Public Relations Episodes

When is the last time you updated your passwords? If you answered never or not sure, take a listen to this episode for tips on how to protect your online identity. Cybersecurity breaches are a real threat to many businesses big and small. But don’t be lulled into thinking it’s only happening to companies. Private citizens are not taking cyber risk seriously and it’s costing people dearly. Did you know that in 2019 the number of publicly disclosed breaches was 3800? Or that 4.1 billion records...

Trust me when I tell you that Generation Z matters. Especially if you’re a parent of teens, you want to figure out how their brains are working. If you own or run a business, they matter because you’re going to need to learn how to get them motivated and engaged in your product or service. Today’s guest on the podcast is the author of InstaBrain: The New Rules for Marketing to Generation Z, Sarah Weise, and she’s sharing with us everything you need to know about Generation Z. This is a must-li...

If you’re like most of us, any communication you do through the written word is via the keyboard - either on your phone or at your computer. It’s no wonder that when it’s time to sit down and put pen to paper, the outcome can sometimes look more like a ransom letter than a thank you note. Handwriting doesn’t come easy to us anymore, but it’s still very important. Some benefits of writing things down by hand include helping us feel more accomplished, help inspire our work, think conceptually, an...

It’s official. Harry and Meghan have left the royal family to become financially independent. They can now "Chip and Joanna Gaines" their way into brand royalty, à la the likes of former presidential couples Barack and Michelle Obama and Bill and Hillary Clinton. And of course, the Broadcast Queen herself - Oprah. Trust me; there is a lot of money to be made off of their new role as royal brand ambassadors to themselves. In this episode - who is winning the PR battle of public opinion and why ...

Many businesses have a crisis on their hands. It's not the threat of a devastating event that should have them worried. It's the lack of planning for when it does. In this episode of the podcast, I’m speaking with Robert Burton. Rob is the Managing Director of PreparedEx, where he leads a team of crisis experts who prepare organizations to be more resilient to the myriad risks they face and is also co-founder of The International Crisis Management Conference. If you are responsible for ensurin...

We mean to write them, but we don’t always get around to it even though we know we should. It’s the "always love to receive one, but dread writing one" thank you note. Listen to this episode for tips on how to write an unforgettable thank you note. I've timed this episode around the holidays to offer a gentle push for completing a task that many people tend to overlook. Best tip: If you’re ever asking yourself if you should write a thank you note, you already know the answer. Psst...it's yes. ...

On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to me A PR crisis, or one or two or three. In this (almost) end-of-the-year episode, I wrap-up the PR season by covering the best (or worst?) PR crises of 2019. It's my holiday gift to myself and to anyone else who has a passion for practicing public relations. My definition of a PR crisis? A public reaction from an event that causes a brand or a person’s reputation to upside-down. The viral-age twist? It can happen overnight. Listen to my #PRF...

Merry, Merry! Let's get into the festive spirit and talk about conversation etiquette at holiday parties. You might remember my guest, public speaking expert Lauren Sergy from her appearance on Episode 55, Executive Presence: What It Looks Like, Why You Need It and How to Get It. If you have some parties coming up soon, you’ll definitely want to listen to this one. Lauren is from our neighbor to the north, coming to us from Canada, but the political climates in both Canada and the United State...

Ho ho ho! You are listening to this special bonus holiday episode as a gift for being a loyal subscriber to the Confident Communications Podcast. Think of it as my holiday card to you as a thank you for listening. Speaking of holiday cards, this episode offers some things to consider when it comes to sending out professional holiday cards. Not sure if you should send them in the first place? I’ll go into more detail in the show, but yes, I do think it’s a good idea to send them and I'll expla...

According to this week's guest, a company owns its brand; the public owns its reputation. Crisis communications expert Bill Coletti reveals how to build reputational excellence by meeting the needs and expectations of the public. We discuss his various strategies for companies to work their way through a crisis. Bonus -- Bill offers a phenomenal crisis preparation tip you can put into place within your organization immediately. [3:05] Kith’s focus looking forward to 2020. The firm is transitio...

Can you believe it’s been a full year since we launched the Confident Communications Podcast? Well, here we are! One year later and one year wiser. It seems like just yesterday I was sitting at Pat Flynn’s Power-Up Podcasting boot camp (Pat was also a guest on this podcast in episode 40) which played a major role in helping me get this podcast out into the world. I wanted to celebrate this year of helping people become better communicators by highlighting some of our top podcast episodes and a ...

Executive Presence is a term you may hear a lot, but do you know what it means? Simply put, having it means you own a room the second you stand in front of it. It's a mix of confidence and savvy communications that inspire your peers, subordinates and leaders. Lauren Sergy, an expert on all things communications, walks us through the steps for building your executive presence in the workplace. Hear why your pitch, tone, physical stature and gender play a part. Mentioned In This Episode Your ...

As a business leader, employee or owner, you have the opportunity to interact with many people from all walks of life and places. Just as important as why you interact with people, is that you’re able to greet them appropriately so you get off on the right foot. But greeting etiquette depends on so many factors, aside from culture--how you know the person and who is hosting the meeting also plays a factor. About Molly Molly McPherson, M.S., APR, combines her knowledge of current communication ...

It's October, and all four major professional U.S. sports leagues are in full swing, making it the busiest sports month of the year. The sports industry is a very profitable one as well, which means there is a lot to learn about it from a business point of view. My guest today is Emmy-award winning supervising producer Stu Kirshenbaum, who worked over 20 years in network sports television and is now the owner and executive producer for Keystone Films. With his intimate knowledge of all things ...

We live in the time of the internet, where information travels at the speed of your WiFi connection or data plan. That’s just one reason communication is so important--because communication online isn’t anonymous and anything you post (or say, tweet, etc.) can and will be used against you. This week on the Confident Communications Podcast, I’m speaking with Diana Peterson-More, who has worn many hats over her varied career: author, attorney, corporate manager, executive officer, consultant and ...

No business or individual is immune to online attacks. If you want to be visible and a leader, it’s bound to happen. Groups of unsatisfied customers taking to Facebook to build a community to rise against you--warranted or not. What you need is an action plan so you can quickly respond to these online attacks professionally and appropriately. But unfortunately, too many business owners and leaders either respond defensively or don’t know enough about how social media works to protect themselves....

Leaders in business juggle communication challenges from all angles--their teams, the media and even their families. On the plus side, if we’re open and communicating, we’re able to choose the message that others hear. Unfortunately, that’s not always what happens in the real world. As this week’s guest, Scott Harvey, tells us, too many people aren’t good at actively listening. And in some cases for organizations, they don’t always communicate openly with the press -- much to their detriment. ...

LinkedIn is for Leaders Facebook is a bit too young and social for business leaders, but with 252 million people logging in each month, LinkedIn is the place to be. If you know how to use it. In this week’s episode of the Confident Communication Podcast, how to get started on LinkedIn and how to make sure your profile is working for you. It’s a professional social platform that can help you network with others in your industry, raise your visibility, share thought leadership and even help you ta...

Communicating effectively and being authentic are two components in building not just fans (of you and your business) but superfans. And in today’s online world, securing the marketing real estate you need to attract the right people can be tricky. This week on the Confident Communications Podcast, I'm speaking with Pat Flynn, entrepreneur and host of the Smart Passive Income Podcast. He shares how he took the experience of getting laid off from his dream job and turned it into a business, which...

Back in the day, press releases were typed up then mailed or faxed out to news organizations. Today, thankfully, we can toss the snail mail and fax machines and email them out. But because of the changes in technology, communications professionals need to change their methods if they want their news releases to get picked up by the media and published. How do you get the attention of the media outlets? That’s exactly what I cover on today’s episode of the Confident Communications Podcast. I’m gi...

My job is professional development. I teach business leaders how to up their communication game in workshops, talks and online forums...and podcasts. I’d like to think that I have my presentation and curriculum development skills up to par with some of the best--a requirement when you’re trying to keep high-achieving students engaged. But I hear two things from many of my audience members: either they feel like their organization doesn’t offer much in the way of professional development for some...

LinkedIn is the online version of walking into a conference or big networking event, according to this week's guest on the Confident Communications Podcast. Kristal Hicks is the founder of JOBTALK, where she helps everyone from new college graduates to those looking to transition in their careers to optimize their LinkedIn profiles for success. With LinkedIn, professionals can connect with others in their industry and even hunt for a job--under the radar. Krystal shares how to get the attention ...

Leaders must continue to work to be more relevant in modern times. As technology changes, it can become more and more difficult to stay in the know. But if you’re off the grid and not online--or struggle to keep up with new communication trends--you’re hurting your brand. This week, I share four ways in which you can be seen, heard, and remain relevant. Yes, social media is a big part of the puzzle, but there is also much to talk about with interpersonal communications. How you speak and conne...

It’s happened again. A high-profile man accused of inappropriate conduct. Even those with a PR staff to help them out don’t always respond appropriately when their reputation is being attacked. That’s exactly my take on the recent man in the spotlight: Tony Robbins. This week on the Confident Communications Podcast, I’m dissecting the accusations against Tony Robbins and his response. What did he do right? Where did he (and others) miss the mark? What happens next? There’s a 3-step process fo...