The digital landscape has transformed PR – evolving how we connect, communicate and deliver results. And with three times more remote jobs now than in 2020, the shift to a digital-first workplace is undeniable. Yet, even as we embrace the virtual evolution of public relations, in-person connections remain a powerful tool for fostering trust, collaboration and the kind of spontaneous dialogue that can take campaigns to the next level.
This article takes a closer look at the role in-person engagement plays in elevating PR work – from strengthening relationships to generating sharper insights and better outcomes – drawing on real-world examples from our team’s experiences. To help illustrate these takeaways, we’ve included In-Person Impact Reports throughout that capture specific outcomes from our on-the-ground work.
Investing in Expertise: A Call to PR Pros
At Reputation Partners (RP), we view in-person engagement as a catalyst for success – both for our firm and our clients. Our team is encouraged to attend industry events and pursue continuing education, all supported by a generous annual professional development allowance that team members are expected to fully use each year.
Attending PR events offers invaluable opportunities for both professional development and relationship-building. These in-person experiences allow our team to stay ahead of industry trends, explore emerging tools and engage in meaningful conversations that go far beyond what’s possible in a digital setting. These moments often spark deeper collaboration, foster trust and pave the way for long-term success – both for our firm and the clients we serve. Ultimately, the takeaways from these events enrich our personal growth and directly contribute to delivering meaningful results and creating new opportunities for our clients. The simple act of showing up has led to meaningful wins like these:
Media Outlet Visit: A tour of Univision Chicago allowed our team to strengthen ties with local media. While onsite, we connected with a producer and pitched a broadcast segment for a client that aired a month later – a win that was born from simply showing up.
Industry Networking Event: Attending an industry summit and gala on AI gave our team the chance to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping communications. By showing up and engaging directly with industry leaders, we walked away with actionable insights that were quickly applied across client strategies – strengthening outcomes and sharpening our expertise in a fast-evolving space.
In-Person Impact Report: PR Industry Events
- Adopted advice on AI from industry experts to apply to our agency policies and workflows.
- Familiarized a priority media outlet with our client and their story.
- Secured a four-minute broadcast interview based on an in-person connect.
- Networked with PR students on the current and future state of the PR industry.
Sit at their Table: How In-Person Client Time Deepens Relationships
Attending in-person client events allows for deeper engagement and more nuanced communication, helping build rapport and credibility that can be harder to establish virtually. Embedding a PR team member onsite at a client’s office weekly or monthly provides added consistency and further strengthens these connections. This level of access enables PR pros to operate as an extension of the client’s team – engaging directly with leadership and subject matter experts across departments to understand evolving business priorities and gain firsthand insight into how communications materials are resonating with key audiences. Being onsite creates opportunities to capture authentic, real-time content and firsthand insights that elevate the relevance and impact of communications strategies. Simply being in the room can unlock deeper insights and stronger relationships, as moments like this show:
Media Training and PR Strategy Session: Nothing beats face time with a client, especially early in a partnership when building trust is key. RP traveled onsite to lead an in-person media training for a global client, followed by a quarterly PR review. The visit gave us a deeper understanding of the company’s culture, helped us connect with subject matter experts and sharpened our PR strategy through stronger relationships and firsthand insights.
Client-Led Annual Meeting: Attending our client’s global membership event each year provides us with access to real-time insights and relationship-building opportunities that virtual participation can’t match. We’re able to identify emerging themes that inform our media strategy, strengthen ties with key journalists and connect with new media-ready voices — all while providing onsite support and strategic guidance throughout the event.
Client Internal Summit: Our team attended a client’s leadership summit to bring strategy and storytelling together. This kind of high-level access allowed us to connect directly with subject matter experts and align our PR approach with strategic goals while also strengthening relationships beyond the inbox. We left with a clearer understanding of the client’s strategic priorities, challenges and opportunities, along with a library of authentic social media content that captured the energy of our client’s organizational culture.
Client Franchisee Event: For the past three years, we’ve attended our client’s franchisee conference to stay closely connected to one of their key audiences and hear firsthand how new products and services are being introduced. This event gives us valuable time with core client contacts and leadership — helping us deepen relationships, gather fresh insights and uncover new opportunities to position the client as a thought leader. Being there in person allows us to better understand franchisee priorities and align our PR strategy with their evolving needs.
In-Person Impact Report: Client Engagements
- Led onsite media training sessions to strengthen client spokesperson skills.
- Facilitated quarterly PR strategy meetings to align messaging with business priorities.
- Captured real-time insights from client leadership and subject matter experts to inform ongoing PR strategy.
- Identified emerging themes from client annual meetings to sharpen media storylines and proactive pitching.
- Strengthened relationships with key journalists through face-to-face conversations at client-hosted events.
- Connected with new, media-ready voices and secured candid media feedback to shape future outreach.
- Captured professional headshots.
- Captured video of team-building exercises for internal culture promotion.
- Captured photo and video content onsite for authentic, high-performing social media posts.
- Deepened relationships with client leadership and cross-functional teams to strengthen trust and collaboration.
- Aligned on PR goals based on business priorities.
Enter the Client’s World, Not Just Their Inbox
Attending client industry events offers a front-row seat to evolving conversations, helping shape smarter, more relevant messaging. By being present, PR teams can manage projects in real time that strengthen client visibility through direct engagement with key stakeholders and audiences. From facilitating media interviews to identifying content opportunities and attending industry trend sessions, in-person support positions PR professionals as trusted, agile partners. It’s no surprise that 76% of C-suite leaders believe in-person events are essential to company success – because showing up makes all the difference. Being present in our clients’ industries and day-to-day realities creates opportunities that emails alone can’t deliver:
Logistics Conference: Our team attended Manifest, a leading logistics-focused trade show, in 2024 and 2025 to provide onsite client support – a strategy that blended media relations, client relationship building, logistics industry learning and real-time content creation to advance both near-term PR goals and long-term brand visibility. This kind of in-person presence enabled us to absorb critical industry insights firsthand – reframing projects, shaping messaging and positioning the client at the center of key conversations while sharpening our own expertise as PR pros in a fast-moving, high-impact environment.
Commercial Real Estate Event: Attending Bisnow’s Building Your Brand: Marketing for Commercial Real Estate event alongside our clients provided an opportunity to stay closely connected to the conversations shaping the CRE industry. The event offered valuable insights on how industry leaders are evolving their brand strategies, digital presence and storytelling approaches to remain competitive. In addition to gathering actionable takeaways that inform client strategy, the event also provided in-person time with client partners — strengthening relationships and reinforcing alignment on shared priorities.
In-Person Impact Report: Industry Events
- Networked with key client contacts to cross-check business priorities with PR strategy.
- Facilitated onsite media interviews with key trade publications.
- Established a new relationship with a relevant Bloomberg reporter.
- Connected with additional outlets and reporters to discuss client story opportunities.
- Captured onsite photos and videos for real-time content that drove the highest engagement across channels that month.
- Captured onsite photos and videos to fill the content pipeline.
- Attended sessions on industry trends.
- Strengthened client relationships through shared participation at key industry events.
Complement Digital Strategies with In-Person PR
In a digital-first world, the value of showing up in person has never been greater. From attending internal client summits to industry events, these real-world moments create the space for deeper connection, sharper insight and greater impact. It allows PR pros to operate not just as service providers, but as strategic partners embedded in our clients’ worlds, aligned with their goals and ready to respond in real time. By prioritizing in-person engagement alongside digital innovation, we elevate our work, build lasting relationships and ultimately drive stronger results for the clients and communities we serve.