How to Get Free Press Coverage

Do you own a business or do in-house marketing for a company? Then you understand something about what good press attention can bring to your business. Good press can bring new traffic to your store, showcase your product and create new customers out of thin air. I find that it also leads to more press. Indeed, there are ways to get good free press, if you don’t mind doing a little work yourself.

I have a unique angle when it comes to getting free press in that I’ve been an entrepreneur and business owner since 2001 and have never paid for a single advertisement.

Here’s what I’ve learned about what works for me when pitching a journalist your story. In doing so, I’m going to assume you’ve asked yourself whether you really want press right now, and you’ve answered in the affirmative. Now that you’re ready to get some free press follow my 3 easy steps.

1. Create a journalist database
Identify the journalists who write the articles you would like to be featured in. Do your research and read their articles. Perhaps contact them to ask questions about the topics they’re experts on. Follow their social media profiles. Share their articles on social networks. In other words, get to know them as well as you can reasonably expect to without actually meeting them. Create a simple spreadsheet with short details about each journalist and publication so you know who to contact and when. My current database is updated daily and includes over 180 journalists. I recommend sending your custom press release to all local media outlets that may be interested in what you do.

2. Reach out, but don’t pitch
If the opportunity arises you should not go straight into a pitch. I’ve had my success by asking for advice (in person if possible) and saving my pitch for later.

3. Keep your eye on the prize
Please be persistent and follow my golden rules and your free press coverage will follow.

Our Press Coverage:
Toronto Star – Reclaims Beguiling Visions, BlogTO – A Nerd’s World profile, T.O. Night Newspaper – A Home for Photo Nerds, Toronto Today Magazine – New Favourites, Town Crier – A Nerdy Place for Photographs, Canadian Geographic – Rare First World War Photography, Best Gallery – Best New Art Gallery in Toronto, Etobicoke Guardian – Making Memories infront of the Lens, Inner Space TV – Television Appearance, Inside Toronto – Store owners kick off ‘Picture a Cure’ campaign, The Record – Reclaims Beguiling Visions, The Grid – How’s Business A Nerd’s World?, Annex Gleaner – New in Business, Collectors Weekly – Take that Instagram, Photolife – Vintage Cameras and the Surprises within, Peta Pixel – Photographer hunts for Vintage Cameras, G1 Mundo – Fotógrafo compra câmera e encontra imagens…, Metro Newspaper – It’s a Nerd’s World Afterall, Metro Video – Why Film not Digital, De Redactie – Antieke camera geeft unieke foto’s van WO I prijs, The Phoblographer – 100 Year old Photos Discovered, Gizmodo – Quelques Scenes de La Premiere Guerre, Mail Online UK – 3D Stereoscopic Images WWI, I09 – Rare 3d Camera found

Chris A. Hughes