The Conversation That Changes Everything I've seen what happens when boards shift their understanding of communications, when they stop treating it as a subset of marketing or a sales enablement tool and start recognising it for what it actually is. The change is significant and immediate. Suddenly, strategic decisions are made with reputational intelligence in the room, not retrofitted with messaging afterwards. Marketing campaigns land in environments that have been properly prepared for them. Sales teams operate within organisations that stakeholders already trust - and trust, as any experienced commercial leader will tell you, is the single most powerful conversion tool in existence. When communications is properly understood at board level, it doesn't compete with marketing and sales. It multiplies them. It builds and protects the credibility that makes every marketing message more believable and every sales conversation easier to have.

A crisis doesn't announce itself. One minute everything's fine, the next, your phone's ringing off the hook, social media's already running with a story, and someone's asking you for a statement in the next 20 minutes. I've been in that room. And what separates the organisations that come out the other side with their reputation intact from those that don't, usually has very little to do with the crisis itself, and everything to do with what they had in place before it hit.

The Number PR Has Been Waiting For! If you work in PR or communications, here's a number worth committing to memory: 95% of links cited by AI tools come from earned media. Not paid. Not owned. Earned.

Sit in enough boardrooms and you'll hear it eventually. "We need some PR. Can you put out a press release?" It's not a bad instinct. It's just the wrong starting point. PR doesn't work the way most businesses expect it to. There's no lever you pull, no release you send, no post you publish that delivers instant authority.

Visibility without strategy is noise without signal. The most successful brands understand that PR is not a tactical exercise in media relations, it's a strategic discipline that shapes reputation, builds credibility and earns long-term trust in ways that compound over time.

STC-PR founder, Sarah Thompson, is delighted to announce that she has been appointed to the Executive Board of Cannock Chase Chamber of Commerce, part of the Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, following the organisation’s Annual General Meeting (AGM).

In an era where AI can generate convincing quotes, headshots and credentials, the rise of 'fake experts' is shaking trust across media, journalism and PR. In her article, Why Trust Still Matters in PR - Even More in the Age of AI, Sarah Thompson of STC-PR explores how this trend threatens credibility, highlights real-world examples uncovered by Press Gazette and underscores why long-standing relationships, ethical practices, and professional verification remain the cornerstone of effective public relations.

The pace of change in communications over the past year has been unlike anything we’ve seen before. AI-generated content has accelerated the volume of noise across every platform. Journalists are drowning in repetitive ,machine-written pitches. And inside organisations, comms and marketing teams are expected to deliver broader impact with fewer resources.

Founder Sarah Thompson marks milestone with reflection on industry transformation STC-PR, the strategic communications consultancy founded by Sarah Thompson in 2000, is celebrating 25 years in business, marking a quarter of a century supporting organisations across the West Midlands, the UK and internationally.

After 20+ years in UK media and communications, one paradox still astounds me: British businesses routinely spend millions on brand campaigns, digital tools and customer acquisition, yet overlook the most influential marketing channel they already own: their leadership team.

If you're starting out in communications or PR, here's the truth: this isn't a support function. It's strategic work that shapes how organisations are understood, trusted and valued.

The Communications Leader's Path to the Boardroom: Why Business Acumen Now Matters More Than Ever- Corporate boards are waking up to something communications professionals have long understood.

Over the past 25 years, STC-PR has built a reputation as a trusted and innovative PR consultancy, helping businesses from many industries communicate their stories with authenticity and impact. This milestone provides us not only with the perfect opportunity to reflect on our own journey, but to also look back over the transformation in our industry over a quarter of a century.

Shropshire based leading public relations and communications firm; STC-PR is excited to announce the launch of its new look website to coincide with the firms 25th anniversary year in 2025.

STC-PR was proud to announce its support for the Midlands Air Ambulance earlier this month as the team participated in a special holiday initiative.