Co-pilot interview: Earned media that matters with Mark Edwards

HexaGroup: Before we dive in, can you tell us a little bit about your background and the clients you've worked with?

Mark: My background is primarily in journalism. I spent 22-plus years in television, primarily as a main sports anchor and sports director at various affiliates around the country. I also served as a network sports reporter for Fox Sports. I moved into public relations in 2010 and have worked at various agencies in various capacities, from an account manager to an associate director of a firm.

I've worked with both B2B and B2C clients, including NovaSpark Energy, En+ Group, McDonald's, IPRoyal, WaveMaker, Best Buy, Robert Half, Socialprofiler, and Walmart. I've also done executive media training for many companies and individuals.

HexaGroup: People seem to have many misconceptions about public relations. Can you talk a little bit about what PR is, what it isn't, and how it differs from other marketing tactics?

Mark: I think where people get confused about public relations is that they think it's guaranteed or it's automatic. Some people also conflate public relations with advertising. With advertising, you control the message. You're actually paying for something to be aired or printed exactly the way you want it, because it's a paid ad. In public relations, when it comes to generating earned media, you need a good story that fits the storyteller. Earned media, which is always the goal of every PR campaign, is when a journalist has chosen to write and report about you as either a subject matter expert to fit within various stories or as a feature profile. That “third-party” validation is what sets earned media apart from everything else.

So PR and advertising are very, very different. As far as marketing goes, think of public relations as integrated with marketing — a tactic within your strategy, but not “marketing” in and of itself. However, a good public relations campaign, especially earned media exposure, can provide a critical boost to marketing and especially help drive sales.

HexaGroup: With so many misconceptions about PR, how do you manage client expectations? How important is that in your day-to-day?

Mark: Managing client expectations is probably one of the more difficult jobs in public relations because everybody wants the best, the most, they want it immediately, they want it right now. They're paying for a public relations campaign; they want to see results. That's really where the rubber meets the road, so to speak, in our industry; it's all about results.

Expectations are not the same for every client. You may have one client with a great story that can reach a mass audience, and they can get some really good pickup sooner rather than later. With other clients, sometimes it's a struggle. You have to really work to find what best works for them. Sometimes it's not just a straight interview. It's a thought leadership opportunity. It's a written Q &A over email.

Or maybe it's contributed articles that are either written by the client or ghostwritten by someone at the agency on their behalf. PR is very different and unique, but it can certainly work within marketing to drive awareness and sales.

HexaGroup: Can you share some tactics for reaching out to media that have been successful for you?

Mark: Well, I think that the tactics that work are strategic, which means if I have a client that has a story—TALKE USA, for example—they're in the chemical space. So what I will do is do deep-dive searches, not only with Google, but also within the PR platforms I use, to find out who's writing about that specific topic.

One tactic I use as a follow-up is to say, “Hey, so and so, I saw that you just wrote about this. As a follow-up to your story, I'd like to present TALKE’s president and CEO, who can offer a different, fresher, and newer perspective to help move the story along and elevate it.” So that's certainly one tactic that works well. It's putting a square peg in a square hole.

In public relations, we’re essentially content creators. We're creating content for journalists. We have to have a strategic approach, making sure that the pitch goes to the right person. You don't want to pitch the hot dog guy that's talking about donuts, right? That will definitely fall on deaf ears and subsequently will hurt you. If you do have a donut client, they're going to remember, “Hey, that guy pitched me hot dogs. I'm not going to take this guy's call or respond to his pitch.”

Things fall flat with journalists when they either don't get something that pertains to them, or they've already written about it exhaustively and don't want to touch it anymore. Or you're just a pest for no reason.

I have a three-touch rule. I do an initial outreach, one follow-up, and two follow-ups. After that, I'll let it lie. If they haven't responded three times in a row, they're either not interested or this isn't the right time for them to talk about it. And I don't want to get on their bad side, you know?

That's where someone like myself benefits in public relations. Having so much journalism experience, I've been pitched thousands of times. I know what the good pitches are and what the bad pitches are and the people who are really bugging me relentlessly.

HexaGroup: Over the course of your career, what are some interesting ways you've seen the industry change and how have you navigated that?

Mark: Well, I think what's really changed from when I started to where we are now is the use of video. People are starting to realize what a great tool video is for sharing across multiple social channels, with a strong video presentation or even snippets. If you look at influencers right now, you can't go on any platform and not have a barrage of videos.

Influencers are talking about everything from the Big Arch at McDonald's to the use of hydrogen as a fuel source; just about everything imaginable. That's all done via video. That wouldn't have the same effect if it were just written in text. So I think one of the biggest changes I've seen over the years in PR is the use of video, whether it's long-form, short-form or even taking selfies. A lot of videos are shot just on an iPhone rather than professionally with a camera. That aspect has really been a game-changer, I think, for the industry.

It carries a lot more weight when you can see someone talking, someone who's looking you in the eye. That has a lot more positive effect, not only for clients but also for consumers.

HexaGroup: I've heard you say that PR works best when it’s highly targeted. What advice can you give to energy companies as they consider PR campaigns?

Mark: Well, the firm that you're going to look at has to have a track record of success within energy public relations. I don't want to oversimplify it. But if you're applying for a job, the first thing you need is a resume that tells a prospective employer what you've done, how you've done it, and where you've done it. It's the same thing with energy companies that are reaching out to public relations firms.

Companies want to make sure their firm has not only a solid track record within the industry, but people on board who really understand the strategic nature, especially in areas like oil and gas, because you're targeting and reaching very specific—and in some cases, a finite amount of— journalists who are going to write and report about the various topics that your client has. So I think that's really where you have to start.

HexaGroup: You mentioned that PR is not always “one-size-fits-all.” Can you explain what you mean by that?

Mark: There is no one-size-fits-all approach to media outreach. In some situations, a smaller, highly specialized publication may deliver far more value than a mainstream outlet like The Today Show. The key is understanding the client's goals and where their target audience consumes information. If a niche publication reaches the exact audience a client wants to influence, it can be more effective than a larger platform with a broader, less targeted reach.

This is why B2B journalism and industry-specific publications continue to play such an important role. In the vast majority of cases, organizations should prioritize reaching the right audience over reaching the largest audience. The same principle applies to podcasts. Many B2B podcasts attract listeners who are deeply invested in a particular subject, making them valuable channels for delivering highly relevant messages. Much like the concept of “appointment television” in the broadcast era, podcasts represent appointment listening or viewing because audiences intentionally seek out content that aligns with their interests.

At the same time, communications and marketing professionals have a responsibility to guide clients toward the opportunities that best support their objectives. Clients rely on practitioners not only to secure media placements but also to provide strategic counsel. Evaluating the available options, weighing the potential impact of each, and recommending the most effective approach is a core part of the expertise clients are paying for.

HexaGroup: Can you talk a bit about how media exposure is measured?

Mark: One of the most commonly used metrics in public relations is UVM’s: unique monthly visitors, which is an estimate of how many different people visit a website during a month. But it's important to understand what that number actually represents. If a publication reports 20 million unique monthly visitors, that indicates the potential size of its audience over a given month. However, it does not mean that 20 million people saw a particular article, interview, or media placement.

When clients ask for KPIs, PR professionals often rely on audience data provided by industry databases and media measurement tools. These figures offer a standardized way to estimate reach and compare media opportunities. For example, if a publication reports more than 6 million unique monthly visitors, that statistic helps demonstrate the publication's overall visibility and potential audience size.

At the same time, potential reach should not be confused with actual engagement. While a publication may attract millions of visitors each month, only a fraction of those individuals may view a specific piece of content. This is why effective public relations strategies extend beyond securing media coverage alone. Amplifying coverage through LinkedIn, company social media channels, employee advocacy, and content sharing can significantly increase visibility and engagement. Ultimately, the success of a media placement is not determined solely by a publication's unique monthly visitor count, but by how effectively that coverage reaches and resonates with the intended audience.

HexaGroup: How do you reassure a client that PR services are working if it's a slower period?

Mark: You have to really stay on top of it. I know within five to seven days whether a pitch is working or needs to be altered. There has to be a good working relationship with the client, where, if their story is not really resonating, they have to be open and willing to adjust that story, because we’re ultimately responsible for getting that story to the journalists.

We know best how that game is played. When one thing isn’t working for a client, then we have to pivot, and we have to know how to pivot and where to pivot. So if the straight interview with a publication isn’t working but the client is still expecting results, which is really the name of the game, we have to figure out other creative ways to get them in the publications and in front of the audiences that provide maximum benefit.

And as I talked about earlier, that would include thought leadership opportunities, written Q&As, and ghostwritten or client-written contributor articles in trade publications. It’s maybe doing more with podcasts, or maybe a radio or television opportunity that they weren't thinking of.

You have to look at all the tricks in your bag. And if one's not working, you have to be ready, willing, and able to pull out another trick.

HexaGroup: Is there anything else that people should know about PR?

Mark: Public relations is taking on a new life because of social media, especially when you're talking about something like crisis communications. I do a lot of executive media training and crisis training as part of that. With social media today, your reputation could be damaged before you even can respond to something.

And if you're not well-equipped to handle that crisis, it can be devastating for you. Social media has really been a game-changer in public relations for the crisis component. But on the positive side, knowing how to use social media to advance your brand messaging and platform is really, really key in today's world. I would not overlook the social media aspect of public relations.

I think the king will always be interviews; getting your client interviewed in a publication or a broadcast outlet where they want to be. Because it makes them feel good about the money they're spending on the PR campaign, and it also validates them; this journalist wants to talk about me and my company and my messaging, my services.

HexaGroup: What does media training look like and why is it critical before you get that client in front of a journalist?

Mark: I'd like every client who signs up for PR to have at least a little media training, certainly. But I think one of the biggest issues with media training that I see is that people don't know how to pivot or get off a question that they can't or shouldn't answer. That's one aspect of media training that can go a long way in serving clients.

You don’t want your client to get put in a box because journalists can be very tricky. They know how to ask a question in a certain way. I always tell people that I media-train that you have to look at this interview as if you're playing offense, not defense. And by playing offense, I mean controlling that interview. I tell people all the time, if you want to see masters of not answering a question, watch a politician be interviewed and get asked a question they don’t want to answer. They're masters of getting off it and moving on. So having those pivot statements, as I call them, is one aspect that could really serve any client that's doing any kind of media.

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