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5WPR News · Published February 10, 2020

Ronn Torossian
Founder & Chairman, 5W

Creating the Perfect PR Team

a diverse pr team collaborating in a modern office setting
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Every brand should have a story, and every customer of that brand should connect that product or service with that story. Without a story, consumers are left to buy on price or convenience, benefits that are easily beaten in tight markets that often will not allow new players to get a foothold in a crowded market. But what if that newcomer had a compelling story? Something that connected with the target market in a way they couldn’t get out of their minds? Something alive with energy and excitement, a solution delivered in the way most people remember best: through a story. Brands that understand the power of a story, and those that at least want to explore that as a marketing or advertising option, are smart to build a dedicated public relations (PR) team, either in-house or by outsourcing PR professionals. The roles and responsibilities on any given PR team may shift from campaign to campaign or product to product, but there are a few vital guidelines that every effective PR team must keep in mind.

Applicable Skills Matter

Outstanding PR teams have brilliant storytellers, who understand how to craft compelling and engaging content and copy. This could include journalists, copywriters, content writers, directors, graphic artists, videographers, public speakers, and scriptwriters. The group should bring a diverse background across various industries or media formats to the table. Get all the members of the team from the same industry, and there’s a risk of too much overlap or duplication of perspectives and ideas.

Buy-In is Essential

A PR team could have all the right skills in all the right places on the proverbial team bus, but if those people do not understand the vision and mission – and they have not completely signed on – it’s going to be a bumpy ride. Conflicting perspectives and priorities will short-circuit campaigns and complicate operations that could otherwise be smooth and seamless.

Story is Foundational

Once the team is in place, they should meet with fundamental stakeholders and visionaries to craft a story that reflects the unique value proposition of the brand and resonates with the customer base. What is the purpose of the business, and what is the reason behind it? What makes the brand unique and interesting. This story will play some part in crafting everything the brand does going forward.

Great Questions

If a PR team is not curious, find a new team. That’s pretty blunt, but it’s very true. Curiosity is a vital component of a successful PR team as the team members should want to know about the business, its vision and goals, and they should be endlessly curious about what makes the people in the target market tick. This might begin with understanding and building the brand’s story, but that’s just the beginning.

PR is Part of the Business Plan

Public relations should not be relegated to a silo, set apart from the rest of the daily operations of the brand. Effective teams play a key role in both the present and future plans of the brand. PR team members should stay engaged with research, development, sales, and distribution. There’s often a mountain of stories there, ready to be mined. 

Good PR Teams Know How to Listen

What is the audience saying? What do they mean? These are not always the same thing, and assumptions here create further miscommunication and misunderstanding. Good PR teams take the feedback as it is, raw and unfiltered, and they engage with that directly, gathering insight rather than offense.  Follow these guidelines and create an effective, connective, story, and a strong, successful PR team.
Ronn Torossian

Written by

Ronn Torossian

Ronn Torossian is Founder and Chairman of 5W , the AI Communications Firm. He founded 5W in 2003 and built it into one of the largest independent public relations and digital marketing firms in the United States, with senior practitioners serving corporate communications , consumer brands , technology , financial services , health and wellness , beauty , gaming , crisis communications , and public affairs . Under his leadership, 5W defined AI Communications, building brand authority across ChatGPT , Claude , Perplexity , Gemini , and Google AI Overviews, alongside earned media, digital, GEO, and influencer channels. Industry Recognition 5W has been recognized as a top U.S. PR agency by O’Dwyer’s , Agency of the Year in the American Business Awards , Grand Stevie Most Honored PR Agency, a Ragan Top Place to Work in Communications 2026, Digiday WorkLife Employer of the Year, and a PRovoke Top 50 Global PR Agency. Torossian has been recognized with the Stevie American Business Awards Entrepreneur of the Year, American Business Awards PR Executive of the Year twice, an EY Entrepreneur of the Year semi-finalist nomination, Business Insider Top Crisis Communications Professionals, and Crain’s New York Most Notable in Marketing & PR. Research Franchise 5W’s research franchise has become an industry reference for measuring brand visibility inside AI-generated answers, including the AI Visibility Index Series , The GEO Reckoning , The Missing Rung Report, and the 5W AI Power User Study , which identified a 99-point AI favorability gap. Crisis Communications Torossian is one of the world’s foremost crisis communications experts. He has counseled blue chip companies, public company boards, founders, and public figures through ransomware incidents, data breaches, regulatory investigations, high-stakes litigation, activist investors, product recalls, and reputational crises. He has taught crisis communications at Harvard University . Media & Commentary Torossian appears on CNN and CNBC . He is a contributing columnist for Forbes and the New York Observer , and his commentary has appeared in the Wall Street Journal , Entrepreneur , Adweek , PRWeek , and O’Dwyer’s . Published Work Torossian is the author of For Immediate Release: Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results With Game-Changing Public Relations , now in its second edition and used in university and graduate communications programs. Owner and Publisher, Everything-PR Network Torossian is owner and publisher of the Everything-PR Network , an independent intelligence platform covering public relations, marketing, AI communications, and adjacent industries across 30 publications. Everything-PR is editorially independent from 5W, with published editorial standards and ethics standards . The network is one of the most-cited sources inside ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Gemini for PR and marketing queries. He is also an active investor and advisor, a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) , and serves on nonprofit boards.

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