The subtle art of media outreach: Lessons from mistakes

I recently had the honor of being featured in a Forbes article that tackled a topic dear to my heart – media outreach and the lessons we've learned from our mistakes. The article, titled "17 Comms Pros Share Lessons Learned From Media Outreach Mistakes," is a treasure trove of insights from seasoned professionals in the communications field.

For those of you who are just starting out in PR or even veterans looking for a refresher, this article is a must-read. It uncovers real-world mistakes and provides actionable advice on how to avoid these common pitfalls.

My two cents on the matter

I was quoted as Contributor 8, where I talked about the dangers of 'Pitching Indiscriminately'. As communication professionals, it's crucial to remember that journalists are not just 'receivers' of our messages. They are individuals with their own interests, beats, and audiences. Blasting your story to every journalist you can find is not just ineffective; it can also be counterproductive. A pitch that is irrelevant to a journalist is a surefire way to land your email in the 'ignore' pile and tarnish future interactions.

Instead, take time to understand the journalists you're reaching out to. What topics do they cover? What is their target audience? Is your story relevant to them? These questions aren't mere niceties; they are essential steps to building a mutually beneficial relationship with the media.

A goldmine of advice

Beyond my contribution, the article features numerous other gems:

The Importance of In-Market Research: Before you launch a PR campaign, make sure you understand the nuances of your target market. Preparation Is Key: Never underestimate the power of preparation. Whether it's a big media interview or a small blog post, doing your homework can make all the difference.

Personalization Over Generalization: A generic pitch is like white noise. Tailoring your message to a journalist’s specific beat or recent articles can significantly increase your chances of getting noticed. Understanding Journalists: Remember, the media is not a monolith. Understanding the needs and pressures of journalists can go a long way in making your outreach successful. Why It Matters

In an era where information is abundant but attention is scarce, knowing how to effectively communicate your message is vital. The lessons shared in this article are not just tips; they are foundational principles that can shape your PR strategy for the better.

If you haven't read the article yet, you can check it out here. Trust me; it's worth the read!

Setting the pace

"The pacing team isn't an accident. It's a choice." – Seth Godin

With my transition into a senior marketing leadership role, some things have become more precise and critical.

1. I do not have the 30 cycles that Mark Ritson speaks of for a marketer in their 20's Call to Action podcast(Episode 100). While I've already worked 20-plus cycles, I have 15 more to own and deliver.
2. Knowing the appalling state of implementation, delivery, structure and framework, efficiency, and approach across the industry as regularly reported in Marketing Week and [Marketing Professionals] (https://www.marketingprofs.com/cmp/stateofb2b/22report/sa/#), I do not have time to waste not to do this properly the first time.
3. I want to have an impact; that's one of the reasons why our in-house agency is called Impact, and we deliver results now. So, as per Seth Godin's Choosing your pacemaker, I must link myself to experienced and professional pacemakers.

I am pleased to have semi-regular arms-length access to Mark Ritson and the brilliant teams at Xeim in London. I am excited to return to Cannes for the Lions Festival in a few weeks.

Fortunately, I am a part of the Cannes Lions [CMO Accelerator programme] (https://www.canneslions.com/initiatives/cmos/cmo-accelerator-programme-2023) for senior marketers this year. I look forward to working with Jim Stengel, Suzanne Tosolini, Gary Vaynerchuk and the Cannes Lions education team.

The pace set by Mark, Jim, Suzanne, Gary, and Cannes Lions will be fast and just the speed I need to deliver results and make a positive Impact.

Is Marketing Creativity At Risk? Ask Generative AI

Once the stuff of sci-fi movies, in recent months artificial technology (AI) technology has morphed from a driving force behind operational automation and smart decision-making into a new domain that more widely influences human instinct, creativity and interpretation. It’s now firmly placed at the center of the conversation. Microsoft Head of AI Platforms Eric Boyd said (paywall) it’s “touching almost everything that’s out there,” and the mix of excitement and worry is palpable.

The buzz around generative tools, such as ChatGPT, DALL-E 2 and Writer AI (to name a few), has meant 2023 is a breakthrough year for the public understanding of artificial intelligence. With Microsoft investing $10 billion in ChatGPT-maker OpenAI and BuzzFeed’s stock surging after it announced plans to use this same technology to enhance its content, generative AI will clearly play a significant role going forward.

Machine learning is far from new. For years it’s been used in our industry to help tailor content to specific audiences that’s more engaging to our customers. It’s also used to analyze customer data to create customized messages that truly resonate with our audiences and identify patterns and trends from previous campaign data that can be used to improve future work. For example, last August Meta released Advantage+, which uses AI to generate multiple adverts to meet the objectives of the marketer. By running tests of potential ads, it selects which one it thinks will be most effective. One customer who implemented the tool saw a 20%-30% increase (paywall) in revenue earned from their advertising campaign versus other campaigns on Meta not run through this tool.

The sudden burst of interest is happening now because these generative AI models offer the general public a chance to see the potential up close in plain sight. As generative AI is increasingly used to produce ideas on tricky topics and enrich human creativity, the marketing industry needs to be ready to both embrace these new tools and understand their limitations.

Speed up originality and augment the creative process.

If you ask ChatGPT to create a list of ideas for a marketing campaign, the answers are generally bland and obvious. Even if you plug the words “unique” or “creative” into the question, the answer often fails to be either. However, seeing these standard, boring responses makes the process of creating something truly novel surprisingly easier, as it helps you eliminate the obvious. In a sense, generative AI can tell you what not to do.

The various possibilities it produces in seconds are another example of one of AI’s merits: It doesn’t moan about dull, repetitive tasks. It’s also unashamed to generate basic outputs that humans may not view as outside the box but are nonetheless useful. By using it to unpick the bad ideas from the good, we can use AI as a springboard toward original, inspired ideas. For anyone intimidated by a blank sheet of paper, AI can ease writer’s block when facing a tight deadline. As we know, it’s easier to edit something than to start from scratch.

This technology proves it’s the humans that have the vision, not the robots. Moving forward, high-level, truly valuable creativity will be the result of augmenting our processes with AI and maintaining emotion and human experience as the vital ingredients.

Be wary of hallucinations.

However, as the use of this technology grows, so does unwarranted confidence in the output. Yes, it is quick, but is it correct? Generative AI is only as good as its training data—which is almost two years out of date in the case of ChatGPT. As a result, generative AI is great at fabrication. This can be entirely harmless (and fun) when asking them to create a faux poem by Wordsworth or a fake painting by Rembrandt.

As Michael Wooldridge, director of foundational AI research at the Alan Turing Institute in London, commented, ChatGPT “doesn’t know what’s true or false. It doesn’t know about the world.” There’s a fundamental difference between generating answers and ideas and validating them. As its popularity rises, we must become more vigilant about its capacity to mislead. There is no getting around the need for fact-checking before you can put your faith in what the quick, obliging AI is telling you.

It’s still our job to look at the product and check if what we’re reading is true. Even ChatGPT’s prompt page warns “it may occasionally generate incorrect information.” It has no common sense—that’s where we come in. This necessity was seen recently when Google’s rival to ChatGPT, Bard AI, cost its parent company $100 billion in market value after it provided an incorrect answer in a promotional Twitter advert launching the product.

It’s a tool, not a replacement.

As Ethan Mollick of Wharton said, ChatGPT can be thought of as an “omniscient, eager-to-please intern who sometimes lies to you.” The conundrum of generative AI as it stands today is that it’s both hugely innovative and helps humans remain at the top of the pyramid. Slightly out-of-reach, unexpected ideas are the best side of the creative process—a side generative AI can’t yet reach.

Generative AI models are great to kick-start the imagination, to mine examples of what has been done before or to list industry conventions. We need to use AI as a foundation from which strategic and creative opportunities can grow.

The benefit for us marketers is its diversity. Generative AI can take in images, long-form text, emails, social media content, voice recordings and structured data. From this, it outputs new content, translations, sentiment analysis and summaries, among other forms of content. After these have been generated, they need to be carefully evaluated and edited by a human. These different elements can then form the building blocks of campaigns and applications in our industry—all produced far faster than if we started from scratch.

Undoubtedly there will come a time when these models create content that’s reliable, not just plausible. But until then, we need to use our professional experience to recognize AI’s shortcomings. Those who do so will be the most successful in putting this new kind of intelligence to work.

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Metadata: Originally published on Forbes.com on 11 April 2023.

Big Tech Trends for B2B Marketers to Leverage

B2B marketing is constantly changing with the introduction of new technologies. In 2023, staying updated with martech trends is crucial for businesses to stand out and engage with their audience. In my latest Forbes Communications Council Exper Panel there are some great suggestions leveraging emerging tech trends for effective marketing campaigns and achieving marketing goals.

You can read the Expert Panel I am on at Forbes.

Exploring the Impact of Generative AI on Marketing Creativity

With the rise of generative AI, the marketing industry is at a turning point, where AI has the potential to speed up creativity, provide new inspiration, and generate unique ideas. However, the industry must also be aware of the limitations and risks associated with using generative AI. My latest article on Forbes, "Is Marketing Creativity at Risk? Ask Generative AI," discusses the benefits and pitfalls of AI for marketers, offering insights into how to leverage AI tools effectively while mitigating risks.

Getting (re)started

“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.”

— Maria Robinson

Preferred methods Of communicating with the media

Effective communication with the media is crucial for businesses and organizations.

Many businesses struggle with this task, but 10 members of Forbes Communications Council, including myself, share preferred methods of communicating with the media and why these strategies are important for successful media relations.

The Expert Panel, '10 Comms Pros’ Preferred Methods Of Communicating With The Media', is one Forbes.com here.

Guidelines for convincing sales content

Establishing an emotional connection is crucial to creating engaging sales content. Personalization is key, so research is necessary to address pain points or share testimonials. In this expert panel I share one of my effective strategies for creating engaging content for sales teams.

THe post, '13 Guidelines For Convincing (And Never Generic) Sales Content' is avaiable on Forbes.com here.

The vital role of team managers in harnessing the power of Microsoft 365

In today's fast-paced digital era, effective collaboration and streamlined workflows are vital to achieving success in any organisation.

As businesses increasingly rely on technology to drive productivity and innovation, team managers play a pivotal role in harnessing the power of software tools to foster a culture of excellence, support their team members, and deliver high-quality work.

Among the myriad productivity suites available, Microsoft 365, the default platform for Office applications for many organisations, is a comprehensive solution that empowers managers to lead their teams to new heights.

It has become even more important for team managers to know how to use the Microsoft 365 software suite well and execute work with the highest quality, with a focus on corporate culture and their team members.

Ensuring Quality Work Delivery

The pursuit of quality work should be a cornerstone of any successful organisation. Microsoft 365 provides an array of tools that can enhance the quality of deliverables. Previously this may have meant of focus on professional documents in Word or PowerPoint. However, today's tools like Power Automate, Flow, and Power BI can help make processes efficient and automated with transparent reporting to both leadership and teams. By mastering these tools, team managers can set high standards, guide their team members in producing polished outputs, and ensure the high quality of work delivered to clients, stakeholders, and colleagues.

Cultivating a Culture of Collaboration

Effective collaboration lies at the heart of a successful team. Microsoft 365 offers tools like Outlook, Teams, OneNote, SharePoint, and Yammer, enabling seamless communication, document sharing, and project management. By becoming proficient in these tools, team managers can create a collaborative culture where information flows freely, ideas are easy to share, and the team harnesses collective intelligence. This approach to collaboration fosters innovation, boosts creativity, and enhances problem-solving capabilities within the team.

Promoting Seamless Communication and Connectivity

Clear and effective communication is vital for a team's success. Microsoft 365 equips team managers with communication tools such as Microsoft Teams, Outlook, and SharePoint. These tools enable real-time messaging, video conferencing, email integration, and the managed sharing of information, fostering seamless communication among team members, regardless of location. By leveraging these tools proficiently, managers can ensure everyone is on the same page, address concerns promptly, and build strong relationships within the team.

Streamlining Workflows for Efficiency

Delivering work efficiently and on time is a hallmark of successful teams. Microsoft 365 offers many tools that streamline workflows, automate repetitive tasks, and enhance productivity. For instance, traditional tools like Excel help managers analyse data, make informed decisions, and track progress. Other apps like Planner or Project enable efficient project planning and resource allocation. By mastering these tools, team managers can optimise processes, identify bottlenecks, and allocate resources effectively, improving work efficiency and timely deliverables.

Empowering and Supporting Team Members

A team manager's role extends beyond assigning tasks and monitoring progress. Ensuring your team members are trained and confident to use the powerful new parts of Microsoft 365 supports efficiency, process, reporting, and quality gains in day-to-day work. Powerful tools like Power Automate, Flow, Planner, Power BI, and Microsoft Forms can help to remove the drudgery of repeated manual process work. By utilising these tools effectively, managers can work with team members to provide personalised support, mentorship and identify growth opportunities. This approach to empowering and supporting your team members, in turn, enhances employee satisfaction, engagement, and retention.

Conclusion

As technology evolves, team managers must adapt and embrace the tools to drive collaboration, support their team members, and deliver high-quality work. Microsoft 365 offers an all-encompassing software suite that empowers managers to cultivate a culture of cooperation and partnership, execute work excellently, and respect and support team members.

By becoming proficient in the complete Microsoft 365 suite, team managers can unlock the full potential of their teams, foster innovation, and drive success in today's digital landscape.

Tips to improve your email list

A well-managed email list can convert at a multiple that greatly exceeds other mediums. That's why managing your list well and providing valuable content to list members is essential. The most recent expert panel from the Forbes Communications Council has 11 tips to improve your email list, and my advice on relevant content is at number 11.

You can read the article at Forbes here: 11 Tips To Improve Your Email List And Get The 'Right' People.