How PR Supports Business Development Without Feeling Salesy

For a lot of us, the first reaction to being “sold something” is defensive: our guard goes up, we
begin to question the motives of the medium (person, advertisement, unsolicited offer), and our
opinion of whatever it is we’re supposed to pay attention to takes a hit. From this reaction, it’s
easy to see why many people are genuinely leery of “sales and marketing.” The feeling of being
“sold something” is often unfulfilling and can be corrosive to consumer relationships.

Avoid The Cringe
So how do businesses nurture new customers, sell new products and expand their reach
without causing that “oh no, here comes the sales pitch” cringe? The question becomes more
complicated when we remember that the stated purpose of marketing and public relations is to
change consumer behavior.

As public relations professionals, we know that a solid PR strategy – a key component of brand
development and marketing – is never “salesy” or triggering. By definition, good public relations
initiatives build credibility. And credible brands have cleared the first hurdle is successful
business development – trust.

PR: The Foundation of Business Growth
The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) defines PR as “a strategic communication
process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.”
Sounds clear enough, but does it drive business growth?

Absolutely.

Consider the following data from PwC’s 2024 Trust Survey: “61% of consumers have
recommended a company that they trust to friends or family. Consumers also spend more at
companies they trust — 46% purchased more, and 28% paid a premium. Four in 10 customers
no longer purchase from a company due to lack of trust.” And Forbes reported a few years ago
that 72% of all B2B buyers are “turned off by sales pitches.”

It’s clear that trust is crucial for healthy business development, regardless of industry or sector.
A strong PR strategy is not just about securing good press; its function is broader and more
complex.

Let’s look at how PR creates an important foundation for business development:

• Awareness and Influence Trigger Consideration – Through many different tools, PR
begins the consideration process with a brand’s audience(s). Whether through events or
media coverage, public knowledge of a brand and what it does begins to take shape. In
policy matters, PR helps spotlight issues in the public interest.
• Credibility and Trust Build Relationships – Establishing trust with an audience is not
instant – it’s a process that may take years. PR helps brands position themselves and
their executives as experts in a particular field. PR also helps honestly explain mistakes
and outline steps to regain trust. Without credibility and trust, business growth becomes
short-sighted and purely transactional rather than grounded in long-term, growing
relationships.

• Engagement Enables Growth – This long-view effort strengthens the relationship with
the public. It should be a two-way conversation that allows a brand to hear its public’s
needs and communicate its personality without a hard-hitting sales pitch. Effective
engagement (listening and talking) is an ongoing springboard to stronger business
development.

Can’t We Just Slap a Logo On It?
We’ve heard of clients that strive to engage their customers but will settle for a sponsorship logo
to boost awareness and align with trusted brands. Not our cup of tea.

We recommend a well-thought-out PR strategy aligned with the brand’s objectives. And
critically, in line with its associated revenue objectives.

Our toolbox and our approach differentiate us from the logo-slappers of the world:

• Public Relations – These are the tactics and tools most people associate with PR. Our
seasoned team takes an integrated, 360 approach to elevating brands: communications
strategy, media relations, content development, corporate communications, thought
leadership, social media, etc.

• Crisis Management/Legal PR – Maintaining credibility and reputation are essential for
business development and continued growth. Whether you find yourself at the U.S.
Supreme Court or need a plan should your site get hacked, we bring clarity, strategic
insight and a definitive plan of action.

• Integrated Marketing – A brand’s marketing efforts should work in concert, not at odds.
We offer our clients a winning strategic process to maximize their budget, efficiency and
success with full-service, integrated marketing solutions that boost brand objectives. 

• Organizational Development – Our expertise in business psychology and strategic
communication strengthens organizational development initiatives. We create efficiency
that fuels long-term growth.

Solving Communication Issues is Our Passion
At heart, we’re problem solvers. We’re not fans of the “salesy” sell; we know it’s a dead-end and
mostly turns people off. Our approach is to elevate a brand by speaking effectively to its
audiences. Credible brands are trusted and trusted brands move to the top of purchase
consideration.

Regardless of your product or service, a cohesive, strong PR strategy accelerates business
development.

We’d love to hear what your challenges are work together to exceed expectations in solving
them. Cheers!