So You Want to Be on the News (Without Paying for It)
The good news? Local media coverage is more achievable than you think, and it doesn't require a publicist, a PR budget, or knowing someone at the TV station. Local journalists are constantly hunting for good stories — community angles, human interest pieces, unique businesses doing interesting things. Your job is simply to make yourself an irresistible pitch. According to Cision's State of the Media Report, nearly 70% of journalists say the story ideas they receive aren't relevant to their audience. That means your competition for a good local story pitch is embarrassingly low.
Building a Story Worth Telling
Journalists don't cover businesses. They cover stories. That's the single most important distinction to understand before you fire off a press release about your grand re-opening. If your pitch doesn't have a human angle, a community tie, or a genuine sense of "why does this matter right now," it's going straight to the trash folder. Here's how to build one that doesn't.
Find Your Angle — Because "We're Open" Isn't One
Tie Your Story to Something Timely
Keep a running list of upcoming local events, awareness months, and seasonal hooks. Pitch your story at least two to three weeks in advance for print and online, and up to a month ahead for TV segments, which require more production coordination.
Give Your Business the "Wow Factor" That Gets Cameras in the Door
Make Your Store Visually Interesting and Technologically Memorable
One of the fastest ways to earn a "novelty" news angle right now is to introduce something genuinely new to your customer experience — and few things are turning heads quite like an AI-powered in-store presence. Stella, an AI robot employee and phone receptionist, is exactly the kind of thing that makes a journalist stop scrolling and say "wait, tell me more." Stella greets customers as they walk in, answers their questions about products and promotions, and handles phone calls 24/7 — all for $99/month with no hardware costs. She's friendly, she's futuristic-looking, and she makes for excellent B-roll footage. Beyond the media appeal, she genuinely helps your business run more smoothly, so the novelty comes with real operational value built right in.
Crafting the Perfect Pitch to Local Media
Write a Press Release That Doesn't Read Like a Brochure
Your subject line when emailing a press release is everything. Something like "Local Eastside Bookshop Donates 1,000 Books to City Schools" will get opened. "XYZ Books Press Release Q3 2025" will not.
Know Who to Contact and How to Follow Up Correctly
Follow up once, about five to seven business days after your initial pitch. Keep it brief — just a short note checking whether they had a chance to consider your story. If you don't hear back after that, move on. Journalists are buried in pitches, and pestering them is a guaranteed way to get blacklisted for future stories.
Build Relationships Before You Need Them
A Quick Reminder About Stella
While you're out there pitching to journalists and building your public profile, Stella is back at the store handling things. She's greeting customers, answering product questions, promoting your current deals, and making sure no phone call goes unanswered — day or night. For any retail business looking to run leaner while still delivering a great customer experience, she's worth a serious look at just $99/month.
Your Next Steps Toward Free Press
- Audit your business for story angles. Write down five interesting things about your business, your team, or your community involvement. At least one of them is a story.
- Build your media contact list. Identify three to five local journalists who cover business, lifestyle, or community news and note their contact information.
- Draft your pitch. Write a one-page press release focused on your strongest angle, plus a personalized two-paragraph email to go along with it.
- Add something visually compelling to your store. Whether it's a bold new display, a community bulletin board, or a modern in-store experience, give cameras something to love.
- Be consistent. Don't pitch once and give up. Build a rhythm of quarterly outreach tied to relevant news hooks and seasonal moments.
