Making the Business Case for Strategic Communications

For more than 30 years—working with global agencies and now as a co-founder of 983 Group—I’ve seen that no two companies hire a PR agency for the same reason. While the big picture remains the same, the nuances behind each decision are worth exploring to understand the real business case for PR.

What Are the Benefits of Hiring a PR Firm?

Many organizations assume they can handle PR in-house or don’t realize what they’re missing until they hit a wall. Before diving into PR, companies should align on their overarching business goals. That might mean accelerating sales within a specific customer profile, breaking into untapped investor networks, attracting high-caliber talent, or positioning for strategic partnerships. Defining these goals over a 12-18 month horizon ensures PR strategies are designed to amplify the right outcomes.

At 983 Group, our secret sauce is the combination of authentic storytelling and strategic PR execution. Here are several core advantages that a strategic PR partner brings to your organization.

Demystifying PR: It All Starts with Storytelling

We often hear the term “storyteller” thrown around on LinkedIn profiles. In PR, it’s not a metaphor, it’s the job. Great PR starts with listening: understanding how a company changes lives, moves markets, or reshapes industries.

Does a health tech company improve the quality of someone’s life?
Has a technology platform helped a customer transform their business outcomes?
Is a professional services firm guiding clients through meaningful change?

These are the stories that matter. Not because they promote a brand, but because they connect on a human level. Our role as PR professionals is to surface these moments, shape them into narratives that resonate, and share them with the audiences that matter most—customers, investors, partners, and the media.

Driving Brand Awareness That Supports Sales

PR is a long game. Done well, it builds meaningful visibility, equips buyers with third-party validation, and ultimately shortens the sales cycle through earned credibility.

That credibility doesn’t come from product specs or messaging alone. It comes from real stories of impact. Stories that reflect how your innovation changed a patient’s outcome or helped a business unlock growth.

Customers and users don’t want to talk about features; they want to share how a solution helped them overcome challenges, seize opportunity, or make meaningful change.

That’s where PR shines: transforming raw, human experiences into strategic marketing assets.

Fueling Investor Confidence and Talent Acquisition

Investors and top talent are looking for momentum and validation. Strategic PR creates third-party proof points that demonstrate:

Market traction
Mission alignment
Employer value

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Equally important is having the resources of both time and budget to commit to a sustained PR effort. Effective PR is not a faucet that can be turned on and off. It requires a minimum of six months to establish momentum, build credibility, and generate meaningful outcomes.

Triggers That Drive Companies to Hire PR Firms

Product launches

Funding announcements
Regulatory approvals or milestones
New strategic partnerships
Entering a new market
Talent acquisition
Rebranding or messaging refresh

What PR is NOT: You Don’t Control the Outcome

One of the biggest misconceptions about PR is the belief that you can control the final outcome of media coverage. In reality, you don’t get to review the article before it’s published, and the journalist, not your company, owns the story.

That’s not a flaw in the process. It’s the nature of earned media.

Reporters seek balance, gather multiple perspectives, and write through their own editorial lens. They may interview competitors or take the story in unexpected directions. An article that is 80% on-message a win —because it means your core narrative broke through.

Ultimately, PR isn’t about control—it’s about strategic preparation.

Why Founders and Executives Need Media Prep

Reporters aren’t looking for sales pitches. They want insight. Sharp POVs. Industry context. That’s why founders, executives, and subject matter experts must do more than represent their company—they need to show up as credible, thoughtful voices in the market.

Media training helps spokespeople:

Move beyond product messaging
Speak confidently about market dynamics
Position themselves as thought leaders, not just company representatives

Executives are often experts, but without prep, their message can feel scripted or self-promotional. Since PR isn’t advertising, conversations must be unscripted, timely, and insightful.

Credible, well-prepped leaders don’t chase the media - they attract it.

The Power of Independence: Why External PR Teams Add Value

When 983 Group engages with a customer, patient, or user, we’re not simply gathering testimonials—we’re acting as independent storytellers, not brand ambassadors.

Like skilled moderators, we bring a degree of separation from the brand that builds trust. People open up when they know we’re focused on their journey.

This independence allows us to:

Surface authentic, emotionally resonant narratives
Capture credible, unscripted points of view
Create content that feels real—because it is

And while our clients benefit from the insight, the end audience is broader: reporters, prospects, and industry stakeholders. We listen to craft stories that spark media interest, support brand credibility, and fuel downstream marketing efforts—from email and social to earned and paid campaigns.

Bandwidth Matters: Do You Have Time to Do PR Right?

Many of our client partners simply don’t have the internal bandwidth, or the specialized skill sets, to manage the full process of engaging individuals and turning those trusted relationships into meaningful marketing assets. That’s where agencies like 983 Group bridge the gap.

Turning a strong story into earned media takes research, positioning, and coordination. None of which happen overnight. Choosing a seasoned PR partner is essential, especially when internal marketing resources are limited. An experienced agency knows how to navigate media landscapes, craft narratives that align with business priorities, and operate effectively even without a direct marketing team in place.

What Does Successful PR Look Like?

When PR is working, you’ll see:

Media coverage that drives awareness and credibility
Social proof that complements your sales efforts
Strategic content that educates your market
A growing presence in conversations that matter
Smart, well-crafted stories that reflect your unique position and its value

PR isn’t about replacing sales or marketing—it’s about amplifying their efforts with credible, third-party validation. PR functions as part of the surround side of marketing and it's hard to isolate a single item to evaluate the straight line to a sale or ROI. It's more about knowing what is working in tandem with your efforts to tell the right stories about your brand.

Most companies can craft strong internal content. But audiences are savvy. They can spot the difference between controlled messaging and authentic credibility. PR brings in the outside voices marketing alone can’t manufacture.

Who values the impact of a PR agency?

Prospects want stories that prove your product solves real problems.

Investors want signs that momentum and messaging align.

Employees want to know their work matters and see the mission reflected in public narratives.

Effective PR reinforces trust, inspires belief, and strengthens the ecosystem around your brand.

PR as a Strategic Growth Lever

Still asking, “Do I need a PR firm?” Ask yourself:

Are we telling the right stories to the right audience?
Do we have the bandwidth and expertise to build media-ready assets?
Are we missing out on moments to define our space?

If the answer is “maybe” or “no,” it’s time to explore how a strategic PR partner can elevate your brand, your visibility, and your growth.
Curious if your company is ready for PR? Let’s talk.

Is It Time to Hire a PR Firm?