Sarah Davis

Heard a question recently about how to start forming relationships with journalists. My best tip? Contact them before you need them. Nothing fancy -- "Hey I'm Whoever with Company. You may see my name in the future as I pitch you on X, Y and Z. In the meantime if I can be an resource in these areas, happy to!" If you're in the same geographic area as them, you can offer a coffee, but keep it low-pressure. (And remember not all of us live in New York, so do research). That way when you come through with a pitch, you at least look vaguely familiar.

600

54 Comments

The most dangerous PR pros are the ones who agree with everything you say. Here's what happens when PR pros say "yes" to everything: Premature announcements fall flat. Underbaked story angles waste journalists' time. Force-fitted pitches damage hard-earned media relationships. In my 15+ years of doing PR, I've found that clients don't actually want yes-people. They want candid partners who will fight for their success, even when that means pushing back. Those painfully awkward conversations where we reject a client's pet project? They establish the kind of mutual respect that grown-up relationships are built on. We're playing the slow-is-fast game. Setting strategic foundations for the coverage that prepares clients for their next funding round or a successful exit. Coverage that builds LEGACIES, not just headlines. Example: we advised a high-growth tech client to hold a rebrand announcement until we'd secured the analyst briefings and industry context that would make it land properly. The delay also prevented us from burning bridges with tier-1 journalists who would have dismissed a half-baked story. Three months later we had coverage in WSJ, Forbes, and CNBC. The agencies too afraid to say "No" are the ones that ultimately fail their clients. They get short-term wins at the expense of long-term success. When we say "No," we're not being difficult. We're being the strategic advisors who help you build something that lasts.

335

18 Comments

Everyone talks about book launch day in publishing, when we really should spend more time talking about what happens in 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒂𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓. You see, even though launch day gets all the attention (and Instagram Stories, LinkedIn Live celebrations, and launch parties ), the long game is what turns a one-time promo into a long-term platform. Because that first year post-launch… That’s where staying power is built. That’s when your book: ✅ Stops being a “new release” and becomes a trusted resource ✅ Starts showing up in your speaking pitches, media mentions, and client calls ✅ Moves from front-and-center to background credibility—supporting your business, not overwhelming it Most importantly, that’s when authors decide whether they’re done… or just getting started. If you want to build visibility that lasts, here’s what matters: → Refresh your messaging: shift from “preorder now” to “available now,” and promote new formats (audiobook, paperback, etc.) → Keep your website working quietly in your favor. Don’t shout, but don’t go silent → Blend your book into your brand: into bios, intros, workshops, and lead magnets → Post with intention, not just nostalgia. New wins, timely insights, relevant media → Let it evolve. After 6–12 months, you can ease off promotion while still staying discoverable Have you thought about how you’re showing up after your launch window closes? Let me know in the comments below! I’m here to help if you have questions.   #Publishing #Author #Marketing #ThoughtLeadership #Leadership

78

17 Comments

Daily media coverage and intelligence reports aren’t optional in PR—they’re non-negotiable. The challenge is the time commitment. Early in my career at PR agencies (Burson, Weber Shandwick) and in-house at eBay, I spent hours every day compiling reports and even weekends sifting through Google Alerts to prep for the week ahead. Later, as a manager PayPal and Under Armour, it was tough to watch my team invest more time than necessary in reporting when they could be focusing on projects with greater learning opportunities. Regular media intelligence reporting is essential for managing up to your C-suite and board. It not only shows which external media coverage advances the company narrative but also surfaces strategic moves—like removing a mention from a story or shaping competitor narratives—that build reputation capital. I was excited to get a sneak peek of Clipbook (thanks Grant Manley, Parth Badhwar)—an AI-first research and analysis platform built for the modern comms era. It makes creating custom daily reports seamless and saves communications teams countless hours by visualizing mentions and analytics across social and emerging media. Congrats to Adam Joseph on the launch. For more info and to see a demo visit https://lnkd.in/eMstgRWm

62

25 Comments

In 2026, boring PR is going to win. ✅ Press releases written in Q+A format instead of narrative style ✅ News articles on straightforward topics like "how do I do X" or "how much does X cost" instead of in-depth, compelling features ✅ Tips, how-to articles, and headlines written as questions This is how you optimize PR for LLMs. It may not be sexy, but it works.

872

74 Comments

🚨 Today, Muck Rack released a major new report: What Is AI Reading? This is a big win for PR and Comms pros. Why? Because we finally have data showing that earned media doesn’t just inform—it fuels discovery, shapes perception, and drives business outcomes. You’ll see how the sources we pitch and place in are directly influencing AI outputs, and by extension, the flow of information online. 📌 Link in comments. We worked with Eleanor Hawkins for the exclusive story—and I’m so glad we did. If there’s one takeaway for communicators, it’s this: trust your gut and work with journalists who get it. Eleanor has covered our industry with care and depth for years. She didn’t just report the findings—she translated their meaning. Not just for PR folks, but for leaders navigating AI’s growing role in business. Could we have gone with someone who covers tech, business, or marketing more broadly? Sure. But this story needed someone who understands PR + media—and Eleanor nailed it. It's meta: strategic PR about a report on strategic PR through a tech platform built for strategic PR pros with a journalist who covers strategic PR. This is why I choose to do this every day. https://lnkd.in/eTk4v3Nr

129

13 Comments

This stat jumped out: 96% of links cited by LLMs sit squarely within purview of corporate communications and corporate affairs. For those debating the decreasing impact of media relations, it's worth noting that third-party articles have a big impact on the outcome of AI searches. And if you're building a strategy for how your company or brand shows up in LLM searches, the recent Muck Rack report and Eleanor Hawkins article are worth a read. Owned content and thought leadership are a sweet spot for getting content cited. And interesting to see the differences between ChatGPT (citing media), Claude (federal, technical) and Gemini (no surprise, YouTube). https://lnkd.in/eNTA7Z8g

127

17 Comments

Just two co-moderators kicking it back after a breakfast round-table: “What goes wrong (and right) in Account-Based Marketing?” Excellent to invite Rachel Fairley to lead a timely session on this perennial and proverbial thorn in a marketers side— —or is it? Even around this table of 25 marketing leaders there was no consensus on its definition (which is apparently par for the course in this profession) nor on whether the term itself is useful in proving marketing’s value to the rest of the business. ABM-to-many working well is just good marketing, for example. Jumping in a black cab but the following points have stuck most with me, you may have others: Still, there was a lot of agreement on what goes wrong: —> Targets change quarterly and unpredictably —> Different ways of doing ABM occur, with blind spots —> If too personalised how can one scale? —> Seen as demand gen in a different suit And agreement and experiences of what goes right: —> upselling and cross-selling more seamless —> sales and revenue teams attuned to marketing’s value —> customers feel, and are, listened to and put centrally —> fits well within a wider marketing mix of demand gen, field, aka is NOT tactical ABM but strategic Good to see familiar faces around the table— Liz L. Marta George Tara Allison Steven Goddard and others — and meet other marketing exes across the B2B technology space. HotTopics ; check out our B2B CMO 2.0 series for more events and insights for marketing leaders.

48

12 Comments

AI and the future of creativity—it's a conversation on everyone's mind. Ogilvy's Global CEO Devika Bulchandani will weigh in with her view during Fortune's #BrainstormTech conference next month, spotlighting how the intersection of human ingenuity and augmented intelligence drives value for brands, businesses, and talent. Details: http://bit.ly/4ooWXRm #AI #AugmentedCreativity #BorderlessCreativity #TeamOgilvy

62