A client asked for a press release. A good PR pro asks why.

Most companies without a dedicated PR team or agency get newsworthiness wrong, and it's not their fault. Nobody teaches this. But getting it wrong can cost you credibility with the journalists you need most.

Not everything warrants a release. And not every release warrants a media pitch.

Here's how to think about it.

What is newsworthy?

• Branded client stories - Real results. Credible client voices. Hard data.
• Data reports - Proprietary, well-executed insights that can spark a months-long media wave.
• M&A / IPO - Signals a meaningful shift or new chapter in your company's story.
• Partnerships - Only when there's a clear industry or societal benefit. Bonus if a client can validate.
• Product launches - Not incremental updates. Must-have-now innovations. Client validation helps.
• Rebrands - A true evolution in positioning, not a logo refresh.
• Earnings / momentum - Meaningful progress that tells a bigger story, not just a number.
• Awards - National or global recognition. Best used to complement a broader strategy.
• Events - Your own conference with notable speakers. Not webinars or trade show appearances.

Some releases can backfire and make you look small, or worse, irrelevant.

PR pros are strategic thinkers, not order takers.

Before you send anything to your media contacts, pass this two-question test:

1. Why should they care?
2. Why should their audience care?

Can't answer both clearly? It's not a press release. It's a social post, maybe. Full stop.

But there's something even more fundamental the industry has lost sight of.

Somewhere along the way, PR became obsessed with output. Releases sent. Posts published. Statements issued. We started measuring volume when we should have been measuring understanding.

Public relations was never about speaking at people. It was about understanding them - listening, interpreting sentiment, communicating with clarity and responsibility.

Your public isn't abstract. It's your clients, employees, community and stakeholders, forming opinions about your business long before you realise they're watching.

When strategy begins with the public, credibility follows.

And here's the other misconception: PR should deliver instant results. It won't.

The strongest strategies are built layer by layer over time. Think about the brands quoted in articles regularly - the ones with a clear point of view, the ones a journalist calls first when they need a comment.

That visibility didn't happen overnight. It's the difference between a one-off feature that spikes your traffic for a week, and a steady drumbeat of coverage, content and commentary that keeps you top of mind for years.

It's not about one big moment. It's about showing up consistently until you become the most obvious voice in the room.

Put the public back in public relations - and start there every time.

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Next time… I ask, if your board thinks communications is press releases, you already have a crisis.

Sarah Thompson is the founder of STC-PR, she helps organisations build strategic communications programmes that drive measurable business impact. With over 25 years of experience spanning agency, in-house and consultancy roles, she specialises in transforming tactical PR functions into strategic growth and helping businesses communicate clearly when it matters most.

Sarah also works as a journalist, she is an NUJ and IFJ member, and is former editor of Prosper Magazine, the West Midlands’ longest running business publication.

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