Based in Austin, Texas, Amy Jackson is about to complete three years of helming her own shop as the Founder and CEO of TaleSplash. Our latest Qwoted 100 PR Superstar, Jackson began her venture after more than 11 years at SAP. And if you’re wondering what got her to her present-day pinnacle, consider one of her favorite maxims: “The obstacle in the way.”
A self-described “working mom cheerleader,” Jackson has landed clients in Forbes, Wired, TechCrunch and Real Simple. Here she shares her thoughts on a wide range of subjects, including how a childhood love of glossy magazines set the stage for her present-day career and success.
Qwoted: What do you see as the future of PR—technologically, strategically, or in any category you’re passionate about?
Amy Jackson: We see the most traction for our clients when they’re top-of-mind in the moment that journalists need their expertise or commentary. Matchmaking sources with journalists is the future of PR and Qwoted has propelled that forward significantly from newsletters of yore.
Qwoted: What do you do that you’re most proud of and that other PRs could learn from?
Jackson: I love all forms of media and always have, from the glossy magazines I started subscribing to as a tween to the long-form TV interviews I look forward to every Sunday night. If you don’t love consuming news and stories, you’re going to have a hard time convincing reporters and producers to care.
Qwoted: What’s your toughest challenge with reporters?
Jackson: Not knowing if a pitch or story idea resonates is the hardest part of media relations. We don’t want to waste anyone’s time, so without this feedback or data it can be hard to know when to pivot and try something else.
Qwoted: What learnings have made a tremendous difference in your career?
Jackson: I love the quote, “the obstacle is the way.” The feedback I’ve received from managers, clients and prospective clients has led me to major leaps in my career and business.
Qwoted: How do you break through the noise floor to get effective coverage?
Jackson: Be helpful. Provide resources to journalists that are evergreen, so when they need you they know how to find you. It’s not always about what you pitch in a given moment.
Qwoted: How does PR in 2024 square with the future of journalism?
Jackson: We have to evolve with the times and that means getting more efficient with less and learning how to work with publications when they have less staff and resources available. Video is also playing an increasingly prominent role in storytelling, which is a shift for those of us who came up in the industry as wordsmiths.
Qwoted: What advice would you give to those who seek an effective PR person?
Jackson: Find a PR person who can lead with empathy for journalists and the rest will fall into place. If they’re cognizant of how journalists prefer to consume information and connect to sources then they’ll be effective. PR programs that are not focused on the win-win will ultimately flop.
Qwoted: What is your golden rule of PR?
Jackson: PR the PR. I used to be really shy about sharing media coverage and then I started hearing from C-suite executives at my company about how they looked forward to reading our emails every week that included media coverage highlights. Now as an agency owner, I find sharing media coverage is how we market our services because it speaks for itself.
Qwoted: If there’s one thing you could change or improve about journalism or PR—in any area—what might that be and why?
Jackson: I would love to have more spaces for PR professionals and journalists to collaborate and work together. When you bring together people in the same room, virtually or in person, change happens for the better.
Qwoted: Anything else to add?
Jackson: I just want to say thank you to the Qwoted team for making PR professionals much more effective at our jobs.
Amy Jackson is the CEO and Founder of TaleSplash, based in Austin, Texas. Email amy@talesplash.com or connect on LinkedIn.
Lou Carlozo is the Editor in Chief of Qwoted and the Editor and Publisher Emeritus of Talking Biz News. Email lou@qwoted.com or connect on LinkedIn.
