It’s hard to imagine a Qwoted 100 PR Superstar with more international cred than Viktorija Veltmane. Based in Riga, Latvia, she’s Head of Press Relations at the Dyninno Group, a company that itself has globetrotting roots: founded in San Francisco by an immigrant from Moldova and today based in Valetta, Malta. Then there’s Veltmane’s freelance career, which has seen her work as a feature writer and fixer (a local who assists foreign correspondents) for TV outlets from Singapore, Tokyo, the U.K., Ireland and The Netherlands.
In her current post, Veltmane manages a team of PR specialists and oversees media relations for all Dyninno’s business divisions—no small task since the company works in the travel, fintech and entertainment sectors in 50 countries. In this interview, she discusses PR-journalism synergy, the long game in developing relationships and how she deals with reporters who “have developed a stiff, fast ‘delete finger.’”
Qwoted: What do you see as the future of PR—technologically, strategically, or in any category you’re passionate about?
Viktorija Veltmane: The future of PR stands at the interesting intersection of manual processes and technology advancements. While everyone talks about how AI is going to change the world, it seems that journalists really lack genuine, trustworthy sources and relationships they can trust: especially now, when we live in a tech-enabled world, where everything is at our fingertips.
Ultimately, the future of PR lies in the ability of PR specialists to utilize and leverage technology to craft stories that would appeal to the end user. For me, this translates into better and stronger online connections with journalists I have never met and probably will never physically meet.
Qwoted: What do you do that you’re most proud of and that other PRs could learn from?
Veltmane: Initiating a contact first without pitching them anything. PR is based on relationship and trust–once that is achieved, you can move on with pitching.
Qwoted: What’s your toughest challenge with reporters?
Veltmane: The “delete finger”! Many journalists throughout the years have developed a stiff, fast “delete finger” and tend to rarely contact a source they’ve never been [introduced to]. Yet again, this is a reminder that relationships start with an introduction. This might be a slow process but it is a fruitful and joyous journey.
Qwoted: What learnings have made a tremendous difference in your career?
Veltmane: Quality takes time! It is best to communicate to the C-levels that PR is not a one-man band but rather a synchronous orchestra. If someone from the band is off-tune, the whole band suffers. This applies to anyone “within the band”: the spokespeople, the PR team, the journalists, the editors–everyone. It takes time to practice, make the “tune” perfect and “play.”
Qwoted: How do you break through the noise floor to get effective coverage?
Veltmane: By establishing long-lasting connections. It takes time and tremendous effort. This involves crafting compelling narratives that stand out, using innovative PR tools and channels, and simply repeating this process over and over until it works.
Qwoted: How does PR in 2024 square with the future of journalism?
Veltmane: In 2024, journalism and PR are very closely intertwined. As journalists become overwhelmed with information overload (and let’s be honest, also simply with the workload given layoffs in the industry), public relations become extremely necessary. PR helps to manage information overload in a highly competitive media landscape: A trustworthy PR source is something that journalists can always rely on.
PR and journalism [can form] a win-win relationship and this becomes even more relevant now, given the global changes and the rise of AI-generated content sources. Journalists are hungry for genuine native stories and PR can be extremely beneficial in this.
Qwoted: What advice would you give those who seek an effective PR person?
Veltmane: Ask for their biggest and proudest moment in their careers, what tools they used (and what tools they use now) and ask them to tell their strategies: How do they introduce themselves to people they’ve never met? You could even ask them to role-play this.
Qwoted: What is your golden rule of PR?
Veltmane: Cultivate thought leadership for your brand or clients. This works.
Qwoted: If there’s one thing you could change or improve about journalism or PR—in any area—what might that be and why?
Veltmane: In the ideal world, I would hire an assistant for each journalist: This would save them so much time! But jokes aside, if I could change anything, I would make attending conferences mandatory for everyone involved in PR and journalism. Real-life contact beats anything, really.
Viktorija Veltmane is the Head of Press Relations at the Dyninno Group. Email v.veltmane@dyninno.com or connect on LinkedIn.
Lou Carlozo is Qwoted’s editor-in-chief and the editor-publisher emeritus of Talking Biz News. His memoir “The Lost Coin” is slated for publication this year. Email lou@qwoted.com or connect on LinkedIn.
