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Frank Strong

@frankstrong1.bsky.social
33 followers 36 following 107 posts

Father. B2B tech. PR+MKTG. MA+MBA. Blogger+Podcaster. SCUBA+Skydiver. Karate BB. BJJ purple. Former-Marine+US Soldier (ret.) Go Pats. Homo sapien-level of enthusiasm for astrophysics and quantum mechanics with a pan troglodytes-level of comprehension.

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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
AI has content marketers skipping best practices and results have plunged www.swordandthescript.com/2026/10/cont...
swordandthescript.com
AI has content marketers skipping best practices and results have plunged - Sword and the Script
Orbit Media’s 2026 annual blogger survey finds content marketing results at a 12-year low as marketers skip best practices; skipping those steps IS, from where I sit, strongly correlated with AI adopt...
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Strategy vs. tactics in PR: What’s the difference? [guest post] www.swordandthescript.com/2026/09/stra...
swordandthescript.com
Strategy vs. tactics in PR: What’s the difference? [guest post] - Sword and the Script
The Trojan Horse was a tactic within a deception strategy. PR work follows the same logic: understand the audience first, then choose specific actions that support a clear approach rather than startin...
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
WSJ’s “revenge of the publicists” article; practical considerations for B2B leaders www.swordandthescript.com/2026/06/reve...
swordandthescript.com
WSJ’s “revenge of the publicists” article; practical considerations for B2B leaders - Sword and the Script
PR and communications executives are gaining C-suite power, amid AI demands and polarized audiences, yet there are practical implications for reporting structures, rare dual-skilled leaders, and the c...
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
“No comment” allows others to shape public perception www.swordandthescript.com/2026/06/no-c...
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Reposted by Frank Strong
Grace Platon @graceplaton.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
Third-party validation is what sets PR apart from any other marketing or communications activity. Citations in AI searches are similar to mentions in media and analyst reports. See more from @frankstrong1.bsky.social @swordandthescript www.swordandthescript.com/2026/05/ai-t...
swordandthescript.com
Does AI visibility provide PR with third-party validation? - Sword and the Script
Voice interfaces are normalizing AI as an arbiter of truth in everyday conversations, and introducing a human behavioral change with significant implications for credibility and third-party validation
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Reposted by Frank Strong
Grace Platon @graceplaton.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
People who download content don’t read it until a week later. This should inform BDR/SDR follow-up strategy. eBooks are the most downloaded, followed by cheat sheets, guides and white papers. See more from @frankstrong1.bsky.social @swordandthescript www.swordandthescript.com/2026/04/gate...
swordandthescript.com
Read you later: Data study shows delay between gated content download and consumption - Sword and the Script
Registrations for gated content dipped in 2025; prospects and customers download gated content and read it a week later.
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
Does AI visibility provide PR with third-party validation? www.swordandthescript.com/2026/05/ai-t...
swordandthescript.com
Does AI visibility provide PR with third-party validation? - Sword and the Script
Voice interfaces are normalizing AI as an arbiter of truth in everyday conversations, and introducing a human behavioral change with significant implications for credibility and third-party validation
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
Should PR accept an interview with a publication that has a small audience? www.swordandthescript.com/2026/05/inte...
swordandthescript.com
Should PR accept an interview with a publication that has a small audience? - Sword and the Script
“The AI systems will remember when you said nothing.” and “The editors will remember when you said no.”
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
Read you later: Data study shows delay between gated content download and consumption www.swordandthescript.com/2026/04/gate...
swordandthescript.com
Read you later: Data study shows delay between gated content download and consumption - Sword and the Script
Registrations for gated content dipped in 2025; prospects and customers download gated content and read it a week later.
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
Should media relations follow-up on PR pitches? Here’s what the data says www.swordandthescript.com/2026/04/foll...
swordandthescript.com
Should media relations follow-up on PR pitches? Here’s what the data says - Sword and the Script
Surveys of reporters consistently show that a majority say one follow-up, a few days later, is okay, but being too aggressive will get you blacklisted.
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
Survey of reporters: 9 in 10 journalists say they delete these PR pitches www.swordandthescript.com/2026/04/jour...
swordandthescript.com
Survey of reporters: 9 in 10 journalists say they delete these PR pitches - Sword and the Script
It takes time to build familiarity and prove your relevance in media relations; no response isn’t the same thing as “not interested,” it’s more like a “not right now.”
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
The economic outlook for marketing from the latest CMO survey www.swordandthescript.com/2026/04/econ...
swordandthescript.com
The economic outlook for marketing from the latest CMO survey - Sword and the Script
Marketing doubled down on customer marketing as economic optimism fluctuates; businesses see more value in marketing, as the functions influence and responsibilities grow
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 31/03/2026
Summary of PR technology news for Q1: 1. Signal AI acquires Memo for readership data 2. Muck Rack rolls out new AI features for media relations 3. Onclusive finally sews its acquisitions together 4. PR tech briefs 5. New vendor survey data www.swordandthescript.com/2026/03/sign...
swordandthescript.com
Signal AI acquires Memo for readership data [PR tech sum no. 64] - Sword and the Script
Signal AI acquires Memo; Muck Rack rolls out new AI features; Onclusive sews its acquisitions together; plus PR tech briefs
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
The faux-expert crisis: doers top thought leaders [Monthly Marcom] This idea is a good reminder that a poor plan executed well tends to outperform a perfect plan executed poorly monthlymarcom.substack.com/p/the-faux-e...
monthlymarcom.substack.com
The faux-expert crisis: doers top thought leaders [Monthly Marcom]
This idea is a good reminder that a poor plan executed well tends to outperform a perfect plan executed poorly
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Reposted by Frank Strong
Grace Platon @graceplaton.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
Gartner sees generative AI replacing traditional search, believes PR is the best function to help businesses navigate LLMs; predicts earned media budgets will double. Why internal comms must get comfortable with chatbots. @frankstrong1.bsky.social www.swordandthescript.com/2026/03/gart...
swordandthescript.com
5 takes on Gartner’s new optimism for PR and earned media in the age of AI - Sword and the Script
Analyst firm sees generative AI replacing traditional search, believes PR is the best function to help businesses navigate LLMs; predicts earned media budgets will double
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Reposted by Frank Strong
Grace Platon @graceplaton.bsky.social · 25/03/2026
In “Top Predictions to Inform 2026 Comms Strategies,” Gartner says: “By 2027, mass adoption of public LLMs as a replacement for traditional search will drive 2x increase in PR and earned media budgets.” @frankstrong1.bsky.social Sword and the Script www.swordandthescript.com/2026/03/gart...
swordandthescript.com
5 takes on Gartner’s new optimism for PR and earned media in the age of AI - Sword and the Script
Analyst firm sees generative AI replacing traditional search, believes PR is the best function to help businesses navigate LLMs; predicts earned media budgets will double
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
Study finds AI-generated content performs poorly in search www.swordandthescript.com/2026/03/ai-g...
swordandthescript.com
Study finds AI-generated content performs poorly in search - Sword and the Script
Generative AI content is indistinguishable and pushes prospects and customers toward familiar brands and trusted sources
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
10 things PR teams need from clients to do good work www.swordandthescript.com/2026/03/good...
swordandthescript.com
10 things PR teams need from clients to do good work - Sword and the Script
Good client management skills are essential; however, even the best PR professional in the world is only going to be as good as the client’s collaboration
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 10/03/2026
Analyst firm sees generative AI replacing traditional search, believes PR is the best function to help businesses navigate LLMs; predicts earned media budgets will double www.swordandthescript.com/2026/03/gart...
swordandthescript.com
5 takes on Gartner’s new optimism for PR and earned media in the age of AI - Sword and the Script
Analyst firm sees generative AI replacing traditional search, believes PR is the best function to help businesses navigate LLMs; predicts earned media budgets will double
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 03/02/2026
The top PR priorities, challenges and opportunities in 2026 [survey] www.swordandthescript.com/2026/02/top-...
swordandthescript.com
The top PR priorities, challenges and opportunities in 2026 [survey] - Sword and the Script
Building awareness is the top PR priority, the changing media landscape is the biggest challenge and using AI productively represents the best opportunity
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 27/01/2026
AI might get you on the short list, but it still takes people to move forward www.swordandthescript.com/2026/01/ai-s...
swordandthescript.com
AI might get you on the short list, but it still takes people to move forward - Sword and the Script
Survey of B2B buyers, especially those using gen AI to short list software and tech, suggests that as long as people are buying software, it’s also going to take people to sell it
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 13/01/2026
Engagement and media coverage are the top objectives for B2B events, survey says; Here are some practical ideas to help communicators succeed www.swordandthescript.com/2026/01/medi...
swordandthescript.com
Engagement and media coverage are the top objectives for B2B events, survey says - Sword and the Script
B2B marketing is looking to PR to drive media coverage at trade shows, conferences and events; here are some practical ideas to help communicators succeed
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 06/01/2026
7 non-negotiable digital trust signals PR must use in this era of distrust www.swordandthescript.com/2026/01/trus...
swordandthescript.com
7 non-negotiable digital trust signals PR must use in this era of distrust - Sword and the Script
If you want anyone’s attention these days, let alone a reporter, you've got to look, act and be beleivable – online and off
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 03/01/2026
The top B2B marketing blog posts that sum up trends from 2025 www.swordandthescript.com/2025/12/top-...
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 30/12/2025
Generative AI went from novelty to mainstream, making PR a business priority and bringing new trends, yet the fundamentals of communications remain the same 10 PR blog posts that summarize the state of comms in 2025 www.swordandthescript.com/2025/12/pr-b...
swordandthescript.com
10 PR blog posts that summarize the state of comms in 2025 - Sword and the Script
Generative AI went from novelty to mainstream, making PR a business priority and bringing new trends, yet the fundamentals of communications remain the same
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 23/12/2025
An easy-to-read review of 17 B2B marketing studies summarizing 2025 www.swordandthescript.com/2025/12/b2b-...
swordandthescript.com
An easy-to-read review of 17 B2B marketing studies summarizing 2025 - Sword and the Script
Insights from 2025 studies on trust, budgets, brand, leadgen, buyer behavior, marketing measurement, CMOs and the marketing team
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 16/12/2025
Generative AI makes PR a key business priority in 2026: 35 PR and marketing predictions www.swordandthescript.com/2025/12/pred...
swordandthescript.com
Generative AI makes PR a key business priority in 2026: 35 PR and marketing predictions - Sword and the Script
Thirty of these PR and marketing predictions are from real humans; the five short ones at the bottom are from various LLMs and it’s interesting to see the similarities and differences between what the...
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 02/12/2025
Most marketers believe the marketing budget will grow modestly next year; marketing spend for next year themes center on AI, CX, and improved targeting www.swordandthescript.com/2025/12/b2b-...
swordandthescript.com
Summary findings: 5 surveys hint at where B2B marketing plans to spend money in 2026 - Sword and the Script
Most marketers believe the marketing budget will grow modestly next year; key spending themes center on AI, CX, and improved targeting
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
How PR and marketing pros are monitoring AI visibility for clients and brands Most of the work is a manual effort coupled with a mishmash of ideas, concepts, metrics, and nascent tools; there’s no Radian6 for AI visibility yet www.swordandthescript.com/2025/11/moni...
swordandthescript.com
How PR and marketing pros are monitoring AI visibility for clients and brands - Sword and the Script
Most of the work is a manual effort coupled with a mishmash of ideas, concepts, metrics, and nascent tools; there’s no Radian6 for AI visibility yet
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 18/11/2025
The next PR measurement conundrum: How do you measure AI visibility? www.swordandthescript.com/2025/11/pr-m...
swordandthescript.com
The next PR measurement conundrum: How do you measure AI visibility? - Sword and the Script
If we’re having trouble with PR measurement and proving the value of PR today, it’s only going to get harder with something as ghostly as AI visibility metrics
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 28/10/2025
Editorial integrity demands PR due diligence with AI-generated copy The temptation to rely on generative AI for PR pitches is enticing, but using it without human intervention stands out to reporters and will likely have the opposite effect www.swordandthescript.com/2025/10/edit...
swordandthescript.com
Editorial integrity demands PR due diligence with AI-generated copy - Sword and the Script
The temptation to rely on generative AI for PR pitches is enticing, but using it without human intervention stands out to reporters and will likely have the opposite effect
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Reposted by Frank Strong
Grace Platon @graceplaton.bsky.social · 24/10/2025
Third-party validation is proving to be an influential factor in AI visibility. @frankstrong1.bsky.social shares insights a recent Semrush study suggesting PR and blogging excel at this task www.swordandthescript.com/2025/10/pr-b...
swordandthescript.com
PR and high quality blogs are well positioned to boost AI visibility, study by Semrush suggests - Sword and the Script
Third-party validation is proving to be an influential factor in AI visibility; PR and blogging excel at this task.
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 21/10/2025
Purposeful browsing: Does long form content still have a place in the era of generative AI? Data, anecdotes suggest it does. www.swordandthescript.com/2025/10/purp...
swordandthescript.com
Purposeful browsing: Does long form content still have a place in the era of generative AI? - Sword and the Script
Early indications are generative AI tends to surface long form in-depth content; visitors from AI results browse with purpose and are more likely to convert
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 17/10/2025
The deluge of ‘output only’ marketing has made customers apathetic about feedback and surveys customerthink.com/the-deluge-o...
customerthink.com
The deluge of ‘output only’ marketing has made customers apathetic about feedback and surveys | CustomerThink
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Reposted by Frank Strong
Grace Platon @graceplaton.bsky.social · 17/10/2025
Media pitching: Adding perspective to Michael Smart’s FAQs for Muck Rack By @frankstrong1.bsky.social, Sword and the Script www.swordandthescript.com/2025/09/medi...
swordandthescript.com
Media pitching: Adding perspective to Michael Smart’s FAQs for Muck Rack - Sword and the Script
Brass tack answers from an experienced professional, who still pitches every week, to common questions about pitching the media
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 14/10/2025
U.S. Exclusive: Venture-backed PR software startups Propel, Signal AI announce “strategic partnership” www.swordandthescript.com/2025/10/prop...
swordandthescript.com
U.S. Exclusive: Venture-backed PR software startups Propel, Signal AI announce “strategic partnership” - Sword and the Script
The partnership between Propel and Signal AI, two specialized PR technologies, promises to provide comprehensive comms tools on a modern platform built for the era of AI.
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 14/10/2025
U.S. Exclusive: Venture-backed PR software startups Propel, Signal AI announce “strategic partnership” www.swordandthescript.com/2025/10/prop...
swordandthescript.com
U.S. Exclusive: Venture-backed PR software startups Propel, Signal AI announce “strategic partnership” - Sword and the Script
The partnership between Propel and Signal AI, two specialized PR technologies, promises to provide comprehensive comms tools on a modern platform built for the era of AI.
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 07/10/2025
PR and high quality blogs are well positioned to boost AI visibility, study by Semrush suggests www.swordandthescript.com/2025/10/pr-b...
swordandthescript.com
PR and high quality blogs are well positioned to boost AI visibility, study by Semrush suggests - Sword and the Script
Third-party validation is proving to be an influential factor in AI visibility; PR and blogging excel at this task.
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 30/09/2025
Media pitching: Adding perspective to Michael Smart's FAQs for @muckrack.com - How do you break through the volume of pitches reporters receive daily? - Should you follow up on pitches with reporters? - What’s the best email subject line for a PR pitch? www.swordandthescript.com/2025/09/medi...
swordandthescript.com
Media pitching: Adding perspective to Michael Smart’s FAQs for Muck Rack - Sword and the Script
Brass tack answers from an experienced professional, who still pitches every week, to common questions about pitching the media
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 23/09/2025
PR status check: 68% of B2B respondents say public relations drives revenue but struggle to prove it www.swordandthescript.com/2025/09/b2b-...
swordandthescript.com
PR status check: 68% of B2B respondents say public relations drives revenue but struggle to prove it - Sword and the Script
A new survey of 300 B2B marketing and PR professionals provides a glimpse of PR goals, tactics, effectiveness, challenges, frustrations and areas for improvement
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 16/09/2025
People are not taking government economic surveys; businesses have the same problem www.swordandthescript.com/2025/09/peop...
swordandthescript.com
People are not taking government economic surveys; businesses have the same problem - Sword and the Script
Businesses need to take a more considered, deliberate and comprehensive approach to feedback; don’t allow a machine to get between your business and the customer
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 09/09/2025
How many touches or interactions does it take to attract and close B2B prospects? www.swordandthescript.com/2025/09/touc...
swordandthescript.com
How many touches or interactions does it take to attract and close B2B prospects? - Sword and the Script
Surveys say from start to finish, B2B prospects require a dozen touches or more, but behavioral data finds it may require hundreds of interactions
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 27/08/2025
Fixing a B2B marketing’s addiction to MQLs [Monthly Marcom] monthlymarcom.substack.com/p/fixing-a-b...
monthlymarcom.substack.com
Fixing a B2B marketing’s addiction to MQLs [Monthly Marcom]
“Stop viewing buyers as MQLs to be harvested, and start seeing them as humans seeking solutions.”
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 26/08/2025
This is an uncomfortable, yet reasonable, question for PR professionals: Is the influence of traditional media – and by extension media relations – waning? I have *an* answer in this piece. www.swordandthescript.com/2025/08/infl...
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 19/08/2025
Essential generative AI customizations PR should make to their tools www.swordandthescript.com/2025/08/gene...
swordandthescript.com
Essential generative AI customizations PR should make to their tools - Sword and the Script
Sychophancy is a genuine risk to generative AI; as PR increasingly relies on these tools, it’s imperative to modify their customizations to prevent generative AI from merely telling you what it thinks...
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 12/08/2025
6 in 10 B2B prospects never want to talk to a salesperson And “92% of buyers start with at least one vendor in mind, and 41% already have a single preferred vendor selected before formal evaluation begins.” www.swordandthescript.com/2025/08/b2b-...
swordandthescript.com
Analysts say B2B prospects form preferences earlier and avoid sales conversations later - Sword and the Script
Forrester survey finds 92% of B2B prospects start evaluation solutions with one vendor in mind; 41% have a single preference; Gartner says 61% B2B buyers want to avoid talking to sales
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 05/08/2025
B2B tech vendors that hide pricing may never make a prospect’s short list www.swordandthescript.com/2025/08/b2b-...
swordandthescript.com
B2B tech vendors that hide pricing may never make a prospect's short list - Sword and the Script
Generative AI provides succinct product comparisons for B2B buyers, including pricing; vendors who choose to omit pricing information risk never even being considered for the short list
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 29/07/2025
AI cannot understand the human experience of delight, awe, fear, elation, confusion or frustration in any meaningful way www.swordandthescript.com/2025/07/ai-h...
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Reposted by Frank Strong
Grace Platon @graceplaton.bsky.social · 16/07/2025
B2B marketing and sales teams that rely on short-term tactics to attract active, in-market buying group members are drastically limiting their reach and effectiveness. Instead, B2B marketers need to expand their assumptions about the buyers’ journey @Forrester www.forrester.com/blogs/why-pe...
forrester.com
Why “Performance Marketing” Falls Short
Many B2B organizations overrotate toward marketing tactics that engage buyers long after they have formed preferences. Instead, they must try to influence buyers before they enter a purchasing process...
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Frank Strong @frankstrong1.bsky.social · 15/07/2025
Study correlates #SaaS #marketing spend with faster growth www.swordandthescript.com/2025/07/saas...
swordandthescript.com
Study correlates SaaS marketing spend with faster growth - Sword and the Script
SaaS companies that grow faster tend to invest more in every customer-facing function: marketing sales and customer success.
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