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On ‘SWMS 2025’… and Thank You

December 18, 2024 3:38 pm

Perhaps 2024 was a challenging year for you. It certainly was at SWMS. In any case, the promise of a new year awaits, and here

Marker Collective Bets on Software

November 11, 2024 5:05 am

SWMS tends not to cover the business initiatives of its subscribers, but the Marker Collective has embarked on something revealing. The parent org of Archetype,

Ever use AI to test pitches before sending them to reporters? Try it sometime. It’s a fun way to improve them. For the proper horsepower, you’ll need a paid subscription to a Gen AI service such as GPT-4 or Claude 3.

SWMS Diagram: The Tier 1 Edit Process

January 12, 2024 4:35 am

Sometimes it’s easy to forget that when you’re pitching Tier 1 reporters, you are pitching their bosses at the same time. That’s why it’s helpful to understand the entire editorial process in the publications you’re pitching — not just the persuasion part.

Meet The Wikipedia Whisperer, David King

December 12, 2021 8:32 am

SWMS contributor Bob Scheier writes: A company’s Wikipedia entry is often one of the first to come up in response to a Web search, and might get more exposure than its Twitter, Facebook or other social media account.

Bob Scheier: ‘Hey Vendors! Put a Media Contact on Your Web Site!’

November 9, 2021 11:07 am

I’m finding that a surprising number of vendors have removed or hidden the “media contact” links on their sites. They’ve been replaced by lead-snagging “bots” asking if I’d like a demo or what “digital transformation” challenges I’m facing, and generic “Contact Us” pages that may or may not lead to someone who can respond to a media request.

Discover the Empowered CMO Network

November 3, 2021 7:09 am

If you know of female CMOs seeking professional development with a twist, point them toward the Empowered CMO Network. Founded in 2017, the Empowered CMO Network has 950 members and counting — almost exclusively based in the US.

AI Will Write Your Pitches — Soon

October 17, 2021 8:39 am

Tired of writing pitches and press releases? AI writes copy these days. This month we used Copy.ai to promote the fictitious Wazoolie Pro, “a hypnotizer that convinces prospects to buy products and services they don’t need.”

Otter.ai: Transcription Tool for Targets, Today and Tomorrow

June 30, 2021 11:55 am

Over the past few years, conference calls via Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and other tools have replaced the traditional phone line for conducting interviews. As it turns out, the benefits extend beyond saving on the phone bill.

Pitch Tip: Three Kinds of Value

June 2, 2021 4:20 pm

Relationships are the key to PR success. How many times have you heard that? In our experience, they are “a” factor but two others stand just as important. Let’s explore them.

YOUR ACCOUNT

FRIDGE NOTES

Congress to Investigate the Omnicom-IPG Deal

December 20, 2024

Well, for now it’s Jim Jordan… but such news illustrates the kind of world we seem to be headed for. Adweek has the details, subscription required.

SWMS Predictions for 2025

December 10, 2024

No “predictions” post will appear on this site. That said, quite a number of subscribers have asked for a Zoom/MS Teams presentation on what 2025 will bring. A conversation is precisely the right tool for the job. After the election — and with AI transforming publishing and life — “2025” is best discussed among peers, not predicted. So if you’d like to have a confidential group exchange on what stands to unfold, and why, and how comms pros can come out on top in spite of it all, drop a line and we shall schedule something.

Talk About Confidentiality…

December 10, 2024

According to Adweek, Omnicom CEO John Wren and IPG CEO Philippe Krakowsky were in merger talks for eleven and a half months before the transaction was announced this week. Amazing that it didn’t leak.

Introducing ‘SWMS Sound Thinking’

November 22, 2024

Should PR pros stop visiting X, with all its lies and hate? It’s only going to get worse. Or are tidbits from targets too important to walk away from? Click here to watch tech edit vet David Strom and I disagree (at high speed) about this, as one compelling visual after another pops up on your screen. In 2025, SWMS will officially launch “SWMS Sound Thinking,” designed to be “argumentative insight in six minutes or less.” Each segment will explore a timely and controversial topic of interest to tech comms pros. This prototype runs 5:25. Hope you enjoy it — feedback vital and welcome! –Sam

Business Insider Reporters Starting to Go on Camera

November 19, 2024

New EIC Jamie Heller has asked her reporters to start going on camera — for the BI TikTok channel — to explain the big, deep-divey story they just published. Other publications do this — especially archival Fortune. BI is now on that too. Game on.

The ‘AI Fantasy Draft’ From Eric Newcomer

November 13, 2024

At this time last year, Eric Newcomer and his two podcast co-hosts — Max Child and James Wilsterman — each formed an “AI startup fantasy team” and picked five AI startups to seed their rosters. We’re now in year 2 and it’s time to draft again. The podcasters wonder… which startups do they dump? Which do they add? The player whose startups accumulate the most total value by Nov. 1, 2028 is the winner, so there’s plenty of time to make adjustments. Here’s a link to the AI fantasy team podcast — you may need a password. Not sure.