Publicist for Hire

The one thing most cybersecurity CEOs don’t realize about publicity (and why it’s critical for securing coverage) A reporter requested comments on the cybersecurity risks of using LLM‘s the morning of March 5th. “What are some of the biggest vulnerabilities and security mistakes enterprises could be missing as they rush to adopt AI and realize its value?” I sent the opportunity to a potential client. They’re unsure about moving forward with PR. So I thought this would be a great way to show them how publicity works. The reporter said she had enough sources for her article within two hours of posting her request. I decided we would send a response just in case. I chatted with my potential client at 3 PM. I crafted a response for him and sent it for him to review and approve at 4:30 PM. No response. I sent him a follow-up email on Thursday morning. No response. I sent him another email at 10:30 AM PST Thursday morning. And explained why we need to operate with urgency: 1) Reporters have tight deadlines. The news moves at Internet speed so the writing process is accelerated. And reporters constantly write articles to keep audiences visiting the outlet. So they wrap up an article and quickly move on to the next one. 2) Competition Other cybersecurity companies are positioning their subject matter experts for the same opportunity. That means a lot of people are vying for her attention. And the longer we wait, the more likely the reporter will interview those who provided the most useful insights the fastest. No response. He finally approved what I wrote at 11 PM on March 6th. I submitted it to the reporter on March 7th. 60 other companies responded to her request. Here’s the thing more cybersecurity CEOs need to understand if they want publicity to boost brand awareness. The speed of news moves quickly. There are tons of competitors who are all competing for the same space. The quicker we can respond to a reporter with valuable insight, information, or a point of view,? the better our landing an interview. And the more likely you’ll get included in their articles. PR has to be a priority. Otherwise, you’re not gonna see the results you’re looking for. Also, in retrospect, it would have been helpful to approve the response on our call. But sometimes it takes time to wordsmith. What’s your story? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? Hi! I’m Rob. I help cybersecurity companies accelerate growth by boosting awareness, amplifying authority, and building trust. Want to chat? ?? #publicrelations #cybersecurity #techpr?

“Why do most entrepreneurs say they hate hiring a PR agency?” (How I demystify the publicity process) Read the above headline on Quora. Most CEOs don’t understand how publicity works. And the PR industry hasn’t done a great job of describing it. So there’s an expectation vs. reality gap. And then there’s the onboarding process. CEO hires PR agency. Meeting to discuss company, solutions, trends, competitors, etc. PR agency does their thing. Without explaining what they’re doing or why they’re doing it. So the client isn’t sure PR person understands their industry. So they feel uneasy. So they bail. My clients are small to mid-size cybersecurity companies. So they’re concerned about getting in front of their ideal customers. In the outlets they use to make purchasing decisions. And they tend to have limited budgets. That’s why I focus on publicity, thought leadership bylines, and podcast interviews. And I make sure my clients understand how the publicity process works. Through my Bridge Blueprint. After our onboarding meeting, I research what reporters are covering. And I drop that information into a document. I include angles we discussed in our onboarding session. And potential angles we might pursue. And the information we need to provide. This is beneficial for 5 reasons: 1) Reverse engineer publicity The goal is to make it as easy for reporters and podcast hosts to cover us. The Bridge Blueprint shows you exactly what reporters are covering and what we need to secure publicity. 2) Show vs. tell Seeing is believing. I show you how I customize our angles and provide support points to fit what reporters & podcasts cover. 3) Provides radical transparency You'll know what I'm pitching and why I'm pitching it. Instead of telling you, “Just trust me with your budget.” 4) Increases collaboration It involves you in the process and provides more ownership. So you start to think more like a PR person. And identify potential publicity opportunities within your company. 5) Move faster I forward articles for thoughts, responses, and your point of view. I use the responses to develop pitches and bylines. Because I’ve explained how this works, we can move faster. And you already know why I’m doing it, so I don’t have to explain it. “Why do most entrepreneurs say they hate hiring a PR agency?” Because we haven’t done a good enough job explaining how the process works. That’s why I created my Bridge Blueprint. So you understand how we’re going to generate publicity. What’s your story? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? Hi! I’m Rob. I help cybersecurity companies accelerate growth by boosting awareness, amplifying authority, and building trust. Want to chat? ?? #publicrelations #cybersecurity #techpr?

PR people are like hype buddies. We encourage reporters and influencers to speak with you. We stand up for you when others say bad things about you. We craft messages to put you in the best light. We coach you on how to deliver those messages. We get you in front of your target customers. We keep you accountable. We offer recommendations. We see stories you don’t. We share those stories with the right audience. We help you grow. We support you. We elevate you. We pick you up. We listen. ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? Hi! I’m Rob. I help cybersecurity companies accelerate growth by boosting awareness, amplifying authority, and building trust. Want to chat? ?? #publicrelations #cybersecurity #techpr?

Your competitors are writing the bylines you could’ve written (the opportunity cost of not doing PR) I was talking with a cybersecurity company. They said they might be interested in PR sometime in 2025. We haven’t chatted since our initial conversation. I was looking through Dark Reading today. And saw a byline. Their key messages. And value proposition. But it was written by a competitor. You could swap out the names of the two companies. It’s a missed opportunity. And a triple whammy. 1?? The competitor is now positioned as an expert when customers research those keywords. And they likely distributed it through their socials. In their newsletter. Re-printed it for trade shows. Meanwhile, the company I chatted with doesn’t have any visibility around their value proposition. Because they’re still waiting to do PR. 2?? If the company decided to write a byline tomorrow, we would have to develop a new angle. Because the competitor put a flag in the ground. If we tried to use the same messaging, editors would view it as old news. 3?? The longer they wait, the more likely their competitors will have an edge. It’s like running a race and giving competitors a head start. Because they already have visibility. And perception is reality. The best solutions don’t always win. The best marketers often do. And potential customers will say: I see them. I don’t see you. I’ll go with them. What’s your story? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? Hi! I’m Rob. I help cybersecurity companies accelerate growth by boosting awareness, amplifying authority, and building trust. Want to chat? ?? #publicrelations #cybersecurity #techpr?

How cybersecurity CEOs can get in front of more customers (repurposing content for PR) Watched a cybersecurity webinar this week. And read a cybersecurity report. Here’s a list of potential bylines I put together using their content: -Where does cybersecurity end, and where do threats begin? -Attackers are testing your cybersecurity all the time. Why you should do the same. -CISOs are underutilizing the tools they have and not testing them enough -Many teams still lack access to the right data feeds necessary for effective threat detection -Collecting, normalizing, and integrating security data remains one of the biggest operational challenges -As threats grow more sophisticated, we can’t rely solely on vendor-provided detections and manual triage. Here’s why. -Detection engineering is still misunderstood in some organizations. X reasons why it’s critical. -Threat modeling has emerged as a key skill for teams looking to level up. Here’s why. -Organizations are shifting from tactical alerting to custom-built detections. Here’s why. -How detection engineering teams reduce blind spots and minimize risk. -The three most important capabilities security professionals need to develop for the future (threat modeling, data engineering, reporting and communication) -Nobody gets into security to babysit rules all day (love this quote) -Behavioral-based is the top-ranked type of detection found to be most effective [analyzing patterns and deviations in system behavior correlate multiple data points and alerts to detect more complex attack patterns real-time threat feeds and indicators] -Detection engineering isn’t just a technical function—it’s a strategic business enabler? If you want to get in front of your customers. Repurpose your existing content to develop thought leadership bylines. And I’ll pitch them to outlets like Dark Reading, InfoSecurity Magazine, and Security Boulevard. Boost awareness. Amplify authority. Build trust. What’s your story? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? Hi! I’m Rob. I help cybersecurity companies accelerate growth by boosting awareness, amplifying authority, and building trust. Want to chat? ?? #publicrelations #cybersecurity #techpr?

How to reach your target customers through publicity (and amplify your existing content) Saw a LinkedIn post: The FBI received 3.26 million cyberattack complaints between 2018 and 2022. And the attacks have only continued to climb. A must read for protecting financial institutions! The blog post provided 5 Cyber Attack Vectors in Banking and How to Prevent Them. 37 likes 5 reposts (from company employees) 1 comment from yours truly. Not too bad. But imagine if the company’s co-founder and CEO delivered this message in… American Banker ABA Banking Journal American Banker podcast And secured a thought leadership byline in… Dark Reading Securuity Boulevard Security Magazine Amplify authority. Boost brand awareness. Build trust. And get in front of your target customers in the outlets they use to make purchasing decisions. Through publicity. If you’re a small to mid-size cybersecurity company struggling to get in front of your target customers… I can help. What’s your story? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? Hi! I’m Rob. I help cybersecurity companies accelerate growth by boosting awareness, amplifying authority, and building trust. Want to chat? ?? #publicrelations #cybersecurity #techpr?

Cybersecurity marketer: “So you place stories or…How does publicity work?” (why publicity is like sales) Cybersecurity marketers want to boost growth. So they hire a PR consultant to generate publicity. To get in front of more customers. But most don’t understand how publicity works. And the PR industry hasn’t helped. Media placements Media hits Earned media coverage Doesn’t accurately describe what we do. Securing publicity is more like sales. But we’re selling stories instead of solutions. And we’re not placing stories. We’re pitching them. A pitch is a short email to compel reporters to interview the company’s CEO. It’s the equivalent of a movie trailer. Most of my clients are small to mid-size cybersecurity companies with limited budgets. So I typically focus on four areas to generate media coverage: Hard news Expert source Opportunistic news Thought leadership bylines I’ll explain what a pitch might offer for each. HARD NEWS New solutions, hires, reports, surveys, and partnerships. For those, I’ll write a press release. I may distribute it on a newswire like PRWeb. And send a pitch with the release to reporters. Ransomware attacks are evolving. Our threat report explains how. EXPERT SOURCE Pitching spokesperson or CEO to share insights, quotes, or point of view because of reporters' beat, source request, or editorial calendar feature. I know you cover email security.? CEO can share the top 5 ransomware attacks to expect in the next six months. I know you have an email security feature for September.? CEO can share the top 5 ransomware attacks to expect in the next six months. OPPORTUNISTIC NEWS Pitching spokesperson or CEO to share insights, quotes, or point of view in conjunction with a trend, time of year, or legislation. Threat actors are focusing on larger, high-profile organizations that yield bigger payouts. CEO can provide three things bigger institutions should do today to prepare. This is why generating publicity takes time. Because it involves researching trends. And writing pitches to send to reporters. Who may or may not want to interview your CEO. And following up with more reasons to speak with your CEO. THOUGHT LEADERSHIP BYLINES 800-word commentary pieces. Focus on “how to”, “best practices”, and “what’s coming next”. No selling. Because the news cycle moves so fast, I write the byline. And pitch the editor with a relevant synopsis and the byline included in the email. The editor still determines whether or not they will publish it. And they may edit it. It’s not placing a story. It’s pitching one. That is why there are no guarantees. And why generating publicity takes time. What’s your story? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? Hi! I’m Rob. I help cybersecurity companies accelerate growth by boosting awareness, amplifying authority, and building trust. Want to chat? ?? #publicrelations #cybersecurity #techpr?

Media relations is like being a detective. Listening. Researching. Asking questions. Gathering evidence. Conducting interviews. Gathering intelligence from reporters. Collaborating. Documenting. Looking for clues. Trying to connect the dots to see the bigger picture. To figure out the story. We don’t participate in raids, though. At least I don’t. What’s your story? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? Hi! I’m Rob. I help cybersecurity companies accelerate growth by boosting awareness, amplifying authority, and building trust. Want to chat? ?? #publicrelations #cybersecurity #techpr?

Cyberscecurity CEO: “Our new threat management solution is amazing!” Me: “Cybersecurity media doesn’t really cover solutions.” Most cybersecurity CEOs want leads. Because they want to scale. So they hire a PR consultant or agency. Because they believe publicity is like marketing on a budget. And they believe publicity will drive sales. But here’s the problem. Most media outlets don’t write about new solutions. I did the research. Here’s how cybersecurity media cover solutions: -Dark Reading (posts press releases) -Cybernews (posts press releases) -Cybersecurity Dive (posts press releases) -eSecurityPlanet (reviews) -Help Net Security (will post about new solutions) -Security Boulevard (contributed byline post) -TechRepublic (best products roundups) TechTarget (reviews) That’s it. So what opportunities are available for publicity? ?? Expert source/opportunistic news Commenting on trends ?? Threat reports/surveys Cybersecurity media loves data points and trends. ?? Thwarting a threat Stopped ransomware from executing. Identifying new ways bad actors are executing threats. Cybersecurity media doesn’t care about your solution. They do care about your insight. And expertise. That’s where we can position you and your company as an authority. And the more your ideal customer sees you as an authority… The more they’ll trust you. And be more interested in buying your solution. What’s your story? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? Hi! I’m Rob. I help cybersecurity companies accelerate growth by boosting awareness, amplifying authority, and building trust. Want to chat? ?? #publicrelations #cybersecurity #techpr?

Cybersecurity marketers: I can spark a reporter’s interest, but SMEs need to deliver (10 things to make our publicity program successful) Some cybersecurity marketers believe PR is “placing” stories in tier-one media. Set it and forget it. Just let the PR person do their thing. And media coverage will magically appear. But that’s not how it works. Clients need to have skin in the game. I can open doors with reporters. But SMEs need to walk through them. Here are 10 things to make our publicity program successful. 1?? Prioritize interviews Treat reporter interviews as high-priority tasks Schedule them promptly Show up prepared 2?? Tailor messaging Align quotes and insights with outlet's audience so it’s relevant and compelling. 3?? Deadline discipline Commit to providing thoughtful quotes and responses well before the reporter's deadline. 4?? Value-Driven content Educate and provide meaningful insights Avoid promoting the company or its products/solutions (unless the opportunity is a product review or solution update). 5?? Collaborative messaging Craft clear, concise messaging balancing company objectives with outlet’s needs. 6?? Thorough preparation Commit to reviewing reporter's background, outlet, previous articles, and editorial focus. 7?? Proactive article reviews Review articles for accuracy and provide context or clarification when requested. 8?? Responsive communication Be readily available for follow-ups to clarify. 9?? Media training Learn how to sharpen messaging, manage the interview, and handle difficult questions before interviewing with a reporter. ?? Cultivate lasting relationships Build strong, respectful relationships with reporters by consistently offering high-quality insights,? respecting deadlines,? and avoiding unnecessary follow-ups to become the preferred source reporters interview. I can set up reporter interviews. But subject matter experts must deliver what reporters need. To make our publicity program successful. What’s your story? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? Hi! I’m Rob. I help cybersecurity companies accelerate growth by boosting awareness, amplifying authority, and building trust. Want to chat? ?? #publicrelations #cybersecurity #techpr?