PR is often considered a top-of-the-funnel tool, but stopping there is a missed opportunity for sales. Today’s buyers aren’t waiting for sales teams to call them—68% prefer to research independently before engaging with sales. They compare options, seek third-party validation, and rely on credible sources to shape their perceptions. As a result, PR has become increasingly complementary to the sales process for both B2B and B2C companies.
A well-placed media feature, industry award, or executive interview can be a key differentiator. Yet, many companies fail to integrate PR into their sales enablement strategy, leaving valuable opportunities untapped.
Done right, media relations wins can guide buyer decisions, reinforce credibility, and create momentum that turns interest into action. Here’s how PR can impact sales in four key ways.
1. PR Builds Brand Awareness and Buyer Trust
PR teams help shape a brand’s narrative—who it is, what it stands for, and why prospects should trust it. Unlike sales, which takes a direct approach, PR puts a brand’s value in context through storytelling. Through news coverage, bylined articles, awards, and speaking opportunities, PR-generated content informs rather than sells. It answers key questions, highlights industry trends, and helps prospects understand what problems the company solves. With strong brand awareness, prospects already have a sense of what a company does before sales reach out.
Beyond awareness, good PR builds trust. Unlike paid marketing, PR wins are earned, not bought. When buyers see a company featured in a respected media outlet or win an industry award, they perceive it as credible and trustworthy.
PR also helps level the playing field. Innovative solutions come from companies of all sizes. Smaller brands can compete with larger incumbents by gaining visibility in key markets.
2. Thought Leadership Positions a Brand as an Industry Authority
Effective media relations builds brand authority by aligning the company with important industry conversations. One way to do this is newsjacking—strategically inserting a brand into breaking news and emerging topics to reinforce its relevance.
Executive thought leadership is just as important. Positioning senior leaders as trusted experts through media interviews, bylined articles, and speaking engagements helps a brand stand out. The key? Thought leadership is not about what a company sells—it’s about what it knows. Buyers engage with brands that share insights, not just sales messages.
This is particularly critical for the 77% of B2B buyers that conduct extensive research before considering a purchase, according to Gartner. Strong media relations can be the third-party validation that helps a company stand out, make a shortlist, or win a competitive deal.
3. PR-Generated Content Fuels Website Traffic and Prospect Engagement
A strong media presence drives inbound interest by increasing website traffic. PR wins, especially when shared across social media, email campaigns, and other channels, extend a brand’s reach, driving more people to the website. Plus, those website visitors tend to have higher engagement, spending more time on-site and bouncing less than usual.
Media coverage also boosts search rankings, as high-quality placements perform well in SEO and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). GEO focuses on optimizing content for AI-driven search results like those from AI-powered assistants and search engines, making it easier for prospects to find and research the brand.
PR content also helps sales teams create stronger, more natural touchpoints with prospects. Instead of relying on cold outreach, sales reps can share recent PR wins to make their interactions more relevant and engaging.
4. PR Teams Equip Sales with Competitive Intelligence
Sales teams thrive on information. Knowing how competitors are positioned, what industry trends are gaining traction, and what customers are responding to is critical to their success. PR teams track many of these insights, offering a more expansive view of the market. This can help sales teams identify any gaps, anticipate customer needs, and refine their approach as needed.
The Challenge: Many sales teams struggle to use PR effectively
It’s clear that PR is a powerful sales tool, but many teams fail to use it effectively. One major challenge? Sales teams often lack easy access to PR-driven content—or don’t know how to use it effectively.
Too often, PR wins aren’t shared in a sales-friendly format – or may not be shared with the sales team at all. Without clear messaging, sales teams may misposition materials or resort to impersonal AI-generated outreach that’s off-brand and lacks authenticity.
For PR to truly support sales, companies need a structured system that makes PR content easy to share, personalize, and integrate into sales conversations.
How can PR teams best enable sales success?
For PR to drive sales impact, media wins need to be packaged for easy use. PR teams should deliver ready-to-use sales enablement materials, including email and social media templates that sales teams can simply cut, paste, personalize and share.
Beyond providing materials, PR teams can offer basic training on how to use PR-driven content best. Helping sales teams understand how PR supports their sales goals will improve adoption.
How sales enablement materials are a win for both teams:
- PR teams: Extend the reach of earned media and ensure messaging is used successfully.
- Sales teams: Gain credible, relevant content that strengthens outreach and nurtures prospects.
- The business: Increase engagement with prospects, build trust, and accelerate the sales cycle.
Maximizing PR’s impact:
If you’re not using PR to fuel your entire sales funnel, you’re missing out. With a strong sales enablement strategy, every media win becomes a sales tool, every insight becomes a competitive advantage, and every touchpoint strengthens buyer confidence.
The best part? You don’t have to overhaul your strategy—these tactics can fit right into your existing sales and marketing mix.
Ready to make it happen? Let’s talk.
