How to Get PR Without Being an Influencer

Thinking you need hundreds of thousands of followers to land a feature in your favorite online publication or get mentioned by a podcast? It's a common misconception that getting PR is reserved for big-name influencers and mega-brands. The truth is, getting press is less about your follower count and more about having a great story and a smart strategy. This guide shares actionable steps to earn media coverage, build credibility, and grow your brand, no influencer status required.

Think Beyond the Big Names: Where Does Your Audience Actually Pay Attention?

The first step is shifting your mindset. While a feature in a huge national publication is a fantastic goal, it's not the only - or even the most effective - way to get in front of the right people. Amazing PR opportunities are hiding in places you might be overlooking.

Instead of chasing name recognition, follow the attention of your ideal customers. Ask yourself: where do they genuinely spend their time?

• Niche Blogs and Publications: An article on a blog that your exact target customer reads every morning can drive more real business than a brief mention in a massive outlet with a general audience. These are publications dedicated to your specific industry, hobby, or interest.
• Industry Podcasts: Podcasts are an incredibly intimate and trusted medium. Being a guest on a show that serves your niche puts your voice directly in the ears of a highly engaged audience. Listeners often feel like they know an industry professional after hearing them talk for 30 minutes.
• Local Media: Don't underestimate the power of local news. Local TV morning shows, newspapers, and magazines are often hungry for stories about local business owners doing interesting things. For brick-and-mortar shops or service-based businesses in a specific area, this is pure gold.
• Trade Journals and Newsletters: In the B2B world, being featured in a trusted trade journal or an industry insider's newsletter can establish you as a leading expert and connect you with high-value partners and clients.

For example, if you run a small-batch, artisanal coffee company, a shoutout from a local food blogger with 5,000 highly engaged followers in your city is likely more valuable than being one of ten brands mentioned in a generic national gift guide. The food blogger’s audience is immediate, local, and ready to buy. That's the power of targeting the right audience over the biggest one.

Turn Your Social Media into a Media Kit

Before any journalist, podcaster, or editor features you, they will do one thing: they will Google you. Your social media profiles and website are your digital resume and your modern-day press kit. They need to show, not just tell, why you're worth talking about.

Your content isn't just for attracting customers, it’s for proving your expertise to the media. You’re building a portfolio in public that makes a journalist's job easy. They can instantly see who you are, what you stand for, and what value you provide.

Three Steps to Building a Media-Ready Presence:

1. Optimize Your "Home Base": Pick one or two social platforms where your audience is most active and go deep. Your bios should be crystal clear about who you help and what you do. Pin your best content - a value-packed video, a powerful case study, or a post explaining your mission - to the top of your profile so it's the first thing a visitor sees.
2. Create "Expertise" Content: Don't just post about your products or services. Share your point of view. A financial advisor could create short videos breaking down complex investing terms. A personal stylist could share Reels on creating a capsule wardrobe. This type of content positions you as a go-to source for quotes, opinions, and interviews.
3. Show Your Story, Don't Just Tell It: Use your content to pull back the curtain on your journey. Share behind-the-scenes glimpses of your process, talk about the challenges you've faced, and highlight your company's values. This humanizes your brand and gives journalists compelling narrative threads to grab onto.

When you have a strong content foundation, you're not just a person with a business, you're a source with a platform, a story, and proven expertise - making you far more attractive to the media.

Find Your Angle: What Makes You Newsworthy?

"I launched a new product" is an announcement, not a story. To get media attention, you need to find an angle that makes your news interesting to a broader audience. Journalists are looking for compelling narratives, not just press releases. Here are a few reliable angles you can use:

• The Human Interest Story: People connect with people. What's your personal journey? Did you leave a corporate job to follow a passion? Did you build your business while raising three kids? A compelling founder story can often be more engaging than the business itself. Example: "Former architect now builds sustainable tiny homes after a life-changing trip."
• The Problem-Solver: Frame your business as a solution to a common, relatable problem. The key is to focus on the problem and the transformation, with your company being the vehicle for that change. Example: A meal delivery service isn’t just selling food, it's giving busy parents an hour of their day back.
• Leveraging Data: Do you have any interesting data or insights from your customers or industry? Conducting a small survey and releasing the results can be a powerful PR tool. "We surveyed 500 remote workers and found that 78% feel lonely" is a headline journalists can build a story around (and quote you in).
• Connecting to a Trend (Newsjacking): How does your story relate to what people are already talking about? If there's a national conversation underway about sustainability, a company that makes compostable packaging has a timely and relevant hook. Keep an eye on trending news and ask how your brand can add to the conversation.
• The Contrarian Take: Do you have an unpopular but well-reasoned opinion about your industry? A bold, counterintuitive argument can make you stand out. "Why hustle culture is actually killing your startup's growth" is a much more interesting pitch than "tips for being productive."

The Art of the Pitch: How to Reach Out the Right Way

Once you have your story and your target media outlets, it's time to reach out. A cold email can absolutely work if it's done thoughtfully. Your goal is to be helpful and respectful of the reporter's time, not demanding.

Step 1: Find the Right Contact

Don't send your email to a generic `info@nameofpublication.com` address. Look for the specific journalist, freelance writer, or podcast host who covers your topic. Use social media like X (formerly Twitter) or LinkedIn, many journalists list their "beats" or topics of interest right in their bios.

Step 2: Start a Warm-Up Conversation

Before you pitch, try to get on their radar in a low-stakes way. Follow them on social media. Reply thoughtfully to one of their posts or articles. This isn't about schmoozing, it's about showing that you've done your homework and approach them as a real person, not just a name on a list.

Step 3: Write a Short and Sweet Pitch

Journalists are busy and their inboxes are overflowing. Keep your email concise and easy to scan. Here's a simple structure that works:

• A Compelling Subject Line: Be clear, specific, and intriguing. Avoid clickbait. For example: `Story Idea: How this local soap company is battling plastic waste` or `Guest Idea for [Podcast Name]: A non-influencer's guide to PR`.
• The Opening Sentence: Immediately state why you're reaching out to *them* specifically and why your story is a fit for *their* audience. A brief, genuine compliment on a recent piece of their work shows you've done your research.
• The Body Paragraph: In two or three sentences, lay out your story angle. Include any interesting data points, a brief description of the human element, and why this story is relevant right now. Use bullet points to make key takeaways scannable.
• The Close: Make your call-to-action simple. "Would you be interested in learning more?" or "I'm happy to provide more details or connect you with a source" is all you need. Finally, include a link to your website, LinkedIn profile, or social media handle in your signature so they can easily check you out.

Here’s a sample pitch template you could adapt:


Subject: Story Idea: The Rise of [Your Niche] for Busy Professionals

Hi [Journalist's Name],

I really enjoyed your recent article on work-life balance trends. Your point about finding sustainable habits really resonated.

My name is [Your Name], and I'm the founder of [Your Company], a [brief one-sentence description]. I'm reaching out with a potential story idea I think your readers would appreciate. We've seen a 200% increase in young professionals turning to [your solution] as a way to combat burnout - a story that speaks directly to the trend you wrote about.

The hook is how they are achieving [Benefit 1] and [Benefit 2] by changing one simple habit.

Would you be open to hearing more? Happy to share our internal data or provide a quick chat.

Best,
[Your Name]
[Your Title]
[Link to your Website/LinkedIn]


Use Free Tools to Get Quoted as an Expert

One of the easiest ways to earn PR mentions is by becoming a source for journalists who are already working on stories. Services like Help a Reporter Out (HARO) and Qwoted send free daily emails with queries from reporters looking for expert quotes.

To successfully use these platforms, remember three things:

1. Respond Quickly: Reporters on these platforms are usually on a tight deadline. Try to scan the queries in the morning and respond to relevant ones within the hour.
2. Answer Directly: Read the query carefully and provide exactly what they're asking for. Don't pitch them a different story. If they ask for three tips, give them three clear, concise tips.
3. Make It Easy to Quote You: Write your response as if it could be copied and pasted directly into their article. Include your name, title, company, and a link to your website. This saves the journalist work and increases your chances of being chosen.

Final Thoughts

Landing media features has very little to do with being an influencer and everything to do with being a valuable source. By honing your story, building a content-rich digital presence, and making targeted, helpful outreach, you can earn the media attention your brand deserves without a massive following. It's a game of strategy, not just numbers.

Thinking about all the content needed to build that media-ready presence can feel overwhelming, which is one of the main reasons we built Postbase. Creating a visual plan in our simple content calendar helps you strategically map out those expertise-building posts, client stories, and behind-the-scenes moments. Knowing that every video, Reel, and Story will publish reliably right when you schedule it allows you to consistently build the online portfolio that makes journalists take notice, without spending all day jumping between platforms.