Today, a Q&A with the Founder & CEO of Brandinc PR, Brandi Sims. Brandinc PR is a full-service, Oklahoma based Public Relations agency committed to developing cohesive strategic communication plans that ensure your company’s success. We take pride in our outside-the-box approach and dedication to turn brand communication into engaging and value-generating conversations that get you the recognition you deserve. Founded by CEO Brandi Sims in 2020, Brandinc PR is focused on serving public figures and businesses with speciality in beauty, lifestyle and entertainment brands.
What inspired you to start your PR agency during the pandemic?
To jumpstart my entrepreneurial vision, it took a leap of faith and years of working in the field to build the confidence to take the next step. I left a corporate position after learning that I was severely undervalued, both monetarily and professionally, which ultimately lit the spark in me to branch out. I have worked on behalf and represented businesses for more than 12 years in PR and marketing so I bet on myself to use the tools and knowledge I gained to apply it directly to the business owners who sought after my skill set. Over the years, I’ve pivoted from representing small, boutique businesses and nonprofit organizations to government sectors, public figures, and corporations.
How did you grow your PR agency?
To be honest, we heavily focused our efforts on word of mouth and digital communications. The more information we shared and stayed active on our outreach efforts, the more prospects we were able to reach. PR is about making connections and using your network to gain mutual benefits. Through our work on various campaigns as well as my past clientele and relationships, it allowed us to tap into the needs of brands seeking our support.
Why should a business retain a PR specialist?
A PR specialist is going to approach your business with a fresh, and objective perspective with developing your brand, which many businesses lack. In addition, with a higher level of expertise, will provide an enhanced, strategic approach to the brand’s public relations outreach efforts and reputation management.
What are the biggest PR myths you’ve discovered working with clients?
One of the latest myths I’ve experienced is the expectations of public relations professionals and social media followers. There is a vested interest in social media presence and visibility in the digital age, which can equate to dollars spent on brands. Branding and visibility through media outreach is a primary focus of public relations. With the new addition of social media, it is often displaced as a proponent for followers instead of genuine, organic exposure. As a PR professional, I’ve had numerous conversations with prospective clients who’ve set goals around follower count and verification checks. Even some have gone as far as paying outside agencies to solicit bots to boost numbers or seek to pay for verification checks. PR is all about building genuine relationships with brands and the public, not fake followers, and unauthentic engagement.
How has technology helped or hindered public relations efforts?
Advances in technology has provided a significant opportunity for public relations professionals to communicate the value of PR work through tech tools. This is a significant advancement for reporting and quantifying the value of PR. A consistent challenge of PR is the ability to show the value of services because it is often difficult to track word of mouth. Technology has allotted PR to have a firm role in the new digitally driven world.
How did you expand your service offerings to adapt to client demands?
I had to quickly adapt and identify ways to grow my business by tapping into experts within key areas. We recently hired a social media consultant as part of our team to assist with the strategic planning and coordination of our social media accounts for clients. During the pandemic, we found that many businesses had reduced their marketing budgets and refocused their efforts on digital communications, which was a primary reason for hiring a social media consultant as part of our team. The social media consultant provided a focused view on social media management and digital communications content development that helped elevate our client brand images though the platforms. Digital communications has already created a significant stamp on the way we interact with audiences and there are no signs of slowing down within the current environment.
Any advice for an aspiring PR professional or entrepreneur?
The most important thing is to never give up or lose your passion for PR. It took me 13 years to have the confidence to successfully launch and run my own business during a very uncertain time. Taking that leap of faith and staying passionate about the PR field keeps me motivated each day.
