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Mark Schaefer is a modern-day PR marvel: What can we learn from him?
In a world awash with ‘wannabes’ claiming to be thought leaders, Mark Schaefer is the real deal.
Trevor Young
June 04, 2024
I’ve long said that some of the best exponents of modern-day public relations are not necessarily the trained professionals who practise PR on a day-to-day basis, but savvy business entrepreneurs who just ‘get’ this stuff and have the mindset and motivation to take action daily.
I seriously believe Mark is one of the best exponents of PR I’ve ever come across (and I’ve been in this game a loooong time!).
Funny thing is, if he was reading this, Mark would no doubt fall off his chair!
You see, Mark is a corporate marketing and sales guy from way back, albeit one who has evolved significantly along with the changing media and marketing landscape.
And while he no doubt has an understanding of, and appreciation for, the PR discipline, I can say with a high degree of confidence that there is no way he’d profess to be a leading PR expert.
And yet, in my opinion, he very much is.
Now, maybe that’s because we probably come at public relations from different angles (no surprise, given our respective backgrounds). Indeed, there is every chance we may differ in our view as to what constitutes PR today.
For the record, PR to me is all about deepening the level of connection an entity (commercial enterprise, organisation or individual) has with the people who matter most to the success of their business, or cause or issue if that’s the end-game.
Put another way, there’s way more to PR than getting your mug on TV, or generating exposure in the press. Thirty years ago, maybe. But not today :)
“How” we deepen that level of connection - and in turn build relationships, trust, affinity, and a rock-solid reputation in the marketplace - is where the rubber hits the road (and where Mark excels)!
Check out the PR toolkit diagram below 👇
[ READ MORE - PR Essentials: Your toolkit for building visibility, influence and trust in today’s noisy digital-first world ]
And let’s not forget the importance of attitude and mindset in the successful delivery of PR, either.
Again, let me point to Mark.
It’s not just the content he produces or the interviews he gives or the comments he makes on social media that elevates Mark to ‘PR gun’ status.
It’s his mindset that allows him to do what he does, to share his ideas without the expectation of getting in return, his desire to spark conversation among his peers and broader audience, and his a willingness and drive to continue to front up day after day, add value, and build community.
The real deal
From where I sit, Mark runs a very successful business off the back of his strong personal brand.
Put simply: In a world awash with ‘wannabes’ claiming to be thought leaders, Mark Schaefer is the real deal.
He is a best-selling author of 10 books, a world-renowned blogger, podcaster, consultant, professional speaker, and university lecturer.
He also runs an annual retreat for marketing leaders, and oversees a personal branding masterclass for Maven.
Mark writes and talks about a broad array of inter-linked in topics, including social media, personal branding, influencer marketing, marketing strategy, content marketing and community building.
All this is fine and dandy, but it’s how Mark got to this point that I want to highlight. That, and what he’s done in terms of building and connecting with a large audience (and from that, a growing community).
You see, pretty much everything that Mark does to build visibility, influence and trust on a global scale falls under a public relations banner, especially in the way he goes about things.
Let’s dig in …
OWNED MEDIA:
These owned media assets are the reputational foundation for Mark’s business:
Blog - Mark’s Grow blog is the hub for his long-form content efforts - he has been blogging weekly for some 15 years and has built up a large and growing audience from around the world.
Podcast - Mark’s fortnightly podcast - The Marketing Companion – has been running for over a decade and, with over two million downloads, is one of the most-listened-to marketing podcasts in the world.
Email list - Mark sends out a weekly newsletter to his opt-in email subscriber list, which keeps fans of his work in the loop.
Books - I consider books to be one of the ultimate ‘owned media’ properties, especially if you publish independently versus going through a traditional publisher. Mark’s books have built a significant ‘floor of credibility’ under his personal brand; the fact he’s earned a good dollar from his writing and publishing forays is certainly a bonus, as it’s something many nonfiction authors wish they could do!
Branded community - Mark runs an invitation-only virtual global community called RISE dedicated to exploring the future of marketing. The community meets on the Discord platform, and features webinars, debates, and special live events with acclaimed experts like Philip Kotler, Tom Peters, Ann Handley, and David Meerman Scott.
SOCIAL MEDIA:
Mark has a presence on the key social media channels:
He’s particularly active on Twitter and LinkedIn, fronting up content-wise most days.
EARNED MEDIA:
As a result of his content creation and reputation-building activities, Mark - unsurprisingly - is in-demand for his comments and perspectives from a variety of media outlets, large, small and micro.
Podcast interviews - Mark has extended his reach considerably by regularly fronting up for podcast interviews and consistently delivering value (indeed, I’ve interviewed him three times for my podcast, Reputation Revolution)
Magazines/blogs - Mark habitually pops up in third-party blogs and online magazines such as Social Media Examiner, Customer Think, Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and Entrepreneur
Speaking gigs - Mark’s a professional speaker and gets paid handsomely to present on stages around the world. But I’ve seen numerous times that he’s been advertised to appear at industry conferences and online summits for which I doubt he gets paid i.e. Social Media Marketing World, SXSW etc - this is a classic earned media tactic!
What can we learn from Mark?
There are so many things we can learn from Mark when it comes to implementing PR, content and digital communications for the benefit of our business (and personal brand).
Here are six key takeaways:
Mix ‘n’ match - Mark employs a multitude of channels, tactics and content formats under the banners of owned, social and earned media; start small and keep experimenting until you pull together the right strategic blend of channels and tactics that work best for your brand and your business.
Owned media foundation - Build a foundation of owned media assets to support everything else you do; I’m talking a blog and/or podcast - and don’t forget to start developing your subscriber email list sooner rather than later.
Humanity wins! - The fact that Mark’s blog sits at the intersection of “marketing/strategy/humanity” says it all! He has long promoted the need for entrepreneurs and businesses to incorporate humanity into their social media and digital marketing efforts. Spoken like a true PR guy!
Sharing is caring - Mark consistently and freely shares his ideas, expertise and insights with a global audience via his blog, podcast, email newsletter, social media channels, and online presentations and interviews. The world - and Mark’s profile and reputation - are all the better for it!
Say “yes” - I’m not sure how many invitations to speak, or be interviewed for someone else’s blog or podcast that Mark receives, and how many - if any - he knocks back, but one thing is for sure: over the journey I’ve been witness to his generous nature in sharing his knowledge, ideas and insights for third-party micro-media outlets.
Show up - PR is not just some quick-hit formula; it’s an ongoing ‘daily’ habit that requires purpose and consistency over a long period of time. In short, you need to show up for your audience and community! For example, Mark has focused on three major content ‘properties’ across a long journey: (a) a blog he’s populated with content at least once a week for 15 years, (b) a podcast, now in its 12th year - for which he’s never missed an episode! - and (c) a portfolio of marketing-related books - counting all editions, he’s published over 16 since 2010. Plus he interacts often with people on social media, something many big-time bloggers and authors do not do!
Reiterating: All of the above activities fall under a PR remit one way or the other, and do the ‘heavy lifting’ for when Mark’s got a new book, course or event he needs to market and sell. His audience - his loyal fans - have already bought into his ideas, his philosophy and way of doing things.
In short, he has deepened the level of connection he has with the people who matter most to the success of his business - consulting clients, conference organisers, and customers of his books.
Savvy modern-day PR in action - gotta love it!
Food for thought :)
Onwards!
Trevor
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Ep.1: The backdrop: The situation we find ourselves in (10 mins)
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TREVOR YOUNG | PR WARRIOR
I help business owners become clear and confident in how they leverage PR, content and digital communications to build their brand and grow revenue.
[ How can I help you? ]
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