More Than Press: How PR Empowers Black Brands to Be Seen, Heard, and Remembered

by Elaina Williams

When asked by the TSM founder and content creator queen herself if I could write an article sharing my story, I was shocked. In our conversation, I was venting, frustrated, creatively antsy, and spiraling about my career goals. And somehow, at that moment, while I was rambling about my journey, she saw a story worth telling.

And that’s the beauty of storytelling. You never know who it might connect with or inspire.

So let me tell you how Public Relations found me, gave my creativity a lane, and opened my eyes to the impact PR can make on Black businesses.

From a Creative Kid to a PR Pro

Little Elaina was a creative, slightly bossy girl. As a kid, I always found myself writing fun stories, journaling, and naturally taking the lead whenever I could. Even back then, a creative Public Relations professional was brewing. 

Little Elaina!

When I got to college, I didn’t start on that track. I went the anatomy and physiology route until I realized I had zero passion for it. So, I had to pivot to find my career path. I asked myself one question: “What simply makes you happy?” 

The answer: writing and creating.

That’s what led me to discover the insanely vast world of Public Relations. Between campaign strategy, press releases, event planning, and crisis comms, I found that PR involved two important things to me: creativity and structure. As a creative, story-telling, spirited, problem-solver like myself, I fell in love with the career and found my path. 

So I earned my bachelor’s in Public Relations, a master’s in Integrated Marketing Communications, interned, freelanced, and worked for small businesses, boutique agencies, and nonprofits, and eventually left my hometown of Tallahassee, Florida. Now, by the grace of God, I’ve planted roots in Houston, Texas, working for one of the top global PR agencies. 

Before I try to humbly convince you why PR should be on your radar, I’ll share a few credentials.

I’m about four years in. I’ve helped secure hundreds and thousands of articles for clients across national food and beverage, personal care, and lifestyle brands. I’ve supported and led omnichannel campaigns, organized PR trips and press events, and I’ve worked on projects that have substantially helped shape brand perception and business growth.

I’m still fresh in my career, but I know what I’m doing—and I care deeply about doing it for the culture.

When I Saw the Power of PR for Us

Growing up in the South and navigating mostly white spaces, I never experienced the fullness of Black brilliance until I got to my alma mater—THEE Florida A&M University. My time at FAMU completely transformed how I saw myself and the Black community. It showed me the depth of our excellence, the genius in our creativity, and the power in our ideas. It’s also where I discovered the world of branding and learned how much it could elevate Black-owned businesses.

Elaina is a Class of 2021 graduate from Florida A&M University!

I learned about how Black dollars fuel major corporations that often lack in meaningful representation and support. I’ve also seen the raw creativity, talent, and brilliance in Black-owned businesses and how so many of them can benefit from thoughtful public relations strategies.

What PR Really Does

Before we go any further, I’d like to make something very clear: good PR does not mean that you or your business is inauthentic. It doesn’t mean you’re creating a fake image for the media. It doesn’t mean you’re “finessing” your persona or pretending to be something you’re not. 

Good PR means being visible, credible, and culturally connected. It means your audience sees you, feels seen by you, and actually remembers you, which creates a connection that ultimately drives recurring purchases.

You can have the best products, but if no one knows how to find you, it can be hard to grow. You can have some of the best services, but if you react negatively in a crisis or if you don’t know how to handle difficult press, the public may not be receptive to you. You can have all the passion behind your ideas, but if you don’t know how to tap into culture or trends to grab attention, they run the risk of being overlooked.

You need reputation, trust, presence, and a connection to culture. That’s the role of PR.

How Do You Actually Work With A PR Pro?

Step 1: Identify the PR Need

Start by figuring out the problem you need to solve. This way, you can decide if it’s even PR consulting that you need. Is there a specific audience you need to connect with? Is your audience disengaged? Are people starting to notice your brand, but still unsure what your business is for, what services you offer, what your story is, or what you stand for? Are you launching something new and don’t know how to create buzz or drive publicity? Are you constantly clarifying what your business offers? Did something messy happen publicly, and you’re not sure how to respond or move forward? These are all questions that point to brand perception issues, and this is where a PR professional can step in.

Step 2: Understanding the Budget & Investment

Once you’ve identified the problems that need solving, your PR professional will likely sketch out high-level ideas to solve those problems. This is typically when the budget conversation starts. They’ll want to understand what you’re working with so they can recommend strategies that make sense for your goals and your pockets. You’ll work together to determine what’s possible within your budget or what might need to wait.

An important caveat: PR is not cheap. It’s consistent, “always on” thinking, consulting, and problem solving. You’re not paying for one moment, you're investing in someone who’s researching, planning, creating ideas and plans, executing, building relationships, and fine-tuning your brand. It’s not a quick request that yields quick results. Think of your PR pro like a coach for your brand’s public presence - it's a collaboration where they help you evolve and grow over time.

Step 3: Planning & Execution

Once you and your PR pro agree on a budget, they’ll begin researching, planning, and developing full ideas to solve the problems you identified in Step 1. After researching to understand your audience and the cultural space your brand falls into, your PR pro will likely propose some strategies and tactics to meet your goals. This could include: a social media campaign, creating a website, writing a bio, planning an event, connecting you with media or influencers, securing interviews—the list goes on. Literally forever. PR pros do so much.

This phase requires collaboration. As the business owner, you should give feedback on their proposals because you should have a say in what gets executed. Your PR should also feel aligned with the plans because they’re not only executing and putting their name behind them, but they’re also consulting on what will actually be effective.

From there, execution begins, and you and your PR pro will set clear goals and outcomes that they can track against and measure success over time.

If all that sounds like a lot, it’s because it is. But it’s all incredibly impactful to business development. PR could be the key to your business growth and may be that missing piece you need to invest in.

Building a Legacy

Public Relations is the art of making you or your brand visible, relevant, and credible to the public. It’s how you show up in the world and how the world sees you in return.

I’ve heard so many brilliant Black entrepreneurs talk about building generational wealth, and I love that. But the businesses you create to do that also need visibility, strategy, and connection. PR helps businesses position their brands in front of the right people, at the right time, looking the right way - ultimately fostering connection and driving recurring sales. That’s how you create that legacy and generational wealth. That’s what I want to see for my community.

PR, regardless of the client, will always drive me. Because of my experiences, I’ve grown a deep passion for PR that connects with and impacts the culture. I’m still defining what that looks like for my professional future, but I welcome you to stay connected with me to see what unfolds.

Regardless of your background, if you have questions about building your brand or just want to talk through strategy, feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn! I also share tips and thoughts there through Communiqué with Elaina Monét, so you’re always welcome to tap in.

Elaina Williams, creative storyteller, master communicator, and PR PRo!