Stop losing money: Why PR trumps Advertising... every time
As we head into a new year, most marketers are reviewing their strategies. The big question: will you repeat what you’ve always done or rethink how your promotional budget is spent to deliver real ROI?
I spent 11 years selling advertising for national media outlets, including the Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror. Advertising is a great brand builder for prospective customers, and a reminder to lapsed ones of what they’re missing out on. It can be a highly effective method of raising awareness of an issue, and it is wonderfully positioned to serve as a rallying call for support.
But it is not as impactful as PR, and the data supports this.
Research shows that PR generates nine times more ROI than advertising (Nielsen). Yet UK businesses spend a staggering £36 billion on advertising and just £4-5 billion on PR. Why?
‘That’s what we’ve always done – it feels safer and risk adverse.’
The answer appears to be one of ‘habit.’ Advertising feels easy – clicks, conversions, instant data. But that convenience comes at a cost: you’re paying for attention in the here and now, not earning trust and loyalty over the mid to long-term.
PR builds credibility, authority, and influence – the things that truly drive growth. When your brand is featured in respected media, it doesn’t just raise awareness; it tips the balance in your favour during buying decisions. Prospects say, “I saw you mentioned in…” – and that seals the deal.
This is what happened with me this week. I was speaking with a prospect about how we successfully secured media coverage for clients on a consistent basis and I mentioned that we do the same for ourselves too.
So, when I stated that in the last month alone we have been featured on LBC, Director (IoD magazine), and MailOnline (the world’s biggest news website), the prospect was impressed. This gave us a clear advantage over the other PR agencies that we’re in contention with.
Short-term gain vs. long-term sustained reputational and bottom line growth
Unlike ads, PR isn’t transactional. It’s transformational. It amplifies your marketing, strengthens your reputation, and positions your leaders as trusted voices.
For me, I want to be known as a reputation management and personal branding specialist and these are the two areas that I am quoted the most in the various media outlets that I feature in (see further examples of media coverage we have generated for ourselves).
The impact?
- Brand authority that attracts customers and investors.
- Personal brand visibility that opens doors for partnerships and speaking gigs.
- Sales consolidation – turning prospects into loyal clients.
And yes, PR is measurable: media mentions, audience reach, traffic, inbound leads, and revenue growth. It’s not just about coverage – it’s about conversion.
If your priorities are lead generation, retention, and brand awareness, advertising alone won’t cut it. PR delivers all three – and supercharges your bottom line.
The question isn’t whether you can afford PR. It’s whether you can afford to ignore it any longer.
If you want to talk through your options, I’m happy to diarise a 30-minute free PR consultation on Teams. Email me at paul@clearlypr.co.uk or call me on 07453 755 057.
