Why Rural Brands Should Stop Sending Press Releases (And What to Do Instead for Free Media Coverage)

If you're still relying on traditional press releases to get your story picked up by the media, it's time to shift gears, especially if you run a rural business.

Reporters aren’t ignoring you because your brand isn't newsworthy. They’re ignoring you because you’re using outdated tactics in a completely oversaturated media landscape.

In a recent episode of Strategy Talks, I sat down with Vermont-based media strategist Julie Kelley to explore how rural brands can cut through the noise and get the media attention they actually deserve, without spending a dime on ads.

Julie brings 20 years of experience inside the newsroom and now helps small-town companies rethink how they share their stories. From chocolate makers to tech workers on the manufacturing floor, she’s seen firsthand what the media wants, and how rural businesses can show up in ways that matter.

Let's find out how to get free media coverage for rural brands.

Why Press Releases Don't Work Anymore

Julie didn’t hold back, at all!

“There are thousands of press releases in inboxes for reporters,” she said. “And frankly, that has gotten even more true with AI.”

Most of them, she explained, never even get opened.

Instead of pushing out templated announcements to a media list, she urges brands to ditch the scattershot emails and start thinking about real human connection.

“I started saying this three years ago and people were like, ‘What are you talking about?’” she laughed. “But I lived in a newsroom. Emails were the bane of my existence.”

Reporters don’t want press releases. They want stories. And more importantly, they want relationships.

How to Get Free Media Coverage for Rural Brands

If you’re a rural founder, you may be sitting on gold and not even know it.

Julie shared a great example: when she visited Vermont Nut Free Chocolates, she immediately noticed 80% of the staff were women. She thought, That’s a story.

So when a Wall Street Journal reporter asked if she knew anyone with flexible schedules that helped their personal lives, Julie had five women lined up, and sent the pitch in under 30 seconds.

The key? She already knew what the media was looking for and had her sources ready.

"Reporters want characters," she explained. "They want the people who are making your company special."

What a Great Media Pitch Looks Like

Julie broke it down for us.

A strong media pitch includes:

• A clear newsworthy angle (Why this? Why now?)

• Three short, specific facts that ground the story

• People willing to be interviewed — not just execs, but employees

• A hook that ties into something currently trending or happening in the world

• Optional: video or photo opportunities to make the story more visual

Most importantly? Make it easy for them.

“You name the time and I’ll make all of this happen for you,” Julie said. “Reporters don’t have time. If you waste it, they’ll never come back.”

How to Build Relationships with Local Reporters

Julie and I both shared experiences of being called up by news outlets at a moment’s notice.

In my case, I had a great relationship with a local TV station back in Myrtle Beach. I remember dropping my kid off at school in my robe and getting a call: “Something happened with Facebook. Can you be at the studio by 8:30?”

I showed up.

“They knew you’d show up,” Julie said. “They knew you were dependable and they knew you were the expert. That’s what reporters want.”

So how do you build those relationships today? Julie recommends:

• Following their work and reaching out about a story they covered

• Being available when news breaks

• Showing up prepared, with ideas or voices they don’t already have

• Keeping your pitches short, respectful, and relevant
  

Why Rural Stories Matter (and Are Media-Worthy)

If you're in a small town, you might be thinking, We’re not big enough to get coverage.

Julie has strong words for that.

“Every company is good enough to a reporter,” she said. “In fact, they want to do stories with companies they’ve never heard of.”

Rural America is filled with interesting, untold stories. The problem? Many founders were taught to put their heads down and just do the work.

Julie urges rural brands to push past that humility.

“We need people to know how vibrant we are,” she said. “We’re lighting it up in rural America. But if we don’t share it, we don’t get the funding, and the negative narratives continue.”

She encourages business owners to ask:

• What do you tell your family about your work at the dinner table?

• What makes you proud to show up every day?

• Who in your company is making a quiet impact?

Those are your stories.

Your Product Isn’t the Pitch: Your People Are

If there’s one big shift to make, it’s this: the product isn't the media story. The people behind it are.

Julie gave an example of walking into a manufacturing facility and meeting a 28-year-old named Johnny. He had worked there eight years, owned a house, loved his job, and had tattoos and a great vibe. She immediately saw him as a spokesperson, not for national media, but for local high school students and new hires.

“Johnny should be the one going out to talk to students,” she said. “He’s the one who makes people feel like, ‘I could see myself there.’”

The media wants to tell those stories: stories of community, growth, and connection.

What You Can Expect From Consistent Media Coverage

Getting one great feature isn’t the goal. Consistency is.

Here’s what rural businesses can gain by regularly pitching stories and showing up in the media:

• More employees who want to work with a company they’ve heard of

• Better brand awareness in your region (or nationally)

• Funding opportunities that come with visibility

• Stronger community support and local credibility

Julie said it best:

“If I don’t know what happens in that big blue box up on the hill, how in the world will anyone want to come work there?”

As a rural brand, you have to open the doors, and start telling your story.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re making chocolate in Vermont or fixing farm equipment in rural Iowa, your story matters. Reporters aren’t looking for perfect press releases, they’re looking for people. And they’re on deadline.

So ditch the press release, find your Johnny, and get ready to show the world what rural brands are really made of.

10 Smart AI Prompts to Help You Get Free Media Coverage

Use these prompts to dig up story ideas, practice pitches, or prep your team for interviews.

• “What unique stories might a rural manufacturing company have that media would care about?”

• “Help me write a short media pitch for a local chocolate company with mostly female staff.”

• “How can I build a relationship with local reporters in a small town?”

• “Draft a media pitch email that references a recent news story and ties into my business.”

• “Give me 5 media-worthy angles about my rural business that aren’t about my product.”

• “What are the top things journalists look for in a story pitch?”

• “Write a 3-line story summary I can use to pitch to a local newspaper.”

• “Pretend you’re a journalist — ask me questions to uncover a story worth writing.”

• “Help me prepare my employee to be a great media spokesperson.”

• “List ways to stay top of mind with local media without spamming them.”