B2B PR Now is a lighthearted, advice-packed newsletter for public relations pros, plus marketers and founders at B2B companies. I’m here to help you maximize results from your communications efforts, PR agencies, or in-house comms teams. Fun GIFs included. :)
The world of B2B comms, especially PR, is often shrouded in mystery—that shit has to end.
You’ll get actionable, jargon-free advice—that you can use right away—to get your company seen and understood.
Expect To Get:
Super short newsletters (using GIFs) that reveal
Tips like questions to ask yourself before pitching the media to build
Modern media pitches that give you
The nuts and bolts of B2B comms and PR strategies that provide
A deep understanding of how today’s journalists think and work
About Me
Hiya! I’m John.
As long as I’ve been in public relations, I’ve questioned the profession’s unwritten standards and have rarely agreed with the “best practices” that industry figureheads share. Most strategies and tactics are outdated.
They don’t feel like they have journalists in mind.
When I was starting out, I probably annoyed managers by asking, “why must we do it that way?” My thinking was if it’s true there are six PR people for every journalist, and my job heavily relies on reporters opening pitches, why not do things differently?
So I did, and it worked.
How I Think
Months into my career ~16 years ago, I wrote unconventional email subject lines. Most of the time I was told it was unprofessional…
However, my open and response rates from reporters were high.
I was clearly onto something.
My work cut through the noise, so I pushed things further. My emails would include links to YouTube videos of ridiculous stuff or tell jokes. C’mon, I had to entertain myself while telling trade journalists about convenience store openings!
Then, I attended industry panels and conferences. Whoa. I did not fit in. That’s where I first saw the shroud of mystery in comms and PR on display. Comms pros wouldn’t give away useful tactics to audiences, mainly out of fear that attendees would take notes and do things on their own. To me, that was terrible. It all felt like a gross real estate seminar — all theory and lots of promises.
Who is John Forberger?
I’m a dog lover who’s growing Forberger Communications, the only communications and PR firm for B2B tech companies. I am fortunate to work with a collective of senior freelancers (i.e. brand strategists, designers, content writers) that get B2B solution providers seen by the right people.
Also, I:
Ride a Davinci bike often (Canada’s last bike manufacturer)
Have a senior beagle mix named Abby
Generally dislike how B2B marketing operates
For our team’s website, go here. For blog posts, go here.
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