Exec Comms Lessons from Salesforce, Toast and Wellhub & the Future of PR

Detailed Summary

Introduction (0:00 - 1:20)

The discussion opens with the principle of preparing for future roles, specifically how startups should "dress for the job they want" by adopting public company communication practices early. Joe Ciarallo is introduced as the VP of Global Communications and Social Media at WellHub, a $2.4 billion corporate wellness platform, with prior experience leading comms at Toast (through IPO) and Salesforce.

The Salesforce Marketing Cloud Story (1:20 - 5:50)

Joe recounts his experience at Salesforce following the acquisition of Buddy Media in 2012. He highlights three key strategies for M&A integration messaging:

• Category Creation: Salesforce launched the "Marketing Cloud," defining a new category that competitors later adopted, leading the conversation rather than reacting.
• Customer Impact: Messaging focused on what customers could do post-acquisition that they couldn't before, encapsulated by the phrase "turn insight into action."
• Industry Shift: Positioning social media as foundational to marketing, not just a specialized function, a bold statement at the time that proved prescient.

Owned + Earned Media & The Rise of Podcasts (5:50 - 11:40)

Joe explains that owned and earned media are complementary, not mutually exclusive. While traditional media (e.g., CNBC) remains important, there's a growing reliance on owned channels like LinkedIn and podcasts. He notes that executives like Mark Benioff now engage with VCs and podcasters, recognizing their reach within specific audiences. Podcasts offer more depth and time for discussion compared to short news segments, requiring executives to go deeper into their story and product. Unlike journalists who often seek exclusives, podcasters prioritize connecting with their community and growing their audience, making them less scoop-driven. Paid partnerships and sponsored content are also valuable for supporting independent media and building long-term relationships.

Turning Scrappy PR into an IPO-Ready Function (11:40 - 16:15)

Preparing for an IPO means adopting a public company mindset 18-24 months in advance. The shift involves moving from PR as a marketing distribution channel to a strategic function that shapes the company's narrative, tied to business goals and managing risks. Key tactical considerations include:

• Defining "Normal Course of Business": Understanding what can be communicated during quiet periods without violating regulations, ensuring consistency for investors.
• Establishing Spokespeople: Clearly defining roles for executives (e.g., CFO for financials, co-founder for product vision) and preparing them for specific media engagements.
• Managing Digital Footprint: Cleaning up past startup claims or metrics that may not be disclosed as a public company to avoid misinterpretation by reporters.

AI, Content, and Speed (16:15 - 20:30)

Joe discusses two major trends: content distribution and AI. The speed of change with AI is unprecedented (ChatGPT reached 100 million users in 2 months, compared to Facebook's 4.5 years). He explores where AI can be used successfully (e.g., B2B training videos) versus where it might be poorly received (e.g., AI-generated models for consumer brands like J. Crew). A critical point is that AI, being predictive, cannot generate genuine thought leadership; it can only produce average, derivative content. This makes authentic human thought leadership even more valuable for differentiation.

The New Transparency: Explaining the Why (20:30 - 25:50)

Transparency and authenticity are increasingly expected from companies and executives. Joe emphasizes the importance of explaining the 'why' behind decisions and changes to build credibility, citing Ryanair's approach to explaining its operational model to customers. He also notes that journalists often check an executive's LinkedIn profile, making a strong online presence crucial. The idea of separating internal and external communications is becoming outdated, as employees are the first audience and can serve as powerful brand ambassadors. The traditional press release, while often seen as outdated, can be effective if reframed as "newswriting" or "news stories" that break news on a company's own website, influencing LLMs and audiences.

The Rise of the Chief Comms Officer (25:50 - 32:00)

The role of the Chief Communications Officer (CCO) is becoming more strategically important due to increased demand for integrated communications. Executives are realizing that their personal brand and the company's brand are intertwined, and often the executive's brand is more critical for reaching people. This necessitates a strategic approach to communications, with strong buy-in from founders, to be proactive rather than reactive.

Coaching Founders to Lead Industries, Not Just Products (32:00 - 34:00)

Joe highlights a recurring challenge for founders: understanding that they are spokespeople not just for their product, but for their industry, broader societal shifts, and as individuals. He encourages them to expand beyond their "happy place" of product discussion to cover:

• Business Leader: Product and company growth.
• Industry Leader: What they stand for within their sector (e.g., employee well-being at WellHub).
• Thought Leader: Broader societal implications.
• Individual: Personal insights and routines that resonate with audiences.

Crisis Playbooks and Empathy (34:00 - 36:00)

For crisis communication, having playbooks and frameworks is essential for rapid response, but they must be flexible enough to adapt to unique situations. The scale of the crisis determines who should communicate (e.g., CEO for widespread impact). The primary focus should be on what message needs to be delivered, to whom, and what feeling or action is desired. Empathy is crucial; a message from a CEO, even if delivered, can be poorly received if it lacks empathy, as seen in some past corporate responses.

Why Comms Leaders Should Post Too (36:00 - 40:00)

Joe advocates for comms leaders to actively engage on platforms like LinkedIn, sharing their own opinions and thought leadership. This marks a shift from the traditional view of comms professionals being behind the scenes. Being visible is crucial in today's market. He advises starting small, iterating, and not letting perfection hinder progress. Sharing insights, even those that seem obvious, can be valuable to others. This practice also demonstrates "skin in the game," showing that comms professionals practice what they preach, which benefits their career, sharpens their thinking, and makes them a greater asset to their company by building an audience for company news and advocacy. CEOs leading by example, like Henry Schuck of ZoomInfo, encourage other executives to be active.

Conclusion (40:00 - 40:04)

Joe expresses enjoyment for the discussion and praises Finn for covering an important topic in the communications world.

Notable Quotes

"Dress for the job that you want, not the job that you have. And I think that applies here as well, which is if you want to be a public company, start dressing like one, start acting like one well in advance of actually becoming one."
— Joe Ciarallo

"What can I do today or tomorrow that I couldn't do yesterday?"
— Joe Ciarallo

"Owned and earned bounce off each other and they influence each other. So it's not about I'm not going to talk to CNBC because I'm posting on LinkedIn, right? they complement each other."
— Joe Ciarallo

"If you're explaining the why behind things and ultimately the value proposition and kind of bringing customers along, you're going to build more credibility."
— Joe Ciarallo

"By definition, AI cannot create thought leadership for you because it's just trained on a predictive model that will say something average predictive."
— Joe Ciarallo

"The first audience you need to communicate to is your employees because if they don't understand it and they're not on board how is someone outside the company going to understand it?"
— Joe Ciarallo

"You're not just a spokesperson for the company or the product, but they're a spokesperson for the industry or even bigger than the industry. Societal shifts or things."
— Joe Ciarallo

"If you're not doing this you're you're invisible and you want to be visible in this market right you want people to know who you are and what you stand for."
— Joe Ciarallo