From Cold Calls to Creative Campaigns with Mayra Peña

Mayra Peña works as the Digital Strategy Director at TaleSplash, where she helps clients break through the modern saturated media by creating impactful content strategies that help brands build deeper connections with their audience and stand out from their competition.

With over 15 years of experience in the technology and services industry, Mayra has worked with brands like Verizon Wireless, Liquid Web and Cogeco Peer 1, as well as emerging technology companies across various industries to create conversion-focused content, optimize onsite and offsite SEO, and lead marketing campaigns in Latin America.

Before landing in marketing, Mayra’s career included roles in customer service, sales, leadership, and communications. Today, her background has become a crucial asset in helping build powerful brands for TaleSplash clients. 

Mastering the Art of the Pitch

With an influx of journalists getting laid off, and those left to pick up the demands of a rapidly-changing news cycle, now more than ever, pitching to journalists and freelance writers requires a well thought-out strategy.

For starters, the pitch must be worth reading.

There’s an art to it, one that places emphasis on cultivating relationships with journalists and freelance writers to successfully land a story. This strategy is a “secret sauce” that Mayra brings to the table, a combination of analytical thinking and creativity developed from years of working in sales and marketing.

“We're trying to find the right contact, we're trying to create that perfect email, that right pitch that's going to grab their attention,” Mayra says. “With the rise of AI, I’ve also seen journalists emphasize authenticity—no AI-written pitches or generic answers. It’s all about being real and doing the research to connect with them meaningfully.”

There’s a fine line between the world of pitching in sales and PR, too. While sales involves some assertive tactics such as constant cold calling, approaching journalists requires a focus on authentic relationship building and tailored communication.

Thoroughly researching and understanding a writer's beat and interests is also key to capturing a journalist's attention. The goal with a journalist is to demonstrate that you’ve taken the time to understand their work and the topics they cover. 

“When you take the time to know a little bit more about them, you’re successful,” Mayra says. “Have a good hook with that subject line, make your content relevant to them, and provide value.”

According to data from Muck Rack, pitch emails sent to a single recipient have a 55% open rate and that number goes down as you lose that element of personalization.

Why Diversity of Thought Matters at TaleSplash

Collaborating with fellow team members during the agency’s weekly “Yappy” hour also helps Mayra generate fresh ideas for clients. She emphasizes the importance of diversity of thought, noting that it’s easy to develop blinders when deeply immersed in work, and fresh perspectives can spark innovative solutions.

“If you have a group of like-minded people that are very similar then you're not going to get as creative as you could potentially be,” Mayra says. “Diversity is totally important for our clients because we can bring different campaign ideas.”

The data backs it up. A Forbes study on inclusive decision-making, using the Cloverpop decision-making database, analyzed 600 business decisions made by 200 different teams over two years and found that diverse teams deliver 60% better results and make better decisions in 87% of cases.

Beyond the Story: What Makes a PR Strategy Successful

What happens after landing a story for a client matters, too. Unforeseen incidents like a breaking news story may pull a writer in a different direction, which can shift an anticipated deadline for a client story as journalists’ priorities change and public interest wanes. 

Implementing a successful PR strategy for TaleSplash clients goes beyond just landing a story. Mayra’s day-to-day workflow also includes other key PR activities, such as writing press materials and social content, pitching clients for podcasts, and submitting them for speaking engagements or awards.

“Showing clients these different avenues and being transparent about what we can control has been really helpful for us,” Mayra says. “At TaleSplash we always follow the seasonality of things and make sure we're pitching the right thing at the right time. Honesty and transparency are key—it’s all about setting clear expectations.”

Part of what makes a PR strategy successful is ensuring clients use their authentic voice on social platforms to share their ideas, thoughts, and expertise. In fact, 48% of thought leadership content generates actual sales and leads. 

The same applies to the world of PR as well. Before journalists can feature experts in their stories, they want to see evidence of a person’s credibility often through their active presence on social platforms and their engagement in industry conversations.

“I’ve seen clients struggle with self-doubt, questioning if anyone even wants to hear what they have to say,” Mayra says. “The clients who succeed are the ones who push through that self-doubt and stay consistent. They’re confident, authentic, and willing to share fresh perspectives.”

If there’s anyone that knows what it takes to push through and remain consistent, Mayra does. Her qualities of being easily adaptable and authentic has led her to the journey of where she is today, making her a standout leader in the PR industry and helping brands thrive in a competitive market.

If you’d like to get in touch with Mayra, connect with her on LinkedIn.