You’ve probably heard someone say, “We need PR,” or “Let’s get some press.”
But press coverage alone doesn’t define public relations or why it’s essential to your business.
Clients used to love to ask me, “Can you get me on Oprah?” Many were serious.
That’s why May 25, 2011 is sort of an unspoken PR holiday. That’s the last day the Oprah Winfrey Show aired.
Press relations is just one piece of public relations. There’s also employee relations, customer relations, investor relations, reputation management, crisis communications, awards submissions, speaking engagements, and more.
Most people, including some business owners and executives, don’t really understand PR’s role. They lump it in with marketing or confuse it with advertising.
So, let’s see if we can set the record straight.
What Public Relations Actually Does
At its core, public relations performs two main functions:
- Creates awareness
- Builds relationships
On a very high level, that’s it. Everything else is a tactic that supports one (or both) of those goals.
Think of PR as the effort to influence how people perceive your company — before they ever speak with a salesperson or visit your website. If marketing and advertising are what you say about yourself, PR is what others say about you.
That distinction matters.
Awareness Comes First
Let’s face it: nobody will buy from you if they don’t know you exist.
That’s why awareness is step one in any buying journey. PR plays a key role here by getting your company into the media ecosystem — TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, online news websites, podcasts, blogs, and more. When you’re mentioned in these channels, you benefit from earned media. This is coverage that isn’t paid for but earned through a good story, smart positioning or timely news.
And that’s powerful. Why?
It’s free editorial content.
It acts as a third-party endorsement. In other words, someone else (a journalist, podcaster, blogger) finds your story valuable enough to share.
But again, press relations is just a piece of what PR does. Speaking/presenting at events like trade shows, conferences, or seminars helps brand you as a subject matter expert.
Winning awards validates you have a quality product or service.
All of these make your marketing and advertising more effective. PR doesn’t replace those efforts — it amplifies them.
For example, let’s say someone receives an email promo from your company and vaguely remembers, “Hey, didn’t I see something about these guys on BuzzFeed or in TechCrunch?” Or, “Weren’t they the keynote speaker at that trade show in Las Vegas?” That familiarity lowers the barrier to entry. They may click the link. Download the eBook. Book a demo. All because they’ve heard of you before.
In other words, you were previously made aware they existed.
How to Leverage Media Stories (a.k.a. Get More Mileage Out of It)
One of PR’s biggest hidden strengths is that it feeds your other marketing channels. Once you’ve secured a podcast interview, contributed article (an article you write for the news outlet), or press story, you can repurpose it in a dozen ways:
- Post it on your website (especially under a “News” or “Press” section)
- Share it on social media
- Email it to sales prospects
- Include it in your company newsletter
- Use it in your tradeshow booth (reprints, video clips, QR codes)
This is where PR becomes a force multiplier. It’s not just about the one article or segment — it’s about all the things you can do with that coverage afterward.
PR Also Protects Your Brand
Beyond visibility, PR also serves a protective function:
- Reputation Management: PR helps ensure your brand consistently communicates high ethical standards and professional integrity.
- Crisis Communications: When things go wrong — and they will — a crisis communications plan ensures you respond quickly, clearly and consistently.
- Message Consistency: PR works with marketing and leadership to make sure everyone is speaking with “one voice.”
Bottom Line
If you think PR is just “getting in the news,” think again. It’s one of the most cost-effective, credibility-boosting tools available to any business. It builds relationships. It shapes perception. And it creates the awareness that can move people from “never heard of you” to “ready to buy.”
If your company doesn’t have PR, it doesn’t just have a visibility problem — it may also have a credibility problem.
The 3 Big Takeaways
- PR’s two main functions are to create awareness and build relationships.
- PR is more, much more, than just a press release.
- May 25, 2011 is an unofficial national PR holiday.
Now you know what PR is. So, what are you doing to get your story told?
Did your opinion or understanding of PR change after reading this? Do share!
Stay authentic — and remember what PR can and can’t do for your organization.
Jeffery E. Pizzino, APR (seen here in a vintage photo circa 1983 serendipitously doing a Clash impersonation in a since-forgotten location) is a spin-free public relations pro who is passionate about telling the why of your story with clarity, impact and authenticity. He began his PR career in 1987 at Ketchum Public Relations in New York City but has spent the majority of his career as a solopreneur. He’s the Chief Authentic Officer of the Johnson City, TN-based public relations firm, AuthenticityPR. He also functions as the fractional CCO for technology startup Converus.
Jeff has an MBA in Management from Western International University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications — with an emphasis in PR — from Brigham Young University (rise and shout!). He’s a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but also holds an Italian citizenship. Jeff and his storyteller wife Leticia have four children and four grandchildren. In his extremely limited nonwork hours, he studies italiano, practices guitar, write songs, gardens, disc golfs, reads, listens to New Wave music, serves in his church, watches BYU football, and plays Dominion and Seven Wonders. Email Jeff.
