. Great PR isn’t about blasting generic press releases to distribution lists; it’s about patiently building trust over time with individual journalists who come to rely on you as a credible source.
The project taught ruthless selectivity about what deserves media attention. Not everything that happens internally is newsworthy, and that’s perfectly acceptable. One strong story with the perfect angle and timing consistently outperforms five mediocre pitches. Quality always wins over quantity in media relations.
The experience reinforced that patience pays compound returns. Building media relationships takes months rather than weeks, but once you establish yourself as a reliable source, editors begin reaching out proactively for commentary on industry developments. That’s the ultimate validation that your media relations strategy has succeeded.
Finally, the project proved that strategic integration amplifies PR effectiveness. The best public relations doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Every article secured directly supported broker recruitment goals, strengthened lender partnerships, and reinforced market positioning. When PR aligns seamlessly with broader business objectives, it becomes genuinely powerful and delivers measurable ROI beyond simple media mentions.
The Bottom Line
The campaign transformed a brand-new sub-aggregator with zero media presence into a recognised name across Australia’s financial services industry in just 12 months. Nine published articles. Zero corrections. Real business impact. More importantly, the relationships built and processes established continue delivering value long after those initial articles were published - that’s the kind of marketing investment that compounds over time and creates lasting competitive advantage.