Carly Martinetti
@prcarly.bsky.social
Co-founder of Notably • PR for the fastest growing startups
Book some time to chat strategy w/ me: https://bit.ly/NotablyPR 👋
Book some time to chat strategy w/ me: https://bit.ly/NotablyPR 👋
Which… still needs to land successfully.
January 22, 2026 at 3:30 PM
Which… still needs to land successfully.
That work skews toward mainstream coverage, and sometimes mainstream means cold outreach. Especially with the constantly changing media landscape.
Bottom line:
Relationships don't get you coverage. Storytelling gets you coverage.
And sometimes, they help you sharpen your pitch.
Bottom line:
Relationships don't get you coverage. Storytelling gets you coverage.
And sometimes, they help you sharpen your pitch.
January 22, 2026 at 3:30 PM
That work skews toward mainstream coverage, and sometimes mainstream means cold outreach. Especially with the constantly changing media landscape.
Bottom line:
Relationships don't get you coverage. Storytelling gets you coverage.
And sometimes, they help you sharpen your pitch.
Bottom line:
Relationships don't get you coverage. Storytelling gets you coverage.
And sometimes, they help you sharpen your pitch.
Trade publications are different. Smaller rosters, meaning you build ongoing relationships with the same editors. But most of our clients are past the stage where a founder origin story carries the day, but not yet brands that reporters recognize on sight.
January 22, 2026 at 3:30 PM
Trade publications are different. Smaller rosters, meaning you build ongoing relationships with the same editors. But most of our clients are past the stage where a founder origin story carries the day, but not yet brands that reporters recognize on sight.
A fintech client announces a healthcare partnership; suddenly I'm pitching healthcare reporters. Next quarter they release research on operational efficiency; now it's business media. The reporters who made sense last time rarely make sense this time.
January 22, 2026 at 3:30 PM
A fintech client announces a healthcare partnership; suddenly I'm pitching healthcare reporters. Next quarter they release research on operational efficiency; now it's business media. The reporters who made sense last time rarely make sense this time.
So why is 90% of my outreach still cold? Because each story pulls me into a different beat.
January 22, 2026 at 3:30 PM
So why is 90% of my outreach still cold? Because each story pulls me into a different beat.
Example: Last week a NYT reporter I’ve worked with in the past told me exactly why he was passing on my pitch and explained his reasoning in detail.
A cold contact would have simply not replied.
That feedback changed how I'm framing the pitch for everyone else on the list.
A cold contact would have simply not replied.
That feedback changed how I'm framing the pitch for everyone else on the list.
January 22, 2026 at 3:30 PM
Example: Last week a NYT reporter I’ve worked with in the past told me exactly why he was passing on my pitch and explained his reasoning in detail.
A cold contact would have simply not replied.
That feedback changed how I'm framing the pitch for everyone else on the list.
A cold contact would have simply not replied.
That feedback changed how I'm framing the pitch for everyone else on the list.
The pitch still has to earn its way in.
What they do get you:
- Opened faster. They've seen your name and they know you've delivered before. But that gets you a read, not a yes.
- A chance to get substantive feedback vs. crickets
What they do get you:
- Opened faster. They've seen your name and they know you've delivered before. But that gets you a read, not a yes.
- A chance to get substantive feedback vs. crickets
January 22, 2026 at 3:30 PM
The pitch still has to earn its way in.
What they do get you:
- Opened faster. They've seen your name and they know you've delivered before. But that gets you a read, not a yes.
- A chance to get substantive feedback vs. crickets
What they do get you:
- Opened faster. They've seen your name and they know you've delivered before. But that gets you a read, not a yes.
- A chance to get substantive feedback vs. crickets
P.S.
Has anyone else felt this tension between PR grind and client expectations? Let me know in the comments…
Has anyone else felt this tension between PR grind and client expectations? Let me know in the comments…
January 21, 2026 at 3:30 PM
P.S.
Has anyone else felt this tension between PR grind and client expectations? Let me know in the comments…
Has anyone else felt this tension between PR grind and client expectations? Let me know in the comments…
To anyone working with PR teams, know there’s a person fighting for you… someone who cares more than you might realize.
And when you honor that effort, they want to work even harder for you (I know. There’s something wrong with our brains).
And when you honor that effort, they want to work even harder for you (I know. There’s something wrong with our brains).
January 21, 2026 at 3:30 PM
To anyone working with PR teams, know there’s a person fighting for you… someone who cares more than you might realize.
And when you honor that effort, they want to work even harder for you (I know. There’s something wrong with our brains).
And when you honor that effort, they want to work even harder for you (I know. There’s something wrong with our brains).
In other words, there’s a human cost behind it: missed dinners, late night emails, quiet victories no one sees. Agonizing waits. The feeling of smallness in the face of everything beyond your control.
January 21, 2026 at 3:30 PM
In other words, there’s a human cost behind it: missed dinners, late night emails, quiet victories no one sees. Agonizing waits. The feeling of smallness in the face of everything beyond your control.
PR isn’t a vending machine spitting out results; it’s a craft, honed by pros who deal with rejection, deadlines, and, if I’m being honest, a lot of self-doubt to make it happen.
January 21, 2026 at 3:30 PM
PR isn’t a vending machine spitting out results; it’s a craft, honed by pros who deal with rejection, deadlines, and, if I’m being honest, a lot of self-doubt to make it happen.
They’re not just logos on a page; they’re endorsements from trusted voices that elevate a brand’s reputation, helping close enterprise deals. But that kind of value isn’t as easy to measure as ROAS.
January 21, 2026 at 3:30 PM
They’re not just logos on a page; they’re endorsements from trusted voices that elevate a brand’s reputation, helping close enterprise deals. But that kind of value isn’t as easy to measure as ROAS.
It’s not like she wanted a huge bonus or plaque, just a “You’re doing great work, appreciate you!”
Because here’s the thing about those placements.
Because here’s the thing about those placements.
January 21, 2026 at 3:30 PM
It’s not like she wanted a huge bonus or plaque, just a “You’re doing great work, appreciate you!”
Because here’s the thing about those placements.
Because here’s the thing about those placements.
Maybe the real gap isn't between leadership and practitioners. It's between companies where one person holds both jobs and companies where two people do.
January 14, 2026 at 3:30 PM
Maybe the real gap isn't between leadership and practitioners. It's between companies where one person holds both jobs and companies where two people do.
The report frames this as a tension between leadership and practitioners. I don't think that’s the case, or at least it shouldn’t be. It's just two valid priorities that show up in different seats.
January 14, 2026 at 3:30 PM
The report frames this as a tension between leadership and practitioners. I don't think that’s the case, or at least it shouldn’t be. It's just two valid priorities that show up in different seats.
When both people are in the room, you need to speak to both. Not because one is right and the other is wrong, but because they're both right… for their jobs.
January 14, 2026 at 3:30 PM
When both people are in the room, you need to speak to both. Not because one is right and the other is wrong, but because they're both right… for their jobs.
The Cision report doesn't ask who PR reports to. But that's the variable that determines which priority actually matters. Or, more accurately, which one matters to the person deciding whether to hire you.
January 14, 2026 at 3:30 PM
The Cision report doesn't ask who PR reports to. But that's the variable that determines which priority actually matters. Or, more accurately, which one matters to the person deciding whether to hire you.
But as companies grow, the functions split. You get a Director of Comms and a CMO as separate roles. They're measured on different things.
January 14, 2026 at 3:30 PM
But as companies grow, the functions split. You get a Director of Comms and a CMO as separate roles. They're measured on different things.
When you’re working with smaller companies, PR usually reports to one person, typically someone in comms. Brand awareness is the priority because that's what comms is measured on.
January 14, 2026 at 3:30 PM
When you’re working with smaller companies, PR usually reports to one person, typically someone in comms. Brand awareness is the priority because that's what comms is measured on.
I spoke to marketing-specific KPIs: how earned media supports demand gen, how coverage can feed into their broader funnel.
January 14, 2026 at 3:30 PM
I spoke to marketing-specific KPIs: how earned media supports demand gen, how coverage can feed into their broader funnel.
For the CMO, I included integrated campaign ideas—the kind that blur the line between PR and marketing. I added a slide that explicitly tied PR outcomes to pipeline, not just pickups and views.
January 14, 2026 at 3:30 PM
For the CMO, I included integrated campaign ideas—the kind that blur the line between PR and marketing. I added a slide that explicitly tied PR outcomes to pipeline, not just pickups and views.
For the Director of Comms, I covered the traditional earned metrics—coverage, share of voice, message pull-through. How we'd amplify their upcoming announcements. Brand awareness, reputation, visibility.
January 14, 2026 at 3:30 PM
For the Director of Comms, I covered the traditional earned metrics—coverage, share of voice, message pull-through. How we'd amplify their upcoming announcements. Brand awareness, reputation, visibility.
Example: last week, I pitched a mid-market company. The Director of Comms (last role at a ~$300B market cap company) and CMO were both present.
January 14, 2026 at 3:30 PM
Example: last week, I pitched a mid-market company. The Director of Comms (last role at a ~$300B market cap company) and CMO were both present.