The official page for the Atlanta-based B2B PR agency Sword and the Script Media, LLC. Posting about PR, content marketing and social media.
Based just outside Atlanta, Georgia, Sword and the Script Media, LLC is veteran-owned public relations agency immersed in the business-to-business (B2B) marketplace. We focus on building consistent, sustainable, repeatable, and process-driven programs for PR, content marketing and social media. A defining difference comes down to our approach – that marketing ought to have utility. This is because marketing that helps, sells better than marketing that hypes.
Mission: Study PR, champion the profession, play well with other marketing disciplines.
Looking for press release pricing? Can't find it for the big vendors? We got you!
Here's how much press releases cost -- and other FAQs about releases.
Check out the full post for details: http://bit.ly/38CFMXF
#PR #publicrelations #PressReleases
Happy New Year!
Here's the first monthly summary of news from the PR Tech Community for 2021.
Highlights:
1. Meltwater quietly goes public
2. Propel PRM hits 50 customers in 2020
3. The all-new "Vetted" is like HARO or ProfNet with no pitching
4. Mentions: Cision gets new sales lead; Muck Rack launches a customer community
5. Content picks from SocialChorus, Universal Information Services, Signal AI, Burrelles, and Michelle Messenger Garrett.
#PR #publicrelations #technology
Meltwater lists on a Swedish stock exchange ; startup Propel hits 50 customers; Vetted launches – it’s like HARO or ProfNet with no pitching
Thank you for reading.
Here are the most-read posts on Sword and the Script this year.
Good riddance 2020!
Wishing you success and health in 2021.
Several posts on PR technology made the top 10 posts on Sword and the Script as measured by reader clicks
Here’s a look at statistics across PR, marketing, and social media that were surfaced in the various reports and studies covered on this blog throughout 2020.
Some of the standouts include:
> Some 68% of B2B professionals surveyed say it takes longer to complete B2B sales cycles compared to a year ago.
>“More than 50 percent of CMOs indicate they are responsible for 11 or more distinct marketing activities,” according to a survey by Deloitte and the CMO Club.
> Brands that emphasize employee experience (EX) and customer experience (CX) achieve business growth nearly 2x faster, according to a study by Salesforce.
>Three-quarters (75%) of PR and comms pros say media relations is getting harder – up 25% over three years.
> B2B technology decision-makers say they consumed 11 or more piece of vendor content over one year.
There's a whole lot more goodness in the post.
Here's a look at statistics across PR, marketing, and social media that were surfaced in the various reports and studies covered on this blog throughout 2020.
Predictions usually include some element of aspiration.
It’s not just what we think will happen, but also a reflection in some way, shape or form, of what we hope will happen.
If there’s a common theme to this year’s annual list of predictions, is that we’re all hopeful about 2021.
Check out this list of #marketing and #PR predictions for next year. 👇👇👇👇
Two dozen marketing and PR professionals express what is largely aspirations for 2020 along with educated guesses about the future over the next 12 months.
Nice round-up of ideas compiled by Garrett Public Relations
for #digital #marketing in 2021:
- "re-invest in getting to know your audiences"
- "align your values with your value"
- "for bottom-of-funnel content, it’s about who, not how many"
Thanks for the inclusion!
How can marketers focus on the right elements in 2021? These 21 influencers weigh in with their best digital marketing advice.
Leaders should plan and execute comms around M&A with the same level of detail as any other marketing campaign or business initiative writes Dwayne Alicie in this guest post.
His suggestions include:
1. Consider your audience and prioritize communicating with your employees.
2. Lay down a solid strategy once you understand employee perceptions.
3. Plan everything and pay attention to timing.
Read more in the link below.
#merger #acquisition #comms #corpcomms #financialcommunications
Leaders should plan and execute comms around mergers and aquisitions (M&A) with the same level of detail as any other marketing campaign or business initiative writes Dwayne Alicie in this guest post
Is it possible to know if a pitch will land with a reporter?
New PR tool "PRophet" says it has analyzed millions of stories from thousands of reporters to produce the probability of a journalist covering your story.
It tops the PR tech sum this month.
Mentions include Proof Analytics, Cision, PRgloo
and Prezly.
Link picks from Muck Rack, Agility PR Solutions, and @Burrelles.
#pr #tech #analytics
“PRophet” has analyzed millions of stories from thousands of reporters to produce the probability of a journalist covering your PR pitch
How are your conversion rates -- from registrants to attendees -- on webinars and virtual events?
If you're getting 50% to attend, you're doing pretty well.
Survey says:
- 44% of respondents said they get 26-50%
- 39% of respondents said they get 51-75%
- 8% of respondents said they get 75%+
Check out this post for some actionable ways to get both more attendees and get more engagement from those that attend your events.
#marketing #digitalmarketing #engagement #virtualevents #b2bmarketing
A survey identifies several ideas B2B marketers can use to improve attendance, engagement and get more value out of their investment in virtual events
One of the occasional critiques of content marketing I hear from PR professionals is that content lacks credibility.
The old adage in PR suggests nothing you say about yourself is as credible as someone saying it for you.
There is definitely value in third-party validation, but a key reason people believe that third-party is the fact they have a relationship with the subscribed audience.
It’s their audience, not yours.
That’s where content marketing – when performed according to research-driven best practices – flips things around.
#contentmarketing #publicrelations
Diligence and accuracy in owned media publishing allows B2B to foster a relationship with a subscribes audience and build credibilty for the organization in the process.
B2B marketers say too much work, too few resources and too much interference forces them to choose between quality and completion.
A survey identified six key barriers:
1. Conflicting priorities and weak processes
2. B2B marketing faces interference
3. Insufficient resources
4. Too much work, and not enough time
5. Lack of cooperation from other departments
6. Limited exposure to customers
Here are the stats...and some ideas to adapt and overcome, in the link below, such as:
Shield time for your people to get their work done. We can talk all day in meetings, but someone in your organization still has to produce the marketing materials that advance your message.
One of the recommendations the report offers is to “build a controlled space for creativity.” It’s a good idea that I think is intended to present an opportunity to try new things – just don’t forget to make time for the essential tasks too.
#b2b #b2bmarketing #CMO #content #contentmarketing
h/t Radix Communications Ltd
B2B marketers say too much work, too few resources and too much interference forces them to choose between quality and completion
Study: “revenue growth is linked” to employee experience (EX).
Further, the growth as a result of EX is linked “regardless” of the emphasis the company placed on customer experience (CX).
As Tiffani Bova of Salesforce put it:
“The fastest way to get customers to love your brand is to get employees to love their jobs.”
#employeeexperience #customerexperience
A detailed study finds brands that emphasize employee experience (EX) and customer experience (CX) achieve business growth nearly 2x faster
If you are in the U.S. and completed your civic duty today, then please take your mind off politics for a bit and check out this month's PR Tech Sum.
Highlights:
1) Critical Mention adds podcast monitoring
2) Cisionon makes media database improvements
3) PR tech mentions include Onclusive, Muck Rack, Meltwater and Signal AI.
4) Picks from the trade pubs and vendor blogs include Business Wire & Burrelles
#pr #podcast #tech #mediamonitoring
R technology summary: new podcast monitoring option from Critical Mention; Cision updates its media contact database
Recently an SEO vendor made a move into the PR space when SEMrush acquired the PR technology vendor, Prowly PR Software.
It struck me as a surprise, but as I noted when I first wrote about it, I like the idea and wonder why we haven’t seen more deals like this.
Following the announcement, I had a chance to connect with SEMrush Chief Strategy Officer Eugene Levin and ask him a few questions about the transaction and what it means for the community.
He agreed, and so he’s my guest on this 46th edition of the Off Script Q&A series.
#seo #pr #technology
SEMrush executive explains the deal with Prowly; describes the union between PR and SEO and when and why a link can be better than a mention
You can’t just turn PR and marketing off and on
When you stop and start constantly, which is the effect of cuts, you wind up having to spend to overcome inertia again, and again, and again.
[Monthly Scripts] - https://mailchi.mp/eaa67fc27788/you-cant-just-turn-pr-and-marketing-off-and-on-monthly-scripts
Muck Rack is a PR technology platform that helps PR find relevant media contacts, facilitates PR pitching and provides media monitoring.
Here's a closer look that covers:
1. Muck Rack background and overview
2. A product overview of Muck Rack
3. Finding media contacts in Muck Rack
4. Media outreach in Muck Rack
5. Media monitoring in Muck Rack
6. Muck Rack pricing and customers
7. PR tech assessment
#PR #PRandComm #digital Muck Rackck
Muck Rack is a PR technology platform that helps PR find relevant media contacts, facilitates story pitching and provides coverage and media monitoring
mid layoffs and closures stemming from the pandemic, news organizations are republishing political content leaving less time and space for business news.
In 2020, as much as 34% of content is being republished and recycled, according to an analysis by Christopher Penn for the marketing data consulting company Trust Insights.
According to Mr. Penn – and I wholeheartedly agree – if you are not your own publisher, if your business does not take content marketing seriously, you risk missing the visibility and market awareness a business needs.
#marketing #contentmarketing #digitalmarketing
Amid layoffs and closures stemming from the pandemic, news organizations are republishing political content leaving less time and space for business news
Someone finished a job interview and didn't do so well. It caused them to realize they needed resources to sharpen their skills -- and posted a request to Reddit.
That's an easy post for me to draft up. So here's a list of 28.
If you have a resource you'd like to be considered as an addition, feel free to drop a link in the comments here, or on the actual post.
A carefully curated list of public relations resources including newsletters, blogs, podcasts, trade and books for staying up to speed
Marketing content and content marketing are two different things; understanding the lexicon is an advantage in an industry where nuance matters.
Getting your organization behind this nuance is a fundamental requirement for market traction.
This article in Legaltech News describes six pragmatic tips for content marketing in legal tech:
1. Document your content strategy
2. Treat content marketing as a dedicated channel
3. Publishing consistently matters more than frequently
4. Implement a subscription mechanism
5. Strike a balance on product promotion
6. Place equal emphasis on distribution
Read the full piece 👇👇👇 #legaltech #legaltechnology #legalmarketing #BusinessOfLaw
Marketing content and content marketing are two different things; understanding the lexicon is an advantage in an industry where nuance matters.
Blogging doesn’t have the appeal that voice search, personalization or influencer marketing do in B2B marketing, but when it’s done right, it’s surely effective, according to a new study.
The most effective blogs in B2B marketing tend to publish longer posts, more frequently, with visuals, paid distribution and analytical measurement.
The most effective blogs in B2B marketing publish longer posts, more frequently, with visuals, paid distribution and analytical measurement.
What separates successful B2B content marketing programs from those that underperform?
Year after year, the research finds similar themes:
-60% have a documented content marketing strategy
-60% build a subscription audience
-73% use content marketing to nurture subscribers and leads
It's a one-page recipe to success every year.
1. If you don’t have a content marketing strategy – make one.
2. Focus on building subscribers.
3. Metrics are for more than measurement.
#contentmarketing #marketingstrategy #contentstrategy #b2b
Effective B2B content marketing programs have a documented strategy, build a subscription audience and use metrics to inform decision making.
It's the first Tuesday of the month which means it's time for another summary of the news from the PR technology community.
A couple of juicy news items too.
1. SEO software company SEMrush acquires PR software company Prowly PR Software
2. PublicRelayy announces predictive alerts
3. De-Cision: Buy Meltwater and spinoff TrendKite?
4. Minor mentions and exec shuffles: TVEyes, Signal AI
and Cision
5. Content picks from Burrelles, Muck Rack, Business Wire and Signal AI
Details in the post.
#pr #publicrelations #technology #martech
SEMrush acquires Prowly; PublicRelay announces predictive alerts; de-Cision: buy Meltwater and spinoff TrendKite?
What will B2B marketing do without lead-generating trade shows for a sustained period of *years*?
The pandemic is certainly changing marketing – but we might all do well to shift our thinking towards what might become quasi-permanent.
>> Offices won’t be gone – but remote work won’t be exceptional.
>>Business travel won’t end – but travel budgets might be harder to justify in the age of Zoom.
>> Tradeshows might come back – but perhaps with a lesser role in B2B marketing plans.
And tradeshows are the focus of this roundup:
1. PwC estimates, as reported by MarketingCharts, say it will be 3+ years before trade shows recover
2. The editor at Follow Your Buyer argues B2B was spending too much on tradeshows pre-pandemic and this is a chance to reset the balance.
3. Virtual providers, like ON24, are pointing to new capabilities in virtual platforms -- webinar attendees that display "buying signals."
#marketing #b2bmarketing #b2b #digitalmarketing #virtualevents #startup #leadgeneration
The decline of B2B trade shows frees B2B marketing to experiment with more efficient channels; virtual events surface buying signals.
An annual marketing salary survey shows remote interviews and a shorter hiring process have become the norm as a consequence of the pandemic.
How businesses hire marketers wasn’t the only thing that’s change – but the skills they are hiring for too. While there’s always been a demand for marketers with marketing technology skills, the Coronavirus seems to have redoubled the emphasis.
Salary benchmarks? Here are a few (more in the post):
-Chief marketing officer (CMO): $165,000-$199,500
-Creative director: $117,000-$140,250
-Marketing director: $109,000-$127,500
-PR director: $98,000-$116,250
-UX designer: $98,000-$118,500
#marketing #CMO
Annual marketing salary survey shows remote interviews and shorter hiring process have become the norm as a consequence of the pandemic.
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