Stop Networking and Start Building Relationships with Dan Bruton [Podcast]

Stop Networking and Start Building Relationships with Dan Bruton [Podcast]

After being featured on the PDX Executive podcast, Amy invited the host and founder of Agate Executive Communications, Dan Bruton, to come on the PR Talk Podcast. In this episode, Dan shared his approach to event curation that fosters lasting relationships and how people attending events can also get the most out of their connections. 

Events During COVID

The closure of in-person events in 2020 posed a challenge for many people, including Dan, whose main job was to bring people together in person. However, Dan noted that during this time, he quickly adapted by shifting his focus to virtual events, which turned out to be effective. That is until in-person started back up. Dan noticed a change in people’s priorities as attendees became more selective about which events they attended and began gravitating toward in-person instead.

 

The New Metaverse Events

With the return to in-person events, many, including Amy, expressed their disinterest in virtual events, which led her to wonder about the future of Metaverse events. Dan predicted that the younger generations, who are used to online interactions, may embrace the Metaverse, while older generations might require more time to adjust. Overall, it is something that will impact how we build relationships.

 

Finding the Right Event

Regardless of the format, Dan emphasized the importance of attending events that align with your interests and offer genuine opportunities for meaningful connections. By taking an active role in events, such as volunteering, organizing, or even speaking, you can position yourself in the center of the action and build relationships more naturally.

Since both Amy and Dan host podcasts, they share an understanding of how interviewing guests can create new connections and open doors. Tune in to the episode to learn more about Dan’s curated events — and check out Amy’s feature on the PDX Executive podcast while you’re at it!

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About the Guest: Dan Bruton

For the past 10 years, Dan has been working with global executives to create executive communication programs through his company, Agate Executive Communications. In doing so, he features many Pacific Northwest-based executives on his PDX Executive podcast. He lives in Portland, Oregon and is a University of Oregon alumni (undergrad) and Portland State MBA graduate.

Dan Bruton

PR Talk is part of the Marketing Podcast Network

The Marketing Podcast Network gives brands that sell to marketers direct access to reach thousands of buyers via their trusted media source: Marketing podcasts. Browse our library of shows and see where your message can be placed to reach prospective customers ripe for your message.

 

This episode of PR Talk is brought to you by PRSA Oregon

Throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington, PRSA provides members with networking, mentorship, skill building and professional development opportunities – whether you are a new professional fresh out of college or a skilled expert with 20 years in the industry. Check out PRSAoregon.org for more information on how membership can help you grow and connect.

Doing the Hard Thing in a Diverse World with Dr. Felicia Blow [Podcast]

Doing the Hard Thing in a Diverse World with Dr. Felicia Blow [Podcast]

On the PR Talk Podcast today, Amy chats with Dr. Felicia Blow, APR, Associate Vice President for Development at Hampton University and PRSA’s 2022 National Chair. Together, they discuss the challenges of communication work and explore how communicators can unite others to do what’s necessary, even when it’s hard. 

Remembering Other DEI Dimensions

Amy sets the tone for her conversation with Dr. Felicia Blow by asking her about a Muck Rack blog post in which she outlined how businesses need to prioritize all the varying dimensions of diversity, including: ability, economic status, education, age and more, as the tightening of the workforce continues. This shift in priorities means that CEOs will need to communicate to all audience dimensions effectively, Dr. Blow explained in response to Amy’s question, highlighting that businesses can improve relationships by leveraging the PR practitioner’s ability to deeply understand constituents. 

 

Bringing Value Beyond Transactions

The two went on to discuss how communicators don’t simply sell a product, they “do the hard thing” by bringing long-term value to a company. By understanding both their audience and the business, the PR pro’s strength involves engaging both sides while following a set of rules. The PRSA code of ethics ensures businesses operate in an honest and transparent manner — free from harmful practices or misleading messaging — which ultimately builds trust.

 

Doing The Hard Thing

Dr. Blow reminds us that effective communication involves continual learning and growth to connect with individuals across all dimensions of diversity. In addition to honesty and conducting thorough research, maintaining a fresh perspective is another challenging aspect of communication, especially in an ever-evolving industry where correct language and proper actions constantly change. In today’s “cancel culture,” where people can be quickly judged and criticized for ignorance, it’s even more crucial to dig deeper into DEI practices and continually ask questions (aka, doing the hard thing). A PR pro can provide a team with the right resources for this landscape.

Tune in now to discover more about the challenging aspects of PR work, including measurement. Also mentioned in the episode was PRSA’s new book: “75 Years of Impact and Influence: People, Places and Moments In Public Relations History,” which dives into the evolution of PR efforts over the past 75 years. It’s worth checking out!

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About the Guest: Dr. Felicia Blow

Dr. Felicia Blow, APR, is an award-winning leader with extensive organizational, fundraising, strategic planning, leadership and management experience. With a 30-year career, Dr. Blow has taken on several leadership roles within PRSA. Before serving as chair in 2022, she served as chair-elect in 2021. She is an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and numerous other business, economic development, and community service organizations. She earned her bachelor’s degree in mass media arts from Hampton University, her master’s in business administration from Strayer University, and her doctorate in higher education administration from Old Dominion University.

Bio of Dr. Felicia Blow

PR Talk is part of the Marketing Podcast Network

The Marketing Podcast Network gives brands that sell to marketers direct access to reach thousands of buyers via their trusted media source: Marketing podcasts. Browse our library of shows and see where your message can be placed to reach prospective customers ripe for your message.

 

This episode of PR Talk is brought to you by PRSA Oregon

Throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington, PRSA provides members with networking, mentorship, skill building and professional development opportunities – whether you are a new professional fresh out of college or a skilled expert with 20 years in the industry. Check out PRSAoregon.org for more information on how membership can help you grow and connect.

Navigating Email Etiquette in the Digital Age with Grace Aldridge Foster [Podcast]

Navigating Email Etiquette in the Digital Age with Grace Aldridge Foster [Podcast]

Today on the PR Talk Podcast, Amy Rosenberg gets to the point on email etiquette with Grace Aldridge Foster, Co-founder and Principal of Bold Type — a writing consultation and training company. Since the average person receives over 100 emails daily, it is very important to make sure yours stands out and is getting read. 

Email Overwhelm 

As an expert in email communication, Grace has noticed a recurring issue: an overwhelming number of emails flooding inboxes that are way too long, irrelevant, or unclear about the desired outcome. This issue then contributes to the stress of workdays or other commitments leading to many unopened emails. 

 

Get to Your Point

To tackle this email overload, the senders should organize the most important information by placing it at the beginning, including the subject line. While PR folks know how important the subject line is, especially when pitching, it is often overlooked for other types of emails. But let’s not forget, the subject line and the preview text are the main factors that lead to a person opening the email. 

Grace recommends including action words, limiting the subject line to 8-10 words, describing the request, highlighting the urgency, and providing a project deadline if possible. By implementing these tips, your emails have a higher chance of getting attention.

 

Don’t Default Your Emails

If you repeatedly use the same pleasantries in your emails, maybe you should ask yourself why? While it’s important in email etiquette to have an introduction, it’s equally important to stay mindful of the email’s purpose. Establishing guidelines for email etiquette is also crucial for businesses to ensure consistent communication. Here are a few general tips to follow:

  • Think before you send. Sometimes an email can be too wordy or not include enough, so ask yourself if your email is clear and concise. If it feels excessive, chances are it is, which means it might be best to arrange a call instead.
  • Know your audience. Avoid sending an email to someone that has no business reading that email, and ensure the language you use is appropriate for the receiver. 
  • Acknowledge an email within 24 hours. You don’t have to respond thoroughly, but a simple “received” would suffice.
  • Establish specific times to check email. Don’t allow email to take away from your work day. Setting specific email check times throughout the day improves productivity by reducing email distractions. 

Listen now to learn more about creating well-received emails and the different types of language you can incorporate to get your email read.

Don’t Miss an Episode

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About the Guest: Grace Aldridge Foster

Grace has been training writers for over a decade. She has worked with organizations, including: the U.S. Special Operations Command, Capital One, Johnson & Johnson, Biogen, the Aspen Institute and the National Parks Service. Grace is also a Center for Plain Language member and serves as a judge for the annual Federal Report Card and ClearMark Awards, scoring federal agencies and other organizations on their ability to communicate clearly to online audiences.

Grace BIO IMAGE

PR Talk is part of the Marketing Podcast Network

The Marketing Podcast Network gives brands that sell to marketers direct access to reach thousands of buyers via their trusted media source: Marketing podcasts. Browse our library of shows and see where your message can be placed to reach prospective customers ripe for your message.

 

This episode of PR Talk is brought to you by PRSA Oregon

Throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington, PRSA provides members with networking, mentorship, skill building and professional development opportunities – whether you are a new professional fresh out of college or a skilled expert with 20 years in the industry. Check out PRSAoregon.org for more information on how membership can help you grow and connect.

Reigniting Diversity Equity and Inclusion Efforts with Neil Foote [Podcast]

Reigniting Diversity Equity and Inclusion Efforts with Neil Foote [Podcast]

In this week’s episode of PR Talk, Amy speaks with Neil Foote, President and CEO of Foote Communications and president of the National Black Public Relations Society. The two dive into his insights on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and reigniting the George Floyd Moment, the return on investment (ROI) of DEI and ways everyone can take part.

The precursor to this conversation was what Neil wrote in a 2023 PR predictions blog post for Muck Rack:

“In 2023, we must reignite the George Floyd Moment. Many companies issued statements and hired or promoted people to lead their diversity efforts. Over the past two years, the flurry of activity has begun to wane. The well-intentioned comments and initiatives have led to only minimal gains. 

The new year will require an intense, renewed effort of PR executives and all organizations advocating for DEI to push for not only greater accountability, but real, measurable and impactful actions: hiring, retaining and promoting diverse professionals,” Neil wrote.

Addressing the Elephant in the Room

Just a couple of years after many companies made statements about increasing DEI efforts, the data reveals a noticeable shortfall. Much of these well-intentioned efforts are getting lost in new workplace trends, budget cuts and many other global issues. The problem is that DEI is not a fleeting trend, but rather an indispensable strategic tool that businesses must embrace to ensure long-term sustainability.

 

Integrating DEI Efforts for ROI

Despite the growing recognition of DEI as a critical priority for businesses, many companies are still implementing one-off initiatives. However, as Neil points out, for DEI to create a meaningful impact, it must be integrated throughout every facet of a business — from HR and marketing to PR and leadership — just like any other strategic business plan. By committing to DEI efforts, companies can generate a return on investment that is truly significant.

 

Accountability is on Everyone

Collaborating with everyone involved in DEI efforts is a crucial step towards progress. Company leaders are making the decisions, but it is the collective responsibility of everyone to continuously urge their companies towards action. It is also important that companies who have made commitments follow through and deliver tangible results.

Tune in to hear more actionable steps for individuals to incorporate and examples discussed during the interview!

Don’t Miss an Episode

If you haven’t already subscribed to the PR Talk Podcast, you can find more great episodes on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio and Spotify. While you’re there, don’t forget to rate and review the show!

About the Guest: Neil Foote 

Neil Foote is an entrepreneurial media executive, author and educator with experience in journalism, public relations, marketing, branding, education, publishing, radio and the internet. He is a principal lecturer at the Mayborn School of Journalism at the University of North Texas and the president and CEO of Foote Communications, a full service integrated public relations marketing and communications-consulting firm based in Dallas. 

Neil is the president of the National Black Public Relations Society, Inc., the former board chair of the National Kidney Foundation serving North Texas, board secretary for Forefront Living, and a Life Trustee for The Lamplighter School.

Neil Foote profile

PR Talk is part of the Marketing Podcast Network

The Marketing Podcast Network gives brands that sell to marketers direct access to reach thousands of buyers via their trusted media source: Marketing podcasts. Browse our library of shows and see where your message can be placed to reach prospective customers ripe for your message.

 

This episode of PR Talk is brought to you by PRSA Oregon

Throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington, PRSA provides members with networking, mentorship, skill building and professional development opportunities – whether you are a new professional fresh out of college or a skilled expert with 20 years in the industry. Check out PRSAoregon.org for more information on how membership can help you grow and connect.

Growth, Lessons and Everything in between with Cailyn Tegel [Podcast]

Growth, Lessons and Everything in between with Cailyn Tegel [Podcast]

Meet Veracity’s Cailyn Tegel! 

On the six-year anniversary of PR Talk, we are introducing you to a special guest: Cailyn Tegel of Veracity! Well, to say we’re introducing her would be an overstatement. Since we tend to jabber on together, I lopped off the beginning of the conversation to get right to the good stuff. 

A proper introduction would say that Cailyn joined Veracity a little over one year ago as Assistant Account Executive. Through demonstrating a strong understanding of PR and a desire to continue growing, Cailyn was recently promoted to Account Executive. 

Cailyn Reflects On A Year Full of Learnings

The episode starts by jumping into the middle of a conversation Cailyn and I were having about her recent blog post: A Year Full of Lessons For an Entry-Level PR Pro.

First, we discuss some writing tips Cailyn discovered on her journey to becoming a better writer, which includes not being overly sensitive to copious edits. 

Then, we delve into other key learnings, complete with funny stories and realizations, like not needing to respond to every email ASAP and ways of answering hard questions. 

You’ll get an inside look at what Cailyn has learned during her first year working in PR. 

 

Timing is Everything in Life and PR

With the conversation moving on to address New Year’s intentions (not resolutions!), we get into how to best plan (or hack!) our days through science. 

The books we mention include: “In The Flo” by Alisa Vitti and “When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing,” by Daniel Pink. 

Everyone will get something out of this entertaining conversation, whether you’re new to the industry or not.

Don’t Miss an Episode

If you haven’t already subscribed to the PR Talk Podcast, you can find more great episodes on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio and Spotify. While you’re there, don’t forget to rate and review the show!

About the Guest: Cailyn Tegel 

Cailyn Tegel joined Veracity in 2022 as an Assistant Account Executive. After a year of demonstrated skill and growth, Cailyn became an Account Executive for Veracity in 2023. Cailyn executes the day-to-day PR functions for clients such as Oregon Charter Academy and Windermere Real Estate, while working closely with Veracity’s founder as a trusted support system. Cailyn enjoys all things crafting, hikes whenever possible and is deepening her newfound enthusiasm for roller derby in her home state of Illinois.

Cailyn Tegel

PR Talk is part of the Marketing Podcast Network

The Marketing Podcast Network gives brands that sell to marketers direct access to reach thousands of buyers via their trusted media source: Marketing podcasts. Browse our library of shows and see where your message can be placed to reach prospective customers ripe for your message.

 

This episode of PR Talk is brought to you by PRSA Oregon

Throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington, PRSA provides members with networking, mentorship, skill building and professional development opportunities – whether you are a new professional fresh out of college or a skilled expert with 20 years in the industry. Check out PRSAoregon.org for more information on how membership can help you grow and connect.

2023 Marketing Predictions from Recent PR Talk Guests [Podcast]

2023 Marketing Predictions from Recent PR Talk Guests [Podcast]

In this episode of the PR Talk podcast, we asked several past guests for their 2023 marketing and industry predictions. Participants include Katharina Hicker, Christopher Penn, Vanessa Neurohr, Adam Ritchie, Emmy Thomas, Jason Falls, Anna Dearmon Kornick and Laura Norup Boyer. Look out for host Amy Rosenberg’s release of her public relations predictions blog post next week.

Emmy Thomas 2023 Predictions

Emmy Thomas

VP of Brand and Marketing at Logical Position

We will see an increase in user-generated video content in advertising, especially on paid social advertising platforms. As we’ve seen with Instagram reels and TikTok over the past few years, video has become the most engaging form of media. For the right type of retailers with the right product, I can see them shifting to a video advertising strategy that feels more in line with organic, real-time content rather than precisely-edited and polished videos. 

The use of videos also falls in line with paid influencer marketing, which promotes or showcases a product through video by turning that into paid advertising. This type of video content allows advertisers to show rather than tell and is really great for developing trust with buyers before making a complete purchase.

For more from Emmy, listen to her full 2022 PR Talk interview on Where’s the Culture – Marketing Connection?

Jason Falls 2023 Predictions

Jason Falls

Digital marketing thought leader, author of Winfluence, and host of two podcasts: Winfluence and Digging Deeper

We are in an economically disadvantageous situation globally. I predict that brands are going to start spending less on marketing and paid content. Many will start looking for ways to route their budget to more earned and owned efforts to make more efficient use of their dollars. It’s a good opportunity for us in the PR and influence marketing field, but brands are going to be smart with their dollars. 

I suggest looking at micro and nano influencers. More importantly, businesses should plug into their own communities by looking at their employees, customer base and vendor partners to see where there are influential voices. It is a much more efficient way to drive influence, and I believe it will happen a lot more in 2023 due to the economic situation we have found ourselves in.

For more from Jason, listen to his full 2022 PR Talk interview on Influence Marketing.

Laura Norup Boyer 2023 Predictions

Laura Norup Boyer

Founder of Black Bean Industrial Marketing

I have four digital B2B marketing predictions for 2023. To dive deeper into each, please read my full blog write-up.

  1. A Massive change in social media marketing. Twitter is free falling, and frankly, so is Facebook, so expect newer platforms like TikTok to fill the social media power vacuum.
  2. Video video and more video! Editing and publishing have finally become easy and affordable enough for small and medium businesses to do well, expect a lot more of that.
  3. Google Analytics 4 is coming on July 1, and many businesses won’t be ready in time. Make sure you adopt their new system to be positioned for success.
  4. The biggest marketing trend will be AI. The AI tools available are going to change everything for search advertising, content marketing and website development. One way or another, digital marketing is going to get weirder in 2023, so businesses and marketers must be agile in the face of it. 

Our advice at Black bean is to keep your head up and your eyes open, embrace change but never forget your fundamentals: customer experience, brand visibility, and ROI. The way we deliver on those fundamentals may change, but the goal remains the same.

For more from Laura, listen to her full 2022 PR Talk interview on Industrial B2B Marketing.

Katharina Hicker 2023 Predictions

Katharina (Kat) Hicker

Founder of Castleforbes Communications and Co-Founder of The Speakeasy Club

My three PR predictions for 2023 are:

  1. We will see more press conferences taking place in the metaverse.
  2. The social media channels of news outlets will be playing an even bigger role in 2023. PR pros need to rethink what platform they are pitching for. Is it a win if you place a story in print, even a story about a digital business? Is it a win if the story is living on a platform that you actively have to promote? Or is it a win if an outlet dedicates a post about your story on their social channels, the same place you use to promote yourself?
  3. PR will become more global. When we pitch to the media, it doesn’t matter which country or market. We follow what I call the relevancy triangle: your story is either based on the location, the people involved are from the location, or your story is somehow contributing to this location. But businesses are becoming less attached to locations, founders are digital nomads with diverse backgrounds and the contributions that businesses establish are borderless. As businesses continue to have a global mindset, the media has followed and so will PR.

For more from Kat, listen to her full 2022 PR Talk interview on PR Globe Trotting From Germany to Dubai.

Christopher Penn 2023 Predictions

Christopher Penn

Co-Founder and Chief Data Scientist for Trust Insights, author, keynote speaker and podcast co-host of Marketing Over Coffee

Our prediction is that there will be a flood of new content thanks to the prevalence and ease of tools like GPT-3 from OpenAI and their ChatGPT tool. You can expect that the amount of content marketers will be creating in the next few years will dwarf anything that has come before. That means that as marketers and communicators, we have to work much harder to be heard amongst all the noise. 

Building a loyal and private community where you can curate people and help focus their attention is going to be absolutely essential if you want to succeed in getting people to pay attention to you. So get ready for not just the content flood but a literal tsunami of new content that will overwhelm anyone who is not producing at volume and curating a community.

For more from Christopher, listen to his full 2022 PR Talk interview on Why You Need Data in Your PR Strategy.

Anna Dearmon Kornick 2023 Predictions

Anna Dearmon Kornick

Time management coach and host of It’s About Time Podcast

Just as the PR industry is seeing an increase in AI-powered copywriting tools, in 2023, I predict your time management will also become AI-powered. There are already some amazing tools on the market, like Clockwise, Motion, Sunsama, Time Hero and others, that can help you take back your time by learning your preferences and managing your calendar. 

I predict that we will see more widespread usage of these tools. Right now, it takes an average of 30 minutes to manage the back-and-forth logistics of meetings manually. You weren’t hired to manage a calendar, you were hired to manage reputations and build relationships. To stay ahead of the game in 2023 and win back your time, test drive an AI time management tool and spend more time on what matters most.

For more from Anna, listen to her full 2022 PR Talk interview on Managing Time Within the Chaos of PR.

Vanessa Neurohr 2023 Predictions

Vanessa Neurohr

VP of Customer Success at Muck Rack

My 2023 PR prediction is that brands and agencies will benchmark legacy metrics with new and or different metrics to continue proving the impact of their work. As we enter uncertain economic times, it’s even more important for PR professionals to leverage data in order to communicate their contributions back to their clients or internally within their organizations.

For more from Vanessa, listen to her full 2022 PR Talk interview on Developing Long-Term Relationships Through Customer Success.

Adam Ritchie 2023 Predictions

Adam Ritchie

Owner of Adam Ritchie Brand Direction and author of “Invention in PR

The best PR campaigns will involve product creation, and then promotion — rather than promotion only. Start paying attention and you’ll see the signs everywhere. Two of the shortlisted entries in the “Best in Creative Excellence” category of next year’s PRWeek Awards are invention-first PR campaigns: Applebee’s “Saucy Gloss” and MillerCoors High Life’s “Gingerbread Dive Bar.” 

Just this past month, we saw two competing bourbon brands announcing PR campaigns one day apart: Diageo’s “Bulleit Pioneer Project” — which was a content contest — and Jim Beam’s “Kentucky Hug Holiday Pajamas” — which was a set of PJs weighted to give a hug to a loved one from afar. Weeks later, Bulleit’s campaign still hasn’t left the starting line of its press release, while Jim Beam’s invention has earned unique coverage on CNN, Entrepreneur, Men’s Journal and Forbes. 

These are examples of where the bar was set versus where the bar is set. Some PR-minded marketing pros are clearly pushing themselves to come up with killer product/service concepts that drive a campaign. The brands using this approach are making competitors eat their dust.

For more from Adam, listen to his full 2022 PR Talk interview on Invention in PR: Pushing the Limits of Product Promotion to Product Creation.

Watch the full podcast

 

Don’t Miss an Episode

You can access more great episodes by subscribing to the PR Talk podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio and Spotify.

This episode of PR Talk is brought to you by PRSA Oregon

Throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington, PRSA provides members with networking, mentorship, skill building and professional development opportunities – whether you are a new professional fresh out of college or a skilled expert with 20 years in the industry. Check out PRSAoregon.org for more information on how membership can help you grow and connect.

PR Talk is part of the Marketing Podcast Network

The Marketing Podcast Network gives brands that sell to marketers direct access to reach thousands of buyers via their trusted media source: Marketing podcasts. Browse our library of shows and see where your message can be placed to reach prospective customers ripe for your message.