Why Businesses Need PR More than Ever in the Digital Age with Justin Breen
Platforms have evolved — but has PR?
Industry standards for good PR are changing, says Justin Breen on Steve Sims’s podcast, The Art of Making Things Happen. As the owner and operator of BrEpic Communications, he likes to say that his goal and mission is to combine media coverage with human connections in order to tell a story that not only matters, it captures the attention and imaginations of audiences everywhere.
So if you think that PR is just “getting your name in a newspaper,” that’s very much the old-school notion of public relations. As Justin illustrates, PR today dovetails, enhances, and contributes to a business’s pre-existing content marketing efforts.
However, it has the ability to go much broader, in terms of reach and audience, and tell stories beyond just social media platforms and blogs.
Every business needs PR more than ever in the digital age because, done right, public relations can help you grow your brand, business, reputation, credibility, and visibility. But the definitions and deliverables are totally changing, as Justin shows us. And that’s a good thing.
Wait, Isn’t PR Dead?
Something about the PR industry is dying, says Justin, but it may not be what you think. So far, PR firms have operated on a business model that simply touted the horn of every client and business that came their way — good or not, ethical or not. That model is out the door, especially if Justin has any say in it.
PR used to be a way to communicate with people in order to product-push without really asking about the intentions, missions, and values of the company.
Justin, a 20-year veteran journalist, is focused on one thing and one thing only: “Nobody really cares about what you do,” he admits. “They care about who you are, and if they do care about who you are, they will care about what you do.”
His job is to pivot PR content so that it’s all about storytelling. Stories help cut through the noise out there and allow people to learn about things that are newsworthy, interesting, emotional, and driven by a larger mission.
Far from dead, the shifting media landscape right now is giving PR a much-needed revival. Media formats like podcasts are not only gaining massive traction, they’re now so well-established and trusted that they’re replacing and rubbing shoulders with big names like Forbes or The Wall Street Journal.
PR is very much alive — and, like journalism, it’s just evolving.
Why Businesses Shy Away From PR — and What They Should Do Instead
When companies think of PR, they think about going to a publicist or consulting a PR agent, and getting featured in a magazine.
But with the explosion of new types of media, PR is expanding its borders. Podcasts, for example, are just one way to accomplish two of the main goals of getting public relations to work for you: credibility and validation.
Justin points out that most of his clients that hire and invest significant amounts into a PR strategy have gotten to a certain level. They’re tired of being the “best kept secret out there” and now they’re looking for a combination of validity and credibility to get to the next level and keep their brand and business in the public eye.
Now, many businesses that do hire Justin and his team experience the same poor process over and over again:
● They’ve worked with other PR firms in the past
● They haven’t seen tangible results
● Publicists have underdelivered while keeping these businesses on a perpetual retainer for services
● PR teams send out bulk press releases that don’t really connect with audiences
● They don’t bother to build relationships — neither with their clients, nor with the outlets they’re pitching to
Instead, Justin advises building a story that actually stands out, starting with the idiosyncrasies of the company and its growth and development. This includes unique details that he is trained to tease out, such as overcoming obstacles and adversities, why the company exists, what they’re hoping to solve or improve for their customers. It can be aspirational or inspirational, but it’s always deeply human.
The second aspect to getting featured through a PR strategy, on the side of media outlets, is relevancy and current events. Media outlets are looking for stories that connect with audiences in a way that’s instant, that matters now.
Launching a company in a few weeks, expanding to a nearby state, developing a new form of technology that links to a major current development in the mediasphere are just some of the ways PR strategists execute on behalf of their clients and seize opportunities.
How Businesses Can Harness PR Strategies Today
Justin’s business, BrEpic, works with clients on both the micro and macro levels of PR execution and strategy. It’s all based on doing the exact opposite of what “regular” PR firms do.
Instead, businesses should be looking for PR firms that understand brand journalism. What Justin does is high-level journalism that includes:
● Developing a line of relevant story ideas
● Creating stories that will have cache with the mainstream media
● Marketing these stories to local, regional, and national media
● Nurturing relationships with media outlets and connecting clients with these outlets
● Monitoring successful media placements and posts, including those on social media platforms
That’s what entrepreneurs should expect from any engagement with PR — whether they choose to initially DIY or hire out. These placements will snowball and create momentum over time.
Each time a business is featured — either through specific outlets or through Justin’s own marketing for his services — they multiply their chances for other media platforms, such as podcasts, YouTube channels, and traditional media sources, to find and interview them.
Suddenly, it makes sense. PR is not just a static form of push marketing anymore. Instead, it’s fast becoming a way to build relationships and stay top-of-mind in the public sphere through a large variety of content types.
