The "Squishy" ROI That Actually Closes Deals

"Thought leadership" sounds squishy until your prospect opens the sales meeting gushing about your LinkedIn content.

And suddenly your sales cycle is half as long and you're closing deals faster than ever.

"Brand visibility" sounds like a nice-to-have until you lose three deals in a row to a competitor who just has better marketing and awareness in your market.

"Public relations" might seem like a waste of money until your ideal customer chooses another company because "they're in all the trade journals and you're not."

I get it. Smart business people want to know their ROI before they invest. And PR can feel maddeningly hard to measure compared to a Google Ads campaign where you can track exactly how many clicks turned into leads.

But here's what I need you to understand: just because something is harder to measure doesn't mean it isn't working.

The Compounding Effect Nobody Talks About

Here's what I've watched happen with our clients, year after year:

The ones who invest in telling a steady, strategic story—month after month, week after week—grow. Not in one big viral moment. Not because of a single home run press hit. But through compounding credibility that shows up in the rooms that matter most.

The prospect who's been following your content for six months shows up to the sales meeting already half-sold. They've seen your perspective. They trust your expertise. The conversation isn't "convince me you're credible", it's "how do we work together?"

The journalist reaches out to you because they've seen your name three times in the past quarter. You've been consistently visible in their world, so when they need an expert source, you're top of mind.

The referral partner thinks of you first because you've stayed present. Not pushy. Not annoying. Just consistently showing up with valuable insights that remind them you exist and what you're great at.

That's the ROI. And it's very, very real, even if it doesn't show up in a tidy dashboard with conversion rates and cost per lead.

Why "Squishy" Beats "Instant" Over Time

Here's the uncomfortable truth about measurable marketing tactics: they stop working the moment you stop paying for them.

Turn off your ads? Your leads disappear.

Stop your email campaigns? Your pipeline dries up.

But strategic PR and thought leadership? That builds equity. The content you published six months ago is still working for you. The press coverage from last quarter is still showing up in Google searches. The relationships you've been nurturing are still referring business your way.

It's not instant. But it's cumulative in a way that purely transactional marketing can never be.

What This Actually Looks Like

When we talk about "investing in your story," here's what we mean in practice:

Consistent thought leadership that positions you as the expert your market needs. Not generic LinkedIn posts, but strategic content that demonstrates your unique perspective and approach.

Media visibility that puts you in front of your ideal clients where they're already consuming information. Trade publications. Industry podcasts. Local business media. The places your prospects are actually looking for guidance.

A clear, compelling brand presence that makes people remember you when it matters. Not flashy. Not gimmicky. Just consistently excellent and impossible to ignore.

The measurement isn't always neat. But the results are undeniable.

The Question Isn't Whether It Works

The question is whether you're willing to play the long game.

If you need every dollar you spend to show an immediate return in your CRM this quarter, PR probably isn't your first move. You need tactics that deliver fast.

But if you're tired of being the best-kept secret in your industry—if you're losing deals to competitors who aren't better than you, just more visible—then the "squishy" ROI of strategic communications is exactly what you need.

Here's what I know after two decades of doing this work: the companies that show up consistently, tell their story strategically, and invest in visibility over time don't stay secrets for long.

They become the obvious choice. And that's ROI you can take to the bank.

Ready to stop being your industry's best-kept secret? Let's talk about building visibility that compounds over time—and shows up when it matters most.

About The Author

Lauren Kwedar Cockerell is founder and president of Kwedar & Co. She is also the firm’s lead PR and marketing strategist, host of our podcast The Impatient Entrepreneur, and is a frequent podcast guest.

Over the past 20+ years, she has worked with 100s of leaders and organizations to create PR and marketing strategies and tactics that support visions and reach goals.

To connect with Lauren, please send an email above, or book a consultation.