After 20+ years in PR, brand building and marketing, there’s one conversation I still find myself having far too often.

“Can PR guarantee sales?”
“How many leads will this press coverage bring?”
“We can run ads instead. Isn’t that the same?”

My answer has always been the same: No, because PR and advertising are built to do different jobs.

Advertising is rented attention. The moment you stop paying, the visibility stops.

PR is earned attention. It builds credibility, trust, and authority - assets that continue to work for your brand long after a campaign is over.

If your goal is immediate conversions, launch offers, or short-term traction, invest in advertising. That’s exactly what it’s meant to do. But if you want your brand to be recognised, your founder to become a trusted voice, and your business to earn the confidence of customers, investors, partners, and the media, that’s where strategic PR creates lasting value.

The biggest mistake I see brands make is expecting PR to deliver the same metrics as advertising.

It won’t.

And it shouldn’t.

The best growth strategies don’t pit PR against advertising. They make both work together - advertising creates reach, while PR builds reputation.

One drives attention.
The other builds trust.

And in the long run, trust is what people buy into.

#PublicRelations #BrandBuilding #ReputationManagement #MarketingStrategy #Communications… more