Eleanor Hawkins

 

Many founders or CEOs dreams of a big, earned media hit in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal or maybe Bloomberg. But are these big wins really the best target for outbound communications? It depends on your overall strategy, says Eleanor Hawkins, leader of the rapidly growing Axios Communicators newsletter. In this discussion, Hawkins details communications trends, AI use-cases in marcom, and questions traditional thinking—perhaps smaller networks and niche audiences are a better choice for your marketing strategy.  

 

Eleanor Hawkins overview

Working for a US Senator and on a US Presidential campaign, Hawkins has a precision view of strategic communications. The discussion opens with her explaining why many companies are starting to realize their great product is useless if they’re incapable of communicating it to the masses. “You can have the best strategy, the best product, the best business in the world, but if you can’t communicate effectively, you won’t be able to bring people along with you.” she said. 

Great communication isn’t just about outbound however. Increasingly, comms is moving into the organization as well. “Employees have become incredibly important, and internal and employee communications has shifted from HR into a greater comms space. So we’re seeing more and more value directed towards communication.”

For these reasons, savvy companies have chosen to bring communications leaders into the decision-making process alongside executive leadership instead of bringing them in later. Even early-stage startups and small companies are understanding the value of a communications role she explains. 

 

In PR, Does the “public” really matter anymore?

Hawkins challenges the idea a PR/comms leaders focus should be major earned media wins. “From a PR perspective that P Is public and does the public really matter anymore?” she asks. “Or are these audiences so segmented that it makes more sense to find the very engaged very interested audiences and really tailor to them?” The gatekeepers to information aren’t just greater in number, but many niche publications or podcasts have far better access to audiences. 

“Think of a glass cup. That glass cup used to be NBC News. It used to be the nightly news. It used to be The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal. Everybody would just go to that one place and get their news from that cup.” she says. “Now, imagine dropping that cup. It shatters into a bunch of different little shards of glass. And that is the media landscape that we’re working with now.”

Big publications are still useful and have loyal audiences, but the audience may be broader. Marketing leaders and communicators should consider the multitude of media options, blogs, social media, podcasts, and niche magazines. There are many diverse paths to reach audiences. Those familiar with this show, know I label this wide selection of paths to reach your audience trust channels. Does this mean the media is useless? Not at all. But Hawkins does point out their large reach, might not be where your ideal audience focuses their attention. Today, you have tools for ultimate precision. Think concentration, not circulation. 

 

AI and high touch

Hawkins also reveals an often-overlooked tactic to amplify story—one that often slides by tech-minded marketing leaders: maximizing face-to-face interaction. It turns out, high-touch experiences are still effective. She is receptive to podcast interviews and in-person events, knowing this grass roots strategy grows following far faster, an experience she likely perfected during her time in politics.  

Hawkins also digs into the topic of AI and its use in PR, marketing and comms will further enhance prisonization. She explains AI may unlock customized and targeted strategies unlike anything we’ve ever seen before.

She also explains a few areas communicators, if they’re not careful, will probably run into trouble if they don’t use AI correctly and jumps into trends in ROI as well.

 

Notable Timestamps

3:14 – Comms is moving into leadership because the best idea doesn’t matter.

5:50 – Are startups and smaller companies utilizing PR and comms strategies now?

8:20 – In PR does the “public” really matter anymore? Or should we micro target?

11:42 – Is media company dominance over?

15:30 – High-touch face-to-face gets results most company’s discount.

21:30 – How are you using communicators measure ROI?

24:28 – How will AI shape communications? Will AI decipher our data?

28:21 – How is AI going to get PR and marketing into trouble in 2024?    

 

Sign up for Axios Communicators

Sign up for Axios Communicators here: https://www.axios.com/signup/communicators