NHT Blog

If you have landed on this blog post, you've probably heard the terms public relations and advertising interchangeably (and now you're wondering what's right for your brand). While both are valuable tools for growing your business, they serve very different purposes. Understanding when to use PR, advertising, or a combination of both can help you make smarter marketing decisions and get the most from your budget.

What is Public Relations?

I think I’ve written before at some point in this weekly blog about the fact that there are people that you just expect everyone to know, when in fact, you’ll run across folks who you’ll find yourself saying, in amazement, “You don’t know who John Cena is?!”

Last week was interesting not only for sports but some might argue that pop culture was impacted too.

I’m referring to NBA superstar Lebron James choosing to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers.  And the indicator that people outside of basketball – heck, outside of sports – were interested was the reactions posted on social media by celebrities not connected to the game that “The King” plays.

I remember when I used to work in the Olympic Movement and I would come back home from somewhere and my mother would excitedly ask me over the telephone, “Well?  How was (insert country here)?”  In other words, she wanted to hear all about the sights.

The thing is that business trips are just that.  Almost to a fault I have always traveled with that mindset.  I almost have to force myself to go do something that’s just relaxing and enjoyable.

Someone recently told me that they don’t like hearing people use the word entrepreneur because they feel it sounds a little too ‘early stages’ (my words, not theirs).  The thinking was, convey to people that you are established and have been at it for a while.

Comedian Jim Florentine was the guest way back on Episode 200 of my weekly “Now Hear This Entertainment” podcast.  On his show, “Everybody is Awful (Except You),” he regularly cracks against inspirational quotes – and the people that live by them.

The fact is, there are some themes, common messaging, that you’ll hear that I suggest you put some stock in.

I have always been someone that has enjoyed reciting movie lines.  In the 1991 film, “What About Bob?” the main character, played by Bill Murray, is given a “prescription” by Dr. Leo Marvin (Richard Dreyfuss) that says, “Take a vacation from your problems.”

Reading that line out loud, Bob reacts in such a way that it was almost as if he was being given a new lease on life.  The concept was unique, refreshing, and very much welcomed.

When many people think about media coverage, they picture celebrities, major corporations, bestselling authors, or social media influencers with millions of followers. As a result, countless business owners, professionals, authors, and community leaders assume they have nothing interesting enough to share with the media.

However, the actual truth is that newsworthiness and fame are not the same thing.

Last week I was interviewed on a podcast for an episode that will come out this summer.  As the conversation started to wind down, since the show is actually about the podcasting world, the host asked me if I might consider starting another (an additional) new podcast.

“No,” I answered him quickly.  “I have two podcasts right now that I still love and am passionate about and they’re both weekly, which means they take up a lot of time.  I don’t have the bandwidth to do a third.”

Today, we live in a world that’s heavily engaged in discerning what comes across on social media as genuine versus manufactured. We are constantly exposed to millions of marketing messages flooding through our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and you guessed it, YouTube.  Whether it’s a business, podcast, or a creator platform promoting a product, audiences have become so equipped to spot when something comes across as performative. It makes it extremely important nowadays to make sure you resonate on a deeper level with your audience.

How do you do that?