How to Get Press When You Don't Have a Big Story

How to Get Press When You Don't Have a Big Story | ContactJournalists.com :root{ --cream:#F6F3ED; --card:#FFFFFF; --ink:#15141A; --ink-soft:#5B5867; --purple:#6C4CF0; --purple-dark:#4F35C4; --purple-tint:#EFEAFC; --border:#ECE8DF; --shadow:0 2px 6px rgba(20,15,45,.04), 0 12px 32px rgba(20,15,45,.06); --radius-lg:24px; --radius-pill:999px; } *{box-sizing:border-box;} html{scroll-behavior:smooth;} @media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce){ html{scroll-behavior:auto;} *{transition:none !important; animation:none !important;} } body{margin:0; background:var(--cream); color:var(--ink); font-family:'Inter',sans-serif; font-size:18px; line-height:1.75;} a{color:var(--purple); text-decoration:underline; text-decoration-color:rgba(108,76,240,.35);} a:hover{color:var(--purple-dark);} a:focus-visible, button:focus-visible{outline:3px solid var(--purple); outline-offset:3px; border-radius:4px;} .wrap{max-width:760px; margin:0 auto; padding:0 24px 100px;} .topbar{max-width:760px; margin:0 auto; padding:28px 24px 0;} .back{display:inline-flex; 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align-items:center; gap:9px; background:transparent; color:var(--ink) !important; text-decoration:none; font-weight:700; font-size:15px; padding:12px 20px; border-radius:var(--radius-pill); border:1.5px solid rgba(21,20,26,.25);} .btn-row{display:flex; flex-wrap:wrap; gap:12px;} .faq-item{border-bottom:1px solid var(--border); padding:18px 0;} .faq-item:last-child{border-bottom:none;} .faq-item .q{font-weight:800; font-size:18px; margin:0 0 8px;} .faq-item .a{margin:0; color:var(--ink-soft);} footer{max-width:760px; margin:20px auto 0; padding:24px; text-align:center; color:var(--ink-soft); font-size:14px; border-top:1px solid var(--border);} ← Back to Blog Press Strategy 📅 1 October 2026 ⏱ 5 min read 👤 Fortuna How to Get Press When You Don't Have a Big Story "We don't have any news" is the most common reason founders never pitch. Here's how to get covered anyway — by offering relevance instead of an announcement. Connect: in X ig Short on time? Here's the fast version Do I need a launch or announcement to get press? No. Most coverage isn't built on news — it's built on relevance. A stat, a trend take, or a useful insight can be enough. What should I offer instead of an announcement? A number, not a narrative. A specific stat about your business or industry is far more pitchable than a mission statement. Where do I find no-news opportunities? Live journalist request platforms — the free alternatives to HARO — show you exactly what reporters are looking for right now. Need publicity fast? WhatsApp us on 07822 002670 and we'll tell you honestly what's realistic and how quickly we can get moving for your brand. F Written by Fortuna, founder of ContactJournalists.com I spent seven years building It Really Works Vitamins as a solo founder, starting with nothing more than a logo I commissioned on Fiverr and a spare room full of stock. There was no PR team, no agency on retainer, and no one else to share the workload with. Over those seven years I grew it into a multi-million dollar brand before selling the business in 2022, and press was one of the single biggest levers in that growth, with genuine, unpaid coverage in Forbes, Men's Health, ShortList/Coach and the Evening Standard. ContactJournalists.com exists to bring that same real, lived experience to other founders, now run on behalf of clients across wellness and well beyond it. Forbes Men's Health ShortList / Coach Evening Standard Brands we already support with done-for-you PR: Yourpilla.com MobileAccountants.com AdvanceHomeHelp.co.uk RateGame.io Contents Journalists don't need your news, they need their story Four ways to pitch without an announcement Where to find these opportunities for free What this looks like in an actual email People also ask Final thoughts "We don't have any news" is the single most common reason founders give for not pitching. But most press coverage isn't built on news — it's built on relevance. You don't need a launch, a funding round, or a milestone to get covered. You need something a journalist's audience will find useful right now . 💡 Journalists don't need your news, they need their story A reporter's job isn't to cover your company — it's to inform their readers. If you can hand them something that makes their next piece better (a stat, a contrarian take, a source quote), you don't need "news" at all. You need to be useful to a story they're already close to writing. This is why 11 mistakes founders make when pitching journalists puts "leading with your company" at the top of the list — it's the single biggest reason no-news pitches get ignored. 🧩 Four ways to pitch without an announcement 1. Offer a number, not a narrative. Journalists love a specific stat far more than a sentence about your mission. "73% of the small businesses we surveyed said X" is pitchable. "We're passionate about helping small businesses" is not. 2. Take a position on something already in the news. If there's a story trending in your space, a short, opinionated response from a founder's perspective is easy for a journalist to slot into a follow-up piece or a "reaction" roundup. Timing matters more than originality here — respond within hours, not days. 3. Offer yourself as a source, not a subject. You don't need to be the story to be in the story. Positioning yourself as someone who can comment on a trend affecting your industry is a lower bar than pitching your own news — and it builds the exact relationship you'll want when you do have a launch. 4. Package an internal insight as external value. Something you learned running your business — a mistake, a surprising result, a workaround — is often more interesting to an outside reader than your product itself. Not sure what your "no-news" story is? We help founders spot the angle that's already sitting in their own data, inbox, or last three months of decisions — then pitch it properly. Angle-finding included Founder-led £249/month WhatsApp 07822 002670 Apply for done-for-you PR 🗂️ Where to find these opportunities for free Live journalist requests — the free alternatives to HARO let you see, in real time, what reporters are actively looking for sources on. See our full list in how to respond to journalist requests (HARO alternatives) . "Best time to pitch" isn't a myth — timing your no-news pitch around when journalists are actually opening email meaningfully improves reply rates. We break down the data in the best time of day to email journalists . Your own niche's journalist list — if you haven't built one yet, start with 20 places to find journalists covering your niche . ✉️ What this looks like in an actual email Skip the company boilerplate. Lead with the useful thing in the first line: Subject: A stat from [X] you might find useful for [their beat] Hi [Name] — saw your piece on [specific article]. We track [relevant metric] across [your audience], and the latest number [surprising stat] might be a useful data point if you're following this. Happy to share the full breakdown or make myself available if useful. No mention of your product until the signature. That's the point — you're offering value before you're asking for anything. ❓ People also ask What counts as "news" to a journalist? A stat, a trend, a contrarian take, or useful commentary on something already happening in their beat — not necessarily a company announcement. Relevance to the reader matters more than novelty about your business. Can I pitch without a launch or funding announcement? Yes — most of the pitches that land have nothing to do with a launch. Offering yourself as a source or a data point is often an easier way in than announcing news. How do I find live journalist requests? Free platforms that replaced HARO let you browse open requests from journalists actively writing a story. See our full breakdown of HARO alternatives. What if I've never been quoted anywhere before? Start with smaller, niche outlets and journalist request platforms rather than pitching national press cold. A first quote anywhere builds the credibility that makes the next pitch easier. ✅ Final thoughts "No news" is rarely the real blocker — it's usually a pitch built around the company instead of the reader. Reframe what you're offering from an announcement to a resource, and you'll find opportunities to pitch every week, not just at milestones. We can't wait to help your business grow Done-for-you PR from ContactJournalists.com is built and run by someone who has actually done this for her own business and grown it into a multi-million dollar brand, not just an agency reading about PR theory. We already support brands like Yourpilla.com, MobileAccountants.com, AdvanceHomeHelp.co.uk and RateGame.io, and we'd love to add yours to that list. Builds SEO Builds AI visibility Saves time Saves money Saves energy WhatsApp us on 07822 002670 Apply for done-for-you PR ContactJournalists.com · Done-for-you PR for founder-led brands · 07822 002670