SHIFT Communications

As we inch toward Q4, we're reflecting on 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 marked shift in our client PR programs: Sure, we continued earning coverage in high-priority outlets such as Bloomberg, Fox Business Network, Forbes, CIO Dive, Inside Higher Ed and targeted Substacks/podcasts. But we also did things like: 🔹ran an SMB influencer program for a CX tech company 🔹delivered a founder-led Substack strategy and plan for an AI tech client 🔹start the buildout of a personality-rich LinkedIn video series for a B2B CEO 🔹executed several survey data campaigns 🔹helped clients start to shape GEO (AI search visibility) initiatives 🔹amplified great coverage and content with paid syndication and social Our most impactful B2B tech programs right now are not the ones approaching PR solely as "𝙓𝙓 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢 𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘩."   They're the ones broadening the aperture of PR and focusing on building an *𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺* of narrative vehicles and authority signals, where earned media visibility remains a healthy player but is far from the only place our team is doing clients' visibility bidding. #PR #visibility #narrative

Celebrating media coverage — and pursuit of the next story — has long been part of our culture at SHIFT. And now coverage consistency is more important and multi-purpose than ever because it: 🚀 Primes your brand for growth (building awareness, belief, demand, credibility and all the other goodness PR has traditionally delivered) 🔎 Creates the necessary trust signals for AI search/answer visibility The way coverage across traditional and new media "outlets" compounds into something bigger is the reason we light up when we earn it. It' Here are a few "hits" that gave us a jolt of excitement recently — all as part of larger, integrated PR programs including: — Corporate momentum storytelling — Market positioning  — Product awareness & demand creation — Industry AI share of voice — Executive visibility — Credibility & brand building For more on our media relations-heavy programs ⏩ https://bit.ly/4h2Vn2B #PR #earnedmedia #mediarelations #brand

Client impact is our motivator. Recognition for the work delivering it is a bonus, and we're proud to share some that we've recently received. Shoutout to our Consumer and Tech teams, clients and agency partners for adding a win in Chief Marketer Campaigns of the Year “Best Campaign by a Restaurant Brand” and 2x shortlists in the PRNEWS Platinum Awards onto industry nods from The Drum, PR Club and PRovoke earlier this year. #ChiefMarketerAwards #CampaignoftheYear #PR

Some big shifts are happening in earned media strategy as AI search grows and brands chase (and see results) from LLM visibility. 🚫 Traditional media tier systems aren't holding up. ❌ Traditional target coverage maps are deteriorating. 🔎 Outlets that likely weren't on your radar 6-12 months ago are now a priority. AI answer citations run the gamut: all tiers of press, niche blogs, vendor-owned content, (sometimes unlabeled) sponsored editorial. Especially for high-intent searches. Then there are all the "dark" sources influencing AI visibility from below the surface. We've been quiet on GEO externally. Internally we've been anything but, and this is one of our major takeaways: LLM-optimized PR requires a major broadening of the aperture on "media coverage." It requires a dual track PR program: one built for algorithmic intermediaries, the other for more direct ICP reach and resonance, with some overlap. 👆 This is the start of us sharing insights and how we're tackling GEO, for ourselves and clients. At SHIFT and across the AVENIR GLOBAL network. If you want to talk about how you're showing up, what's influencing your category's visibility and how to optimize for short- and long-term wins, reach out. #GEO #LLMvisibility #PR #AIsearch #AIvisibility

Growing our people and our clients 🚀. This is what it's all about. Thanks for capturing and sharing, Kelsie.

"Breathless"? Maybe. But still out here sprinting as we help our clients navigate AI engine visibility, shrinking social reach, and an insanely competitive earned media landscape 🏃 Give this a read for a snapshot of how you should be thinking about your H2 PR priorities.

5 things to evolve in your PR program for instant impact: 𝟭. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁-𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 ➡️ 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻-𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲. Stop broadcasting, start influencing – vision and category transformation is what earns attention.  𝟮. 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗺𝗲 ➡️ 𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 #𝟭 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹. Start building recurring narrative vehicles and pillars, with earned media as one slice of the pie. 𝟯. 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗮𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀/𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 ➡️ 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁-𝗳𝗶𝘁 𝗣𝗥 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹. Determine what will best carry your message/story from the get-go. 𝟰. 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 ➡️ 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘁-𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆. Build data, human interest and momentum signals to differentiate and support the angle. 𝟱. 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 ➡️ 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴. Earned media is still jet fuel, but getting into WSJ or TechCrunch (especially as of late) isn’t always the answer. Precision targeting, with objective/ICP orientation gets better outcomes. +1 if you agree, or drop your change-ups below.

🌈 Not letting Pride Month slip away without amplifying an LGBTQIA+ voice from SHIFT’s senior team. Our Tech VP Jeff Koo has earned his way into working on authentic interests throughout his career. From Chinese smart home tech co's to gay dating apps, he has consistently leveraged his identity and connections as an asset. He chatted with Jolie Downs on a new Career Wanderlust episode about how working and showing up as your authentic self is what brings magic to your career. And a bit on how he achieved that, incl: Look within your community – A tech PR pro in San Francisco who happens to be gay, Jeff was keen to work with his community. So, at TechCrunch Disrupt he boldly cold pitched the Grindr CEO. It wasn’t instant, but this + add'l networking led to referrals in the space and ultimately closing Grindr. Stay connected – Reconnect genuinely. Do kind things for others. It feels good and plants little seeds everywhere. If there’s an opportunity or time when you’re searching, you won’t be doing it alone. Be coachable – Even when a manager gave Jeff a rather large list of things he needed to work early in his career, he took the feedback in stride by following Liz Wiseman’s advice: separate the person from the performance. Shift your orientation to think about guidance on your work – not you as an individual. Feedback becomes information, not judgement. Lastly, *remember your value.* All that you are, know and have done.     Check out the full episode ⏩ https://lnkd.in/gcmK5dsh 

Busy behind the scenes at NBC News Boston with our client Sakabaya Sushi. And as any PR pro who does broadcast knows, there is lots that happens behind the scenes to see a TV appearance through. ✔️Pitching and securing the segment ✔️Logistics and pre-show work with producers/anchors ✔️Client messaging and prep ✔️Day-of logistics and coaching ✔️Amplifying (because coverage is just the start) This was a fun one, getting the word out about Sakabaya's expansion into the U.S. with a live handrolling demonstration 🍣 the company's President & CEO talking about why Boston's Back Bay was the choice for their flagship U.S. location 🌍 and how they're serving up authentic Japanese tradition 🗾, all on International Sushi Day. #consumermarketing #PR #B2C

I may print this list out and paste it on my office wall. 💜 Public relations has always been listed as one of the highest-stress careers, despite many people thinking (and verbalizing) that "anyone can do PR." I am incredibly grateful for the excellent agency partners at SHIFT Communications, Amendola Communications, and Tank, who help my team get through this massive list every day. Thank you, Carlos Cano, Christina Gates, and Jordan Tennenbaum, for "elevating the insane value" we deliver globally. I appreciate you all! 💜