Ask HN: How to get written on Tech Blogs?

I'm currently running a startup and would really like to learn how to get on tech blogs like tech crunch, mashable, readwriteweb etc...

I was thinking about emailing bloggers and tell them about my personal story and how I started the business. Should i build a connection first before i start to email them? What are the basic steps on getting mentioned on tech blog websites? How did your company get mentioned?