Public Relations Episodes

A public relations crisis and a public relations issue are two very different things. Many in senior leadership are unaware of this distinction, preventing their communication teams from planning properly. In this episode, we define a public relations crisis. To help plan for any event, issue, incident, or crisis, you need to know the differences between them. Listen + Subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts © Molly McPherson 2022 Join Molly on Patreon for even deeper dives into celebrity PR ...

When a business faces a crisis, it can use a variety of crisis communication tactics, but changing its name may not be the best option. On today's episode, we'll examine if changing a business name will help if that name has become too much of a reputational liability. Plus, examples of successful company name changes following crises, as well as examples of where the name change may not have worked as expected. Mentioned in this episode: Facebook Changes Name to Meta: Mark Zuckerberg announce...

Public relations campaigns can work wonders when it comes to generating awareness and interest in your business, but they can also be expensive without any guarantee of success. Geofence advertising may offer an effective PR boost that’s more affordable than traditional forms of advertising. Jeff Swartz, the founder and CEO of Ethic Advertising Agency, shares how it works and why it could be the next big thing in PR campaigns today. Mentioned in this episode: 9 Reasons Why Advertising Doesn't ...

Actor, writer, and director Ben Affleck recently went on a promotion tour for his film The Tender Bar. One line from Affleck's over two-hour interview with Howard Stern went viral, causing even bigger problems for him and the filmmakers. To repair the damage caused by his comments regarding his ex-wife, Jennifer Garner, Affleck must spend the rest of the publicity tour in damage control mode. In this episode, we discuss three key lessons for anyone preparing for an important media interview. ...

The actor Jake Gyllenhall knows all too well that bad publicity may not be the best publicity when your name is trending because you broke up with a girlfriend more than ten years ago. Having this ex-girlfriend record a song about the breakup and then upload a 10-minute video to YouTube is the sort of negative publicity that will never disappear. Especially if the video has over 17 million views. The Irish poet and playwright Oscar Wilde once said, "The only thing worse than being talked about...

Media trainer Warren Weeks joined me in a webinar to discuss the top mistakes he sees many spokespeople make and how to fix them. Our episode discusses how to overcome these common media interview challenges straight from the webinar. Make sure you don't damage your reputation by saying the wrong thing during a nerve-wracking conversation that will likely live online for years to come. Learn three techniques prepared speakers use during a media interview. --- Listen + Subscribe on Stitcher or...

A media interview could lead to one of three outcomes: You nail it. You get through it. Your poor performance creates its own crisis. Knowing how to prepare for a media interview increases the likelihood of a positive outcome. Listen to a few of the mistakes we found in recent media interviews and livestreams to learn how to succeed in your next media interview. The guffaw that turned a serious message from a member of the U.S. Cabinet into a joke. Don't call your own press conference on ...

If an employee causes a crisis for his employer due to actions that go viral, the company needs an immediate response. Case in point, Southwest Airlines pilot, who used the phrase "Let's go, Brandon," a euphemism considered to be a vulgar phrase aimed at President Joe Biden, over the plane's PA system. On this week's podcast, the best PR response for a rogue employee who makes bad news for your brand. Learn the immediate steps communicators can take to manage reputation by dissociating the br...

Making news for the wrong reasons is simple. Just screw up publicly, and you're on your way to going viral. Bad news spreads fast, especially on social media. To make a positive story newsworthy, you have to cut through a lot of noise to become a leading authority. Discover how to make your story newsworthy and become famous the right way. My guest on the podcast is former television journalist Kristi Piehl. She is the Founder & CEO of Media Minefield and the host of the Flip Your Script Pod...

Here's what we know about the fatal shooting on the set of Alec Baldwin's movie set. Alec Baldwin fired a prop gun that struck cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in the chest, and the director, Joel Souza, in the shoulder. Baldwin is cooperating with the investigation and (as of now) in contact with Hutchins' family. Earlier, some crew members reportedly walked off set over working conditions. Alec Baldwin described the shooting as a "tragic accident." What we don't know? How will this traged...

Vaccines are on the minds of many businesses, especially small and midsize employers. About two-thirds of small employers believe their employees should be vaccinated, and more than half receive questions about vaccinations. If you want to learn how to communicate vaccination mandates externally, this episode is for you. No politics. No position. Just one PR tip for when vaccine compliance is 100%. Listen + Subscribe Stitcher or Apple Podcasts © Molly McPherson 2021 Join Molly on Patreon f...

We've all done it. The email is written. The email is sent. The email is WRONG. Even though sending a mistake via email is a universal problem, the feeling of having an entire distribution list open that email and see your error will always feel like a kick in the gut. But it doesn't have to. What if there was a way to turn that slip into an opportunity to make you look even better? On the podcast, three quick and straightforward steps of recovery for backtracking when you sent the wrong ema...

In this episode, how to use the backpedal in a PR response - but only if you really need to. Exploring the use of this response tactic as a communication for self-defense. This tactic is used as a result of an incident in which a person's character is called into question or a perceived wrongdoing. Listen to four examples from the last few weeks and the rating given for their reputation outcome: a thumbs up or thumbs down. We'll look at the response tactic, as it refers to the restoration and...

Interviewing someone for a news story, video, or podcast can be extremely stressful. As an interviewer, part of your job - after you conducted your research - is knowing how to ask the right questions to get your source talking, while keeping them comfortable. To do that, an interviewer needs to understand how to listen well. The trick is listening in a way that gets your subject talking and sharing. Before you jot down your notes or hit record on the conversation with your source, use these ...

Are you someone who thinks Twitter is a waste of time? Or are you someone who understands the value of a social media platform with nearly 200 million active daily users, but feel the overwhlem of the site and don't know where to start? This episode will help you adapt your conversations in a way that can strengthen your authority and influence as a thought leader by using Twitter beyond just likes and retweets. In this episode, 10 ways to crush it on Twitter. Listen + Subscribe Stitcher or ...

It was inevitable. On August 10, 2021, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced he was stepping down from his position after an investigation found he sexually harassed 11 women. Cuomo's announcement was his chance to respond directly to allegations of sexual harassment against him, and to covertly address his rep for being a bully and thug. Governor Cuomo used his resignation speech to repair his reputation and legacy. Did it work? In this episode, discussing three strategic tactics Cuomo used in hi...

The abrupt shift to virtual meetings in March 2020 was traumatic for many companies and organizations that had to keep operations running while managing a new form of communication. Instead of focusing on what worked best for meetings, they focused on what worked right now. What was lost in the rush to switch to virtual was the ability to communicate on the screen. Now, more than a year after the pandemic cemented the virtual meeting, people are expected to understand the rules for running an ...

When an email meant for one person goes to the wrong person. It can be a disaster. When that email goes viral because the unintended recipient shared it to TikTok -- it was a reputation teardown. When a recent college graduate named Gracie Lorincz from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, applied for a position as an ambassador for clothing boutique Ava Lane, she found out it was unlikely she'd get the job because the VP of the company replied in an email that she was "not that cute." That email was in...

Coming out of a tumultuous year has meant changes in how organizations communicate to their audiences. It seems that there is greater need to understand what is behind the motives of companies. People not only ask, "What's in it for you?" They want to know what's in it for the community. Together, civic engagement and PR can make good bedfellows when there is a cause in mind addressing a problem in a community. What are the communication tactics behind a successful campaign that contribute to ...

A press release is one of the most powerful ways to communicate news and events. And one of the most powerful ways to write a press release is to create it with SEO-friendly words to help rankings in search engines. Rich Brooks, founder of the digital marketing agency flyte new media in Portland, Maine, helps SMBs and non-profits increase their online visibility, drive more qualified traffic to their sites, and convert that traffic into leads and business. He is the host of the Agents of Change...

Are you someone who hesitates to talk about matters that matter to you because it is easier to stay quiet and avoid the backlash because you are responsible for other people's well-being? Yeah? Well, me too. I understand how it feels to be in a position of wanting to speak out when you sense there is an injustice - when something is not aligning with your core values. But caring for people who rely on you to stay stable may keep you quiet. My book, Indestructible, was written to help people u...

Many law enforcement agencies, particularly local police, have learned how important it is to use social media to reach the public and the press during an active incident. Whether it's Twitter, Facebook or YouTube, social media is as valuable resource for many police departments as it is for traditional brands and businesses. On the podcast, Julie Parker will share her strategies for how law enforcement can use social media to communicate directly with the public, as well as tips to improve a ...

Simply put, companies in 2021 should have a diversity statement. When Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was charged with killing George Floyd in May 2020, it triggered a national wave of protests throughout the country. The protests eventually simmered down, but the call for more diversity and inclusion gained the necessary traction to make diversity and inclusion a priority for companies. A strong statement shows a company's commitment to building an inclusive workplace that welcomes p...

The pandemic has created many problems for businesses and organizations, but it has also created a greater need for PR and communication practitioners to find ways to think beyond the challenges of 2020 to solve issues dealing with social distancing, diversity, and inclusion in 2021. Gini Dietrich shares how she advises her clients to update their PR and communication plans to meet public expectations. She's also sharing her take on the shrimp in the Cinnamon Toast Crunch fiasco. Dietrich is t...