The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson

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 acceptable virtual meeting.  Karin Reed provides practical, actionable best practices for virtual meetings, backed by meeting research that leads to more productive and effective virtual meetings.Mentioned on the podcast:Suddenly Virtual: Making Remote Meetings Work (By Karin Reed and Joseph A. Allen).MAC Matte Creme Matifiante to knock down on the - ahem - dome shine. Listen + Subscribe Stitcher or Apple Podcasts© Molly McPherson 2021 The media tool I use to track stories, monitor coverage, and help clients get their message in the right hands. Click here to learn more. Want More Behind the Breakdown? Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts.Follow Molly → @MollyMcPherson Subscribe to PR Breakdown on Substack → prbreakdown.media Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting. This podcast is supported by Muck Rack, the PR management platform I use to monitor media coverage, track journalist activity, and inform high-stakes strategy with real-time data. Click here to try Muck Rack for yourself. Follow & Connect with Molly: https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson https://www.tiktok.com/@mollybmcpherson ...

A week doesn't go by where there isn't a splashy scandal or crisis situation that leads to a PR nightmare for an organization or brand. This episode with veteran public relations expert Edward Segal is based on the premise: it's not a matter if a crisis will hit, it's WHEN. Listen to anecdotes, stories and lessons on how to prepare for, create, manage and communicate in crisis situations. In this episode, the 10 Rs of Crisis Management. Mentioned on the podcast:Colonial Pipeline paid ransom to hackers who infiltrated its system (CBS News). Crisis Ahead (Book by Edward Segal).Listen + Subscribe Stitcher or Apple Podcasts© Molly McPherson 2021 The media tool I use to track stories, monitor coverage, and help clients get their message in the right hands. Click here to learn more. Want More Behind the Breakdown? Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts.Follow Molly → @MollyMcPherson Subscribe to PR Breakdown on Substack → prbreakdown.media Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting. This podcast is supported by Muck Rack, the PR management platform I use to monitor media coverage, track journalist activity, and inform high-stakes strategy with real-time data. Click here to try Muck Rack for yourself. Follow & Connect with Molly: https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson https://www.tiktok.com/@mollybmcpherson ...

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 intended for the owner of Ava Lane, the wife of the VP, Laura DeGrendel.  Instead, it went back to Lorincz. What happened next was a TiKTok takedown.In this episode, a timeline for this TikTok takedown. What to do when your business unintentionally goes viral in a very bad way.  1.  The backstory behind the email2.  Ava Lane's poor PR response3.  How to manage a digital crisis. Mentioned on the podcast:Gracie Lorincz (@ggggmoneyyyy) TikTok video about the email from Ava Lane.Ava Lane Boutique Facebook Live Following “Not That Cute” Email TikTokStephanie Elsea on the Confident Communications podcast. Listen + Subscribe Stitcher or Apple Podcasts© Molly McPherson 2021 The media tool I use to track stories, monitor coverage, and help clients get their message in the right hands. Click here to learn more. Want More Behind the Breakdown? Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts.Follow Molly → @MollyMcPherson Subscribe to PR Breakdown on Substack → prbreakdown.media Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting. This podcast is supported by Muck Rack, the PR management platform I use to monitor media coverage, track journalist activity, and inform high-stakes strategy with real-time data. Click here to try Muck Rack for yourself. Follow & Connect with Molly: https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson https://www.tiktok.com/@mollybmcpherson ...

Is it time to cancel the cancel culture once and for all? Not really. But it might be time to rethink what the term actually means. Many people know the online shaming that happens when a person's past actions, affiliations or offensive social media posts return to haunt the reputation, but many disagree on the reason for it.Is it a mob of spiteful Twitter users or people who want certain names held responsible for problematic behavior?USA Today reporter David Oliver discusses his recent article about the online phenomenon, from examining the true origin of the term "cancel culture" to the current offenders.Here are a few...1.  Where did the term 'cancel culture' originate? (5:05) 2.  Chrissy Teigen's behavior (7:35) 3.  How the political used the term. (15:13)Mentioned on the podcast: Why Cancel Culture Must Go and Accountability Culture Should Stay (Oliver, David. 30 June 2021)Listen + Subscribe Stitcher or Apple Podcasts© Molly McPherson 2021 The media tool I use to track stories, monitor coverage, and help clients get their message in the right hands. Click here to learn more. Want More Behind the Breakdown? Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts.Follow Molly → @MollyMcPherson Subscribe to PR Breakdown on Substack → prbreakdown.media Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting. This podcast is supported by Muck Rack, the PR management platform I use to monitor media coverage, track journalist activity, and inform high-stakes strategy with real-time data. Click here to try Muck Rack for yourself. Follow & Connect with Molly: https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson https://www.tiktok.com/@mollybmcpherson ...

A podcast listing 10 easy ways to become a super-likable person that people will want to talk to. Whether you are attending a conference, a meeting, or dinner, learn how to exude likability that will help you connect with people in a way they won't forget!In this episode, we discuss how to be likable. Here are a few to get you started...Start here - first tip.  (2:05).The eyes have it. (2:35).How to remember names. (3:15).Listen + Subscribe Stitcher or Apple Podcasts© Molly McPherson 2021 Want More Behind the Breakdown? Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts.Follow Molly → @MollyMcPherson Subscribe to PR Breakdown on Substack → prbreakdown.media Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting. This podcast is supported by Muck Rack, the PR management platform I use to monitor media coverage, track journalist activity, and inform high-stakes strategy with real-time data. Click here to try Muck Rack for yourself. Follow & Connect with Molly: https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson https://www.tiktok.com/@mollybmcpherson ...

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 common good? Our guest, Commissioner, Los Angeles County Commission of Human Relations, Tonya McKenize provides three ways all businesses can use a more civic-minded approach to their communications. About the guest: TONYA MCKENZIE, FOUNDER OF SAND AND SHORESAs the founder of Sand & Shores, Tonya McKenzie brings more than 20 years of experience in media relations, marketing, and client relations. Her non-profit experience includes being an Associate Executive Director, raising over a million dollars to open a new YMCA in Northern California, serving as an elected official as a Director for the Oakley Chamber of Commerce and leading a dynamic marketing team for a private club in Walnut Creek, CA. Tonya has also published a Real Estate Agent Magazine and chartered a graduate chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc in Northern California. You can find Mrs. McKenzie highlighted in the book, “AMAZING MOMS: Parents of the 21st Century”The media tool I use to track stories, monitor coverage, and help clients get their message in the right hands. Click here to learn more. Want More Behind the Breakdown? Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts.Follow Molly → @MollyMcPherson Subscribe to PR Breakdown on Substack → prbreakdown.media Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting. This podcast is supported by Muck Rack, the PR management platform I use to monitor media coverage, track journalist activity, and inform high-stakes strategy with real-time data. Click here to try Muck Rack for yourself. Follow & Connect with Molly: https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson https://www.tiktok.com/@mollybmcpherson ...

June is Pride Month.  A time to acknowledge and celebrate the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) community.  But behind the jubilant events and rainbow flags, there is a community of people who want Pride to be a part of the conversation every month of the year. Anthony Hayes has spent more than 15 years in communications, crisis and issue management, political and legislative campaigns. He founded The Hayes Initiative to apply his experience steering organizations’ public affairs and media relations to clients across business, politics, nonprofits, and philanthropy. In this episode, Anthony shares insight for how brands and businesses can celebrate - and communicate - Pride! Mentioned on the Podcast:Ep: 116 What Executives Should Know About Speaking Out on Politics and Social Issues Listen + Subscribe Stitcher or Apple Podcasts© Molly McPherson 2021The media tool I use to track stories, monitor coverage, and help clients get their message in the right hands. Click here to learn more. Want More Behind the Breakdown? Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts.Follow Molly → @MollyMcPherson Subscribe to PR Breakdown on Substack → prbreakdown.media Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting. This podcast is supported by Muck Rack, the PR management platform I use to monitor media coverage, track journalist activity, and inform high-stakes strategy with real-time data. Click here to try Muck Rack for yourself. Follow & Connect with Molly: https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson https://www.tiktok.com/@mollybmcpherson ...

As people strive to improve conversations about race and racism in this country, the environment for speaking about both seems to be constantly shifting. What is appropriate to say? What will offend? What is genuine? What is off-the-mark? These conversations are more important now than ever, which is why people need to feel confident when they speak up or ask questions about race and racism.Mentioned on the Podcast: Ep: 014 How to Talk About Racism Without Sounding Like a Racist with Jeffrey Blount  About Jeffrey BlountJeffrey is an award-winning author of three novels and an Emmy award-winning television director. During a 34-year career at NBC News, Jeffrey directed a decade of Meet the Press, The Today Show, NBC Nightly News, The Chris Matthews and other major special events from the Washington, D.C. news bureau. He is an accomplished public speaker, commenting on issues of race, social justice and writing. Visit his website or follow him on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.Jeffrey’s newest book, The Emancipation of Evan Walls, was released in June 2018.Listen + Subscribe Stitcher or Apple Podcasts© Molly McPherson 2021The media tool I use to track stories, monitor coverage, and help clients get their message in the right hands. Click here to learn more. Want More Behind the Breakdown? Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts.Follow Molly → @MollyMcPherson Subscribe to PR Breakdown on Substack → prbreakdown.media Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting. This podcast is supported by Muck Rack, the PR management platform I use to monitor media coverage, track journalist activity, and inform high-stakes strategy with real-time data. Click here to try Muck Rack for yourself. Follow & Connect with Molly: https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson https://www.tiktok.com/@mollybmcpherson ...

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 podcast and annual conference. In this episode, Rich shares the steps you need to take when writing an SEO-friendly press release, and provides some tips on how to ensure that your journalists pick up the right keywords.Listen + Subscribe Stitcher or Apple PodcastsNeed help creating the right message? Try Outwrite Editor to help improve your writing. © Molly McPherson 2021The media tool I use to track stories, monitor coverage, and help clients get their message in the right hands. Click here to learn more. Want More Behind the Breakdown? Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts.Follow Molly → @MollyMcPherson Subscribe to PR Breakdown on Substack → prbreakdown.media Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting. This podcast is supported by Muck Rack, the PR management platform I use to monitor media coverage, track journalist activity, and inform high-stakes strategy with real-time data. Click here to try Muck Rack for yourself. Follow & Connect with Molly: https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson https://www.tiktok.com/@mollybmcpherson ...

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 use the power of an online reputation to prevent and stop a media crisis. The same ideas apply to a person's personal reputation as well. After completing the book, I recognized I needed to follow my own advice. There is nothing to fear in the 'cancel culture' if you lead with human decency. Stop letting others control how you communicate about yourself and your business by not being afraid to speak out. This podcast episode is about the key to an indestructible reputation. It's easy - don't let anyone bring it down and drag it through the mud. Maintaining your reputation means being ethical and honest in your interactions with people, both in business and in life.Kindness, honesty and compassion - that's how to become truly indestructible. Listen + Subscribe Stitcher or Apple PodcastsNeed help creating the right message? Try Outwrite Editor to help improve your writing. © Molly McPherson 2021Want More Behind the Breakdown? Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts.Follow Molly → @MollyMcPherson Subscribe to PR Breakdown on Substack → prbreakdown.media Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting. This podcast is supported by Muck Rack, the PR management platform I use to monitor media coverage, track journalist activity, and inform high-stakes strategy with real-time data. Click here to try Muck Rack for yourself. Follow & Connect with Molly: https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson https://www.tiktok.com/@mollybmcpherson ...