The Strength In Saying No
A lot of PR firms chase volume. More clients. More pitches. More placements.
More…more…more…
And we get it. It looks productive and frankly, in this economy, feels safer. A packed roster can look like success from the outside and from the inside, seem more secure. But still, busy and effective aren’t the same thing.
Brainfyre never set out to be the biggest firm offering PR for brands and thought leaders in the room. That’s not our goal. We’re building something smaller on purpose. Something that’s more focused, hands-on, and personal. That choice shapes everything we do, including the one decision that surprises people at first.
We don’t work with every brand that contacts us.
Not every inquiry turns into a proposal and not every proposal turns into a contract…and that’s by design.
Public relations focuses on reputation management. Reputation takes care, attention, and trust. It’s not something you can rush, and you can’t spread it thin across dozens and dozens of accounts without something slipping or someone dropping the ball. So we protect our work by being selective. It keeps our standards high and our relationships strong. We give every client the real attention they deserve instead of offering leftovers or pawning off our work on interns or junior executives.
Saying no isn’t a negative thing here. It’s discipline.
You Need to Walk Before You Can Run
It’s easy to confuse action with progress. You can send out a hastily written press release in minutes and pitch hundreds of journalists before lunch, all while creating a report filled with numbers and screenshots that look impressive. That kind of activity can feel productive. But if the story isn’t clear, the coverage doesn’t mean much. Attention fades fast when there’s no substance behind it.
Good PR should do more than get your name out there. It should help people understand who you are, what you stand for, and why they should care. It should support your sales team and make partnerships easier. It should also give your leadership a voice that carries weight. That kind of credibility takes time to build, grows slowly and sticks around. Rome wasn’t built in a day. You shouldn’t expect your public relations efforts to provide instant results, especially if you’re a new business or haven’t done much in the way of PR before.
That’s the kind of work we focus on. We’d rather secure one well-placed story that fits your goals than ten pieces that go nowhere.
Quality vs quantity.
PR For Brands Takes Real Work Behind The Scenes
From the outside, PR for brands can look deceptively simple. Send out some emails, get covered by some publications, then move on.
The reality is much quieter and much more detailed. We spend hours talking with founders. We ask questions about the business, their pressure points, and future plans. We conduct research, study the market and look for proof, not hype. We shape stories and narratives that sound like you, not like generic marketing copy. Then we pitch those stories with care.
Journalists notice the difference. They can tell when something is thoughtful, appropriate for their target readers, and when it’s just filler. They remember who respects their time and who wastes it. That trust builds over years. It disappears fast if you treat their inbox like a dumping ground, which is why we refuse to spam their inboxes with templated messages or use “spray and pray” tactics.
So please don’t ask us to.
This kind of work takes focus. You can’t do it well when you’re stretched across too many accounts. And that’s one of the biggest reasons we keep our roster on the small side compared to other PR agencies.
Why We Limit The Number of Clients We Take
There’s a simple tradeoff in this business. You can go wide or you can go deep. Wide means more accounts, lighter strategy, and faster output. Deep means fewer accounts, stronger thinking, and work that holds up over time.
We choose deep. Every single time.
Every client gets senior-level attention. You’re not handed off to a junior team member after the contract is signed like at some other firms that shall remain nameless (the PR industry is a small pond). We stay close to the work and stay in the conversations. We know what’s happening inside your business and that closeness leads to better stories…and better stories lead to better media coverage.
It sounds obvious, but it’s hard to pull off when a firm tries to say yes to everyone. When a team is overloaded, things inevitably slip. Calls get rushed. Pitches turn generic and deadlines start to pile up. The work starts to feel like a factory line. We don’t want that for you or for us. We have a conscience and like to sleep soundly at night.
A smaller client list lets us slow down and do the job right.
When Brainfyre Isn’t The Right Fit
We’d rather be clear upfront than promise something that doesn’t make sense. There are situations where we know we’re not the best partner, and we will say so. Please take a look at the statements below and reflect on what you’re looking for from your public relations agency:
If you want guaranteed press, we’re not your firm. No one controls what editors choose to publish. Anyone promising certainty is selling hope, not reality. You want a sure thing in regards to visibility? Go spend your budget on some advertisements. Just remember, with paid ads it’s outta sight, outta mind, so be prepared to spend on a consistent basis.
If you’re looking for instant results, we’re not your firm. Reputation builds over time and it stacks piece by piece. Quick spikes rarely last. You want your sales to skyrocket after your first media hit? Then invest in a dedicated sales team. PR doesn’t handle your sales numbers, it generates trust and credibility that ultimately makes people buy.
If you don’t have a dedicated budget for PR, we’re not your firm. Again, public relations is an investment in your future, and good work takes time and consistency. Cutting corners usually leads to frustration. If you just want tasks checked off a list, we’re not your firm. Sending releases or blasting pitches without a clear plan doesn’t create impact. Strategy has to come first.
None of this is meant to push people away. It’s about honesty, and a bad fit or an unaligned working partnership helps no one.
What A Good Fit Looks Like
Our best clients share a certain mindset.
Our ideal clients are people who are building something that lasts and want their company name or brand to carry weight. We like to work with business leaders who think beyond the next quarter and care how they’re perceived by customers, partners, investors, and the media. Leaders who treat PR like an investment that supports growth across the business, not a last-minute add-on.
A good working fit is partnering with clients who are open to feedback and are willing to refine their message. Who understand that strong stories take work, and, most importantly, they stay involved.
The best results come from collaboration. We bring strategy and media relationships. You (the client) bring insight, access, and expertise. When both sides show up, the work feels sharper and the results stack up, and that’s the kind of partnership we look for.
Respect For The Media Matters
BREAKING NEWS: Journalists aren’t waiting around for news pitches. They’re really not.
According to Cision’s 2024 State of the Media Report, PR professionals outnumber journalists 7 to 1. Their inboxes are overflowing with press pitches from PR pros from around the world. They’re juggling deadlines, edits, and an ever crowded inbox. We treat those relationships with care because our jobs as PR professionals are deeply, deeply intertwined with journalists. We don’t want to get on their bad side, and neither do you.
If you waste their time, they remember. They will remember and will call you out. If you send them weak or irrelevant ideas, they just stop paying attention. In fact, 74% of journalists say they will block PR professionals who insist on “spamming them” with irrelevant pitches. That’s…not good. So we don’t do that.
We pitch when there’s a real story. We keep emails clear and concise and respect their decisions. Over time, that approach builds trust, and trust leads to replies. Then replies lead to conversations and those conversations lead to coverage and effective PR for brands. See how that works?
It’s slow and steady. You can’t build that kind of trust when you’re pushing volume for the sake of numbers.
Why Saying No Protects The Work
Turning down business can feel uncomfortable. Every firm feels the pressure to grow, keep the pipeline full, and say yes. Still, saying yes to the wrong client creates bigger problems later. Misaligned expectations. Rushed timelines. Weak results. Frustration on both sides. No one wins in that nightmare scenario.
Saying no early protects everyone. It gives us room to focus on the clients who are ready for public relations work. It keeps our team fresh and protects the quality of every media pitch that goes out under our name.
And it keeps our work honest. We don’t want to promise something we can’t deliver. We’d rather be straightforward from the start. We’re not trying to be huge. We’re not trying to flood the internet with announcements. We want to be known for smart strategy, strong stories, and relationships built on respect.
We want to be the kind of firm clients call when they need real guidance, and not just activity. We strive to be the kind of PR agency journalists trust when they see our name in their inbox. We work to be the kind of professionals that take pride in the details and stand behind the results.
That standard only works if we’re selective.
A Simpler Way To Think About It
If you’re chasing quick headlines, we’re probably not your match. And we’re okay with that.
If you’re building something steady and long term, we might be. We prefer work that lasts.
If you want a partner who asks tough questions, pushes for clarity, and takes the time to do things right, we’ll get along well.
If you just want noise, there are plenty of PR firms that can provide that. Go hire them.
Where This Leaves You
If you’re reading this and nodding along, that’s a good sign. Change that. It’s a GREAT sign that Brainfyre may be the right partner for you.
If you:
- Care about credibility
- Value thoughtful strategy
- Want PR for brands that supports the bigger picture of your business
Then let’s get to work!
But if the timing or fit isn’t there yet, that’s okay. A clear no today leaves the door open for a better yes later. We’d rather start strong than start fast.
That’s how we work.
If this approach feels right, we’d love to talk to you and learn what you’re building, where you want to go next, and what challenges keep circling in the back of your mind. Share the goals you care about and the story you want the right people to hear. If you need PR for brands, small-to-medium businesses, and thought leaders, reach out at brainfyre.com or info@brainfyre.com to start the conversation. We’ll listen first, ask smart questions, and map out what makes sense for your brand. If it’s a strong fit, we’ll build something solid together. If not, you’ll still walk away with clarity.