The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson

Latest Episodes:

165: How Real-Time Data Can Keep You in Control in a Crisis with Zack Condry Dec 13, 2021

Show notes

The key to managing a digital crisis is to unlock the cause of the crisis in the first place. Critical data and information can be found in conversations and traffic on social media and websites.
Zack Condry, President of Everest Communications, knows how to interpret this information and strategize how to use it to manage the situation. He specializes in developing and executing digital communications strategies to help organizations tackle critical public affairs issues, major crises, regulatory obstacles, and reputation management challenges.
Zack shares his take on what happens in the background of a crisis. How the data and sentiment can help shape your response.
PLUS, he shares one Indestructible PR tip to help you stay in control during a crisis.
Listen + Subscribe Stitcher or Apple Podcasts
© Molly McPherson 2021

164: Alec Baldwin's Sit-Down with ABC News: A Public Relations Post-Analysis Dec 07, 2021

Show notes

The story of Alec Baldwin in the aftermath of the tragic shooting death of Halyana Hutchins on the set of the film "Rust" is worth following if you follow public relations and crisis communication.
From the first news stories from the Albequeque filmset to the "pop-up" press conference Baldwin held on a busy road in Vermont, we have been following Baldwin's media interactions over his involvement in the tragedy.
Baldwin's latest public relations strategies were revealed in his sitdown interview with ABC News anchor George Stephanopolus on 20/20.
Jody Fisher, a veteran PR guy and former radio reporter, joins Molly on the epsiode. In addition to his over 20 years of experience as a publicist in NYC and national markets, Jody is the Vice President of Public Relations at Austin Williams.
He has worked on both sides of the newsroom assignment desk. He recognizes a good story when he hears it - like Alec Baldwin's current situation.

163: Is There Any Truth to the Saying, "All Publicity is Good Publicity?" Nov 29, 2021

Show notes

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 is not being talked about."
In this episode, determining whether this statement is true and which factors determine when negative publicity is too much for a brand to handle.
Mentioned in the episode:

PLUS, one Indestructible PR tip that keeps your reputation solid during the crisis.
Listen + Subscribe Stitcher or Apple Podcasts
© Molly McPherson 2021

162: The 3 Mistakes Most Spokespeople Make in their Media Interviews (and how to avoid them). Nov 22, 2021

Show notes

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.
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161: The Biggest Media Interview Mistakes of the Month (and what we can learn from them). Nov 15, 2021

Show notes

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 a whim on the side of the road, like Alec Baldwin.
Make sure the news you share on the Today Show is accurate and does not infringe on trademarks.

Mentioned in the Episode

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Need help writing a crisis response for your organization?

Click HERE to download your Crisis Communication Rapid Response Checklist, a 10-point plan that guides you through communications, especially when it comes from within your organization.

Listen + Subscribe on Stitcher or Apple Podcasts

160: The Best PR Response for a Rogue Employee Who Makes News Nov 08, 2021

Show notes

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 brand from the actions of the employee as quickly as possible.

The plan
The statement
The internal communications

PLUS, one Indestructible PR tip that keeps your reputation solid during the crisis.
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Need help writing a crisis response for your organization?

This episode provides a 10-point checklist to guide you through communications when a crisis arises, particularly from one you caused.
Click HERE to download your Crisis Communication Rapid Response Checklist, a 10-point plan that guides you through communications, especially when it comes from within your organization.
Listen + Subscribe Stitcher or Apple Podcasts
© Molly McPherson 2021

159: How to Think Like a Journalist and Make Your PR Pitch Land with Kristi Piehl Nov 01, 2021

Show notes

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 Podcast.

Kristi shares how to think like a journalist to make your PR pitch land.
Want to learn how to manage the bad news? Click HERE to download your copy of the Crisis Communication Rapid Response Checklist.

Listen + Subscribe Stitcher or Apple Podcasts
© Molly McPherson 2021

158: How to Respond Publicly to a Tragic Event of Your Own Doing: Ten Steps to Control the Narrative During a Crisis Oct 25, 2021

Show notes

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 tragedy affect Alec Baldwin's reputation?

This episode provides a 10-point checklist to guide you through communications when a crisis arises, particularly from one you caused.
Click HERE to download your copy of the Crisis Communication Rapid Response Checklist.

Mentioned on the podcast:

157: Your Indestructible PR Tip for the Week is About Vaccinations Oct 18, 2021

Show notes

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%.

156: 3 Effortless Tricks To Be a More Confident Speaker with Kerri Garbis Oct 11, 2021

Show notes

It only takes a few moments for people to form an opinion about you when they see you speak in public.

If you nail it, your reputation is boosted.

Bungle it - your reputation is at stake.

If you want to appear confident on stage, you have to actually be confident in yourself. A challenge for nervous speakers. However, there are some tricks to help. Speaking coach Kerri Garbis discusses three effortless methods for capturing confidence on stage.
Mentioned on the podcast:

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