What is PR? Your Guide to Public Relations

You’ve built a successful business or written a book that can change lives. Now, you need to build the public profile to match. This is where public relations comes in, but many people are still unclear on what is PR and the value it provides. It’s not just about getting your name in the news; it’s about strategically shaping your narrative to build unshakable credibility. PR is the engine that turns your expertise into authority, securing media features that act as powerful endorsements. This guide breaks down how to use PR to build a reputation that opens doors.

Key Takeaways

• Prioritize Reputation Over Revenue: While advertising buys you a moment, PR earns you lasting credibility. Focus on securing earned media in trusted outlets to build a reputation that provides value long after a marketing campaign ends.
• Control Your Narrative with a Hybrid Approach: Don’t wait for others to tell your story. Use a mix of traditional tools like press releases for official news and digital platforms like social media to share your expertise directly and consistently with your audience.
• Make Honesty Your Strongest Strategy: Your audience values transparency above all else. Building your brand on a foundation of authentic storytelling and ethical communication creates unshakable trust and turns passive followers into loyal advocates.

What Exactly Is Public Relations (PR)?

Let’s cut through the noise. At its core, public relations is the art and science of shaping how people see you and your brand. The Public Relations Society of America defines it as a “strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.” In simple terms, it’s about building genuine connections with the people who matter most—your audience, the media, and your community. Think of it as managing your reputation by telling your story in a way that builds trust and credibility.

Unlike advertising, where you pay for space, PR focuses on earning media coverage through compelling stories and authentic relationships. It’s the difference between buying a billboard and being featured in a Forbes article because of your expertise. As a leader, author, or entrepreneur, a strong PR strategy ensures that when people talk about you, they’re echoing the narrative you’ve carefully crafted. It’s about making sure your message is heard, understood, and respected. We work with our clients to build these strong, positive relationships that form the foundation of a powerful public image.

The Real Goal of PR

The true goal of public relations goes far beyond just getting your name in the headlines. It’s about strategically shaping public perception to build a positive, lasting reputation. The aim is to foster so much trust and credibility that you become the go-to expert in your field. When people are looking for a voice of authority, they think of you first. This isn’t about a fleeting moment of fame; it’s about creating a legacy of influence and respect. For our clients, this means securing media placements that not only highlight their work but also solidify their status as thought leaders, ultimately helping them build unshakable credibility.

How PR Shapes Your Brand’s Conversation

Effective PR puts you in the driver’s seat of your own story. It’s about proactively managing the conversation around your brand instead of reactively responding to what others say. In a world where authenticity is everything, we help you craft a genuine narrative that connects with people on a human level. This means digging deep to find the unique angles of your story and sharing them in a way that feels both real and compelling. By consistently communicating with transparency, you guide how your audience perceives you and your work. When you’re ready to tell your story and shape your own conversation, a solid PR strategy is your most powerful tool.

PR vs. Advertising vs. Marketing: What’s the Difference?

It’s easy to lump public relations, advertising, and marketing into the same bucket, but they each play a unique role in building your brand. Think of marketing as the overall strategy for promoting and selling your book or business. Advertising and PR are two of the tools you can use to execute that strategy. While they all aim to get your message out there, they go about it in fundamentally different ways and achieve different outcomes. Understanding these distinctions is the first step in creating a powerful and cohesive brand presence that connects with the right people.

Earned vs. Paid Media: The Key Distinction

The most significant difference between PR and advertising comes down to one thing: money. Advertising is paid media. You pay for a specific spot—a social media ad, a magazine placement, a TV commercial—and you have complete control over the message. Public relations, however, is all about earned media. This is the positive coverage you get from journalists, publications, and media outlets because they find your story genuinely newsworthy. You don’t pay for the placement; you persuade an audience that your message matters. This earned credibility is powerful because it comes from a trusted, independent source, making it feel more authentic to your audience than a straightforward ad.

Building Reputation vs. Driving Sales

While there’s certainly some overlap, marketing is primarily focused on driving sales and hitting financial targets. Its success is often measured in direct conversions and revenue. PR, on the other hand, plays the long game by focusing on building and protecting your reputation. The goal is to shape public perception, establish you as a thought leader, and foster a strong, positive relationship with your audience. This focus on reputation management is what builds the unshakable trust that turns one-time buyers into loyal followers and makes your brand resilient. At Leverage with Media, we focus on securing the kind of PR that builds that lasting credibility for our clients.

What Does a PR Professional Actually Do?

So, what does a public relations professional really do all day? It’s more than just sending emails to journalists and planning events. A great PR pro is a strategist, a storyteller, a crisis manager, and a trusted advisor, all rolled into one. They work behind the scenes to manage your public image, build relationships with the media, and ensure your story is told the way you want it to be told. Let’s look at two of their most critical functions.

Managing Media and Handling Crises

On any given day, a PR professional is your direct line to the media. They are busy writing compelling press releases, pitching stories to reporters, and arranging interviews and press conferences that put you in the spotlight for the right reasons. But their role becomes even more critical when unexpected challenges arise. When negative publicity or a crisis hits, your PR team is your first line of defense. They implement communication plans designed to manage the situation effectively and protect your hard-earned reputation. A solid public relations strategy includes preparing for these moments long before they happen, ensuring a calm, measured response instead of a panic-driven reaction.

Shaping Your Reputation and Internal Story

Beyond managing day-to-day media, a PR professional’s main job is to shape your long-term reputation. This isn’t about advertising; it’s about persuasion. They use earned media—credible, third-party endorsements from journalists and outlets—to tell your story authentically. They work with you to define your core narrative and then craft compelling stories that resonate with your audience. This strategic storytelling is fundamental to building a positive public image and protecting an organization’s reputation. It’s about making sure that when people talk about you or your brand, they’re echoing the message you want them to hear.

Your PR Toolkit: Essential Tactics and Tools

Think of public relations as a strategic toolkit. To build a powerful brand presence, you need the right tools for the job. Some are timeless classics that have worked for decades, while others are modern approaches designed for a digital-first world. The magic happens when you know which tool to use and when. A great PR strategy combines these tactics to create a comprehensive plan that gets your story in front of the right people, whether through a major publication or a perfectly timed social media post.

The Classics: Press Releases and Media Kits

Even with all the new ways to communicate, the fundamentals still matter. A well-crafted press release is your official announcement to the media. It’s a formal way to share something newsworthy—like a book launch, a company milestone, or a new partnership. It’s structured to give journalists everything they need to write their own story. Your media kit is just as crucial. It’s your brand’s professional portfolio, containing your bio, headshots, past press mentions, and contact information. Having a polished media kit ready makes it incredibly easy for journalists to feature you, which is why we ensure all our clients have one that shines.

Modern Plays: Social Media and Content Creation

Today, you don’t have to wait for a journalist to tell your story—you can share it directly with your audience. Social media platforms are powerful PR tools for building relationships and managing your narrative in real time. It’s your stage to share your expertise, comment on industry news, and connect with your community on a personal level. This is where strategic content creation comes in. By consistently publishing valuable articles, videos, or posts, you establish yourself as a go-to expert. It’s not just about posting; it’s about creating a library of content that proves your authority and keeps your audience engaged long-term.

Working with Influencers

Influencer collaborations are a modern form of word-of-mouth marketing, and they can be incredibly effective for building trust. This isn’t about paying for a random shoutout. It’s about forming strategic partnerships with individuals who genuinely resonate with your brand and message. When an influencer who shares your values recommends your book or your business, their endorsement feels authentic to their audience. This approach helps you reach new, highly-engaged communities that already trust the person you’re partnering with. The key is to find collaborators who align with your brand values to create a partnership that feels natural and credible.

How the Digital World Reshaped PR

Public relations used to follow a fairly predictable script: write a press release, send it to your media contacts, and hope a journalist picked up your story. While that foundation still has its place, the digital world has completely transformed the playbook. The rise of online media, social platforms, and direct-to-audience content means you no longer have to wait for a gatekeeper to share your message.

This shift puts incredible power back into your hands. As a leader, author, or expert, you can now build and engage with your community directly. It’s less about one-way broadcasting and more about creating a dynamic, two-way conversation. The most successful PR strategies today are integrated, using a mix of traditional media outreach and savvy digital tactics to build a reputation that feels both authoritative and approachable.

Why Social Media Changed the Game

Social media isn’t just another place to post your press release. It’s where your audience lives, and they expect a different kind of interaction. People are tired of being sold to; they crave connection and authenticity. This is where you can share the human story behind your brand, offering a genuine look at your values, your mission, and your expertise. A well-crafted social media presence allows you to build trust on a personal level, something a traditional media placement alone can’t always achieve. It’s about showing up consistently and authentically, creating a narrative that people want to follow and engage with. This is central to how we shape client stories to resonate in a crowded digital space.

Using Data to Tell a Better Story

The idea of “data-driven PR” might sound overly technical, but it’s actually quite simple: it’s about using information to tell better stories. Instead of guessing what will resonate with your audience, you can use data to understand what truly captures their attention. By analyzing which topics, platforms, and formats generate the most meaningful engagement, you can refine your strategy and focus your efforts where they count. This approach turns PR from an art into a science, ensuring your message not only reaches people but also makes a measurable impact. It allows you to see clear client results and make smarter decisions about how and where you share your voice, ensuring every effort contributes to your larger goals.

How to Measure PR Success

One of the biggest questions we get is, “How do I know if it’s working?” Unlike a digital ad where you can track clicks to sales, the impact of PR can feel a bit more abstract. But it doesn’t have to be. Measuring PR success has evolved far beyond simply counting how many times your name appeared in print. It’s about understanding the real-world impact on your brand’s authority, reach, and reputation.

A strategic PR plan isn’t about vanity; it’s about value. We focus on tracking the outcomes that directly contribute to your goals, whether that’s selling more books, attracting investors, or becoming the go-to expert in your field. It’s about connecting the dots between a media feature and a tangible result.

The Metrics That Actually Matter

Effective PR is a data-driven discipline, and success is measured through specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). These are the actionable metrics that show how well your message is landing. One of the foundational metrics is media impressions, which estimates how many people had the opportunity to see your coverage. But we go deeper. We also analyze your Share of Voice, which shows how much of the conversation in your industry is about you versus your peers. For a CEO or founder, seeing this number grow is a direct reflection of increasing influence. We also track concrete results like referral traffic from a media placement to your website, giving you a clear line from a feature to potential new clients or customers.

Tracking Engagement and Audience Response

Hard numbers are important, but they only tell half the story. The other half is about how your audience is actually reacting to your message. It’s essential to find ways to demonstrate the results of your efforts by tracking audience response. We monitor social media engagement after a big placement—are people sharing your article, commenting on the interview clip, and starting conversations? We also analyze audience sentiment, which tells us if the tone of that conversation is positive, neutral, or negative. This qualitative feedback is incredibly valuable. For an author, seeing a flood of positive comments after a podcast interview is a massive win. By combining these engagement insights with quantitative data, we build a full picture of your campaign’s impact.

PR Ethics: How to Build Trust the Right Way

Public relations is built on a foundation of trust. Without it, any message you send, no matter how clever, will fall flat. Ethical PR isn’t about following a stuffy rulebook; it’s about making a conscious choice to communicate with honesty and integrity. For leaders and authors like you, your reputation is your most valuable asset. To protect it, you have to commit to ethical practices that build genuine connections with your audience, the media, and the public. It’s about playing the long game, where credibility wins out over quick, flashy tactics every single time.

The Power of Being Transparent and Authentic

Your audience is smarter and more discerning than ever. They can sense when they’re being sold to, and they’re looking for something real. This is where transparency and authenticity become your greatest strengths. Instead of just pushing out polished press releases, focus on crafting authentic human narratives that connect on a deeper level. Be open about your mission, share your journey—including the challenges—and let your true voice shine through. When you’re authentic, you stop just broadcasting a message and start building a community that trusts and champions your brand because they believe in the person behind it.

Handling Conflicts of Interest with Integrity

Integrity in PR means committing to honesty and fairness in every interaction. It’s about representing your story accurately without resorting to “spin”—the practice of manipulating information to create a misleadingly favorable impression. While it might seem tempting, spin ultimately erodes trust. Professional organizations like the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) have established a code of ethics to guide professionals in upholding these standards. Handling potential conflicts of interest with transparency isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s a demonstration of your commitment to credibility. This approach ensures your reputation is built on solid ground, making it resilient and respected.

What’s Next for Public Relations?

Public relations is anything but static. The principles of building relationships and managing reputation are timeless, but the tools and tactics we use are constantly evolving. As the media landscape shifts and audience expectations change, the practice of PR adapts right along with it. Staying ahead means understanding the major forces shaping the industry’s future, from economic pressures that demand more authenticity to technological advancements that offer new ways to connect. For leaders and authors, this isn’t just about keeping up—it’s about finding new opportunities to share your story more effectively and build a brand that lasts.

Staying Relevant in Any Economy

When budgets get tight, it’s tempting to see PR as a luxury. But in reality, a strong public relations strategy becomes even more critical. Audiences are incredibly savvy; they know when they’re being sold to, and they’re looking for something more meaningful. The future of PR lies in a commitment to transparency and authenticity. It’s about moving away from the hard sell and toward building genuine connections. This is where you can truly stand out. By focusing on authentic storytelling, you build trust and loyalty that can weather any economic storm. This approach shows that you value your audience, which in turn makes them value your brand. The most successful client campaigns are built on this foundation of trust.

How AI and Automation Are Changing PR

The conversation around AI can feel overwhelming, but in public relations, it’s best to think of it as a powerful assistant. AI and automation are changing how we work, primarily by handling the heavy lifting of data analysis. These tools can sift through immense amounts of information to identify trends, track media mentions, and understand audience sentiment. This allows for a more data-driven approach to storytelling. However, technology can’t replace the most important part of PR: the human element. While AI can spot a trend, it takes a skilled professional to weave that data into a compelling human narrative that resonates with people. A modern, tailored PR strategy uses these tools not to replace connection, but to make it smarter and more impactful.

Use PR to Build Unshakeable Brand Credibility

In a world full of noise, credibility is your most valuable asset. It’s the difference between being just another voice and being the voice people listen to, trust, and follow. While marketing and advertising can get your name out there, public relations is the engine that builds deep, lasting trust. When a respected media outlet features your story or your expertise, it’s a powerful third-party endorsement. They are essentially telling their audience that you are someone worth paying attention to. This is how you build a reputation that isn’t just seen but is also respected.

For founders, authors, and public figures, this credibility is everything. It’s what sells your book, attracts investors, and inspires your team. It’s the foundation upon which a powerful personal brand is built. A single feature in a major publication can do more for your reputation than a dozen ads because it comes with built-in authority. This earned trust is what separates fleeting attention from a long-term legacy. At Leverage with Media, we’ve seen firsthand how strategic PR can transform a client’s career. By securing placements in outlets that matter to their audience, we help them build the kind of authority that opens doors and creates new opportunities. Our client results show how this process works in the real world, creating a ripple effect of success.

Establish Yourself as a Thought Leader

Becoming a thought leader means being the person people turn to for insight and direction in your industry. It’s not about having all the answers, but about asking the right questions and sharing a unique perspective that helps others. PR is the most effective way to claim this role. By placing you in articles, interviews, and podcasts, PR professionals position your ideas in front of a wider audience.

The key is to do this with integrity. Audiences are smart; they know when they’re being sold to. True thought leadership comes from an authentic approach centered on genuine expertise and a desire to add value to the conversation. When you consistently share your knowledge without a hard sell, you build a following that trusts your voice and values your contributions.

Increase Your Visibility and Connect with Your Audience

Getting seen is one thing; getting felt is another. Effective PR doesn’t just increase your visibility—it helps you forge a genuine connection with your audience. The media landscape is more diverse than ever, offering countless ways to share your story. Beyond a traditional press release, modern PR involves crafting authentic human narratives that resonate on a personal level.

This is where data can make your story even more compelling. Using data-driven storytelling means backing up your personal experiences and insights with facts and evidence, making your message more powerful and harder to ignore. By sharing your journey, your challenges, and your vision across different platforms, you invite people into your world. This is how you turn passive listeners into an engaged community. If you’re ready to share your story, you can book a call with our team to get started.

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Frequently Asked Questions

I’m a busy founder. Can’t I just handle my own PR? I completely get the impulse to want to do it all yourself. While you are absolutely the best expert on your own story, effective PR requires more than just expertise—it demands strategy, established media relationships, and a significant time commitment. A professional publicist brings an outside perspective to find the most compelling angles of your story and has the dedicated focus to pitch, follow up, and build connections with journalists. It’s a full-time job to manage this process correctly, allowing you to stay focused on running your business.

How long does it take to see real results from a PR campaign? Public relations is a marathon, not a sprint. While you might see some initial media mentions within the first few months, the true goal is to build a lasting reputation, and that doesn’t happen overnight. Think of it like building momentum. The first few placements build a foundation, and consistent effort over six months to a year is what solidifies your status as a go-to expert. The most meaningful results, like becoming a recognized thought leader, come from a sustained, long-term commitment.

Is PR only useful for big announcements, or is it an ongoing thing? It’s both. Using PR for a big announcement, like a book launch or company milestone, is essential for generating a spike in attention. However, the most powerful PR strategies are ongoing. Continuous reputation management is what builds the foundation of trust that makes your big announcements even more impactful. It’s about staying relevant, shaping your narrative, and building relationships with your audience and the media in between those major moments.

My brand is already doing well. Why should I invest in PR now? That’s a great position to be in, and it’s actually the perfect time to invest in PR. Think of it as both an offensive and defensive strategy. Offensively, it helps you move from being simply successful to becoming an influential leader in your industry, opening doors to new partnerships and opportunities. Defensively, it protects the reputation you’ve worked so hard to build. Having a strong, positive public image and established media relationships provides a buffer if a crisis ever arises.

What makes a story ‘newsworthy’ enough for a journalist to actually care? Journalists are looking for stories that will be interesting and valuable to their specific audience. A story becomes newsworthy when it connects to something bigger than just you or your company. This could mean tying your expertise to a current trend, offering a unique solution to a common problem, or sharing a compelling human-interest angle. It’s less about announcing what you’re doing and more about explaining why it matters to a wider audience.