How to get press coverage for your company without a PR agency

Press coverage — appearing in business media, industry publications, or mainstream news — builds credibility in a way that advertising cannot. It's also achievable for established Indian companies without a PR agency, if you understand how journalists actually work.

Journalists are looking for news, not promotion. The biggest mistake Indian companies make in PR is sending press releases about things that aren't news — 'Company XYZ Celebrates 5 Years in Business' is not a story. A story is something that is new, relevant to the publication's readers, and tells them something they didn't know. 'Indian Manufacturing SMEs Are Using AI to Predict Employee Attrition Before It Happens — One Delhi Company's Story' is a story.

Build relationships before you need coverage. Follow the journalists who cover your industry on LinkedIn and Twitter/X. Engage with their articles — not with promotional comments, but with genuinely useful additions or perspectives. When you eventually reach out with a story, they'll recognise your name.

The best PR hook for established Indian companies: a genuine data point or insight from your own business or clients. If you've worked with 30 manufacturing companies and have observed a consistent pattern — say, that companies with more than 25% revenue concentration in one client have 40% higher attrition — that's a story. Journalists love proprietary data.

How to pitch: a journalist pitch should be one email, maximum 150 words. Subject line: the story headline (not 'PR Opportunity'). Body: what the story is, why it's relevant now, why you're the right person to speak to it, and one line about you and your company. Do not attach a press release in the first email.

Target the right publications. For B2B companies targeting Indian founders: Economic Times, Business Standard, Mint, and their online editions. Industry-specific trade publications in your sector. LinkedIn articles and newsletters. Startup-focused publications like Inc42 and YourStory if your story has a technology or growth angle.