PR Pros: Elena Annuzzi Of Cadence Design Systems On The 5 Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Career As A Public Relations Pro

An Interview With Kristen Shea

Be an explorer. Sometimes you’ll experience gaps between news announcements, yet you still have to keep the momentum going. To achieve continuous visibility, you have to develop a pipeline of storylines, which will likely require some exploration. Let’s say that you recently worked on launching a new artificial intelligence (AI) application, but you know you won’t have any additional news for a few months. In the meantime, you can gain inspiration to create new storylines by talking to a variety of AI experts in the organization, reading what key influencers are saying about the topic and bouncing ideas off your PR counterparts.

Have you seen the show Flack? Ever think of pursuing a real-life career in PR? What does it take to succeed in PR? What are the different forms of Public Relations? Do you have to have a college degree in PR? How can you create a highly lucrative career in PR? In this interview series, called “5 Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Career As A Public Relations Pro” we are talking to successful publicists and Public Relations pros, who can share stories and insights from their experiences.

As a part of this series, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Elena Annuzzi, global PR and social media director at Cadence Design Systems, Inc.

Elena Annuzzi is a communications and marketing professional with more than 20 years of experience in the tech industry. Throughout her career, she’s worked to drive positive brand recognition through public relations, social media, analyst relations and content marketing programs, often building these programs from the ground up to put companies on the map. Elena is currently the global public relations and social media director at Cadence Design Systems, Inc., a global company with a ~$45B market cap that provides software, hardware and IP for chip and system design.

Thank you so much for your time! I know that you are a very busy person. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

In college, I studied communications but had many other interests, too. After graduation, I debated between going to law school and working on Wall Street. I ended up working for Morgan Stanley for about a year, and I quickly realized that I would be happier going back to my communications roots. From there, I went to work in PR for a security software company in Silicon Valley, and I’ve never looked back. The more I advanced in my career, the more passionate I became about storytelling and figuring out how to crack the code to reach key influencers with relevant storylines.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began at your company?

In my role, coaching spokespeople is a regular occurrence, but the tables were turned recently when I was invited to give a lightning talk presentation to women in tech, representing my employer, Cadence. I’m used to giving advice to others who are preparing to be in the spotlight, but I’m not used to being in it myself. This was a unique opportunity, and I really enjoyed it.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

When I first started in PR, it was at the beginning of the transition between digital and print. I remember sending an email to a counterpart based in another country, where I requested that she “send” me a copy of a local executive’s photo. I assumed she would respond to the email with a digital photo, but to my surprise, I received a hard copy of the executive’s photo via interoffice mail. Plus, that photo was a small passport photo, so it wasn’t exactly the quality I was looking for!

I realized that I needed to be much more explicit in my communications to ensure that nothing could be left open to interpretation. Given that I’ve often worked in global organizations, I also think about what my regional counterparts view as important and communicate in a way that addresses their specific needs. I try to anticipate what questions I may get asked in response to an email, so I work to address those areas before hitting the send button.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?

While I can’t provide specifics about projects I’m working on, I can share that our president became our CEO in December of last year. Anytime there is a significant shift at the executive level, it creates a natural opportunity to re-evaluate priorities and generate new ideas. My team and I are really energized about putting some of our new ideas into practice.

You are a successful leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

Three traits that have been instrumental to my success are:

1. Integrity. I’ve always felt that if you don’t have integrity, you don’t have anything. Operating ethically and exhibiting follow-through are critical. If I say I’m going to do something, it will get done. For example, I might commit to taking on a new project or offer to help a team member solve a problem. Also, being in PR, I often have to handle confidential information, so I work to put executives at ease and build a sense of trust. Earning trust is very important to me.
2. Passion. PR is about storytelling, and I really enjoy the creative process that goes into building storylines. The process is much like putting together a puzzle. You have to put the right pieces together to appeal to the influencer. When the influencer bites and covers your company or client, you’ve essentially completed the puzzle. That’s such a rewarding feeling.
3. Drive. I look at myself as my biggest competitor, and I challenge myself to figure out how to surpass what I’ve done before. For instance, I might look back at the results of a past product launch and think about how I can break new ground with a future launch, reaching new influencers and getting more exposure. I also keep a pulse on PR industry trends and consistently work to reinvent myself.

Ok super. Thank you for all that. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview. For the benefit of our readers, can you help articulate what the different forms of PR are?

Depending on how one interprets this question, there are multiple ways to articulate what the different forms of PR are.

In the most traditional sense, one might think about all the possible responsibilities within a PR organization to define the different forms. Those areas could encompass the following:

• Influencer relations, where PR teams are conducting proactive outreach to the journalism, analyst, blogging, podcasting, YouTube and social media communities.
• Corporate communications, where teams are responsible for handling the PR elements of acquisitions, executive changes, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and other HR-driven initiatives, and funding rounds if you’re a privately held company or earnings announcements if you’re a publicly traded company.
• Executive communications, where the focus is on building a brand for management team members through media outreach, speaking engagements and social media.
• Internal/employee communications, where PR teams work to keep employees engaged and excited by highlighting company news, HR initiatives, internal events, career growth and inclusion programs, and more.
• Community-building, where teams drive visibility through a company’s social media and blogging platforms.
• Crisis communications, where PR teams work closely with executives and legal teams to develop messaging for media and/or employees tied to difficult situations.

One could also make the case that paid and earned media are the two forms of PR. Paid media is advertising, which obviously requires a monetary investment and results in a guaranteed placement. On the other hand, earned media doesn’t involve a monetary investment and is a result of a PR pro conducting outreach to secure an influencer’s interest in covering the company.

Another possible way to think about the forms of PR is to look at all the influencer audiences that PR pros need to reach and to tailor outreach programs accordingly. Traditional journalist influencers are a given, of course, but influencers can also be analysts, customers, social media gurus and even employees. If PR pros are reaching a variety of influencer audiences in parallel, then the PR program really becomes holistic, putting your company or client in the best position to achieve optimal mindshare. For example, if a journalist is intrigued by something an industry analyst said about you, the journalist might reach out to you to learn more. In other words, one set of influencers can have an effect on another, which can lead to greater exposure across a wider variety of channels.

Where should a young person considering a career in PR start their education? Should they get a degree in communications? A degree in journalism? Can you explain what you mean?

I have a degree in communications, but I can definitely see the value in pursuing a journalism degree because developing effective storytelling techniques is key in the PR business. There wasn’t a journalism or PR major at my university, and my communications courses had a lot of overlap with psychology and sociology. At the time, I learned a lot about tactics to engage with individuals and groups, which probably helped me figure out how to communicate with influencers and in business in general. I also had plenty of opportunities to write long-form content, and writing is another critical function in the PR field. However, I’ve seen PR pros who don’t have a degree in either area, and they are still successful because they’re skilled storytellers and writers. So, I don’t think related degrees are required necessarily, but if you think that the PR field is for you, then it certainly make sense to pursue a communications or journalism degree. I’d also encourage young people to apply for internships in PR and/or journalism to get some experience prior to seeking full-time employment. Internships are always learning experiences, and students may be able to determine where they want to be after college if they gain some real-world knowledge.

You are known as a master networker. Can you share some tips on great networking?

Networking is about making the right connections and identifying the most effective communication style for your audience.

First, to make the right connections, find influencers who are talking about what’s important to your company or client. You can start by doing simple online searches and following your key topic areas and publications closely. You can also look for groups focused on your key topic areas. The groups can include social media groups, in-person meetup groups or non-profit organizations. So, if you work for a robotics company, think about joining a robotics group. You never know who you might meet!

Second, to optimize your communication style, really know your influencer targets at the individual level. Be mindful of what each influencer has written or spoken about so you can have meaningful interactions. Taking the time to do the homework will lead to more productive outcomes for your company or client, and you’ll become an influencer’s trusted source.

Lead generation is one of the most important aspects of any business. Can you share some of the strategies you use to generate good, qualified leads?

In my current role, lead generation is more indirect given that I’m in a corporate position versus running a PR firm where I’m looking to recruit new clients. That said, our internal team is always working to create storylines that our customers care about. So, whether we’re working on a news release or managing an interview with a key influencer, we’re often focusing on how we’re making our customers’ lives easier. Messaging is really key.

We also know that our customers are reading our news releases, and I’ve seen instances where customers have reached out via social media channels in response to articles we’ve shared that have featured us. In addition, I’ve learned about instances where customers have reached out directly to our spokespeople after seeing them quoted in a story. Therefore, talking to the publications our customers are following is also essential for effective lead generation.

Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. Based on your opinion and experience, what are your “5 Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Career As A Public Relations Pro” and why.

Five things you need to create a highly successful career as a public relations pro are as follows:

1. Think like a journalist. Before you write a pitch, put yourself in a journalist’s shoes. In fact, put yourself in a specific journalist’s shoes that you plan to target. Study the person’s work closely and see if you can uncover any trends with regard to their key coverage areas and their writing style. That way, you can write a pitch that’s more likely to speak to them. For example, you might be thinking of targeting a specific gaming journalist, but in reviewing their past coverage, you learn that there’s one specific aspect of gaming that they cover regularly. If your company or client fits into that one area the journalist covers, then you have the potential to make a great connection with a well-thought-out pitch. If not, then look for another target who is a better fit.
2. Focus on the big picture. Understand the goals the VP- and C-level executives have for the business. That way, you can build the outbound communications strategy in a way that supports those goals. For example, if you’re are working in a start-up that’s pre-IPO, you might want to work to get the company featured in mainstream business publications to help drive up the company’s valuation. Or you may learn that there’s a certain product or horizontal or vertical market that’s critical for driving revenue, so come up with storylines and an outreach plan that supports those areas.
3. Be an explorer. Sometimes you’ll experience gaps between news announcements, yet you still have to keep the momentum going. To achieve continuous visibility, you have to develop a pipeline of storylines, which will likely require some exploration. Let’s say that you recently worked on launching a new artificial intelligence (AI) application, but you know you won’t have any additional news for a few months. In the meantime, you can gain inspiration to create new storylines by talking to a variety of AI experts in the organization, reading what key influencers are saying about the topic and bouncing ideas off your PR counterparts.
4. Continuously evolve. Tactics that may have worked well five, 10 and 20 years ago may or may not be relevant today, so make sure you’re always tapped into the latest PR industry trends so you can ensure your outreach methods are effective. For example, over the course of my career, I’ve seen publications shift from print to online, which sped content delivery dramatically and increased the appetite for even more content to be produced to keep audiences engaged. I’ve also seen bloggers, podcasters and YouTubers become influencers, and social media has become a critical vehicle for organizations to tell their stories. To stay fresh, make sure you’re well-connected with other PR pros and influencers, read about best practices, take classes and attend industry events.
5. Hone your writing and storytelling skills. Strong writing and storytelling skills are foundational because you have to be able to influence others to write or speak about your company or client. For example, if you send a pitch out that highlights all the specs of a new product but don’t give any context as to why your audience should care about it, your pitch will fall flat. Be sure to develop these critical skills early in your career. If you can’t get the training you need in-house, again, take courses and attend PR industry conferences. You can also seek out mentors who can provide advice and coaching.

Because of the role you play, you are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

If I could inspire a movement, it would be called “Motivate Through Mentorship”. Mentorship is one of my biggest passions outside of work, and I would encourage others to seek and be mentors. I feel it’s so important to pay it forward and motivate others to find their own unique pathways to grow. And let’s face it — everyone could use a sounding board, regardless of how junior or senior a person is. Mentorship is a great way to gain leadership experience as well. For example, if a mentor doesn’t manage a team as part of their day job, working with a mentee will help the mentor grow as a leader. Whether you are in the mentor role or the mentee role, serving in these roles builds confidence all around.

This was really meaningful! Thank you so much for your time.