98: CommTech and the Evolution of Strategic Communications with Brittany Paxman

In this episode, Dan connects with leading thinker and practitioner in the emerging communications technology space and Founder of Point 600, Brittany Paxman. Dan and Brittany sit down to chat about the importance of strategic communications and the ways technology is enhancing that importance and changing the profession. They discuss how communications technology - CommTech - helps communicators and the businesses they serve. The entire conversation is loaded with practical takeaways for anyone interested in this evolving field.

Brittany Paxman dives headfirst into changing the world of communications. She is dedicated to bridging the gap between communications and technology to improve company functions and people's lives within the communications space. Tune in to learn more about the value of improving strategic communications by integrating technology to maximize consumer interactions, marketing, communications, sales, revenue, and other business interactions.

In This Episode

• (1:41) Why Dan has been so keen to speak with Brittany
• (3:51) Brittany dives into her background and getting into the Comm-Tech space and starting her own firm
• (13:03) The “chicken and the egg” situation of integrating technology into communications    
• (15:40) Why marketers understood the importance of technology integration sooner than communications experts 
• (22:00) The qualitative vs. quantitative difference for approaching technology between marketing and communications
• (28:40) The roles of communications that often go unnoticed
• (36:43) The mindset shift needed to embrace modernized communications
• (45:44) The value of a communicator as an informed consumer of data    
• (49:50) The framework for a modernized communicator ecosystem with CommTech  
• (1:00:20) The evolution of the communications space with technology integration 
• (1:09:24) Brittany’s and Dan’s suggestions for improving statistical prowess 
• (1:12:24) Brittany’s final words to Dan and the audience      

Notable Quotes

• “I really, at my core, believe in the power of communications to be a connector…Communications has such an important role, not just for organizations, but for society because it’s the connector. It’s the persuader, but it’s also the opportunity for that information exchange for knowledge, argumentation to happen between companies and people, and I believe that is incredibly important.” - Brittany (4:30)
• “I think alot of communicators are burnt out. It is a field where you can be working 24/7, where we deal with crisis communication, where we deal with some of the most important things a company does and says…I think there is an opportunity for data and technology to make it a more sustainable profession where excellent people can stya in the profession and that we don’t lose the talent to other areas…That’s sort of the other half of the reason I started my company. I wanted to help communicators to not only survive, but thrive.” - Brittany (6:14)
• “Relationships are the domain of communications, like real relationships that matter because the other thing about communications - reputation, right? Looking at reputation, [that’s our]...we are stewards of reputation. And as a steward of reputation, that’s where crisis and things come in, we really started looking at how people are talking about us.” - Dan (21:14)
• “When I explain what I think communications is to people who are not in this industry at all, I think communications is definitely top of the funnel - beginning of the journey. But comms is also responsible for relationships with everyone who is not a customer.” - Brittany (28:43)
• “In my mind, technology, the mindset shift is not that technology is going to do everything for us, but that it’s gonna take the stuff that’s super repeatable that we are wasting mental capacity on and help us with that so that the communicators can spend their time being strategists.” - Brittany (38:57)

About Brittany

Brittany Paxman is a leading expert and thinker in the emerging field of communications technology with her company Point 600. She emphasizes data analysis, process design, and technology consulting for communications to build long-term success. With her decade of experience in digital communications, she developed her principles of Systems-Thinking, Data-Driven, and Technology-Enabled. Armed with these principles, she works tirelessly to provide the framework necessary to help communicators not just survive, but thrive in the modern world.   

Resources & Links

Dan Nestle

• The Dan Nestle Show: https://nestle.libsyn.com/
• Dan Nestle on Twitter: http://twitter.com/dsnestle
• Dan Nestle on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nestle
• The Dan Nestle Show on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheDanNestleShow/ 

Brittany Paxman 

• Website: https://www.point600.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittanylpaxman/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrittanyLPaxman