Anyone can throw a thousand dollars behind Meta ads. You can take out a billboard, advertise on TV, or shout from the rooftops on social media.

But nothing builds trust, credibility and reputation like organic media and free PR.

I spent 15 years as a TV news journalist before spending another 15 as a small business owner. Now I teach small business owners how to get featured in the media, and there is one piece of advice I repeat more than any other.

Prepare before you pitch.

Write it down. ...

Getting featured in the media once is exciting. Getting featured consistently is what builds a reputation.

The difference between the two comes down to one thing: your relationships with journalists.

I spent 15 years as a TV news journalist before becoming a media and PR coach for small business owners, and I can tell you these relationships do not require hours of your time every day. But they do take weeks, months and years to build. Whether you are a solopreneur or you run a big team, wheth...