From $1K to $1B: Barbara Corcoran's PR Playbook
The Queen of New York Real Estate on why PR is often the most cost-effective tool in your arsenal.
Hey there, friends—
We need to chat about something that’s been on our minds.
When was the last time you clicked on a glossy ad and thought, Wow, this company really gets me! Their branding is on point, and I totally believe everything they say? In fact, I trust them so much I’d probably spend my last dime on their fancy product!
That moment probably never happens. right? With the barrage of advertisements we’re bombarded with on a constant basis, it’s hard to believe anything anymore — especially when it’s coming from a paid placement.
Now, let’s turn the tables.
When was the last time you read a compelling article or saw a report that featured a brand in a glowing light and made you think, Wow, they know their stuff! I need to get involved with them! More recently, right?
That’s the secret sauce of effective PR. It’s about storytelling, credibility, and genuine engagement that cuts through the noise.
Just ask Barbara Corcoran, a real estate legend who built her billion-dollar empire not with flashy ads, but through impactful PR strategies that really connect with her audience. (She said so herself; read it for yourself in Business Innovators.)
Corcoran’s approach: Focus on branding, not just as a surface-level fluff, but as a core business strategy. She lived and breathed PR, using the power of media to share her story, engage with reporters, and position herself as an expert. Because when a respected outlet features you, it creates an authentic trust that a banner ad can’t touch.
Think about it: When The New York Times quotes you as a leading expert, that’s not just buzz; it’s social proof. It whispers to your audience, “Hey, this is someone you can trust. They’re the real deal.” In contrast, shelling out for an expensive advertisement just shouts, “Look at me, I can afford this!” And we all know that’s not the same thing.
Here at JBC, we channel that philosophy into our approach every day. We talk to our brand partners about how to harness that magic of PR — creating narratives that resonate, generating stories that are wildly effective, and ultimately, building genuine connections with audiences.
We asked Charlotte Hohorst, JBC’s own truly fabulous VP of Design, about her POV on Barbara’s own approach to PR. Here’s what she said:
Here’s the thing. Unless you're in the C-suite of a public company, you’re a celebrity, or you’re a founder of a massively viral social media profile (à la Sara Blakely), a big WSJ or NYT or Fortune headline about you and your POV is really unlikely. If you’re able to provide interesting commentary as an expert in a larger trend piece alongside big fish in a big outlet, you’ve made it to the pond — and that’s worth a lot.
Where you share that article after it’s live and printed is just as important. We hate to see press live in a silo. We love to see a LinkedIn post or a TikTok that allows you to say, “Hey look at this awesome story I contributed to on the state of my industry,” and use that to expand on your POV as if it was a whole story all about you. Take the torch and run with it.
In a world where everyone and every brand is vying for attention, PR is often the most cost-effective tool in your arsenal. By crafting compelling stories with the help of earned media, you can make your brand shine without breaking the bank.
So let’s take a cue from Barbara Corcoran’s playbook. PR is not just a marketing tactic; it’s the heart of brand-building. Transform your narrative, embrace the power of communication, and you’ll find that trust and engagement go way up. And isn’t that what we all want?
‘Til next week,
Jenny & Melissa