Anna Tran lands coverage for her clients in most ever media by using something she called Purpose-Driven PR. What’s that?
Anna explains all that to host Ed Garsten, plus her approach to building trust with clients and reporters, navigating a changing media landscape and whether or not she promises coverage to her clients.
TTAC Creator Ed Garsten hosts ” Tales from the Beat,” a podcast about the automotive and media worlds. A veteran reporter and public relations operative, Garsten worked for CNN, The Associated Press, The Detroit News, Chrysler’s PR department and Franco Public Relations. He is currently a senior contributor for Forbes.
The TTAC Creators Series tells stories and amplifies creators from all corners of the car world, including culture, dealerships, collections, modified builds and more.
A transcript, cleaned up via AI and edited by a staffer, is below.
[Image: YouTube Screenshot]
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Transcript:
Ed Garsten: She’s landed her clients’ stories on TV, podcasts, and in magazines like Entrepreneur and Forbes using what she calls purpose-driven PR. She’s Anna Tran, co-founder of Level Up with Anna PR. Anna is my guest on episode 126 of Tales from the Beat, where we look at news and PR from both sides of the scrimmage line. Hi everyone, I’m Ed Garsten. Hi Anna, how are you today?
Anna Tran: Hey Ed, I’m doing well. How are you?
Ed: I’m good. Where are you calling from today?
Anna: I’m actually in Vancouver.
Ed: Vancouver, nice. It’s 70 degrees here in Detroit, believe it or not.
Anna: That sounds nice. I’m not sure what 70 Fahrenheit is in Celsius, but it’s not too cold here yet.
Ed: That’s good weather for Detroit. So before we get into things, could you give us a quick backstory and tell us about your agency?
Anna: Sure. I didn’t start my agency out of nowhere. I’ve been in sales since I was sixteen—everything from door-to-door to corporate, full commission roles. What I learned in marketing and sales is that you can’t fake connection. Working with agencies and business owners, I kept seeing the same problem: brilliant people building incredible things, but nobody really knew who they were. That’s what led me to PR. Now, I help people get seen for what they’ve built—ethically, strategically, and with purpose.
Ed: When you say “purpose-driven PR,” what exactly does that mean?
Anna: Good question. When I meet with business leaders, they’re often afraid to put themselves out there because they don’t want to be perceived the wrong way or get lost in the noise. So I help them identify their values, who they want to attract, and how to represent themselves authentically. It’s about communicating their value with thought and purpose.
Ed: I’ve been in corporate PR for years, and sometimes executives have unrealistic expectations. They think they have a story when reporters won’t find it newsworthy. How do you handle that?
Anna: It comes down to trust. Today, transparency matters—if you’re not operating ethically or being authentic, people will see through it. So I always put myself in the shoes of both journalists and audiences. The story has to align with what they actually want and need. If your message isn’t clear, or if people can’t tell why they’re reading it, it’s not going to connect. Every story needs to guide the viewer, build trust, and confirm they’re in the right place.
Ed: Right. But what about when a client insists something is news when it’s not? How do you manage that?
Anna: I use a three-part process: story, strategy, and amplification. First, we uncover the human side of the story—what makes the person or brand relatable. Then we align that story with the right outlets and journalists instead of just sending it everywhere. Finally, we amplify the coverage so it supports business growth, not just bragging rights. I follow what I call the trust framework—truth, relevance, uniqueness, strategy, and timing—to make sure the story is pitched with purpose.
Ed: You keep mentioning trust, which is key. As a journalist, I’m more likely to look at pitches from PR people I’ve worked with before and trust. What’s your approach to building that trust?
Anna: It’s about genuine connection. If someone comes to you and immediately asks for something, that’s not a great start. I always ask questions first: “What kind of stories are you looking for? Would this be a fit?” Even if the answer is no, I’ve still built a relationship. You have to get to know the person before you ask for anything.
Ed: It seems simple, but so many people get it wrong. I get pitches every day for topics that have nothing to do with my beat—fashion, cosmetics, you name it—and it’s frustrating. So tell me, what’s one of your biggest success stories?
Anna: One client comes to mind—they were making between two to four million dollars a month but had zero public presence. They didn’t even have an Instagram account until two weeks before reaching out to me. Once we helped them define how they wanted to be presented and created a strategic plan to share their story, it opened doors. They were able to attract better employees, expand their team, and grow into new cities. Once you reach a certain level, you need trust and credibility to connect with the right people—and that’s what PR helps build.
Ed: Have you ever had a client demand guaranteed coverage? Like, “Get me on Good Morning America”?
Anna: Yes, that happens often. I’m upfront from the beginning—I never guarantee earned media, because no one ethically can. What I can guarantee is the strategy, positioning, and relationship-building that dramatically improve their chances. PR is about relationships. Coverage comes later as a result of trust and consistency. I tell clients, “If you want guaranteed placement, that’s advertising.”
Ed: Exactly. I always say, if you want to guarantee coverage, buy an ad.
Anna: Right. If someone promises guaranteed PR coverage, it’s probably paid. Real PR takes time and transparency. And again, time is the ultimate equalizer—people will see who’s genuine.
Ed: You’ve talked a lot about working with clients. How much do you work directly with reporters?
Anna: I work with both sides—as a sort of middle ground between clients and reporters. I make sure my clients are positioned well before I pitch anything. My goal is to make everyone’s job easier. For cold outreach, I research both the client and the reporter’s beat thoroughly so I’m not wasting anyone’s time with irrelevant pitches.
Ed: Have you ever had to deal with a difficult reporter?
Anna: Thankfully, not yet. I usually build long-term relationships, and if the connection doesn’t feel right early on, I don’t pursue it. If I ever did have an issue, I’d be upfront and address it right away. My goal is always to add value and not waste anyone’s time.
Ed: You’re lucky. I once had a TV reporter claim an “exclusive” and report everything wrong. I told him he was wrong—he refused to correct it. It drove me crazy.
Anna: Wow. I always try to make sure any pitch I send makes the reporter look good. If I ever get stuck, I might call you for advice!
Ed: Please do. Every reporter makes mistakes at some point—it’s part of the job—but you have to own them and correct them. Let’s shift gears. You’ve landed clients coverage across TV, podcasts, and print. How do you decide where a story belongs now that audiences consume news so differently—mostly online?
Anna: It’s true, people don’t open physical newspapers anymore. Everything’s online and in their hands. So before pitching, I review my client’s entire digital presence—LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, anywhere their audience lives. If they’re featured somewhere, how can they leverage that on other platforms? Consistency matters. We create a plan so they can showcase coverage across channels. Some even use “as seen in” placements in their ads. That visibility builds credibility and interest among potential customers.
