By: Mae Young, Vice President
How We Use It to Help Brands Build Trust, Visibility, and Results
ASC is a strategic communications firm. So our obsession with strategy makes sense. It’s not just a buzz word we like to throw around in meetings. We truly believe it guides everything we do. When you work with us, we always begin with the same question:
What are we trying to achieve, and how do we get there in the smartest, most effective way possible?
That’s strategic communications. It’s the intentional practice of using communication to reach your audience, build credibility, and support your larger business goals. And one of the best tools we use to bring that strategy to life is something called the PESO Model, as created by Gini Dietrich.
But First: What Is Communications and How Is It Different from PR or Marketing?
It’s a common question, and one we hear a lot from clients. Here’s the short answer:
- Communications is the overarching strategy behind how a brand shows up in the world: what it says, how it says it, and who it says it to. It includes everything from internal messaging and executive visibility to media relations and digital content.
- Public Relations (PR) is one part of that larger puzzle. It’s focused on your reputation and credibility. It’s things like press coverage, interviews, and earned media.
- Marketing is about generating demand and action. It includes ads, campaigns, promotions, and conversion strategies that drive revenue.
Think of it this way: Marketing promotes. PR validates. Strategic communications connects it all.
The disconnect we see all the time: many brands still silo these efforts. They hire a marketing team here, a PR consultant there, a social media agency somewhere else… and hope it all works together. Sometimes they try to divvy up tactics between partners without tying them back to one cohesive plan.
Will the work get done? Sure.
But will you get the best result that way? Probably not.
That’s where strategic communications comes in. It’s the plan that guides all of your tactics. It aligns your voice, content, media strategy, and campaign goals so that each element supports the others. Everything works better when it works together.
Strategic Communications, Meet the PESO Model
The PESO Model was created by Gini Dietrich (you can explore it more on her site Spin Sucks). It’s a simple yet powerful framework that brings four types of media together into one cohesive strategy:
- Paid media, like digital ads and sponsored content
- Earned media, like press coverage and podcast interviews
- Shared media, like social platforms and influencer collaborations
- Owned media, like your website, blog, and downloads
When all four are working together, you don’t just have a communications plan. You have a system that builds trust, amplifies your voice, and supports measurable growth.
Why Strategic Communications Works Better Than Random Tactics
Strategic communications is different from just “doing PR” or “running some ads.” It’s not about checking boxes or reacting to trends. It’s about being thoughtful and intentional with how you show up, what you say, and where you say it.
Here’s how we bring that to life for our clients using the PESO Model in action:
How We Use the PESO Model Step by Step
We don’t throw everything at the wall and hope something sticks. In PR, we call that “spray and pray”. We follow a clear order of operations to make sure each piece builds on the next.
1. Start with Owned Media
This is where we begin. Your website, blog, educational resources, downloads. This is the content you control. It’s where your story lives, where SEO grows, and where traffic should ultimately land.
Example: We helped a B2B client restructure their blog with SEO in mind. We created new content pillars and shifted the tone to focus on industry leadership. That owned content became the foundation for earned media pitches, shared social posts, and eventually a paid ad campaign.
2. Build Credibility with Earned Media
Once your core content and brand message are solid, we pitch your story to the right places. Earned media includes press features, podcast interviews, award nominations, and guest articles. It’s all about third-party validation.
Example: A nonprofit client landed a full-page feature in a national magazine after we pitched their unique impact story originally captured in a blog post. That coverage not only boosted visibility but also led to a significant increase in donations and email subscribers.
3. Share and Spark Conversation
Now we take your story and start conversations around it. Social media is where audiences connect with your brand in real time. We use platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok to distribute content, highlight wins, and build community.
Example: After helping a client launch a downloadable guide on their blog, we repurposed it into a LinkedIn carousel and a series of short-form videos. These sparked conversation in the comments and brought in direct leads from potential partners.
4. Boost with Paid Media
Finally, we use paid media to get your message in front of a larger or more targeted audience. This could include boosted social posts, paid search ads, or sponsored newsletter placements.
Example: We ran a paid Instagram campaign for a client’s educational video series, targeting a niche audience by interest and behavior. The campaign increased webinar registrations by 40 percent and generated more engagement across the client’s broader content ecosystem.s. These sparked conversation in the comments and brought in direct leads from potential partners.
What Makes Strategic Communications Work?
If we had to sum it up, we’d say this:
- Strategic communications works when every part of your messaging is connected.
- When your social posts point back to content you created.
- When your media coverage matches your mission.
- When paid media helps your best content reach more of the right people.
That’s the difference between tactics and strategy. It’s the reason we use the PESO Model. And it’s how we help our clients build momentum, not just buzz.
A Quick Recap
Here’s what strategic communications really means:
- It’s planned, not reactive. You know why you’re doing what you’re doing.
- It’s integrated. Owned, earned, shared, and paid content work together.
- It’s measurable. You know what success looks like, and you can prove it.
- It’s human. It’s about building relationships and trust with your audience over time.
Strategic communications is more than media hits or marketing fluff. It’s a long-term, intentional approach to building the kind of brand people want to follow, trust, and support.
At ASC, we don’t just help you tell your story.
We help you make it matter.
Credit: PESO Model created by Gini Dietrich
Want to build your own strategic communications plan? We’d love to help. Reach out and let’s start building your next chapter.
