6 REAL Reasons Why You Need A Mobile-Optimized Website
We’ve all heard the saying, “If you build it, they will come.” But what about that other saying: “If you build it right, they&...
Most home service businesses think getting featured in major publications like Forbes, USA Today, or CBS News is impossible. Darcy Cudmore proves it’s not only possible, it’s systematic.
As founder of RepuLinks, a boutique digital PR and SEO agency, Darcy has secured over 5,000 organic backlinks for clients since launching his business. His journey from journalism graduate to successful PR entrepreneur reveals a crucial insight: the best PR opportunities aren’t the ones you create, they’re the ones you respond to.
With a journalism background that gives him unique insight into what reporters actually want, Darcy has cracked the code on “reactive PR,” using platforms where journalists actively seek expert sources for their stories. His clients have been featured in USA Today, Forbes, Entrepreneur, and CBS News, often leading to significant business growth and sales.
But Darcy’s approach isn’t about expensive PR campaigns or buying links. It’s about consistently showing up, providing genuine value, and understanding that organic coverage beats paid placement every time.
• Reactive PR beats proactive pitching by responding to journalists who are actively seeking expert sources
• Featured.com and similar platforms provide direct access to major publication opportunities for free
• Local influencers often have more engaged audiences than traditional news outlets for home service businesses
• Organic link building requires persistence but delivers better long-term results than paid alternatives
This show is sponsored by Blue Crocus Solutions, a web design and SEO agency focused on helping home service companies grow.
Darcy’s journalism background gives him a unique perspective on the PR game. While most people approach journalists as outsiders trying to get attention, Darcy understands their daily challenges and pressures.
“I think if you’re a journalist looking for an interesting story, there’s certain things that PR people can do to make themselves stand out, make their clients stand out. And I think the biggest thing is nurturing those relationships.”
This insider knowledge shaped his entire approach to PR. Instead of blasting generic pitches to hundreds of journalists, Darcy focuses on providing exactly what reporters need: credible expert sources with genuine insights and data.
His journalism education also taught him to recognize valuable stories that business owners often overlook. “Most companies will tell me a story and then pass over it, like as if it’s nothing. And I’m like, wait, that’s really valuable. A journalist could use that in a story they’re working on.”
Journalists aren’t looking for sales pitches. They’re looking for experts who can provide unique data, insights, and perspectives that make their articles more valuable to readers.
This understanding led Darcy to focus on what he calls “reactive PR,” responding to journalists who are actively seeking sources rather than cold-pitching story ideas.
“There are a lot of similarities between journalism and PR. I think it’s definitely helped me. I wouldn’t change my education even to get a formal PR education.” – Darcy Cudmore
Darcy’s secret weapon is Featured.com, a platform that connects journalists with expert sources. During our conversation, he pulled back the curtain to show exactly how it works.
“This is a platform that a lot of people are using, but in my opinion not enough. What they’ve done here is created a platform for you to run organic link building all in one site.”
The platform features opportunities from major publications like Yahoo Life, Forbes, USA Today, Fast Company, and US News. Journalists post specific questions they need answered for upcoming articles, and experts can respond directly.
Darcy’s results on Featured.com alone are impressive:
The platform offers three free pitches per month, making it accessible for any business owner willing to invest time in crafting quality responses.
“You can sign up to Featured.com with an email and you get three pitches a month for completely free. The potential is you just never know, getting backlinks, getting PR coverage on some of the biggest publications you can even imagine.” – Darcy Cudmore
Home service businesses might think PR opportunities don’t exist for them, but Darcy sees constant opportunities in this space.
“We see a lot of questions like ‘What is a home maintenance project I should be doing at the end of the summer?’ We see that literally every season from major publications.”
Seasonal Maintenance: “What home maintenance project should I look into next month?” Every home service trade can answer this from their expertise.
Home Value Improvement: “What’s one upgrade I could make to my home to improve the value?” Electricians can discuss electrical updates, plumbers can suggest bathroom renovations, HVAC companies can talk about energy efficiency.
Technology and Innovation: “What’s a technology that you’re using in your industry that you feel is underrated?” Every trade has tools, techniques, or approaches that could interest readers.
General Topics with Industry Spin: Even broad questions like “What’s your favorite family movie?” can be answered with a professional angle that includes a backlink to your business.
Darcy shared a powerful example: “USA Today was looking for an electrician. We worked with our client to answer the questions they had. We submitted it and next thing you know, you’ve been featured in USA Today.”
Another client made a $10,000 sale directly from CBS News coverage. When asked how the customer found them, they replied: “I found you on CBS News.”
The ROI is clear: Darcy charges per month for PR services and that single sale more than covered 14 months of service.
“Not only links, not only PR coverage, these things can lead to all sorts of other outcomes, including pretty big sales for some clients.” – Darcy Cudmore
While Featured.com focuses on major publications, Darcy also advocates for a strategy many businesses overlook: partnering with local influencers and bloggers.
“My first thought goes past traditional news outlets and traditional ways that people would have their eyes on it. A localized influencer or blogger has more eyeballs than probably a traditional news channel does.”
Higher Engagement: Local influencers often have more engaged audiences than traditional media outlets in the same area.
Visual Content: For home service businesses, before-and-after photos and project showcases perform better on social platforms than in traditional news.
Authentic Recommendations: Influencer content feels more like personal recommendations than advertising.
Easier Access: Local influencers are often more accessible and responsive than traditional journalists.
This approach works particularly well for visually appealing trades like landscaping, interior work, or major renovations.
“If you’ve done something cool, maybe you’re in landscaping and you have designed a great garden for somebody, a local influencer who has an active following might be a better PR strategy than you think.” – Darcy Cudmore
While reactive PR (responding to journalist requests) is Darcy’s bread and butter, he also helps clients with proactive campaigns when they have compelling stories or data to share.
The first step is recognizing that you have valuable information: “You are in this industry. You work every day. You chat with people. You have data, analytics, information that is valuable and you shouldn’t undersell that to yourself.”
Common story angles for home service businesses:
For proactive campaigns, you need to find the right journalists. Darcy recommends:
Use Tools: Platforms like One Pitch help build media lists based on keywords and topics.
Research Competitors: Use tools like Ahrefs to see what publications have covered your competitors, then target those same journalists.
Google Search: Use time filters to find recent articles on your topic, then identify and contact the authors.
Build Spreadsheets: Create comprehensive lists with journalist names, emails, publications, and recent articles they’ve written.
The key is putting in the work: “You’re gonna have to just get down and dirty and start creating a spreadsheet and just start finding articles based on keywords.”
“You cannot just sit back and think, ‘I have a great story. I’m gonna just sit back and this PR story’s gonna happen.’ No way, especially in 2025. You have to get creative.” – Darcy Cudmore
Darcy’s biggest frustration is seeing people give up on PR too quickly. “I really get discouraged when I hear organic link building is dead, organic PR is dead. It takes time, it takes effort and patience, but it’s definitely not dead.”
Immediate Expectations: They expect results from their first few pitches
Time Investment: They underestimate the consistent effort required
Lack of Strategy: They don’t have systematic approaches to finding opportunities
Perfectionism: They spend too much time crafting the “perfect” pitch instead of sending more pitches
Success in PR requires volume and consistency. Even with Darcy’s expertise and systems:
The businesses that succeed are those that treat PR as an ongoing process, not a one-time campaign.
For business owners who can’t dedicate 10-20 hours per week to PR, Darcy recommends:
“People try to do it themselves, get really discouraged, figure it’s taking away from stuff they should be doing, then they resent it, and then they just ignore it. So now they’re not doing any sort of PR pitching, and those opportunities are flying by every day.” – Darcy Cudmore
Darcy’s approach proves that consistent PR efforts create compound benefits beyond just backlinks and brand mentions.
Immediate Sales: Clients have made significant sales directly from PR coverage
Brand Authority: Being featured in major publications establishes credibility
SEO Benefits: High-authority backlinks improve search rankings
Social Proof: “As seen in” logos and mentions build trust with prospects
Industry Recognition: Regular coverage establishes you as a go-to expert
Network Effects: Journalists remember helpful sources for future stories
Content Assets: PR coverage becomes marketing material for years
Competitive Advantage: Consistent coverage makes you stand out from competitors
Each piece of coverage creates opportunities for more coverage:
The key is treating PR as a long-term investment rather than a short-term tactic.
“These are really exciting too. Clients love seeing themselves in print. It’s not just a backlink that’s worth a lot. It’s like, ‘Wow, there I am as an expert in this publication.'” – Darcy Cudmore
Based on Darcy’s proven strategies, here’s how any home service business can start building PR momentum:
The most important step is simply starting. As Darcy emphasizes, “Just keep pitching. You have to just keep at it, slog it out, build that list, find that data, write your pitches, send them, follow up, be persistent.”
“I really do believe there’s opportunities out there for everyone to secure organic coverage. Changes a lot, but there’s always opportunities out there.” – Darcy Cudmore
Want to learn more from Darcy?
Connect with Darcy Cudmore on LinkedIn where he regularly shares PR tips and strategies. Visit RepuLinks.com for more resources. Or check out his Facebook or X feed.
This Podcast is sponsored by Blue Crocus Solutions, a marketing agency offering website design, branding, AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) services for Home Service businesses.
To see more episodes of the Marketing Without Rules Podcast, visit the podcast here:
