How to create a PR story (that a journalist will want to run)
Josie runs Follie, a shop that sells ribbon. That on its own isn't a story.
Then a TikTok trend took off, and she sold six miles of velvet ribbon. Closer, but still not quite there.
The story was the why. People were making Christmas garlands again, and Josie's shop had a front-row seat. That's the version BBC local radio ran. BBC News picked it up next, then The Guardian wrote about why the Christmas garland was making a comeback.
Same shop, same ribbon. The difference was how the story was shaped.
The quick answer: to create a PR story, start with something new or surprising from your business. Work out why it matters to a journalist's readers and why it matters now. Back it up with proof, such as your own numbers or a real customer, and put a person at the centre of it. Then shape it for one journalist and send it as a short press pitch by email. A good PR story is about what a journalist's readers will want to know, not what you want to sell.
Need a starting point? My free guide has 10 pitching angles, each with a prompt to make it yours. Send it to me →
What is a PR story?
It's the version of your news that a journalist can use.
A PR story is an idea from your business, shaped so it's useful or interesting to people who don't know you yet. It might be a trend you've spotted, something your numbers show, a strong opinion or a customer's experience.
What it isn't is an advert. "We've launched a new range" tells a journalist what you sell. Something like "Why more people are mending their clothes instead of buying new, from a tailor booked up until spring" gives them something to write.
Most of the time, the raw material for a PR story is already in your business. The work is in the shaping.
That's what the six steps below walk through, one at a time.
Step 1: What's new or surprising in your business?
Start with the raw material, not the headline.
Look for the things that made you stop and think "huh". A question every customer asks. A number that went up when you didn't expect it. An opinion you hold that others in your industry don't.
Don't judge the ideas yet. Write them all down, including the ones that feel too ordinary. When I run a Debrief, the throwaway line a founder says isn't interesting is often the one that turns into a headline.
If you're stuck, my post on the 5 places your next pitch idea is hiding has plenty of places to look.
Then pick one idea and park the rest for later. A PR story that tries to cover everything ends up saying very little about anything.
Step 2: Why would a journalist's readers care?
This is the step that turns an idea into a story.
Journalists aren't writing for you. They're writing for their readers, so ask what's in it for those readers. Does your idea help them, or explain something they've noticed?
The trick is to zoom out from your business to the bigger picture. Follie selling lots of ribbon was good news for Follie. Christmas garlands making a comeback was news for anyone who'd seen them all over their feed.
Try finishing this sentence: "This matters to [readers] because [reason]." If you can't finish it without saying how good your product is, keep zooming out.
Sometimes the bigger picture is about you, not your business. Beth Fuller is a former teacher, now a yoga teacher and therapist. Her story was what she'd learned about burnout, and she's since been featured in Stylist, Cosmopolitan and iNews.
Step 3: Why does your PR story matter now?
Give the journalist a reason to run it this week instead of someday.
That reason is called a hook. It might be:
a trend people are already talking about
the season, like Christmas, the summer holidays or back to school
something in the news that your experience adds to
an awareness day or week linked to your topic
new numbers, such as a survey or your own sales data
A story without a hook can still work for magazine features, which are planned months ahead. But a story tied to something already happening is much easier to say yes to.
The Follie story had its hook built in: a TikTok trend in the run-up to Christmas. You won't always be that lucky, so keep an eye on what's coming up in your calendar and your industry, and plan ahead.
Step 4: What proof can you add to your story?
Journalists need more than your word for it.
Proof makes a story believable, and it gives the journalist something to quote. It can be:
numbers from your own business
a short survey of your customers
a real customer who's happy to talk
your own experience, with specifics
Your own data counts for more than you might think. Journalists value original research more than almost anything a PR person can send them (Cision, State of the Media 2026).
Some of my favourite coverage started in a spreadsheet. GoDaddy's domain sales kept peaking on Friday nights, and a survey showed why: people come up with business ideas in the pub. That story ran in The Telegraph, The Sun, the Daily Mirror and Startups.
If you haven't got the proof yet, that's fine. It just means collecting it is the next job.
Step 5: Who's the person at the centre of the story?
People read about people.
A PR story with a real person in it is easier to picture and easier to remember. It's also easier for a journalist to sell to their editor. That person might be you, a customer or someone on your team.
The Sunday Times ran two pages on Our Tower Home, a family living in a First World War Zeppelin lookout tower. The tower made it unusual. The family made it worth two pages.
Think about who could speak for your story. Are they happy to be named and photographed? Can they talk to a journalist at short notice? Sort that out before you send anything, because a journalist who says yes often wants to move fast.
If the person is you, practise telling your story out loud in two or three sentences. If it takes longer than that, it needs trimming.
Step 6: Which journalist is your PR story for?
Shape it for one journalist at a time.
It's tempting to write one version and send it to everyone. Please don't. 72% of journalists say fewer than a quarter of the pitches they get are relevant to them (Cision, State of the Media 2026). A story shaped for one journalist's readers is the one that gets read.
Read a few recent articles by the journalist you've got in mind. What do they cover? How long are their pieces? Do they use case studies, expert comment or data? Then shape your story to fit.
The same idea can work in more than one place, with a different angle for each. The GoDaddy pub story ran in four outlets, and each one got its own version.
If you're not sure where to find the right journalist, my post on 20 places to find press opportunities is a good place to start.
How do you write a PR story down?
Short, plain and in an email.
You don't need a press release to share a PR story. Most of the time, a short press pitch does the job better. Try this shape:
Subject line: the story in a few words, written like a headline
First line: why it matters to their readers now
Next few lines: your proof, and who's at the centre of it
Last line: what you can offer, like an interview, photos or data
Paste everything into the body of the email instead of attaching files, and keep it to a few short paragraphs.
Before you send it, run one test. Read your subject line to someone who doesn't know your business. If they ask a question, you've got a story. If they nod politely, keep shaping.
My post on whether your story is press-worthy has a quick check to run first.
Questions people ask
What is a PR story?
A PR story is an idea from a business, shaped so it's interesting or useful to a journalist's readers. It might be a trend, new data, an opinion or a customer's experience. Unlike an advert or an announcement, it focuses on why the audience should care, not on what the business sells.
How do I develop a PR story?
Start with something new or surprising from your business. Work out why it matters to a journalist's readers and why it matters now, then add proof, such as your own numbers or a real customer. Finally, shape it for one specific journalist and send it as a short email.
Does a PR story have to be news?
Not always. News stories need something new or timely, but features, expert comment and case studies can work with ideas that don't date. A timely hook, such as a trend, the season or new data, makes any story easier for a journalist to say yes to.
Do I need a press release to share a PR story?
No. Most PR stories are shared as a short email to one journalist, often called a press pitch. A press release can help with formal announcements, but for most founders and brands a short, well-targeted email works better.
How long should a press pitch be?
Short enough to read in under a minute. A subject line that tells the story, a few short paragraphs on why it matters now, your proof and what you can offer is usually enough. If a journalist is interested, they'll ask for more.
Want more ways into a story?
Grab my free guide, 10 pitching angles to help you land your dream press feature. It's ten ways into a story, each with a prompt to make it yours.
Or book a free 20-minute call and tell me about the story you think you've got. I'll tell you what I'd do with it.
PS. If you'd rather do your own PR, my PR guides and templates are a good place to start. For behind-the-scenes PR tips, follow me on Instagram.
Becky here, running on flat whites and a non-negotiable 3pm Diet Coke. I'm Becky Newmarch, a PR consultant for founders and brands in the UK. I find the stories hiding in your business and get them to the journalists who'll run them.
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