Press · Rebecca Scarberry
Why I Never Paid for Press, and What I Did Instead
My media coverage was earned, not purchased. Here's the simple approach behind 80+ media features, and how you can start using it this week.
People often assume press coverage comes from a publicist, an agency or a big ad budget. Mine didn't. My media coverage was earned, not purchased. I earned 80+ media features for my own business. All of it was learned the hard way.
I'm sharing this because most small business owners never pitch the media at all. They don't think they're “big enough,” or they don't know where to start. In my experience, the first part isn't true. And the second part can be fixed.
1. Reporters need stories, not businesses
A journalist isn't looking to promote your company. They're looking for a story their readers will care about. When I stopped pitching my business and started pitching a story, things changed.
2. Start with the outlets closest to you
Local news, industry newsletters and community publications are easier to reach. They also need local voices. One small feature makes the next pitch easier, because now you have something to point to.
3. Keep the pitch short and specific
A good pitch is a few sentences long. It covers who you are, why this story matters now, and why the reader should care. Long pitches often go unread.
4. Make it easy for them to publish you
Reporters work against a clock. The question behind every pitch isn't only “is this a good story?” — it's “can I get this written in the next twenty minutes?”
So the job is to make their work easier, not harder. Help the reporter tell your story:
- Include a picture. A good image is often the difference between a story that runs and one that doesn't.
- Write it so they can cut and paste. Give them the pieces in the order they'd use them — what happened, who's involved, a line they can quote, and where to learn more.
- Answer the obvious questions up front. Don't make someone email you just to find out the basics.
That way you aren't adding work to an already full schedule. You're making it as easy as possible for them to share your story.
5. Follow up, then let it go
One polite follow-up is professional. Five is not. If the answer is no, save the contact and pitch them again later with a better story.
6. Make it a system, not a one-time effort
What made the difference for me was doing this over and over: keeping a list of contacts, reusing pitch templates and tracking what worked. Visibility builds on itself.
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