3 Lessons from the GM of PR and Communications at Intrepid Travel
(Photo Credit: Courtnie Lewis
On this week's podcast, I spoke with Mikey Sadowski. Mikey leads global PR & communications at Intrepid Travel, a purpose-driven tour operator recognized as the world’s largest adventure travel company and travel B Corp. In this episode, we discuss Mikey's rise from intern to head of PR, landing tier 1 media coverage, and how to measure the impact of PR.
Why You Should Listen to this Episode?
Did you ever wonder how to become an executive? How someone can go from intern to senior leader? Well this week, my guest Mikey Sadowski explains just how he did that. He got into the communication world by happenstance; through hard work, and a little bit of luck found himself as the GM of PR and Communications at Intrepid Travel.
Ari's Three Actionable Takeaways for Communication Professionals:
1) Turn Luck Into Success
Mikey started his career at Intrepid as a marketing coordinator. One day, he got a call from NY Times reporter, Ian Urbina. Ian was looking to book a trip to the South China Sea for a story. It wasn't really in the wheelhouse of Intrepid Travel to assist with that type of trip. Their focus was more on adventure tours. But Mikey knew, "don't say no without a solution." So he figured it out and helped Ian book a trip to the South China Sea. They kept in touch and about five months later, Ian booked a proper adventure tour with Intrepid. His travel turned into a 2,000-word essay in the NY Times which featured Intrepid Travel. After the story was published, the founder of Intrepid asked Mikey to run PR for Intrepid. The rest, as they say, is history.
You never know where a lucky break will strike, but successful people, no matter, the field will turn luck into lasting success.
2) We Aren't in the PR Business, but the Relationship Business
Think of PR as a customer service. Try to solve their problems. Ask how you can help them. Take it a step further. Don't just know your client on a professional level, but learn about them on an individual level. When Mikey was in the trenches, he'd know what the reporter's favorite food was or when their birthday was. It was these small gestures that showed the reporters he cared about them.
Many people look at PR too transactionally. The moment they speak to a reporter, they ask "Can you write a story on us or quote us on this?" Maybe it'll get you one story, but it's not a recipe for success. You want a long-lasting relationship. For example, going back to Ian Urbina at the NY Times. Every time he writes a travel story, you want him to call Intrepid Travel. If the reporter doesn't like you, he won't call you again. That's why Mikey suggests a customer-centric approach to reporters
Build deep-human relationships with reporters. Add value. Solve their problems. If you build a relationship, the PR part will be easy. My favorite quote from Mikey was, "you need to know people before you need to know them".
3) Everything is a Story
As Mikey progressed in his career, one of his biggest learning lessons was the need to get closer to his customers. Before he was in PR, he worked in the hotel concierge industry. Every person that he spoke to had a different story with a different purpose. He realized the same thing applied at Intrepid Travel. Every customer had a story to tell from their trip. Whether it was a NY Times reporter traveling to the South China Sea or a family going to Australia, there was a storyteller. It's your job as a communications professional to go and seek those stories. People don't buy facts. People don't go to Intrepid because they sell a trip. People go to Intrepid because they sell stories about the customers that went on those trips. They hear about their amazing adventures. How it was a once in a lifetime opportunity.
As Seth Godin says, "Marketing is no longer about the stuff you make, but the stories you tell”