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How to get your small business featured in the media

Without hiring a PR firm. Journalists and editors are looking for good stories every day. Here's how to make yours easy to say yes to.

Owner Guides2 min readUpdated September 28, 20267 steps

The playbook1Find your angle before you pitch 2Start local and specific 3Make a simple press page 4Write a short, personal pitch 5Follow up once, then move on 6Be easy to interview 7Apply to publications that want you

Most owners assume press coverage is for companies with a PR budget. It isn't. Editors, bloggers, podcasters and local reporters need a steady supply of stories, and a well-prepared small business is often easier to cover than a big one. Here's a practical way to get started.

Find your angle before you pitch

“We're a great bakery” isn't a story. A story has something new, surprising or human in it. Ask yourself:

The angle test

Is there something unusual about how you started? A career change, a family recipe, a leap of faith?
Are you doing something differently from everyone else in your industry?
Is there a milestone coming up: an anniversary, a new location, a record month, a community project?
Do you know something useful that other people would want to learn?

Write your angle in one sentence. If you can't, keep working on it before you contact anyone.

Start local and specific

Neighbourhood papers, city blogs, local radio, community newsletters and industry publications are far more likely to say yes than national outlets, and they're often read by exactly the customers you want. A feature in the right local outlet can do more for your business than a mention in a big one.

Make a simple press page

Add a short page to your website with:

Your press page

A 100-word description of your business
A short owner bio
Three to five good photos: you, your space, your product
Your logo
An email and phone number that someone actually answers

When an editor is on deadline, the business with photos ready to go gets the story.

Write a short, personal pitch

Keep your email under 150 words. Say who you are, what the story is, and why it matters to that outlet's readers. Address the editor or writer by name, and mention something they've published recently so they know you read it. Offer photos and your availability for a quick call.

New message

To: the editor, by name
Subject: Story idea: your angle in one line

Hi first name,

I enjoyed your piece on something they published recently.

I run business name in neighbourhood. One or two sentences on what's new, surprising or human about your story.

I think your readers would care because the reason it matters to them.

I have photos ready and I'm free for a quick call when.

Thanks,
Your name and phone number

An outline to fill in with your own details, not a script to copy word for word.

Follow up once, then move on

Editors are busy. A single polite follow-up a week later is normal. After that, pitch someone else. A “no” today is often a “yes” next season when your angle is fresher.

Be easy to interview

Answer questions directly. Share specific numbers and moments rather than slogans. Tell the truth about what was hard. The quotes that get published are the honest ones.