Small Business PR

Why aren't your social media hooks working, even when you're following all the advice from Instagram experts?

If you're a small business owner tired of copying viral hooks, posting product photos, and creating content that gets little engagement or doesn't attract customers, this episode of the Small Business PR Podcast is for you!

Gloria Chou sits down with Mike Ganino, storytelling and stage presence coach, director, and author of Make a Scene, to challenge the generic social media advice entrepreneurs hear every day.

Mike explains why viral hooks alone won't make your content stand out, how to use pop culture trends without chasing irrelevant virality, and why specificity, storytelling, and brand personality are what make people remember your business.

Using real examples from product-based businesses, including hot sauce, granola, skincare and nail products, journals, and Pressed Juicery, Gloria and Mike share practical ways to make your marketing more engaging without changing who you are.

🎙️ In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• Why viral Instagram hooks aren't working and what to focus on instead.
• How to create engaging social media content using storytelling, personality, and specificity.
• How to use pop culture trends to make your products relevant without chasing viral moments.
• Why showing your product in action is more compelling than posting product photos alone.
• How to write an Instagram bio and product descriptions that make your brand unforgettable.
• Simple exercises to uncover your brand personality and create content that actually connects.
• Why the best product doesn't always win, and how better storytelling can help small businesses stand out.

Mike also shares his personal journey from being bullied and hiding as a child to becoming a storytelling coach who helps entrepreneurs confidently show up on camera and on stage.

The biggest takeaway? You don't need another list of 100 viral hooks. You need a clear perspective, a memorable brand personality, and stories that make people care.

Whether you sell products on Shopify or Etsy, run a small business, or want to improve your Instagram marketing, this conversation will help you stop sounding like everyone else and start creating content that feels unmistakably yours.

✨ About Mike Ganino

Mike Ganino is a storytelling and stage presence coach, director, and author of Make a Scene. He helps entrepreneurs, experts, and leaders communicate with more personality and become unforgettable.

Connect with Mike:

• Website: https://mikeganino.com
• Instagram: Mike Ganino
• The Close-Up Experience: https://mikeganino.com/close-up

🚀 Get More PR & Visibility for Your Small Business

Getting featured isn't just about seeing your product in your dream magazine. The right media coverage can create a trail of trusted mentions across the internet that helps journalists, customers, search engines, and AI platforms understand what your brand is known for.

If you’re a product-based founder who wants more press, more visibility, and more ways for customers to discover your products, this is a must-listen.

Want us to send you PR opportunities that fit your product or industry?

DM me the word PITCH on Instagram, and we’ll send you relevant PR opportunities you can pitch:
https://www.instagram.com/gloriachoupr

More free PR resources:

Watch the free PR Secrets Masterclass to learn how to pitch journalists and start getting featured:
https://gloriachoupr.com/masterclass

Connect with Gloria on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gloriaychou

Join the Small Biz PR Community:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/428633254951941

Send us Fan Mail

Want to get your product featured in magazines, holiday gift guides, and online publications like Oprah’s Favorite Things, BuzzFeed, ELLE, and more?

In this popular episode, I’m sharing 10 of the best ways product-based founders and small business owners can get featured in the press, pitch journalists, and turn media coverage into more visibility, website traffic, credibility, and sales without relying on ads or constantly posting on social media.

And today, PR can do even more for your brand. Getting mentioned by trusted media outlets can strengthen your online authority, SEO, and AI search visibility, giving search engines and AI platforms more credible information about your business and helping customers discover your products through Google, ChatGPT, and other AI-powered search experiences.

If you sell products on Shopify, Etsy, Amazon, or your own e-commerce website and want to learn how to get featured in gift guides, product roundups, magazines, and online media, this episode will show you where to start.

Here’s What We Cover In the Episode and More:

• How to get your products featured in gift guides, magazines, and product roundups
• Why earned media can increase brand credibility, SEO, website traffic, and AI search visibility
• How to find PR angles journalists actually want to cover
• How to write a product pitch that gets an editor’s attention
• Why your pitch needs to match the journalist’s story or editorial angle
• How to use local media to build credibility and visibility
• How to find and connect with journalists who cover products like yours
• Why media mentions can continue helping customers discover your brand long after an article goes live
• How small businesses can use PR to compete with much larger brands
• How to build trust and authority without depending on paid ads or social media algorithms

Getting featured isn't just about seeing your product in your dream magazine. The right media coverage can create a trail of trusted mentions across the internet that helps journalists, customers, search engines, and AI platforms understand what your brand is known for.

If you’re a product-based founder who wants more press, more visibility, and more ways for customers to discover your products, this is a must-listen.

Want us to send you PR opportunities that fit your product or industry?

DM me the word PITCH on Instagram, and we’ll send you relevant PR opportunities you can pitch:
https://www.instagram.com/gloriachoupr

More free PR resources:

Watch the free PR Secrets Masterclass to learn how to pitch journalists and start getting featured:
https://gloriachoupr.com/masterclass

Connect with Gloria on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gloriaychou

Join the Small Biz PR Community:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/428633254951941

Send us Fan Mail

Want to get your product featured in gift guides, magazines, product roundups, and “best of” lists without paying for ads or hiring a PR agency?

In this episode of the Small Business PR Podcast, Gloria Chou shares 10 proven ways product-based businesses can find the right media angles, pitch journalists, and earn press coverage that builds credibility, visibility, and sales.

After helping thousands of small businesses learn how to get featured in outlets and gift guides including BuzzFeed, ELLE, Oprah’s Favorite Things, and more, Gloria breaks down what makes a product interesting to editors and how to position your brand for the types of stories journalists are already working on.

This is Part 1 of a two-part series for Shopify, Etsy, Amazon, e-commerce, and product-based founders who want to use PR and earned media to get discovered by more customers without relying on ads or constantly posting on social media.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to get your products considered for gift guides, product roundups, and “best of” lists
• How to use holidays, seasons, and timely moments to create stronger PR angles
• What makes a product feel unique, innovative, or newsworthy to journalists
• How sustainability, wellness, and self-care trends can create media opportunities
• How to connect your products to cultural trends, pop culture, and timely conversations
• How to use contrarian angles, travel-friendly products, local stories, and other hooks to stand out
• Why the right media coverage can build the credibility that helps customers, journalists, and AI search engines discover and trust your brand

Want us to send you PR opportunities that fit your product or industry?

DM me the word PITCH on Instagram, and we’ll send you relevant PR opportunities you can pitch:
https://www.instagram.com/gloriachoupr

More free PR resources:

Watch the free PR Secrets Masterclass to learn how to pitch journalists and start getting featured:
https://gloriachoupr.com/masterclass

Connect with Gloria on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gloriaychou

Join the Small Biz PR Community:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/428633254951941

Send us Fan Mail

Want to get featured in gift guides, media roundups, and online publications without paying thousands of dollars for a PR agency?

In this episode of the Small Business PR Podcast, PR expert Gloria Chou shares 5 practical ways small business owners can use Perplexity AI to find PR opportunities, research journalists and competitors, discover gift guides, and create more relevant media pitches.

Originally released in 2025, we're bringing this episode back because the shift toward AI-powered search and discovery has made earned media even more important for brands that want to be discovered online.

Today, your PR isn't just helping potential customers discover and trust your brand. Media coverage can also create the third-party authority and online footprint that AI search engines use when surfacing brands, products, and recommendations.

If you're wondering how to use Perplexity for PR, how to get your product featured in gift guides, how to find journalists to pitch, or how to make your business more visible in AI search, this episode gives you a practical place to start.

What Is Perplexity AI — and How Can Small Businesses Use It for PR?

Perplexity is an AI-powered answer engine that searches the web and provides responses with sources and citations.

For small business owners doing their own PR, that makes it a powerful research tool.

Instead of spending hours manually searching Google, media websites, competitor press pages, and social media, you can use Perplexity to quickly research:

• Current trends in your industry
• Relevant media angles
• Competitor press coverage
• Existing gift guides and product roundups
• Publications covering products like yours
• Seasonal story opportunities
• Topics journalists are already writing about

The goal isn't to let AI do your PR for you.

It's to use AI to do the research faster — so you can spend more time building relationships and sending relevant, personalized pitches.

5 Ways to Use Perplexity AI to Get PR and Media Coverage

1. Find Timely PR Angles

Give Perplexity your brand, website, product, and industry and ask it to identify current trends and conversations that overlap with what you sell.

Instead of pitching:

“Here is my product.”

You can pitch:

“Here's why this product is relevant to something your readers care about right now.”

That difference is what makes a pitch more editorially relevant.

2. Research Where Your Competitors Are Getting Featured

Use Perplexity to research brands similar to yours and identify where they've recently earned media coverage.

Look for:

• Gift guides
• Product roundups
• Trend stories
• Expert features
• Founder profiles
• Seasonal coverage

Then study the angle that earned the coverage.

The goal isn't to copy another brand's pitch. It's to understand what journalists in your category are already interested in covering — and find your own relevant angle.

3. Find Gift Guide Opportunities

Product-based businesses can use Perplexity to research both seasonal and evergreen gift guides.

Think beyond Christmas.

Search for opportunities such as:

• Mother's Day gift guides
• Father's Day gift guides
• Valentine's Day gifts
• Graduation gifts
• Back-to-school products
• Stocking stuffers
• Gifts under $25 or $50
• Gifts for travelers
• Gifts for new moms
• Wellness gifts
• Beauty gifts
• Food gifts
• Gifts for entrepreneurs
• Host and hostess gifts

You can also research publications that have historically published these guides and identify the writers covering your category.

4. Turn Your Research Into a Stronger Media Pitch

Once you've done the research, use AI to help organize your pitch around Gloria's CPR Method: Credibility, Point of View, and Relevance.

A good PR pitch should quickly answer:

Why you?
What makes your brand, product, founder, or expertise credible?

Why this story?
What's the interesting point of view, insight, product angle, or story?

Why now?
Why is this relevant to the journalist and their audience today?

Perplexity can help with the research. ChatGPT can help you organize that research into concise pitch copy.

But the final pitch should still sound human, specific, and relevant to the journalist receiving it.

5. Monitor Trends Before Everyone Else Pitches Them

PR works best when you're early.

Use Perplexity to keep track of emerging conversations in your industry and identify potential media angles before they become saturated.

Look at:

• Consumer behavior
• Seasonal trends
• New research
• Cultural conversations
• Industry changes
• Product trends
• Search behavior
• Questions customers are asking

Then ask yourself:

What can my brand credibly add to this conversation?

That's where an ordinary product pitch can become a timely story idea.

Perplexity vs. ChatGPT for PR: Which Should You Use?

Gloria's preferred workflow is simple:

Use Perplexity for research.
Use it to investigate trends, competitors, media coverage, gift guides, publications, and timely angles.

Use ChatGPT for writing and refinement.
Once you have the research, use ChatGPT to help organize your ideas, strengthen your angle, and turn your research into a concise pitch.

You don't have to choose one.

Used together, AI tools can dramatically reduce the manual research and writing involved in DIY PR while still keeping the strategy and relationship-building human.

Why PR Matters for AI Search Visibility

The way consumers discover brands is changing.

People aren't only searching Google anymore. They're asking ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and other AI tools questions like:

“What's the best skincare brand for sensitive skin?”

“What are good gifts for someone who loves to travel?”

“What's the best non-toxic cookware for a new apartment?”

“Which small businesses make unique Mother's Day gifts?”

That means small businesses need to think beyond traditional SEO.

Media coverage can help build the online authority, credibility, brand mentions, links, and third-party validation that strengthen your overall digital presence.

The opportunity isn't just:

Get featured → get publicity.

It's increasingly:

Get featured → build authority → become easier for both people and AI-powered search tools to discover and understand.

How Do You Get Your Small Business Featured in the Media?

You don't need to start by hiring an expensive PR agency.

Start with three things:

✅ Relevance — Pitch something the journalist's audience actually cares about.

✅ Consistency — PR works when you continue pitching instead of sending one email and giving up.

✅ Strategy — Research the journalist, publication, timing, and angle before you hit send.

AI can make the research faster.

But relevance, relationships, and a strong story are still what make PR work.

Ready to Get Featured?

If you want to learn how to use PR and AI visibility strategies to get your business discovered, start here:

Get the AI Visibility + PR Training:
https://gloriachoupr.com/masterclass

Get Found on AI Search + Learn About the Get Featured Accelerator:
https://www.getfeaturedaccelerator.com/

Join the Small Biz PR Pros Facebook Group:
http://www.getfeaturednow.com/

Want our pitching freebie?
DM “PITCH” to Gloria on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/gloriachoupr

Connect with Gloria Chou on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gloriaychou

Join Gloria Chou's PR Community:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/428633254951941

Listen + Follow the Small Business PR Podcast

Listen on your favorite podcast platform:
http://pod.link/smallbusinesspr

Follow the Small Business PR Podcast on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/small-business-pr/id1588143586

Send us Fan Mail

Want to get your product featured in holiday gift guides, shopping roundups, and major publications — but aren't sure whether you need affiliate links, free samples, or an existing relationship with an editor?

In this episode of the Small Business PR Podcast, I sit down with shopping editor Neha Tandon, who has written for publications including People, InStyle, Travel + Leisure, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Forbes, Brides, and more, to break down what shopping editors actually look for when deciding which products to feature.

We talk about how small product-based businesses can pitch shopping and commerce editors, get considered for gift guides, and make their products easier for journalists to recommend.

You'll learn:

• How to pitch your product for holiday gift guides and shopping roundups
• Whether affiliate programs and affiliate links matter for getting press
• When journalists actually need product samples — and when you should offer them
• Why you should pitch shopping/commerce editors and writers, not just editors-in-chief
• What makes a product and pitch stand out to a shopping editor
• Why your website and product photography can matter more than your Instagram following
• What information to include in a product PR pitch, including pricing, retailers, availability + product links
• When to start pitching holiday gift guides — and why it's not necessarily too late even in December
• How often to follow up and when to pitch a completely new angle
• How to research existing gift guides and use them to find opportunities for your product
• How small brands actually get discovered by shopping editors

Neha also explains why you don't need a huge social media following to get featured and why shopping editors often discover small businesses simply because those brands proactively pitch them.

If you're a product-based small business, e-commerce founder, consumer brand, or female founder trying to earn media coverage without hiring a PR agency, this episode gives you an inside look at how product PR and gift guide pitching actually work.

Topics: holiday gift guide PR, product PR, shopping editors, commerce editors, affiliate marketing, product samples, earned media, small business PR, e-commerce PR, holiday PR, product pitching, media pitching

Remember, successful pitching is all about relevance, a unique angle, and a touch of that genuine connection. Whether you’re offering a thoughtfully crafted product or reaching out to editors who share your story, there are always ways to make an impact!

Product Businesses! Download my free HOW TO GET INTO A GIFT GUIDE/PRODUCT ROUND UP roadmap for free HERE to get more sales and traffic to your site this season.

If you want to land your first feature for free without any connections, I want to invite you to watch my PR Secrets Masterclass, where I reveal the exact methods thousands of bootstrapping small businesses use to hack their own PR and go from unknown to being a credible and sought-after industry expert. Register now at www.gloriachoupr.com/masterclass.   

• Watch the #1 PR Secrets Masterclass to get you featured for free in 30 days
• Join the Small Biz PR Facebook Group to get the best PR Tips
• Download the 10 ways to get free PR for your small business
• DM the word “PITCH” to us on Instagram to get a pitching freebie https://www.instagram.com/gloriachoupr 
• Connect with Gloria Chou on LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/gloriaychou 
• Join Gloria Chou's PR Community- https://www.facebook.com/groups/428633254951941
• Visit Neha Tandon’s social media page: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ohheyitsneh/

Send us Fan Mail

SEO Isn’t Enough: How to Get Your Small Business Found + Recommended by AI

Your next customer may not find you on Instagram or even traditional Google search. They may ask ChatGPT or another AI tool what to buy—and your brand needs to show up in that answer.

In this episode, I break down SEO, AEO (Answer Engine Optimization), GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) + EEAT in simple terms and share what small product-based businesses can do NOW to become easier for Google and AI to find, understand + recommend.

You’ll learn:

✨ Why AI search is changing how customers discover products
✨ The difference between SEO, AEO + GEO
✨ How to make your product pages easier for AI to understand
✨ Why FAQs can help your products appear in answers
✨ How to use clear product descriptions instead of vague marketing language
✨ Why reviews, press features + a press page build trust with AI
✨ How to optimize your product images for search
✨ Why consistent PR mentions—even from smaller publications, blogs + podcasts—matter for AI visibility

You don’t need to overhaul your entire website or become an SEO expert. Start with your best-selling product, make it clear what it is, who it’s for + why it’s different, and build the trust signals AI is looking for.

Because the brands building authority now have an opportunity to become the brands AI recommends later.

Resources Mentioned:

Join Gloria Chou’s PR Community: Small Biz Pros by Gloria Chou
https://www.facebook.com/groups/428633254951941

Ready to get your small business more visible, credible, and discovered? Watch my FREE PR Secrets Masterclass to learn how to start getting featured without hiring an expensive PR agency:
www.gloriachoupr.com/masterclass

Additional Resources:

Connect with me on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/gloriachoupr/

Send us Fan Mail

What actually happens after you send a journalist a pitch? And what does it take to become the kind of source they come back to again and again?

 With 23+ years of experience as a TV correspondent and journalist, Amy takes us behind the scenes of what journalists are really thinking when your pitch lands in their inbox and what small business owners need to know to stand out.

We’re talking about everything from why journalists don't respond (and what might actually be happening behind the scenes) to the very different timelines for TV, digital, and print media.

Amy also shares timely advice for holiday gift guide pitching, how to become a reliable source journalists trust, and what actually happens after you get booked for a feature.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What’s happening behind the scenes when a journalist doesn’t respond to your pitch
• How to become a reliable, go-to source for journalists
• The pitching timelines and deadlines you need to know for TV vs. digital and print
• Holiday gift guide pitching tips
• What happens after a journalist says YES and books you for a feature
• How to better prepare yourself and your brand for bigger media opportunities

If getting featured on TV, in gift guides, and in major media feels mysterious, this conversation gives you a rare look at the process directly from the journalist’s side of the inbox.

Resources Mentioned:

Join Gloria Chou’s PR Community: Small Biz Pros by Gloria Chou
https://www.facebook.com/groups/428633254951941

Ready to get your small business more visible, credible, and discovered? Watch my FREE PR Secrets Masterclass to learn how to start getting featured without hiring an expensive PR agency:
www.gloriachoupr.com/masterclass

Additional Resources:

Connect with me on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/gloriachoupr/

Send us Fan Mail

What actually makes a journalist choose your product for TV — and what makes them immediately pass?

In this episode, I’m joined by Amy Goodman, a veteran TV journalist with 20+ years of media experience who currently contributes to TODAY.

Amy pulls back the curtain on how products get discovered and selected for major TV segments, what journalists are actually looking for in a pitch, and what small business owners can do to stand out — even if they don’t have a publicist or a huge brand behind them.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

✨ What makes a product stand out to a TV journalist
✨ What journalists actually want to see in your pitch
✨ The pitching mistakes that can lead to an immediate “no”
✨ What makes a founder or brand someone journalists want to work with
✨ How to make your small business more compelling to major media
✨ What separates a good product pitch from one that gets ignored

If you’ve ever dreamed of seeing your product featured on TODAY or primetime TV, this episode gives you a behind-the-scenes look at what it actually takes to get noticed — straight from a journalist who does this every day.

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💜 Ready to stop guessing and start getting featured? Join the Get Featured Accelerator — my step-by-step PR program that gives you the tools, media opportunities, journalist access, and support to pitch yourself and get your business seen: https://www.getfeaturedaccelerator.com/

🎥 Watch the #1 PR Secrets Masterclass: https://www.gloriachoupr.com/masterclass

📣 Join Gloria Chou’s Small Biz PR Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/428633254951941

📲 Follow Gloria on Instagram for PR tips, media opportunities + behind-the-scenes: https://www.instagram.com/gloriachoupr/

Send us Fan Mail

Want to get your product featured in a holiday gift guide, shopping roundup, or product recommendation article?

In this episode, Gloria Chou sits down with shopping editor and journalist Emily Cieslak to break down what actually makes a product pitch stand out — and what causes journalists to immediately pass.

Emily shares the journalist’s perspective on pitching products for shopping guides, including how to prepare before you pitch, what editors are really looking for, the mistakes small business founders make most often, and how to build genuine relationships with journalists before and after hitting send.

If you’re a product founder preparing for holiday gift guide season — or you want more earned media coverage for your brand throughout the year — this episode will help you understand how shopping editors think and how to make your pitches easier to say yes to.

Topics We Discuss in This Episode:

•  How to pitch your product for gift guides and shopping guides
•  What shopping editors actually look for in product pitches 
•  How to prepare your brand before reaching out to journalists 
•  What separates a strong product pitch from one that gets ignored 
•  Common pitching mistakes product founders make 
•  How to build relationships with journalists without being pushy 
•  What to do before and after sending your pitch 
•  How small businesses can increase their chances of earning media coverage 

Ready to Get Featured?

Want to stop guessing which journalists to pitch and start getting your products in front of the right media opportunities?

Join Gloria inside the Get Featured Accelerator, where product founders get access to current PR opportunities, AI-powered pitching tools, journalist insights, and the support to turn media visibility into an ongoing system for their business.

👉 Learn more about the Get Featured Accelerator:
https://www.getfeaturedaccelerator.com/

Free Resources

🎁 Get current PR opportunities + learn how to pitch your product:
gloriachoupr.com/masterclass

💜 Join Gloria’s Small Business PR Community:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/428633254951941

📲 Follow Gloria on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/gloriachoupr/

Send us Fan Mail

Want to get your product featured in holiday gift guides, product roundups, and online magazines — without paying for ads or hiring a PR agency?

In this episode of the Small Business PR Podcast, PR expert Gloria Chou breaks down how small businesses and product-based founders can pitch journalists and get their products considered for gift guides and shopping roundups. You'll learn when to start pitching for Q4 and the holidays, how to choose the right product and seasonal angle, and why your pitch should focus on relevance rather than sounding like a product catalog. 

Gloria also explains the difference between pitching print and digital publications, why September is an important time to prepare your holiday PR strategy, and why opportunities can continue into October, November, and even December for last-minute gift guides. 

In this episode, you'll learn:

•  How to get your product featured in gift guides and product roundups 
•  When to pitch holiday gift guides and Q4 media 
•  How to create a timely, seasonal product angle 
•  Whether you need to send journalists free product samples 
•  How to use product photos, videos, and demos in your PR outreach 
•  How to research the right journalists before pitching 
•  Why digital media features can help generate backlinks, website traffic, and search visibility  

Whether you sell on Shopify, Etsy, Amazon, or your own ecommerce website, this episode will help you build a smarter holiday PR strategy and confidently pitch your products to journalists, editors, and shopping writers.

Want to get your products featured in holiday gift guides + discovered by more shoppers and AI?

Join my FREE Live Holiday Gift Guide Masterclass on September 14, 15, or 16. I’ll show you how to get your products in front of magazine editors, into holiday gift guides, and discovered by more shoppers + AI — without posting every day or pouring more money into ads.

🎁 Join the FREE live masterclass:
👉 Save your spot here

💬 Join my Small Biz PR Facebook Group for weekly PR tips, media opportunities, gift guide opportunities, and AI visibility strategies.

📩 DM “PITCH” on Instagram to get my free pitching guide:
Follow Gloria Chou PR on Instagram

🤝 Connect with me on LinkedIn:
Gloria Chou on LinkedIn

Send us Fan Mail