Want to get the most out of your PR firm or publicist? Try showing a little empathy with your team and see how it leads to better results. Most experienced entrepreneurs and sales leaders understand the value of empathy, but unfortunately – when it comes to outside vendors – it’s frequently forgotten. I’ve observed and experienced this inside and outside of the PR business. As a former Executive Producer with NBC, I always showed empathy with my producers and reporters because I genuinely felt their pain. I recognized when employees needed a break to recharge their mind and body, or when a fam ..read more

Building a brand from scratch is never easy, but there are tactics and approaches you can take that will help scale your brand faster. On the surface, most entrepreneurs naturally gravitate to large media outlets. They rightfully assume that getting coverage in a national publication will get their mission, services and products out there faster. And while that is true, I’ve found there is often another overlooked group that many entrepreneurs purposely avoid. I recently wrote an article for Entrepreneur, elaborating on why smaller media shouldn’t be overlooked. You can read that article by cl ..read more

Your publicist and PR team can be your best or worst advocate - and much of that success depends on how you manage the relationship with them. Believe it or not, publicists are people too and they actually feel and act on those emotions. If they feel indebted to you, or believe you’re trying to help them succeed, the best publicists will move mountains for you. And if they feel like you are secretly sabotaging their work or not supporting them, who knows what they might say when you're not around. I’ve worked with a nonprofit organization for the last 5 years. When the CMO first approached me ..read more

Contrary to what some publicists might tell you, not everyone is a good PR candidate. There are some industries that shouldn’t waste their money on PR. They will likely achieve more exposure by allocating their budgets to advertising or content marketing. At the same time, there are industries and businesses that are made for the media. Their expertise is needed in this complicated world and their insider knowledge gives us a deeper view of topics that impact our lives. If positioned correctly, these types of clients can consistently find themselves on the news. These are the best PR candidate ..read more

I belong to a private Facebook group where journalists and publicists mingle over story ideas and mutual needs. It’s a great group where media and public relations pros exchange ideas and discuss emerging trends in the industry. Recently someone asked, "is PR dead?". This particular category of marketing has certainly evolved over the last 5 years and the pandemic has accelerated much of this change---but reports of its death have been greatly exaggerated. In this complicated world, journalists change jobs more frequently while putting a smaller emphasis on m ..read more

He might have been a painter at the root, but Andy Warhol can still teach entrepreneurs a ton about revenue growth and publicity, even decades after his death. Warhol knew intuitively how to frame an idea that continually captivated the media's attention and elevated his brand. Even more impressive, he found ways to turn that publicity into revenue that pushed his art value to record highs. When I was an executive producer at a television network, I was fascinated by how Warhol was able to tap into that creative spirit and produce ideas we had never seen before. Even today, as the owner of a p ..read more

Public relations is like coffee, but it should never be confused for cocaine when it comes to PR. Coffee – much PR – is needed to give your day a boost. Without coffee, you are not as quick on your feet and it’s harder to get through your day. Every growing business needs public relations just like you need your coffee. A healthy dose of public relations, like your morning cup of Joe, gives your business a jolt and if it’s an effective publicity campaign, it makes your workload easier. Public relations is not medicine. It’s more like a vitamin. We take vitamins in the morning to stay healthy ..read more

Credibility matters in life, but it especially matters for journalists. Whenever you pitch a story to the media, the journalist is subconsciously measuring your integrity and experience. If the producer is going to invest time and energy on your story, he wants to make sure the idea has credence from the start so he’s not chasing false leads. A lawyer pitching a story on corporate fraud or a teacher pitching a story on education reform will always have more credibility at the onset than a retired citizen who works part-time at the public library. The journalist will rightfully assume the lawye ..read more

Contrary to what some publicists might tell you, not everyone is a good PR candidate. There are some industries that shouldn’t waste their money on PR. They will likely achieve more exposure by allocating their budgets to advertising or content marketing. At the same time, there are industries and businesses that are made for the media. Their expertise is needed in this complicated world and their insider knowledge gives us a deeper view of topics that impact our lives. If positioned correctly, these types of clients can consistently find themselves on the news. These are the best PR candidate ..read more

It’s the question every company will inevitably ask when debating marketing strategies: Should we hire a West Coast, East Coast or local public relations firm? Or, do we bring it in-house? There are objective methods to identify the best PR approach for your business. And contrary to what many entrepreneurs believe, it has nothing to do with a PR firm’s size, revenue, industry or makeup. It has everything to do with your company’s objectives and goals. This podcast outlines three questions to help you better identify whether an East Coast, West Coast or local PR firm is best for your business ..read more