I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again, relationships are so important for your brand. Relationships with other local businesses, relationships with suppliers, with customers and also with influencers and media in your industry. If you’re a small business owner, building strong relationships with local media and journalists might feel like a daunting task. But it’s worth the effort. Cultivating these relationships can be one of the most effective and affordable PR moves you can make. Local media is so powerful, especially these days as many look to intentionally support local. Getting featured in your community’s newspaper, TV station, or even popular local blogs can provide impactful exposure for your business.
Here are some steps to position you to become the media’s go-to small biz expert or thought leader in your industry..
Do Your Homework
Before you start pitching stories or reaching out to journalists, you need to know who you’re talking to. Think of it like dating: you wouldn’t go on a first date without knowing a little about the person. The same goes for building media relationships.
Here’s your homework:
- Identify local media outlets: Find newspapers, magazines, TV stations, radio shows, and blogs that cater to your area or industry.
- Research journalists: Check out who covers topics relevant to your business. For example, if you own a bakery, find the reporter who covers food and lifestyle in your local paper, not the guy covering politics.
- Read their work: Get familiar with their style, what topics they tend to cover, and what kind of stories they seem to enjoy.
- Find them on social: Seeing what they share will help you get to know them and send pitches that make sense. This is also important for timing as you can often see when they’re out of town or other lifestyle factors.
By doing your homework, you’ll be able to craft a more targeted and personalized pitch when the time comes. Plus, journalists will appreciate that you took the time to learn about them instead of sending a generic message.
Make the First Move
Journalists are busy people with stuffed inboxes. Often they don’t have the luxury to be searching online looking for brands to feature. You’ll have to make the first move and introduce yourself. For any intro, the key is to be genuine, kind and curious.
Here’s how you can reach out:
- Send a brief introduction email: Keep it short, polite, and to the point. Introduce yourself, share a little about your business, and mention how you admire their work (bonus points for mentioning a specific article they’ve written!).
Example:
“Hi [Journalist’s Name],
I’m [Your Name], the owner of [Your Business], a local [your industry]. I’ve been following your work, and I loved your recent piece on [mention a relevant article]. I wanted to introduce myself and let you know that I’d love to be a resource if you’re ever covering stories on [your area of expertise]. I hope we can connect!” - Engage with them on social media: Journalists are often active on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Follow them, engage with their posts (but don’t overdo it), and share their content when it makes sense. This keeps you on their radar without being too pushy.
Pitch the Right Way
Now that you’ve introduced yourself and started the conversation, you can think about pitching. The worst thing you can do is send a bland, salesy email about your business. This will get your email forwarded straight to the ads department, with no editorial consideration.
Here’s how to craft a winning pitch:
- Make it newsworthy: Share what’s happening in your business that’s timely, unique, or interesting. Maybe you’re hosting a cool community event, launching an innovative product, or celebrating a milestone. Think about how your story can contribute to what’s happening locally or tie into a broader trend. Tie your story to something else happening in current news.
- Personalize your pitch: Reference the journalist’s past work or explain why you think this story would interest their readers/viewers.
- Keep it concise: Journalists are busy! Make sure your pitch gets to the point quickly and includes the who, what, when, where, and why.
Example Pitch:
“Hi [Journalist’s Name],
I noticed you’ve covered some amazing local stories about small businesses in [your town], and I thought you might be interested in [your business]. We’re hosting a [unique event or story angle], and I’d love to share more details if it’s something that fits your beat.
Best, [Your Name]”
Be a Helpful Resource (Even When It’s Not About You)
One of the biggest mistakes small business owners make is only reaching out to journalists when they want something. There’s value in being helpful, even when there’s nothing directly in it for you.
- Offer expert commentary: If a journalist is writing about something relevant to your industry, offer yourself as an expert resource. For example, if you run a wellness studio and they’re covering wellness trends, let them know you’re available for a quote or insight on trends.
- Share story ideas: If you come across an interesting trend or idea that isn’t directly about your business, but you think would be of interest share it anyway!
- Pitch other local businesses: If you see a story call out or an opportunity for a story that doesn’t fit your brand, suggest another small business in your network.
Maintain the Relationship
Building media relationships isn’t a one-and-done deal, it’s about ongoing connection. Treat it like a friendship, which many relationships become. Journalists are often fun and interesting people!
- Stay in touch: After you’ve been featured or connected with a journalist, don’t disappear. Send a thank-you note after coverage, share the article on your social media, and tag the journalist.
- Keep them in the loop: When you have newsworthy updates down the road, reach out again. The key is to keep the relationship warm, not just to show up when you need something.
Don’t Be Discouraged by a “No” (or silence)
Sometimes your pitch won’t be picked up, or you won’t get a reply. That’s okay! Journalists get flooded with requests, and timing isn’t always right. If you don’t hear back, don’t take it personally, it’s likely about their inbox, not about your brand.
If a journalist says no or passes on your pitch, you can always politely ask if there’s another type of story they’re looking for. Gentle persistence with politeness will get your emails read.
Build Genuine Connections
Building strong relationships with local media and journalists isn’t rocket science, it’s about being authentic, offering value, and creating win-win situations. When done right, these relationships can give your small business the exposure it deserves while helping your local media tell compelling stories.
Start reaching out and making connections. Start with a social follow or approaching someone at an event. You’ve got a story worth telling, and with the right connections, your small business will make headlines.
