Why your CEO shouldn’t always be your main spokesperson

Companies often default to using their CEO as their main spokesperson — but should they?
 
In some cases, it makes perfect sense. CEOs have a vision for where the company is headed, and if they are a founder/CEO, they also have the historical context of where the company has been. However, while the founder’s brand can play a huge role in telling your company’s story, you ultimately want the brand to outlast the founder, not the other way around.
 
In addition, while your CEO might be a good one-stop shop for a quick company overview, they may not always be the best person to comment on a new product feature. Or offer perspective on the day-to-day struggles of your customers. Because in many cases they are too far removed to give an authentic perspective.
 
So, who else can you use and when? Consider⬇️
 
✅Lower-level subject matter experts. Anyone inside your organization living in the day-to-day with tangible, actionable takeaways to offer. The person will depend on the types of coverage you want to secure and the media interest. Let’s say you’re an HR tech company seeking a placement in an HR publication. Then work with your head of people operations or DEIB leader.
 
✅Investors, analysts and board members. When you can, lean into these experts to offer third-party validation and expertise. While journalists want insights on the market/industry from your CEO, this can be enhanced by for example a prominent investor who sits on your board or an external analyst.
 
✅Data as a spokesperson. Let the numbers tell the story! Quality third-party research, owned data in large sample sizes, or publicly available data you’ve mined and infused with context are great resources to tell a story — as long as they’re clear, unbiased and unique.

✅Getting a customer involved in PR efforts can have a significant impact as they provide an impartial third-party perspective. They often possess data and real insights to back up their claims about your product or service, making them more relatable to your audience.
 
 
💡 CEOs are inherently biased — and they should be! They believe in their company and want you to believe in it too. But the media want real stories of real people using real products and seeing real success — not the corporate jargon CEOs sometimes push. Look further into your organisation and you’re likely to find other individuals who can tell a credible story.

For more on this click here.