For many, public relations (PR) remains a mysterious and vague term used interchangeably with marketing and advertising or is misused as an abbreviation for press releases. While public relations interact with marketing and advertising and can include occasional press releases, it is a holistic approach to building a positive public image earned by the merit of who you are, what you stand for, and how it impacts the world. When done right, there is nothing more powerful than PR for raising awareness of your brand, delineating you as a thought leader, and securing a legacy that will stand the test of time.
My name is Sarah Parsons, I’m the founder of Sarah Parsons Media, a multi-award-winning independent PR firm based in Los Angeles that works with clients in the arts, entertainment, and entrepreneur spaces.
Over the past 6 years, I’ve been honored to be the publicist for change-making entrepreneurs and business owners, some of who had never done PR before. Working with clients in the real estate, coaching, fine art, fitness, health, beauty, and music industries here are the five signs that PR may be a good fit for you:
1. You Have a Unique Founder’s Story… and You’re Not Afraid to Share It:
If there is one through line in every great PR campaign, it’s that they convey great stories. When potential clients first hear this they’re quick to discredit their own experiences and expertise, comparing themselves to already established brands or thought-leaders dominating the market. However, in the last six years, I can tell you that every client I’ve worked with has had a unique story; the key was that we just needed to uncover and refine it together.
When considering whether PR is a good fit for you or your brand, it’s essential to be honest about who you are, and where you’re coming from with your audience. Equally important is evaluating whether or not you’re comfortable with being visible in that way before you start working with a publicist.
Whether you’re looking to be the face of your business or startup or to stand out as a thought leader in your industry, evaluating whether or not you’re ready to step into that space of elevated visibility, that requires transparency and responsibility, is step one.
A good way to asses this is to do what I call “story mining”. On your own, dedicate some time to examine your story, looking back at life experiences, career and personal highs and lows, accomplishments, qualifications, and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Whether or not they seem directly related they are a part of your story. Next gauge how comfortable you would be potentially sharing and owning these parts of your story. This isn’t to say they will be covered in your first interview or even at all, but in this day and age where transparency is so highly valued it’s important to begin with being transparent with yourself. Once you have this understanding of yourself you can share this with your publicist to map out unique, valuable, and interesting angles for you and your brand to stand out.
2. You Have Time to Make it a Priority:
One of the most common pitfalls I’ve seen new clients fall prey to is that they put PR on the back burner. A great publicist and client relationship is proactive, communicative, and moves quickly.
In our current world news is being delivered constantly, as a result, that means when you’re working with the press things move extremely fast. Journalists, reporters, producers, and editors rely on credible information that is available quickly. That translates into you as a source being willing and available to the press when needed.
I have witnessed and helped clients with zero PR experience or previous press coverage scale their visibility in the public eye with features and mentions in significant and trustworthy media outlets because they made being available to the press a priority.
So before you embark on a PR journey get honest about whether or not you have the time. Is it going to be you or a dedicated spokesperson on your team interacting as the expert source? Ironing out these details and dedicating that time to be available when the media comes knocking is vital.
3. You Have a Purpose:
While some are claiming the age of the influencer is on the decline one look at any of our social feeds reveals otherwise. Social media has brought democratizing to entertainment in powerful and sometimes even positive ways. Whether you’re in love with it, overwhelmed by it, or indifferent to it one thing remains true – the influencer and wannabe influencer space is oversaturated.
One thing that sets true thought leaders apart is they have a purpose and mission far bigger than fame for its own sake. Whether it be through an initiative your company supports or starts, a pledge you’ve made to your community, or the product or solution itself the mission of having a meaningful “why” that brings value to others behind your PR efforts makes all the difference in the world.
For some, this may seem obvious, but for others, it may be second to seeking the limelight PR can bring. Get honest about your “why” and share that with your potential publicist/PR team to see whether or not you’d be a good fit for one another.
4. You Have the Budget:
It may be obvious but it bears stating that if you don’t have the budget for PR then it is not a good fit for you at this time. PR is a long game, you’re not going to see success if you’re not willing or unable to devote at least 6 months to a year towards your campaign.
In today’s PR landscape, “guaranteed placements” are flooding the inboxes of thought leaders, companies, and business owners at an uncanny rate. These opportunities promise things such as being listed as one of the “Top 100 Female Business Owners” or featuring you on the cover of a niche online publication. While these may seem like shortcuts to building your public image, I strongly caution you against these “placements.”
Why? Because PR is earned, not bought and paid for. The value of PR is based upon the fact it is earned based on the merit and value of the story/angle or expertise you bring to the table. As a result, it can never be guaranteed. These types of “guaranteed opportunities” are simply advertisements in disguise. Advertising is an important part of your marketing campaign, but it is not the same nor does it take the place of PR.
5. You’ve Got the Track Record to Back it Up:
With so many things being instant in our fast-paced world it can be difficult to dedicate the time to gather the necessary expertise or build something valuable, but when it comes to crafting a stand-out PR campaign putting your 10,000 hours in really does matter.
In short, have you truly earned the title of being hailed as an industry Expert or Thought Leader? Do you have the credentials, testimonials, work history, and experience to back that up? If you’re focusing on PR for your business or company, do you have impressive and sharable numbers, data, and case studies to stand out? Be brutally honest with yourself here, that doesn’t mean get down on yourself for things you’re still working on or haven’t done yet, and don’t overestimate the value of things either – just take stock. Make a list. If you’re not there yet, that’s okay. Keep putting in the hours, the day will come when the timing is right and you’ll have the expertise and experience necessary to support you stepping into the public eye.
Having the track record, data, and experience to back up a newsworthy status is key; it helps a Thought Leader or company stand apart from the crowd, even if it’s their first time doing PR.
Public relations is a powerful way to elevate you and your brand in the public eye, but it is important to evaluate whether or not you’re ready before you dive in headfirst. Using these 5 indicators to gauge whether or not it’s the right fit for you or your brand is an excellent way to decide if PR is a “right-now” activity or an “in the future” activity.
Sarah Parsons is an award-winning publicist and the Founder of Sarah Parsons Media.
After spending several years as an executive at multiple LA-based start-ups, she founded Sarah Parsons Media in 2021 to reimagine PR from a holistic, story-based approach. Within a year of its founding, Sarah was the lead publicist and associate producer for the hybrid film ‘Night, Mother.’ The film and its media campaign received a Webby Award, 3 Anthem Awards, a W3 Award, 3 Communicator Awards, a Telly Award, and a NAMI Media Award; it screened at the official Stage32 Beach Party for the Cannes Film Festival.
A passionate advocate for the power of stories, Sarah launched the ‘Share The Spotlight’ Initiative to provide PR scholarships to highlight marginalized voices. Since its inception, the press placements have surpassed 2M views and placed new changemakers in publications such as Forbes, InStyle, TechCrunch, and more. You can learn more about Sarah at www.sarahparsonsmedia.com
