PR & Communications

Overview

This skill covers B2B PR and communications strategy, from building internal messaging frameworks and developing spokespeople to selecting PR agencies, earning media coverage, and adapting PR for the AI/AEO era. All practices are sourced exclusively from Exit Five podcast guests across 6 episodes. No general marketing knowledge has been added.

Messaging Foundations

Build a messaging pyramid before any external communications. Start with a single-sentence company definition. Expand to three sentences. Identify 2–5 key messaging pillars (e.g., simplicity, future of work). For each pillar, develop two-sentence, five-sentence, and detailed versions with supporting proof points. Ground this work in conversations with product, engineering, PMM, and revenue teams to understand what customers and the market actually care about. This framework then feeds all talk tracks and external communications. (Source: Priscilla Barolo, Episode #193)

Use press releases as an internal positioning exercise first, distribution vehicle second. Write press releases not just for external audiences, but as a forcing function to make the organization articulate what the product does and who it's for. Require C-suite approval (CEO, CFO, General Counsel) before distribution. This process surfaces misalignment on positioning, product value, and target buyer, and ensures organizational alignment before anything goes external. (Source: Marcy Comer, Episode #324)

Spokesperson Development

Build internal spokespeople before pitching journalists. PR is only as good as the people behind it. Identify internal team members who have genuine perspectives and original things to say — not just the CEO. Help them build their LinkedIn presence, secure hosting opportunities, and create video content featuring them. Then use these developed spokespeople as the foundation for journalist pitches. Journalists want interesting people to interview, not company announcements. Start by running sourcing calls to understand what topics each person is passionate about, then match that to your company's storytelling. (Source: Sylvia LePoidevin, Episode #306)

Customize talk tracks by individual executive capability. Do not apply a one-size-fits-all approach to executive media preparation. For naturally strong communicators, provide light guidance (e.g., "hit these three points about this announcement, otherwise freestyle"). For others, conduct full media training with detailed scripts. Ensure all talk tracks align with core messaging pillars and key announcements. (Source: Priscilla Barolo, Episode #302)

Use founder brand as a core PR and awareness strategy. Build founder visibility across social media, podcasts, speaking engagements, and articles. Start with the founder's natural communication — strong opinions, insights, tweets — and expand into longer-form content (LinkedIn posts, articles, podcast appearances). This generates awareness, attracts talent, builds partnerships, and creates a feedback loop for testing messages before major product announcements. Particularly effective for early-stage companies that need brand awareness before product-market fit. (Source: Dave Gerhardt, Episode #275)

Original Research & Content

Conduct original research via simple surveys to create journalist-worthy data. Run surveys (tools like Typeform work) to your audience to gather original research data. Offer swag incentives to drive participation. Aim for 1,000+ responses. Use this data as the foundation for PR pitches and journalist outreach. Original research is more credible than company-generated claims and gives journalists a concrete reason to cover your story. Secondary benefit: the survey connects you directly with customers and reveals what they care about, informing broader marketing strategy. (Source: Sylvia LePoidevin, Episode #306)

PR Agency Selection & Management

Prioritize boutique agencies with geographic specialization over large firms. When hiring a PR agency, choose boutique agencies (typically under 10 people) with strong geographic focus. Large agencies assign junior staff to your account and rotate them out. Boutique agencies ensure a senior person attends every meeting and owns the relationship. During the pitch, verify exactly which people will be on your day-to-day team — not just who presents. Budget $7,000–$14,000 monthly depending on geography and scope ($84,000–$168,000 annually). (Source: Priscilla Barolo, Episodes #302 and #193)

Vet agencies by demanding specific journalist names and publication targets. When evaluating PR agencies, require them to come to the pitch with specific ideas that include named journalists and specific publications they plan to target. This tests whether they have real relationships and understand your media landscape. Reject proposals that include undefined research projects or vague "big ideas" without concrete execution details. (Source: Priscilla Barolo, Episodes #302 and #193)

Invest actively in your PR agency's success. PR agencies require active partnership to perform. Provide: (1) documented talk tracks and messaging frameworks for executives; (2) early briefings on product announcements so they understand both the product and why it matters to customers; (3) executive availability for interviews and contributed content; (4) willingness to support earned media with contributed content and pay-for-play in tougher markets. Treat this as a two-way relationship requiring ongoing internal investment. (Source: Priscilla Barolo, Episodes #302 and #193)

Media Relations & Coverage Strategy

Focus on consistent trade publication coverage over sporadic tier-1 media. Set realistic expectations by targeting steady coverage in trade publications relevant to your industry rather than chasing CNBC or the New York Times. Tier-1 outlets require either existing brand recognition or personal journalist relationships. Build consistent relationships with trade journalists and analysts who cover your specific space. Tier-1 coverage is harder to predict and control; trade coverage is more achievable and often more relevant to your actual customers. Educate executives internally that "big news to us" is not necessarily "big news" to major media outlets. (Source: Priscilla Barolo, Episodes #302 and #193)

Prioritize third-party validation and analyst coverage as a differentiation strategy. You can claim product superiority, but external validation from analysts, press, and industry experts carries more weight with buyers. Invest in building relationships with analysts and trade publications who can provide credible third-party endorsement of your product and positioning. (Source: Priscilla Barolo, Episode #193)

PR Measurement

Build a homegrown PR metrics framework rather than relying on agency reports. Develop custom PR measurement categories that reflect your actual business priorities. Track: (1) feature pieces — articles primarily about your company; (2) meaty mentions — a paragraph or two with a quote; (3) general mentions. Set quarterly targets based on business activities and planned announcements. Distinguish between earned coverage your team generated versus inbound coverage driven by external events (e.g., pandemic coverage for Zoom). This prevents inflated metrics from factors outside your control. (Source: Priscilla Barolo, Episodes #302 and #193)

Organizational Structure

Consider consolidating PR, social media, influencer marketing, and employee advocacy under one PR leadership. Realign organizational structure so PR leadership oversees not just media relations and corporate reputation, but also social media marketing, influencer partnerships, and employee advocacy programs. This reflects the reality that PR and word-of-mouth are now primary channels for brand credibility and reach. (Source: Dave Steer, Episode #324)

AEO & LLM Visibility

Publish multi-page, information-dense press releases distributed via wire to increase LLM citations. Move from short one-page press releases to multi-page, information-dense releases. Distribute via press release wire — not just your website — to maximize reach and third-party citations. LLMs treat third-party citations as signals of truth: when multiple sources cite the same information about your brand, LLMs rank that information higher. Ensure C-suite approval before distribution. (Source: Marcy Comer, Episode #324)

Replace backlink strategy with branded rich anchor text mentions across multiple channels. Shift focus from traditional backlinks to branded mentions with rich anchor text (e.g., "Ahrefs CMO Tim Solo" rather than a bare hyperlink). These mentions signal authority to LLMs without requiring paid backlinks. Acquire branded mentions through PR campaigns in niche publications, influencer partnerships, user-generated content (tutorials, videos), community participation (Reddit, Quora), and Wikipedia pages. The hyperlink is optional — the mention itself is what matters for LLM visibility. (Source: Andrei Țiț, Episode #269)

Where Experts Disagree

No disagreements were identified among the practices in this skill. All guest recommendations are presented as individual attributed perspectives, not as universal consensus.

What NOT To Do

• Do not rely on a CEO or external PR firm to pitch generic company news. Journalists are looking for interesting people with original perspectives, not company announcements. (Source: Sylvia LePoidevin, Episode #306)
• Do not accept agency pitches that lack named journalists and specific publication targets. Vague strategies and undefined research projects are red flags. (Source: Priscilla Barolo, Episodes #302 and #193)
• Do not assign your account to junior agency staff without pushback. Verify during the pitch exactly who will be on your day-to-day team. (Source: Priscilla Barolo, Episodes #302 and #193)
• Do not rely solely on agency-provided media metrics. Inflated counts during major external news cycles (e.g., a pandemic) do not reflect your team's actual PR work. Build your own tracking framework. (Source: Priscilla Barolo, Episodes #302 and #193)
• Do not chase tier-1 media coverage as a primary strategy unless you already have significant brand recognition or personal journalist relationships. Focus on trade publications first. (Source: Priscilla Barolo, Episodes #302 and #193)
• Do not distribute press releases without C-suite approval. The internal alignment process is as valuable as the external distribution. (Source: Marcy Comer, Episode #324)
• Do not treat PR agency relationships as one-directional. Failing to provide talk tracks, early product briefings, and executive availability will undermine agency performance regardless of agency quality. (Source: Priscilla Barolo, Episodes #302 and #193)
• Do not rely on traditional backlink strategies alone for LLM visibility. Branded mentions across third-party sources matter more than hyperlinks for AI-era search. (Source: Andrei Țiț, Episode #269)

Sources