Host and journalist Ed Garsten recently welcomed Steve Turner, co-owner and principal of St. Louis-based Solomon Turner PR and author of the influential book "PR That Works," to his podcast, "Tales from the Beat." The wide-ranging discussion delved into the evolving landscape of public relations, exploring which tactics remain effective, which have fallen by the wayside, the burgeoning role of artificial intelligence, and, crucially, how to accurately measure the tangible impact of PR efforts. The conversation underscored that while the tools and methodologies of public relations are rapidly transforming, the fundamental principles of building trust and credibility remain as vital as ever.
"Tales from the Beat," hosted by TTAC Creator Ed Garsten, is a podcast dedicated to exploring the dynamic worlds of automotive and media. Garsten, a seasoned journalist and public relations professional, brings a wealth of experience to his role, having contributed to CNN, The Associated Press, The Detroit News, and held positions within Chrysler’s PR department and Franco Public Relations. He currently serves as a senior contributor for Forbes. The "TTAC Creators Series" aims to highlight and amplify voices from across the automotive spectrum, encompassing culture, dealerships, collections, and modified builds. This particular episode featured an AI-summarized transcript, subsequently edited by a staff member, offering a concise yet comprehensive overview of Turner’s expert insights.
Redefining PR Success: Beyond Vanity Metrics
A central theme that emerged from the discussion was the industry’s historical over-reliance on metrics such as media impressions and audience numbers. Garsten recalled his own experiences in corporate public relations, where satellite media tours, despite generating impressive potential audience figures, often lacked concrete evidence of their contribution to actual sales. This phenomenon, often referred to as "vanity metrics," can create a misleading impression of success within organizations, masking a lack of tangible business impact.
Steve Turner argued that while large reach numbers might offer a sense of accomplishment to executives and boards, companies are increasingly compelled to understand the true origin of their leads and business. He highlighted the inherent tension between pursuing potentially transformative, yet riskier, campaigns and safeguarding short-term financial results. The pressure to demonstrate immediate returns can lead companies to favor incremental growth, which is often easier to justify internally than investing in campaigns or product launches that might initially depress financial performance. This strategic imperative underscores the need for PR professionals to align their objectives directly with measurable business outcomes.
The Five Pillars of Effective PR
Turner outlined a structured, five-step process for developing and executing a successful public relations campaign. This framework emphasizes a strategic, data-driven approach, moving beyond anecdotal evidence and superficial reach figures. While the specific details of each step were not elaborated upon in the summary, the core components, as inferred from the broader discussion, likely include:
- Clearly Defined Business Objectives: Understanding the overarching goals of the business and how PR can directly contribute to achieving them.
- Precise Target Audience Identification: Pinpointing the specific demographics, psychographics, and media consumption habits of the intended audience.
- Differentiated Messaging: Crafting a unique and compelling narrative that resonates with the target audience and sets the brand apart from competitors.
- Appropriate Media Channel Selection: Strategically choosing the most effective platforms and outlets to reach the target audience.
- Meaningful Measurement and Analysis: Establishing robust methods to track, evaluate, and report on the actual impact of PR efforts on business objectives.
This systematic approach contrasts sharply with less strategic, more ad-hoc methods that have characterized some aspects of the PR industry in the past.
PR’s Enduring Role: Trust, Credibility, and Long-Term Value
Turner made a crucial distinction between public relations and direct lead generation. He posited that PR’s primary function is to cultivate awareness, foster trust, and build credibility over an extended period, rather than to generate immediate sales. Media coverage, in this context, becomes a powerful endorsement, lending an independent validation to a company’s claims. Sales representatives can leverage positive media mentions, awards, and industry recognition as tangible proof of a company’s excellence, bolstering their pitches to prospective clients.
Furthermore, Turner highlighted the growing importance of "HR PR," a strategic application of public relations aimed at enhancing an organization’s reputation among potential employees. By showcasing the internal culture and employee experience through compelling narratives, even lesser-known businesses can attract stronger candidates by increasing their visibility and perceived credibility within the talent market. This aspect of PR is particularly relevant in today’s competitive job market, where employer branding plays a significant role in talent acquisition.
The Evolution of the Press Release and the Rise of Personalization
The conversation then shifted to the traditional press release and its changing role in the modern media landscape. Turner indicated that his firm has largely moved away from sending conventional press releases to journalists. Instead, the focus has shifted to crafting concise, personalized pitches. These pitches are typically built around bullet points that clearly articulate why a particular story would be of interest to the specific journalist’s audience.
This evolution necessitates a deeper level of research and understanding on the part of PR professionals. It is imperative to actively read the publications one is pitching, comprehend the specific beats of individual journalists, and ensure that the correct contact person is being approached. Sending a story about banking to a reporter who exclusively covers insurance, for instance, is an inefficient and counterproductive approach that wastes valuable time for all parties involved.
AI’s Double-Edged Sword: Enhancing Personalization or Fueling Generic Pitches?
Both Garsten and Turner expressed concerns about the increasing volume of generic, seemingly AI-generated PR pitches flooding journalists’ inboxes. Garsten described receiving emails that lacked clear news value, forcing him to decipher the intended story himself. This proliferation of formulaic content risks diminishing the impact of genuinely newsworthy announcements.
Turner acknowledged that journalists are becoming adept at recognizing these standardized AI-generated releases. His advice is to leverage technology strategically but to always retain human judgment and a commitment to personalization. PR professionals must endeavor to understand the journalist, their specific area of expertise, and their past work, rather than simply generating a generic pitch and disseminating it to a broad mailing list. The key, he suggests, is to use AI as a tool to enhance efficiency, not as a substitute for genuine human connection and strategic insight.
The Indispensable Value of Human Relationships
Despite the advancements in digital communication and the integration of AI, Turner staunchly argued that personal relationships between PR professionals and journalists remain exceptionally valuable. He recommended in-person meetings whenever possible, whether at media events, conferences, informal breakfasts, or lunches. Once a journalist develops confidence in a PR professional’s ability to consistently deliver useful stories and credible sources, subsequent pitches are far more likely to garner attention.
Turner also elaborated on using social media platforms not for immediate pitching, but for following journalists, engaging with their content, and gradually establishing a sense of familiarity. This approach builds rapport and a foundational understanding before introducing a potential story, increasing the likelihood of a positive reception.
Case Studies: Illustrating the Power of Strategy and Relationships
To illustrate his points, Turner presented two compelling examples of PR campaigns that achieved significant success due to a combination of genuinely interesting storytelling and pre-existing relationships.
The first case involved a classic car company that was marketing a vehicle previously owned by the iconic entertainer Frank Sinatra. Instead of merely promoting the sale of the car, Turner’s team developed the Sinatra connection into a captivating narrative. This approach resulted in extensive coverage from prestigious outlets such as Robb Report, demonstrating the power of framing a story with a compelling human-interest angle.
The second example highlighted a technology client during the significant CrowdStrike/Microsoft computer outage. Turner had previously cultivated a strong relationship with a former television news anchor who had since transitioned into a news director role. When the station urgently required a technology expert to comment on the outage, Turner was able to place his client on air within a remarkably short timeframe of one hour. The client ultimately appeared across multiple newscasts, accumulating approximately 17 minutes of television coverage within a single day. Turner attributed this success not only to his client’s on-camera presence and expertise but also, crucially, to the established relationship with the news director, which facilitated immediate access.
The Core Takeaway: Fundamentals Endure, Tools Evolve
The overarching message of the interview is that while the fundamental principles of public relations remain unchanged, the tools and methods employed have undergone a significant transformation. Effective PR, as articulated by Turner, hinges on a strategic five-point framework:
- Business Objective: A clear understanding of what the company aims to achieve.
- Precise Audience: A well-defined target demographic.
- Clear Message: A compelling and differentiated narrative.
- Appropriate Media: Strategic selection of communication channels.
- Measurable Results: Quantifiable outcomes tied to business objectives.
The episode strongly advocated for a shift away from mass distribution, generic press releases, and superficial metrics towards targeted storytelling, genuine news value, personalized journalist outreach, robust relationship building, and business-oriented measurement.
While AI may undoubtedly alter how public relations professionals create and disseminate information, Turner contends that it ultimately amplifies the importance of the human elements. Understanding the audience, empathizing with the journalist’s perspective, identifying a truly compelling story, and fostering genuine credibility are not rendered obsolete by technology; rather, they become even more critical in navigating the increasingly complex and noisy information ecosystem. The enduring success of public relations, therefore, lies in its ability to adapt its methodologies while staying true to its core mission of building trust and achieving tangible business outcomes.
