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Aiming at Forbes? Start with The Telegram.
In the race for media visibility, many startups dream of a double page in The Echoes or a passage on the France 2 JT. But before seducing Parisian newsrooms, there is a more direct, more concrete, and often much more effective way: that of the local press.
At a time when the war for attention is more ferocious than ever, local press relations remain a powerful tool but largely ignored, especially by young impact companies, small businesses or SMEs looking for recognition. And yet, this lever can make your reputation take off... starting two blocks from your offices.
According to an IFOP study for West-France, 82% of French people read at least one local media every week. Better still: these readers trust their local media more than the major national channels. Why? Because the local press talks about what concerns them directly: local initiatives, businesses nearby, the people they meet at the market.
This relationship of trust, built on proximity, is a gold mine for businesses. Be mentioned in The Voice of the North, Nice-Matin or South West, it's not just “making an article”: it's entering the mental space of a local, loyal, committed audience.
It is illusory to think that we will be able to enter The Echoes or Le Monde without proof of traction. National journalists receive hundreds of requests per week. Local journalists? A lot less. This means that they are more available, more attentive, and that they are actively looking for local initiatives to promote.
It is therefore an excellent entry point to start a PR strategy when you don't have no unlimited budget, no spectacular news.
An article in the local press is not only ephemeral visibility. It is:
At 425PPM, we saw several of our customers generate their first leads thanks to a single publication in a regional weekly. Far from being anecdotal, it is sometimes The commercial breakthrough that a startup needs to launch its development.
When we think of “press relations,” we often think of the written press. But local newsrooms also express themselves through regional radio antennas (France Bleu, RCF, community radio), television channels (France 3 regions, Local TVs), or digital formats (Actu.fr, Le Bonbon, etc.). Don't limit yourself to print. The right channel depends on your message, your audience... and your local roots.
A local journalist is not interested in your growth rate or your long-term vision on decarbonization. He wants to know: “Why does your project make sense here, now?” If your pitch does not connect with the territory, it will miss out.
Show what connects you to the street corner, to the valley, to the employment area. Talk concrete, grounded, embodied. Say that you are recruiting locally, that you work with local artisans, that your warehouse is in the neighboring ZAC. In short: give a reason to talk about yourself as a local player, not just as a “cool” startup.
Local newsrooms do not have the same rhythms as national ones. They sometimes close early, plan their editions in advance, or prefer to receive press releases at the beginning of the week. If you wait until 6 p.m. on Friday to send your news, you have already lost.
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Start by building a Regional press file. No need for 300 contacts: just aim. Find journalists who already deal with “eco”, “innovation” and “transition” topics in your department. Use tools like Infocale or explore the local newspaper archives to see who signed what.
Then, tap your storytelling on your local roots. Where are you based? What binds you to this territory? Do you have an emblematic place, a family history, a local team? Do not hesitate to make you available for interviews or site visits. This reassures and makes it easier to write an article.
Your press kit doesn't have to be a piece of graphic art. But it has to get straight to the point:
At 425PPM, we design lightweight, clear and actionable press kits for regional journalists. They allow information to be processed quickly, without the journalist having to “dissect” your pitch himself.
Each local benefit must be:
Remember to send a thank you message to the journalist: it's simple, but it strengthens the bond for future times.
The local press is not an end in itself. It is often the first stage of the rocket. Here's how you can take advantage of it to aim higher:
Share your publications on LinkedIn, in your newsletters, on your site. Display them as an email signature or in your commercial documents. It is a A guarantee of seriousness, especially for an investor or partner.
A national journalist is more likely to take you seriously if you have already been covered locally. It is proof that you exist, that you are attracting interest, that you have a concrete resonance.
At 425PPM, we help impact startups and ambitious SMEs to:
