You’ve got an awesome business you’ve worked hard to launch. You’ve invested in branding, a minimal advertising budget and you’d like to pursue PR and media coverage but the budget isn’t quite there. PR can feel like a big leap for a small business as hiring a PR firm is a big, and often expensive business decision. The good news is, to get started on your PR strategy you don’t need a big budget, a flashy campaign or existing media connections. With a little time, creativity, and a positive mindset, you can create a DIY PR strategy that gets your business noticed.
There are some initial steps to make connections and get the media and your audience paying attention. Here are some fun and effective tips that’ll allow you to promote your business like a professional, without hiring on. Promote your business like a professional, without hiring one.
Refine your story
People love stories. More than that they love connecting. Before you can pitch your business to the world, you need an authentic, true story that resonates. No PR campaign has ever led with “Hey, I sell these products.” When people ask why you started your business, what do you tell them? What’s unique about your journey, your brand, or your business that makes people want to support you? What problem are you solving for your customers and how did you recognize the problem to begin with?
Here’s how to find that story that will stick:
- Your “Why”: What inspired you to start this business? Passion? Necessity? A crazy idea you just had to chase? Sharing this human side of your story helps people connect with you on a deeper level.
- Your Values: Do you source locally? Are you eco-conscious? Are you giving back to the community? Highlight the values that set you apart from other businesses.
- Your Customers’ Wins: Feature customer success stories, testimonials, or ways your product or service is improving lives. How has your business made an impact on others?
- Your Distinction: What makes your business and your story unique from others. What are you doing differently?
Get to Know Your Local Media (They’re Not as Scary as You Think!)
You’re small so start small. You don’t need to hit the national stage right off the bat. Local media, journalists, bloggers and influencers are often champions for small businesses. Many love highlighting local success stories and community-driven businesses. Many of your clients are probably local as well so earning coverage where your clients is, is just good business.
Here’s how to make nice with your local media:
- Research the right contacts: Look for journalists and reporters who cover local business, lifestyle, and your industry. Follow their work to get a sense of what they like to cover.
- Follow: Follow their social media profiles and recent stories to get to know their beat and personality.
- Introduce yourself: Drop them a short, friendly email introducing yourself and your business (without pitching right away). Mention that you admire their work and would love to be a resource in the future if they’re ever covering your niche.
- Be genuinely helpful: Don’t make everything about you. If you come across a trend or interesting story angle (that may not even involve your business), share it with them. They’ll appreciate the gesture and remember you when the right story comes along.
- Don’t be sensitive: They may not reply to your DM or email. That doesn’t mean they hate your product or don’t like you. Journalists have busy inboxes and can’t read every email. Stay polite and consistent, don’t take silence personally.
Pitch Like a Pro
As mentioned, journalists get tons of emails, so yours has to stand out. Think about the kind of emails you like to receive. Short, sweet, and to the point, with no big attachments.
Here’s how to get your pitch read:
- Make it newsworthy: Journalists don’t want to hear that you’re having a “sale this weekend.” That’s advertising, not PR. Instead, think about how your story ties into a trend, a community event, or something happening in the news. Example: If you own a bakery and you’re launching a vegan cookie line, pitch it as part of the growing plant-based food movement.
- Include the “why now”: Why is this news important right now? Is there a timely angle you can attach to your pitch? Maybe your business is offering a new service to help locals during a specific event or holiday.
- Be human, not a robot: No stiff, corporate-speak, generic emails. Use your natural voice and inject a little personality. Journalists are people too—they appreciate authenticity.
- Be informative: Hyperlink to products or a media kit, give relevant dates and locations and be clear. If they have to start Googling the details, they’ve closed your email.
Leverage Social Media
We all know social media is essential for marketing, but it’s also an amazing tool for PR. Through social media you can connect with journalists, bloggers, influencers, and your audience—directly. You also get insight into their day-to-day activities, likes and dislikes.
Here’s how to work some PR magic with social media:
- Follow and engage with local journalists: Like, comment on or share their content when relevant (without being spammy). This keeps you on their radar, and when you pitch to them later, they’ll already know who you are.
- Slide into DMs (but politely): If you have a great story idea, don’t be afraid to reach out directly through Twitter or Instagram DMs—but be brief. A simple “Hey, I love your work on [topic], and I’ve got a story I think you’ll find interesting” can be a game-changer.
- Create shareable content: Make your content PR-friendly by creating posts that are easy to share and re-post. If a journalist sees your content spreading like wildfire, they’re more likely to jump on board.
Jump onto Current Events
Some call it newsjacking, some just call it paying attention. Jumping on a current event, holiday, or trending topic and finding a way to tie it back to your business is a great way to get media attention. The trick is to do it authentically, without being opportunistic or forced.
- Stay tuned in to the news: Set Google Alerts for relevant keywords in your industry so you can hop on trends quickly.
- Look for natural connections: Does your product or service align with a growing trend? If you own a pet grooming business, for example, maybe there’s a story angle about rising pet adoption rates post-pandemic and how you’re helping new pet owners.
- Keep it tasteful: Not every story is appropriate to jump on. Be mindful of tone, especially around sensitive topics, and make sure your tie-in makes sense.
- Look for “holidays:” If you have a food product, maybe national hotdog day or national donut day are good opportunities for fun local stories.
Be Consistent and Patient
PR isn’t a “one and done” deal. It’s about building long-term relationships and consistent visibility. You might not get immediate results, but if you keep at it—sharing stories, staying in touch with local media, and engaging your audience on social media—you’ll start to see the buzz build. Persistence pays off. Don’t give up after one email or one pitch that didn’t work out. Try different angles, stay consistent, diversify your pitches and who you’re sending them to.
Kick it off with a PR Power Hour
PR might seem intimidating but it can be part of a fun and effective part of your business strategy. From crafting a compelling story to pitching like a pro and leveraging social media, these DIY PR tips will help get your small business the attention it deserves.
If you need some support getting started or want expert advice to refine your strategy, start with a PR Power Hour. This intensive session offers personalised guidance tailored to your unique business. We’ll dive into your goals, identify key opportunities, and develop actionable strategies to amplify your brand’s presence.
You’ll take away essential PR strategies to enhance your brand’s visibility, build strong media relationships and approach partnership opportunities. We’ll discuss effective storytelling techniques, target publications and explore best practices for engaging with journalists to get your pitches seen.
You’ll leave with clear, practical steps to enhance your DIY PR efforts, get your story out there, and develop actionable plans to amplify your presence. Let’s chat! Book your Power Hour.
