In this episode, we sat down with David Meerman, limited partner and strategic advisor at Stage 2 Capital, to discuss the power of newsjacking and how it helps brands capture attention and drive leads.

Interview Takeaways: 

1. Timeliness and Relevance are Key: Newsjacking allows you to bring your expertise into breaking news moments, creating opportunities to reach your audience fast.
2. Be Ready to Act in Real-Time: Successful newsjacking hinges on pre-approvals. Establishing clear guidelines with PR, legal, and marketing teams ensures your organization is primed to respond with relevant content right when it counts.
3. Choose Your Moments: Not every trending story is a fit for your brand. Selectivity is essential.
4. Handle Sensitive Topics with Care: David cautions against newsjacking stories involving politics, death, or disasters unless your organization plays a direct, positive role in the situation.

Quote of the Show:

"As [a story] is breaking, that's when the media is looking for an expert to quote. That's when, if it's a product related kind of story, that's when people are looking to buy something. That's when you need to get your information out into the marketplace right then.” - David Meerman Scott

Links:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmeermanscott/  

Shoutouts:

• Fanocracy
• The New Rules of Marketing & PR
• Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead
• Brian Halligan
• Marketing the Moon: The Selling of the Apollo Lunar Program

Ways to Tune In:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GpM8myxsUinc5bfLIbjJz?si=0af576adfb8e49f8 
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cheat-code/id1692445190 
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/cb0b3afa-063f-4f3b-96be-b98214c74912 
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CheatCodePodcast