On Top of PR with Jason Mudd

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Embedded AI: The future of PR and communication workflows

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Muck Rack CEO Greg Galant joins host Jason Mudd to discuss how embedded AI is transforming PR and communications workflows.

Tune in to learn more!

Meet Our Guest:

Our episode guest is Greg Galant, CEO and cofounder at Muck Rack. A returning guest on On Top of PR, he is a leading voice at the crossroads of PR, technology, and media. Greg is also recognized as an early champion of generative engine optimization, shaping the emerging frontier of brand visibility in an AI-driven world.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

Why embedded AI is more effective than standalone assistants in PR workflows
How AI preserves messaging consistency and insight accuracy across teams
Ways to make PR teams more adaptable in real time using AI
How AI-powered media intelligence predicts trends and shifts in reputation
Strategies to integrate AI into every stage of PR: discovery, outreach, monitoring, and reporting

Quotables

“Being able to take advantage of AI is knowing what everyone's doing right now and figuring out which stages of our workflow can benefit from AI and having the right tooling to do that.” — @Greg Galant
“The PR profession's been doing generative engine optimization even before generative AI came to be because when these AI systems were built, they were all trained on news data.” — @Greg Galant
“The work we did a year ago or two years ago is even more valuable today than it was then.” — @Greg Galant
“There's two big buckets. One is: How does AI influence PR, and how does PR influence AI?” — @Greg Galant
“We have to look at this from a macro and a micro level and keep testing and tweaking what we're doing and improving upon it.” — @Jason Mudd

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

If you like this episode, you're going to love this:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Why isn’t your press release getting any coverage?

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 20:00:00 -0400

In this solocast, On Top of PR host Jason Mudd dives into why most press releases fail and how to craft news releases that capture attention, clicks, and engagement.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. Five reasons your news release isn’t getting coverage

2. Understanding the move from “press releases” to news releases

3. Common mistakes that cause press releases to be ignored

4. How to write headlines and content that attract attention and clicks

5. Adopting an audience-first mindset to make your news releases effective

Quotables

“A journalist or reader is asking, ‘Why should I care?’ ‘Why now?’ and ‘Why does this matter now?’ And if you don't answer that in the first few lines of your pitch or your news release, you lose that audience.” — @jasonmudd9

“Safe content doesn't get shared; it gets ignored.” — @jasonmudd9

“Your content now competes in search, AI, and social feeds. Structure matters. You need clear headlines, direct language, and answer-driven content.” — @jasonmudd9

“Shift your mindset from ‘What do we want to announce?’ to ‘What would someone care [about], click, and share?’ Define your audience, validate your angle with data, and write like a journalist.” — @jasonmudd9

“Coverage isn't requested; it's earned. It starts with how you think about the story before writing.” — @jasonmudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Listen to more episodes of the On Top of PR podcast.

Find out more about Axia Public Relations.

Axia Public Relations resources

10 2026 press release tips marketers aren’t going to like

Additional Resources:

What's the difference between press releases and public relations?

What’s the difference between newswire and press release distribution wire agencies?

How press releases are powering generative engine optimization and answer engine optimization

3 elements of an effective news release

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Shaping the future of PR with AI: Insights from Microsoft’s Frank X. Shaw

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Frank X. Shaw on LinkedIn

In this episode, Microsoft CCO Frank Shaw joins host Jason Mudd to discuss how AI is reshaping PR workflows, strategy, and corporate communications.

Tune in to learn more!

Meet Our Guest:

Our episode guest is Frank X. Shaw, chief communications officer at Microsoft. Frank leads global communications strategy, product PR, media and analyst relations, executive and employee communications, and global agency partnerships. He shares insights on how communicators can leverage AI to focus on high-value work and improve efficiency.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. How to identify high-value PR work and apply AI to repetitive tasks

2. Practical AI applications for media monitoring, analyst engagement, and internal communications

3. How autonomous AI agents can enhance predictive insights for communications teams

4. The mindset needed to embrace AI tools without fear of job loss

5. How efficiency gained through AI can drive growth rather than just cost-cutting

Quotables

“It's not like you can outsource your judgment, but you can augment it.” — Frank Shaw

“I don't look at all this technology as something that is going to cut costs. It's going to allow us to do the things that are in front of us that we want to do that we can't get to right now because we don't have the resources and the time.” — Frank Shaw

“The mindset has to be one of experimentation, curiosity, trying new things, being willing to fail, at some, grabbing every tool that comes out there and thinking about how we can apply it to the work that we do. “ — Frank Shaw

“I think everybody should be experimenting with stuff at home and at work because it's moving really fast, and the way you stay on top of it is just to play.” — Frank Shaw

“People say the corporate communication profession has changed over the years. And my argument is it really hasn't changed. We just have better tools. But those same tools require us to be even better practitioners, more strategically minded.” — Jason Mudd

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Microsoft website

LinkedIn Learning: Communicator’s Guide to AI Tools and Mindsets for Modern PR and Media course

Additional Resources:

Axia’s AI Relations service

Microsoft Copilot Studio

Microsoft Bing

Get to Know Microsoft Edge

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Media-first PR in the AI era with Storyblok’s Brandon Watts

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 20:00:00 -0400

Brandon Watts on LinkedIn

In this episode, Brandon Watts joins host Jason Mudd to discuss how to prioritize audience and authenticity in media-first PR during the AI era.

Tune in to learn more!

Meet Our Guest:

Our episode guest is Brandon Watts, director of PR and communications at Storyblok. With 20-plus years in shaping narratives for startups and enterprise tech, Brandon brings insights from both the media and PR sides. He’s also contributed to Fast Company, Entrepreneur, and Adweek.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. How to adopt a media-first approach in PR during the AI era

2. Why quality matters more than quantity when pitching stories

3. How to put the audience before your PR agenda

4. The power of exclusives and timings

5. Tips for pitching original, AI-proof stories

Quotables

“The biggest challenge here is when we think of what we're trying to tell, the story we're trying to tell, it's usually always framed through our lens. What do we have to say? What benefit do we get from it? That's a lot of we, me — a lot of self-service focus. So we have to reframe this. If it's media first, it means that it's really media first.” — Brandon Watts

“Communication with your pitch is so critical because that's really what helps you to sell it, to make it more broad in terms of who's going to want to listen to that and why.” — Brandon Watts

“You have to create the stories that AI can't. And all of that is due to your personal experience, what your company's experiencing, what your team is experiencing, and your customers' lived experiences that cannot be hallucinated, that cannot be made up. That's authenticity.” — Brandon Watts

“We use AI just in the right way to help you get more power out of your content creation. So you just have to take that extra bit of time to understand that you can't just prompt and run. You've got to give it context and tweak.” — Brandon Watts

“Garbage in, garbage out. If you put bad input into a generative AI app, you're going to get bad output from it.” — Jason Mudd

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Storyblok website

How to stay ahead of AI in communication and marketing

Listen to more episodes of the On Top of PR with Jason Mudd podcast.

Find out more about Axia Public Relations.

Additional Resources:

Axia’s AI Service

AI in PR: Transforming communication stra

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

HARO’s comeback: Modern sourcing for journalists and brands

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 04:00:00 -0400

Brett Farmiloe on LinkedIn

In this episode, Brett Farmiloe joins host Jason Mudd to discuss the comeback of HARO and smarter PR pitching.

Tune in to learn more!

Meet Our Guest:

Our episode guest is Brett Farmiloe, founder and CEO at Help a Reporter Out (HARO). Brett has scaled startups and worked with global brands, and he helps professionals share their expertise online. His mission is to make knowledge more accessible and human.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. Why HARO was revived and what’s changed since its launch

2. How journalist profiles and “Open to Write” signals improve pitch success

3. Tips for better pitches with fewer blasts to stand out to reporters

4. How HARO is expanding to support journalists beyond sourcing experts

5. How PR pros can measure expert authority instead of vanity placements in the AI era

More About Brett Farmiloe

Brett Farmiloe is the CEO of Help a Reporter Out (HARO), a platform connecting journalists with sources to create expert-powered content. An entrepreneur and author, Brett has scaled startups, collaborated with global brands, and helped thousands of professionals share their expertise. His mission is to make knowledge more accessible and human online.

Quotables

“Our goal at the end of the day is to connect journalists with great sources for stories.” — Brett Farmiloe

“When sources come to us and they're like, ‘What do I do here? How do I be helpful?’ It's really in the HARO acronym: It's be Helpful, be Authentic, be Relevant, and be On time.” — Brett Farmiloe

“Be authentic; don't just use 100% AI, and add your own human expertise to things.” — Brett Farmiloe

“What comes around, goes around, and I really think that just being helpful and friendly and nice to people goes a long way.” — Jason Mudd

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

@BrettFarmiloe on X

Help a Reporter Out website

Featured website

Listen to more episodes of the On Top of PR with Jason Mudd podcast.

Find out more about Axia Public Relations.

Additional Resources:

6 tips for using HARO to pitch your story

HARO Shifts to Connectively: What does this mean for PR professionals?

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

How to stay ahead of AI in communication and marketing with Martin Waxman

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 17:00:00 -0500

Martin Waxman on LinkedIn

In this episode, Martin Waxman joins host Jason Mudd to discuss AI’s impact on communications and marketing, why training matters, and how to avoid “AI slop” by pairing AI with real expertise.

Meet Our Guest:

Our episode guest is Martin Waxman, LinkedIn Learning instructor, adjunct professor at the York Schulich School of Business, and associate director of the Future of Marketing Institute. He writes an AI and digital marketing trends newsletter, delivers hands-on generative AI training workshops, and conducts AI research.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. Why using AI only to offload tasks can lower quality and why thinking first matters

2. What Martin predicted correctly about AI and what surprised him about its rapid adoption

3. How to move beyond basic content generation to strategy and analytics

4. Why subject-matter expertise is critical when using AI for insights and data

5. How leaders can manage hype, train teams, and stay ethical as AI evolves

Quotables

“Use their brains first so they can start to push themselves and then get AI tools to push them even farther.” — Martin Waxman

“We have to prompt AI, but we also have to get AI to prompt us to think about things from a different perspective.” — Martin Waxman

“You don't have to go at the pace of AI development, which is really fast, but you need to go at a much faster pace than we as communicators have been used to using.” — Martin Waxman

“There's a new term called FOMO, fear of becoming obsolete, which is really real. Because we don't know what we need to learn to do our job successfully. So managing The hype is job number one, figuring out what's new, when it's going to start affecting us, and what can we do to prepare along the way.” — Martin Waxman

“AI will take your job if you're the master and commander of it.” — Jason Mudd

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.

More About Martin Waxman

Martin Waxman writes a popular AI and digital marketing trends newsletter, delivers hands-on generative AI training workshops, and conducts AI research. He’s a LinkedIn Learning instructor, adjunct professor at the York Schulich School of Business, and associate director of the Future of Marketing Institute.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

@martinwaxman on X

@martinwaxman on Instagram

Martin Waxman on Facebook

Future of Marketing Institute

The Neuron newsletter

Axios AI newsletter

LinkedIn Learning course: Using Generative AI in Public Rela

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Exclusives, advances, and embargoes: How to use each ethically in media relations

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 23:00:00 -0500

In this solocast, On Top of PR host Jason Mudd discusses the ethical and practical differences between exclusives, advances, and embargoes and how to use them correctly in media relations.

Tune in to learn more!

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. The clear differences between exclusives, advances, and embargoes

2. The most common PR mistakes that quietly damage credibility

3. Why advances don’t restrict publication unless you explicitly say so

4. How to structure ethical exclusives without limiting coverage

5. Practical scripts you can use for exclusives, advances, and embargoes

Quotables

“If you promise a national consumer outlet an exclusive and then you pitch another national consumer outlet the same story, you broke your promise.” — @jasonmudd9

“Reporters don't forget. They may confront you; they may not. They may complain; they may not. But they will remember, so always be honest and ethical in all of your communication.” — @jasonmudd9

“Embargoes work best when your organization has a plan for what happens if the embargo breaks. If you want to use embargoes correctly, you must be precise.” — @jasonmudd9

“This is a critical lesson: Don't rely on terminology alone. Don't assume the other party defines the offer the same way you do.” — @jasonmudd9

“Media relations is not about getting coverage. Media relations is about earning trust, earning credibility, and building relationships that last.” — @jasonmudd9

“If your goal is first-class media relations, the standard is simple. Say what you mean, mean what you say, deliver what you promise.” — @jasonmudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.

Contact info and resources:

Axia Public Relations website

Axia Public Relations resources

What journalists want from your media pitch with Jason Mudd, Axia Public Relations

If you like this episode, you're going to love this:

Common mistakes publicly traded companies make when working with the news media

Getting More Media Coverage by Making Journalists’ Lives Easier

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Navigating AI ethics in public relations with PRSA CEO Matthew Marcial

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 20:00:00 -0500

Matthew Marcial on LinkedIn

In this episode, PRSA CEO Matthew Marcial joins host Jason Mudd to discuss the ethical use of AI in PR and key insights for communicators.

Tune in to learn more!

Meet our guest:

Our episode guest is Matthew Marcial, CEO of the Public Relations Society of America. He leads PRSA’s strategic priorities, focusing on advancing the profession and guiding communicators through emerging challenges, including the ethical use of artificial intelligence.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. The biggest ethical risks with generative AI in PR

2. The “Promise and Pitfalls” principles every PR team should adopt

3. How smart PR teams are using AI without crossing ethical lines

4. PRSA’s role in helping professionals navigate the fast-changing AI landscape

5. Tips for rising PR pros who want to lead the profession forward

Quotables

“As a leader, you really need to be able to set clear expectations with your team around what the role of AI is and what it is for your organization.” — Matthew Marcial

“Being comfortable with that, sharing, and training across your teams is really going to help leverage that (AI) insight and expertise.” — Matthew Marcial

“I think that as a communicator, putting out anything that compromises your reputation is going to be a risk.” — Matthew Marcial

“We are taking a bolder voice on issues that impact our members, the industry, and the profession.” — Matthew Marcial

“The best way to learn is through trial and error.” — Jason Mudd

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.

More about Matthew Marcial

Matthew Marcial, CAE, CMP, is the CEO of the Public Relations Society of America, the nation’s leading organization for public relations and communications professionals. Appointed in March 2025, he leads PRSA’s strategic priorities, focusing on advancing the profession, supporting member growth, and navigating emerging challenges, such as the ethical use of artificial intelligence. With more than 20 years of association leadership experience, Matthew is a frequent speaker on ethical leadership and professional development and has recently led sessions across PRSA’s regional districts on the organization’s AI Ethics Guide for PR professionals.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

PRSA website

PRSA’s Promise and Pitfalls: Ethical AI Guide

PRSA’s DEI Toolkit

PRSA’s Membership | Promo Code for Listeners: PRPROD25

Axia’s PR Scholars

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Barcelona Principles 4.0: How to Measure PR Effectively with AMEC CEO Johna Burke

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 19:00:00 -0500

In this episode, AMEC’s CEO Johna Burke joins host Jason Mudd to discuss the Barcelona Principles 4.0 and PR measurement best practices.

Tune in to learn more!

Meet Our Guest:

Our episode guest is Johna Burke, CEO and Global Managing Director at the International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication (AMEC). With more than 30 years of experience in marketing, PR, communications, and strategy for B2B and B2C organizations, Johna is a global leader in communication measurement and evaluation and a sought-after speaker on PR, media relations, and metrics.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. The 7 Barcelona Principles Explained

2. How to apply the Barcelona Principles 4.0 to measure and evaluate PR effectiveness across channels

3. How AMEC’s Integrated Evaluation Framework can guide planning, measurement, and reporting in your organization

4. Practical ways to use data ethically to build credibility, trust, and impact in communications

5. How professional development and resources from AMEC can strengthen measurement skills and PR strategy

Quotables

“When we looked at the Barcelona Principles, because they were rooted in best practice, a lot of them are just making them clearer statements.” — Johna Burke

"Supporting the Barcelona Principles, being compliant, helps communicators make a greater value to their organization and gives credibility and reliability to their data." — Johna Burke

“It gives you the planning elements, and it is a fill in the text box for what you are doing, starting with your objective and going through to put your activities, your outputs, the outcome, so that when you use this with your team and you put everything in the framework, it also helps you understand which efforts are paid, earned, shared, and owned.” — Johna Burke

“Use it as the planning tool as much as you use it as a measurement tool, which arguably, if you're doing measurement effectively, you need to have good concrete planning in place to have those well-defined objectives to know and understand what's working and what's not working.” — Johna Burke

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.

More About Johna Burke

Johna Burke, CEO and Global Managing Director at the International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication (AMEC), has more than 30 years of experience driving results in marketing, public relations, investor relations, general management, communications, strategy, and operations for B2B and B2C organizations. She is an expert in strategic planning, analytics, research, business growth, and operational efficiency and is a national and international speaker on PR, media relations, measurement, social media, and metrics. With over 20 years of focused experience in B2B and B2C marketing and public relations, Johna is recognized globally for her leadership in communication measurement and evaluatio

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

The PR playbook for getting recommended by AI with Unusual's Keller Maloney

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 15:00:00 -0500

In this episode, Keller Maloney joins host Jason Mudd to discuss why PR drives AI recommendations and how earned media and brand trust shape how AI models talk about brands.

Tune in to learn more!

Meet Our Guest:
Our episode guest is Keller Maloney, co-founder of Unusual, a platform that helps brands understand and influence how AI models perceive them. Keller has a background in AI interpretability research and works with marketers and PR teams navigating AI as a new audience.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

AI as a new audience: Why PR has to persuade machines, not just humans
Why the AI era goes beyond traditional SEO
How AI determines and delivers recommendations
The two key hurdles brands must overcome for AI visibility
PR’s renaissance: Thriving in an AI-driven world

Quotables

“If you give AI models clear claims, real proof, consistent messaging, they reward your brand like a human reviewer would. You can just do what PR folks have always been excellent at doing, which is building a brand.” — Keller Maloney

“The first thing that you need to make sure of when marketing to a customer is awareness. If they don't know you exist, then there's no hope in having them buy your product. The second is specificity, to actually get recommended. When ChatGPT is having a conversation with a specific user about their specific problem, in order for that model to recommend you, they need to know that your product or your solution is the best solution for their user's very specific problem.” — Keller Maloney

“The real key is earned media. It’s like convincing a human. Earned media and a corroboration across trusted sources goes a really long way in helping these models find out about your brand and then determine that you are legitimate enough to consider as a recommendation for their customer.” — Keller Maloney

“Getting more AI recommendations looks a lot more like PR than anything else.” — Keller Maloney

“The things that help an AI model refer to your brand are the same things that help humans refer your brand, which is strong brand presence, earned media trust, and presence across sources.” — Keller Maloney

“The best PR work is helping people, educating people. Steve Jobs is famous for saying, ‘Advertising helps with sales, but good PR educates.’” — Jason Mudd

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.

More about Keller Maloney
Keller Maloney is the co-founder of Unusual, a platform he built with his co-founder Will to help marketers understand and influence how AI models perceive their brands. Their work takes classic PR principles and applies them to a new audience — artificial intelligence. A Los Angeles native, Keller went to Princeton University, where he earned All-American honors in water polo.

Guest’s contact info and resources:
Keller Maloney on LinkedIn

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

How brands leverage curiosity to drive innovative thinking with Carla Johnson

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 18:00:00 -0500

@carlajohnson.co on Instagram

In this episode, Carla Johnson joins host Jason Mudd to discuss how brands can use curiosity to drive innovation and ideation.

Tune in to learn more!

Meet Our Guest:

Our episode guest is Carla Johnson, keynote speaker and Innovative Architect at Think Labs. She’s the author of “RE:Think Innovation” and has helped companies like Amazon, Dell, Intel, and Hilton embrace change and generate stronger ideas.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How breakthrough ideas form and why you must push past the obvious

How to turn “no” into momentum and a steady flow of stronger ideas

Why curiosity matters

How the “What I Like” and “What I Wish” method improves ideas

How fresh perspectives transform PR and communication

Quotables

“We all like interesting things. We like stories that are clever, that are memorable, and the more memorable you make that story, the easier it is for somebody to share.” — @Carla Johnson

“The beautiful thing about that whole process of coming up with the ideas, sharing the ideas and socializing them, talking about what they could look like, doesn't mean that you'll need that idea right now. But every corporate communicator, PR person, media relations person has needed an amazing idea at a drop of a hat.” — @Carla Johnson

“People come to our profession for answers on how to solve something, or ‘How do I tell the story?’ Or ‘How do I fix this situation?’ But oftentimes, this diabolical need to answer the question really limits the creativity and innovative thinking that we're able to put into it.” — @Carla Johnson

“When we hear about creativity and innovation, the term we always hear is about connecting the dots. And what we don't think about is in order to have dots to connect, we have to collect those dots.” — @Carla Johnson

“If we have unlimited resources, we better be creative and responsible with those resources.” — @Jason Mudd

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.

More About Carla Johnson

Carla Johnson helps organizations break out of conventional ways of thinking. She helps teams think bolder so they can create massive momentum and deliver a bigger impact much faster. She’s the author of 10 books, including the bestseller “RE:Think Innovation.” She’s worked with companies like Amazon, Dell, Intel, and Hilton on embracing change and welcoming new ideas. All of this has helped them transform their businesses, get people excited about the work they do every day, and deliver a level of results they never imagined possible.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Carla Johnson on Facebook

Carla Johnson on LinkedIn

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Behind the mic with Jason Mudd: An Ask Me Anything special solocast on PR and Axia’s beginning

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 19:00:00 -0500

Brightway Insurance PR case study

In this solocast, On Top of PR host Jason Mudd answers Fernandina Beach High School students’ questions and shares his PR career journey, experiences, and key insights.

Tune in to learn more!

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. How perseverance helped build Axia into the agency it is today

2. How integrity shaped Jason Mudd’s career, leadership, and long-term reputation

3. Why lifelong learning sets great communicators apart in PR and beyond

4. The value of genuine relationships in public relations, business, and everyday life

5. How setting long-term goals can guide you in owning and running your future business

Quotables

“One thing about the profession of public relations, you’re always getting exposure to new ideas and new information. No two days are the same.” — @jasonmudd

“My primary goal and aspiration for what I do is to have a great reputation of providing both valuable and helpful services that companies benefit from.” — @jasonmudd

“Growing my agency with integrity and having a reputation of giving back so that we can attract the best talent in the profession, as well as attract the best clients and do some of the best work.” — @jasonmudd

“In starting a small business, you've got to do what 99% of the people are unwilling to do themselves. And that's hard by itself.” — @jasonmudd

“Think about everything long-term. So, whatever you’re doing personally, professionally, think long term about it. Will your future self thank you for what you’re doing today?” — @jasonmudd

“Regardless of what profession you pursue, always be learning and improving. So improve your communication skills, both verbally and written. Because at the end of the day, that will apply to any profession you're in.” — @jasonmudd

“Your integrity and reputation are essential to your success in life, in business, but also in your personal life. People want to do business with people they like, know, and trust.” — @jasonmudd

“The greatest compliment for a small business is probably to get a referral. If you know a small business, don't hesitate to leave them an online review or give them a referral because that is the lifeblood of a small business.” — @jasonmudd

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.

Contact info and resources:

Adecco Group PR case study

Foundation Financial Group PR case study

First Coast Community Bank case study

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

The future of PR in the age of AI with Agility PR

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Agility PR Solutions website

In this episode, Pragya Dubey, Agility PR’s VP of Global Services & Analytics, joins host Jason Mudd to discuss how AI is reshaping PR, media intelligence, and measurement for smarter, data-driven strategies.

Tune in to learn more!

Meet Our Guest:

Our episode guest is Pragya Dubey, Agility PR Solutions’ VP of Global Services & Analytics. With more than 20 years of experience across three continents, she helps organizations transform media data into meaningful insights that demonstrate ROI and elevate the impact of communications.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. How AI is changing the media intelligence landscape and how we can measure it

2. Ways PR professionals can use AI to make smarter, data-driven decisions

3. What the emerging AI landscape means for PR professionals

4. How to use AI to enhance productivity and creativity in PR

5. How press releases are regaining power as vital tools for AI-driven search visibility

Quotables

“AI is really reshaping the way we are accessing information and our need for information.” — Pragya Dubey

“PR teams can be empowered with more data-driven decisions as opposed to basing their decisions on anecdotes, or an impression, or simply instincts – that’s the biggest shift.” — Pragya Dubey

“AI is the assistant that PR never had that can help public relations professionals work smarter.” — Pragya Dubey

"The question to ask is how AI is getting its information. AI is getting that information from the web, from Google, Yahoo, all those aggregator websites and media. So if you're not putting yourself out there more and more, you're missing out on that opportunity to be read and analyzed by AI.” — Pragya Dubey

“The press release that we all thought was on life support and losing credibility year after year is suddenly the new sexy PR tool that everybody's talking about again and getting excited about.” — Jason Mudd

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.

More About Pragya Dubey

Pragya Dubey is Vice President of Global Services and Media Analytics at Agility PR Solutions, where she leads strategy and client success for media monitoring, measurement, and insights. With over 20 years of experience across Canada, the U.S., and India, she specializes in turning complex media data into actionable narratives that demonstrate ROI and drive smarter decision-making.

Since joining Agility in 2006, she has helped clients — including Fortune 500s, governments, and nonprofits — align media analysis with strategic goals. Pragya is a passionate advocate for using meaningful metrics to elevate the role of communications.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Pragya Dubey on LinkedIn

Additional Resources:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Common mistakes publicly traded companies make when working with the news media – Mark Basch

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 22:00:00 -0500

The best and worst media relations efforts from public relations professionals

In this episode, Mark Basch joins host Jason Mudd to discuss the common media mistakes publicly traded companies make.

Tune in to learn more!

Meet our guest:

Our episode guest is Mark Basch, a seasoned business journalist with decades of experience covering publicly traded companies. He provides insights on economics, business trends, manufacturing, real estate, and unemployment, drawing from data releases and press statements.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. Consequences of companies mishandling bad news

2. Best practices for publicly traded companies to work effectively with journalists

3. Why preparation and anticipation are key to effective media interactions

4. Why understanding media evolution is critical for PR

5. The difference between embargoes and advance news, and how to use them strategically

Quotables

“When something is happening, it's a good idea to preemptively get together with the key people and have a response ready because one of the things that could happen in today's world is the story is going to be posted online and nobody is ready to respond.” — Mark Basch

“Clever is great, but it better be accurate.” — Mark Basch

“The headline … is designed to get you to read the story but also should tell you what the story is.” — Mark Basch

“If you want to make this newsworthy, if you want to get media coverage about your company, its success and its growth, we've got to have credible indicators of how quickly you are growing.” — Jason Mudd

“Always prepare, always assume the worst, and have proper preparations.” — Jason Mudd

“Have a plan, but have a plan in case the plan fails of what you're going to do secondarily.” — Jason Mudd

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.

More about Mark Basch

Mark Basch is a seasoned business journalist who’s covered publicly traded companies for decades. His reporting focuses on economics, business trends, manufacturing, real estate, and unemployment, drawing regularly from data releases and press statements.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Mark Basch on LinkedIn

Additional resources:

How to speak with clarity and authority during a crisis

11 crisis management tactics to avoid or prepare for a PR disaster

The 4 R’s of media relations: Responsive, re

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Corporate Gifting Done Right with The Expressory

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 20:00:00 -0400

Jamie Shibley on LinkedIn

In this episode, Jamie Shibley, CEO of The Expressory joins host Jason Mudd to discuss how to strengthen relationships through thoughtful, strategic corporate gifting.

Tune in to learn more!

Meet Our Guest:

Our episode guest is Jamie Shibley, CEO of The Expressory, a strategic engagement agency helping businesses strengthen relationships through thoughtful, relationship-first strategies. She’s a best-selling author and recognized expert in strategic gifting and relationship marketing, with insights featured on “Entertainment Tonight” and Forbes.com.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. Strategic and themed gift giving for internal and external audiences

2. How to redefine “gifting” beyond presents

3. The three emotional pillars that build strong business relationships

4. Ethical considerations and best practices for corporate gifting programs

5. Why systems and consistency are essential to meaningful engagement

Quotables

“To form a relationship with somebody, that person needs to feel three things. They need to feel that you understand them, they need to feel that you validate what's important in their world, and they need to feel that you care.” — Jamie Shibley

“You recognize that it's not only the people that you already know and have some sort of relationship with. It's about nurturing the ones you want for the long term as well.” — Jamie Shibley

“When your vendor partners feel valued and seen, they will work harder for you.” — Jamie Shibley

“Sometimes a gift is your smarts. Sometimes a gift is just something that's simply helpful to someone so you don't have to spend. The budget does not matter.” — Jamie Shibley

“We would be better off not sending a gift or not sending a note card to somebody if it has something that has a negative unintended consequence or ramifications.” — Jason Mudd

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.

More About Jamie Shibley

Jamie Shibley is the CEO of The Expressory, a strategic engagement agency that believes the key to accelerating business growth and profitability in the post-COVID era lies in your ability to maintain personal connections and build emotional loyalty in your relationships. Jamie is the best-selling author of “Relationship-First Strategic Engagement” and is widely respected as a market leader. Her work has been featured on “Entertainment Tonight” and Forbes.com.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

The Expressory website

“Relationship-First Strategic Engagement” book

Recorded: June 23, 2025

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Market Insights Shape PR – Habitat for Humanity

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 13:00:00 -0400

Amy (Kudwa) Dunham on LinkedIn

Our Guest:

Our episode guest is Amy Dunham, chief communications officer at Habitat for Humanity International. Overseeing the organization’s global brand, marketing, and communications strategy, she helps reach audiences across all 50 U.S. states and more than 70 countries. Amy is a seasoned communications leader passionate about using market insights to shape strategy and strengthen engagement worldwide.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. How to leverage market insights to shape and guide PR strategy

2. The balance of art, science, and passion in effective strategic planning

3. Practical ways communicators can advocate for audiences at the strategy table

4. How messaging and strategy must stay in lockstep to maintain credibility and consistency across audiences

5. How brand perception gaps create opportunities for stronger audience engagement

Quotables

“The human brain always absorbs things best in threes. And communications know if you’ve got 15 priorities, you have no priorities. When setting priorities, it has to be a clear way to say yes and to say no. If it doesn’t give you the ability to say no, then it’s not really helping you set a strategy.” — Amy Dunham

“You can't have good communication or public relations strategy without messaging. They're in lockstep together.” — @JasonMudd9

“To really stand out in PR, whatever you're doing, is to make sure you're saying things that are provocative, contrary, and have a unique point of view from what everybody else is saying because otherwise, you're just going to blend in and not stand out.” — @JasonMudd9

“It's not a conversation about ‘I know better’ versus ‘you know better.’ It's much more about ‘Here's what the data indicates, and now here's the flexibility to be able to use it in the way that works best in your market.’” — Amy Dunham

“It's really through the lens of ‘How can I add value in a way to enable their work?’ rather than to direct how things should get done.” — Amy Dunham

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.

About Amy Dunham

Amy leads Habitat for Humanity’s brand, marketing campaigns, and communications efforts across its global footprint in all 50 U.S. states and in more than 70 countries. Before joining Habitat in 2022, she held brand and communications roles at the NCAA, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and US Airways.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Habitat for Humanity website

Fact Fullness by Hans Rosling

Crucial Conversations

Additional Resources:

Should PR pro

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

95% of AI citations come from PR content

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 19:00:00 -0400

In this solocast episode, On Top of PR host Jason Mudd discusses why 95% of AI citations come from PR content and how brands can lead with media relations in the age of AI.

Tune in to learn more!

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. Why 95% of AI citations come from PR-driven content

2. The six types of content AI trusts most for brand visibility

3. How earned media, thought leadership, news coverage, and press releases shape AI search results

4. Why reviews, social media, and web content boost generative discovery

5. Seven steps to ensure your brand and not your competitors gets cited

Quotables

“PR has become the front door to artificial-intelligence-powered discovery.” — @JasonMudd9

“PR isn't just part of the marketing mix anymore. It's the backbone of your visibility in 2025, the age of AI.” — @JasonMudd9

“AI is shaping first impressions of your brand, and PR determines what AI learns and repeats back to them.” — @JasonMudd9

“When you combine earned PR content with the supporting signals, you're feeding AI the content it needs to cite your organization.” — @JasonMudd9

“You must feed AI platforms the content they crave that's credible, quotable, and consistent.” — @JasonMudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.

About Jason Mudd, Axia Public Relations

Jason Mudd is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands. Since 1994, he’s worked with brands including American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster’s, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon.

Jason founded Axia Public Relations in 2002. Forbes named Axia one of America’s Best PR Agencies. At Axia, Jason oversees strategic communications for national clients and leads top PR talent. Clients love his passion, innovation, candor, commitment, and award-winning team. He consults with leadership teams at billion-dollar global business-to-business and business-to-consumer brands, advising them on spokesperson training, crisis communications, analytics, social media, online reputation management, and more.

In an increasingly tech-forward world, Jason’s grasp of the technological demands companies face helps his multiple-sector clients reach their target audiences. After teaching himself HTML in 1994, Jason helped pioneer internet marketing strategies as an early adopter of e-commerce, search engine optimization, and social media, inspiring tech giants like Yahoo. He speaks to corporations and industry groups and writes about PR trends and best practices for American City Business Journals and other national outlets.

Contact info and resources:

Axia AI Visibility

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Rethinking Press Releases in the AI Era with Notified

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 13:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Serena Ehrlich joins On Top of PR host Jason Mudd to discuss how AI-powered search engines take data from press releases, and how they decide on what to show their users.

Tune in to learn more!

Our Guest:

Our episode guest is Serena Ehrlich. She’s the go-to-market director at Notified, the parent company of GlobeNewswire, which provides global press release distribution services.

Serena helps spread the “good word” of up-to-date, evolving PR strategies to help PR pros navigate an ever-shifting landscape.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. How AI ingests press releases and what sticks

2. How the rise of AI-powered search engines parallels the rise of traditional search engines like Google

3. Who actually reads press releases and why they’re the most important to your business

4. The current and future impact of fake press releases

5. How to build a quality press release that will reach your intended audience

Quotables

@4:20 — “When somebody says a press release doesn’t work, the very first thing I think of is, ‘Oh, you don’t know what it’s supposed to do.’” – Serena Ehrlich

@13:33 — “Search, social, and AI.” – Serena Ehrlich

@22:21 — “If it’s as easy as you and me releasing a press release and having that impact AI, look at the opportunity.” – Serena Ehrlich

@25:35 — “I love you guys, but your press releases are terrible.” – Serena Ehrlich

@ - “People read in an F pattern. If you don't have images, you’ve lost them” – Serena Ehrlich

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.

About Serena Ehrlich

Serena Ehrlich is a veteran professional in the fields of investor relations, public relations, and marketing. She currently serves as the director of product marketing at Business Wire. Over more than 25 years, she has become a trusted authority on emerging communication technologies and strategies, helping guide organizations through evolving trends in media and consumer behavior.

Her deep-rooted experience began in advertising, where she honed her understanding of large-scale branding before continuing through two decades in the newswire industry. She has driven successful local, national, and global campaigns for major brands such as Kraft, Kohl’s, Avon, Mattel, and more.

Serena transitioned into a strategic go-to-market and social media leadership role, currently serving as the go-to-market director at Notified. Known for her dynamic approach to modern media, she blends content creation, data insights, and format innovation to drive education, advocacy, and revenue. Her philosophy encapsulates this approach: Data + Content + Format = Education + Evangelists + Revenues. A recognized thought leader in the industry, she was named one of the Top 25 Women in Mobile to Watch in 2013 and continues to leverage her prowess across public

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

How Earned Media Fuels PR’s Rise in the AI Era – MuckRack

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 15:00:00 -0400

Matt Dzugan on X (@mattdzugan)

In this episode of On Top of PR with Jason Mudd, we welcome Matt Dzugan, senior director of data at Muck Rack, to unpack the findings from Muck Rack’s new report, “What Is AI Reading?” Together, they explore how generative AI platforms like ChatGPT and Gemini rely heavily on earned media coverage — especially journalistic content — to shape their responses. Learn why timely, credible PR coverage is more important than ever, how to optimize your brand visibility in AI-driven search, and what PR pros need to do now to stay relevant.

Tune in to learn more!

Our Guest:

Our episode guest is Matt Dzugan, senior director of data at Muck Rack. As a software engineer, he contributes to building tools that help journalists and PR professionals collaborate more effectively. With a strong background in full-stack development, he focuses on creating scalable, user-friendly solutions in the media tech space.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. How generative search engines source answers from earned media coverage

2. How best to influence AI-generated answers in your brand's favor

3. Why credibility is crucial to consumers and generative AI models

4. How much AI will rely on legacy media going forward

5. The importance of earned media and how to use it

Quotables

“We’re building tools that PR pros actually use and value every day.” — @mattdzugan

“Better media outreach starts with better journalist insights.” — @JasonMudd9

“PR is evolving fast. You need the right tools to keep up.” — @mattdzugan

“Good PR tech doesn’t replace relationships — it enhances them.” — @mattdzugan

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a professional colleague or friend. You may also share your experience with others, buy me a coffee, or leaving us a quick podcast review.

About Matt Dzugan

Matt Dzugan is a senior software engineer at Muck Rack, where he helps develop tools that empower journalists and PR professionals to collaborate more effectively. With a background in full-stack development, he brings a thoughtful, systems-oriented approach to building reliable, scalable software that meets the media industry’s evolving needs. His work spans from backend architecture to user-facing features, all designed to enhance the transparency, speed, and efficiency of media workflows.

Beyond writing clean, maintainable code, Matt is known for his collaborative mindset and dedication to continuous improvement. He actively engages with cross-functional teams to ensure that engineering decisions align with product goals, and he’s always looking for ways to optimize performance and user experience. At Muck Rack, Matt plays a key role in helping the company scale its platform to support a growing user base while staying true to its mission of supporting a free and sustainable press.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Networking Without an Agenda: The Key to Career Longevity

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 14:00:00 -0400

Daniel Mendez on LinkedIn

Daniel Mendez of Collective Measures shares how the importance of early and active networking.

Tune in to learn more!

Our Guest:

Our episode guest is Collective Measures’ Daniel Mendez, vice president of earned and owned media. He is a seasoned public relations and corporate communications professional with more than 17 years of experience leading global strategies in employee engagement, executive visibility, and reputation management across industries such as healthcare, energy, and pharmaceuticals.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. How networking must be intentional and ongoing

2. Why you must give in a relationship before you can take.

3. Why PR professionals shouldn’t neglect personal branding.

4. The role of PR and communications and how it shapes narratives.

5. The role of community in your career and the impact it has on it.

Quotables

“What you’re trying to do is build relationships” — @DanielMendez

“PR people are amazing at promoting others and telling other people's stories, but we forget to tell our own story.” — @DanielMendez

“The best opportunities that I've ever gotten in my career didn't come from a job board, they came from people.” — @DanielMendez

“People think communications is just sending an email or a poster … It's not. It's so much more than that.” — Jason Mudd

“That personal brand is what people remember when they're making decisions about who to bring on board.” — Jason Mudd

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.

About Daniel Mendez

Daniel Mendez is vice president of earned and owned media at Collective Measures, a Minneapolis-based performance marketing agency. With more than 15 years of experience across public relations, content marketing, and media strategy, Daniel helps B2B companies connect PR with business outcomes.

At Collective Measures, Daniel works closely with marketing and sales teams to align messaging, support each stage of the buyer journey, and use earned media to drive awareness and credibility in niche markets. His approach bridges strategy and execution, making PR a measurable, impactful part of the demand generation engine.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Daniel Mendez’s website

Additional Resources:

Navigating PR and communications hiring with Brooke Kruger

How public relations impacts company reputation, revenue, and recruiting

Corporate comms, PR, and market

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Managing Stress in PR with M.J. Clark

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 13:00:00 -0400

Integrated Leadership System website

In this episode, M.J. Clark joins host Jason Mudd to discuss how PR pros can manage stress and thrive under pressure by adopting better leadership practices.

Tune in to learn more!

Our Guest:

Our episode guest is M.J. Clark, vice president at Integrated Leadership Systems. With more than 15 years of experience as an executive coach and leadership consultant, she specializes in helping professionals in high-stress industries like PR thrive under pressure. M.J. supports executives in strengthening communication, setting boundaries, and building emotional intelligence. She’s the author of Leading Through Listening and other books on assertive leadership and workplace wellness.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. Why PR is among the most stressful careers and what you can do about it

2. The five ways people typically respond to stress and how to identify your style

3. Ways to manage stress before it leads to burnout

4. How tools like journaling, affirmations, and body language influence emotional control

5. How assertiveness and boundary-setting help PR pros manage clients

Quotables

"You don’t realize how much stress you’re taking on when you’re not sharing your thoughts and feelings." — @MJ Clark

"PR is high-pressure by nature, but burnout isn’t inevitable." — @MJ Clark

"Being a trusted adviser means showing up clearly, confidently, and consistently." — @JasonMudd9

"When we reframe our thoughts, we reshape how we lead and respond under pressure." — @MJ Clark

"Assertiveness isn’t confrontation. It’s clarity with compassion." — @MJ Clark

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.

About M.J. Clark

M.J. Clark is the vice president at Integrated Leadership Systems, where she serves as an executive coach, leadership consultant, and trainer. With over 15 years of experience, she helps professionals and organizations manage stress, improve communication, and develop stronger leadership skills. M.J. specializes in guiding executives through high-pressure situations, teaching them how to set boundaries, build emotional intelligence, and communicate with clarity and confidence.

She holds a master’s degree in organizational communication from The Ohio State University and authored three books, including “Leading Through Listening.” Her work blends research-based strategies with real-world applications, making her a sought-after speaker and coach across industries. M.J.’s mission is to help leaders thrive under pressure while fostering healthier workplace cultures through assertiveness, trust, and self-awareness.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

M.J. Clark on LinkedIn

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

The dirty truth about ‘guaranteed media coverage’

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 14:00:00 -0400

In this solocast episode, On Top of PR host Jason Mudd discusses why “guaranteed media” isn’t earned and how to protect yourself from misleading PR firms.

Tune in to learn more!

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. What “guaranteed media coverage” really means — and why it’s rarely earned

2. The differences between earned, placed, contributed, and sponsored content

3. How deceptive firms use fake credibility and vanity metrics to lure clients

4. The true cost of falling for pay-to-play PR, including damaged trust and wasted budgets

5. What questions you must ask before hiring a PR partner to protect your investment

Quotables

“If it’s guaranteed, it’s not earned. And if it’s not earned, it’s not PR — it’s advertising.” — @JasonMudd9

“You’re not being pitched to journalists. You’re being pitched to a payment processor.” — @JasonMudd9

“Too many firms are ghostwriting puff pieces and calling it earned coverage. It’s not.” — @JasonMudd9

“Earned media is hard to win, and that’s exactly why it works.” — @JasonMudd9

“You deserve real answers, not marketing spin.” — @JasonMudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.

About Jason Mudd, Axia Public Relations

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Axia Public Relations

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

The evolution of remote work with HireMyMom’s Lesley Pyle

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 20:00:00 -0400

How Much Money Can You Save by Working from Home?

In this episode, HireMyMom’s Lesley Pyle joins On Top of PR host Jason Mudd to discuss how remote work is transforming the modern workforce

Tune in to learn more!

Our Guest:

Our episode guest is HireMyMom’s Lesley Pyle, founder and CEO of the platform. She has been connecting small businesses with skilled remote professionals since 2007 and brings over two decades of experience in public relations and entrepreneurship.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. How remote work has evolved from a niche option to a mainstream employment model

2. What today’s professionals are looking for in flexible or freelance roles

3. Why small businesses are embracing remote hiring and the benefits it brings

4. How digital platforms and collaboration tools have removed barriers to remote work

5. Tips for staying relevant, confident, and competitive in a digital-first workforce

Quotables

“Flexibility is the number-one thing people are looking for. That freedom is like gold.” — @LesleyPyle

“Technology has made it easier than ever for businesses to connect with top-tier talent virtually.” — @LesleyPyle

“We’ve gone from asking ‘Can this be done remotely?’ to ‘Why wouldn’t it be?’” — @LesleyPyle

“Staying engaged in your field, even just a few hours a week, keeps you current and competitive.” — @LesleyPyle

“The evolution of remote work isn’t just about where we work — it’s about how we define work altogether.” — @LesleyPyle

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.

About Lesley Pyle

Lesley Pyle is the founder and CEO of HireMyMom.com, an online platform that connects small businesses with experienced remote professionals. She launched her first online community for home-based working moms in 1996 and has been a leading voice in the evolution of flexible freelance work ever since.

With a master’s degree in public relations and over 25 years of entrepreneurial experience, Lesley understands the shifting priorities of today’s workforce. Through HireMyMom, she empowers professionals to find legitimate remote roles and helps businesses discover top-tier talent outside of traditional hiring models.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Lesley Pyle on X

Lesley Pyle on LinkedIn

Lesley Pyle on Facebook

Lesley Pyle on Instagram

HireMyMom website

Additional Resources:

Products for Your Company’s PR Pro Wh

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Media intelligence and PR measurement with Meltwater’s Chris Hackney

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 15:00:00 -0400

Chris Hackney on LinkedIn

In this episode, Chris Hackney joins On Top of PR host Jason Mudd to learn how to track, interpret, and leverage media coverage.

Tune in to learn more!

Our Guest:

Our episode guest is Chris Hackney, chief product officer at Meltwater. He brings more than 25 years of experience in B2B SaaS, specializing in media intelligence, PR technology, and communications strategy. At Meltwater, he leads product innovation to help brands navigate complex media landscapes and act on real-time insights.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. What media intelligence is and how it strengthens PR strategy

2. How to turn media monitoring into measurable business insights

3. Why PR professionals must embrace data-driven storytelling

4. Which metrics matter most when evaluating earned media coverage

5. How Meltwater is evolving its tools to meet the needs of modern communicators

Quotables

“Media intelligence helps you move from reporting what happened to influencing what happens next.” — @ChrisHackney

“PR needs to speak the language of the boardroom. That means data, context, and outcomes.” — @ChrisHackney

“The goal isn’t more coverage — it’s the right coverage that moves the needle.” — @ChrisHackney

“You can’t manage what you don’t measure. And that includes reputation.” — @JasonMudd9

“Media monitoring tools have evolved. It’s time PR pros evolved with them.” — @JasonMudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.

About Chris Hackney

Our episode guest is Meltwater’s Chris Hackney, vice president of enterprise sales. Chris brings nearly two decades of experience in digital media, SaaS technology, and public relations. At Meltwater, he works closely with communications leaders and enterprise organizations to help them gather, analyze, and act on media insights that drive strategic decisions.

Chris has a deep understanding of the evolving PR landscape and the growing need for measurement and accountability in earned media. He frequently works with clients to strengthen their media intelligence capabilities and align communications with business outcomes. His insights help brands better understand their reputations, competitive positioning, and media performance in a fast-moving digital environment.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Meltwater website

10 steps to prepare your company for crisis

Additional Resources:

Understanding the differences of PR monitoring, measurement, and evaluation

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

AI storytelling and PR strategy with Egnyte’s Jessica Pantages

Tue, 27 May 2025 22:00:00 -0400

Jessica Pantages on LinkedIn

In this episode, Jessica Pantages joins host Jason Mudd to explore how AI is reshaping storytelling and public relations

Tune in to learn more!

Our Guest:

Our episode guest is Jessica Pantages, Egnyte’s chief communications officer. With more than 20 years of experience in aerospace, construction, consumer tech, and agriculture, Jessica leads the global corporate marketing team at Egnyte, a B2B software company focused on collaboration, governance, and AI-enhanced solutions. She brings deep insight into how marketing and PR professionals can responsibly and strategically integrate AI into their communications work.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. How AI is enhancing PR storytelling and content workflows

2. Why marketers must understand prompt crafting and data literacy

3. Ways PR pros can use AI to develop personalized media pitches and optimize translation at scale

4. The importance of AI governance, including style guides, usage policies, and compliance tracking

5. How communications professionals can evolve into “story systems architects”

Quotables

“Humans will set the narrative arc and the ethics. Machines will handle the infinite micro stories.” — @JessicaPantages

“If you try to avoid AI now, you're just going to find yourself in a heap of trouble in the future.” — @JessicaPantages

“Treat AI like any other vendor. You need a usage log, disclosure rules, and a style guide.” — @JessicaPantages

“We're just at the beginning of figuring out the prompts that give us usable drafts.” — @JessicaPantages

“AI is a great beginning, but a terrible ending. It still needs human oversight.” — @JasonMudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.

About Jessica Pantages

Jessica Pantages is the chief communications officer at Egnyte, where she leads the company’s global corporate marketing and communications strategy. With over two decades of experience across aerospace, construction, consumer tech, and B2B software, Jessica brings a deep understanding of how to connect complex technology with real-world audiences.

At Egnyte, she helps teams leverage AI to streamline workflows, enhance storytelling, and maintain brand integrity at scale. Her leadership has been instrumental in navigating major company milestones, including a recent acquisition, and in guiding her team through the evolving landscape of content creation, governance, and digital engagement. Jessica is passionate about blending human creativity with machine insight to shape the future of PR and marketing.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Jessica Pantages on X

Egnyte

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Making your media pitches stand out with Qwoted

Mon, 12 May 2025 22:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Vannyda Thach joins host Jason Mudd to discuss expert strategies for media pitching and journalist relationships

Tune in to learn more!

Our Guest:

Vannyda Thach is the Head of Media Success at Qwoted. With a background in media relations and digital communications, Vannyda helps journalists find trusted sources and build meaningful relationships through the Qwoted platform. Her experience spans PR campaign management, social media strategy, and work with major entertainment events, including Disney’s “Big Hero 6” premiere.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. Why building relationships (and not just landing placements) is the foundation of good media pitching

2. The difference between cold pitches and media query responses — and how to craft both effectively

3. Best practices for using Qwoted to match sources with journalists quickly and accurately

4. How personalization, clarity, and relevance impact whether journalists notice or ignore a pitch

5. The role of urgency and profile optimization in earning top-tier media coverage

Quotables

“You want to be unique. You want to have your own take on the topic.” — @VannydaThach

“Remember to call the journalist by their name. If your pitch isn’t personalized, they’ll see right through it.” — @VannydaThach

“Pitching media is about being helpful, not selling. Focus on building the relationship.” — @JasonMudd9

“Don’t ghost reporters. Communicate early if something changes. It’s all about respect.” — @JasonMudd9

“Journalists are busy and under pressure. The more complete your profile, the more credibility you have.” — @VannydaThach

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us though Buy Me a Coffee or by leavinging us a quick podcast review.

About Vannyda Thach

Vannyda Thach is the Head of Media Success at Qwoted, a platform dedicated to connecting journalists with expert sources. Based in Los Angeles, she leads a team committed to supporting media professionals — including journalists, freelancers, podcasters, and producers by facilitating connections with the right experts for their stories, even under tight deadlines.

With a journalism and public relations background, Vannyda earned her bachelor's degree in journalism with an emphasis in public relations from California State University, Long Beach. Her career began with roles such as a communications intern at AARP and public relations manager for DisneyExaminer. She later joined Citizen Relations, progressing from a junior account executive to senior account executive, managing PR campaigns and fostering media relationships.

At Qwoted, Vannyda leverages her PR experience to assist journalists in finding trusted sources and building meaningful relationships through the platform. She emphasizes the importance of being helpful over selling in media pitching and building genuine connections with reporters.

Guest’s contact info and reso

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

What you should know about earning media coverage

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 22:00:00 -0400

In this solocast episode, On Top of PR host Jason Mudd discusses what every company must know about media relations before hiring a public relations firm.

Tune in to learn more!

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. Media relations is just one part of strategic public relations

2. What makes a story newsworthy

3. What journalists really care about when evaluating your pitch

4. Why relationships don’t guarantee coverage

5. What PR tools you shouldn’t buy until you’re ready

Quotables

"Public relations is not only media relations. Media relations isn’t what most people think it is either." — @JasonMudd9

"Earned media must be earned. If someone guarantees coverage, you’re buying ads, not PR." — @JasonMudd9

"The only audience that matters is the journalist’s audience — not your CEO or marketing team." — @JasonMudd9

"Great [news] stories beat great [media] relationships." — @JasonMudd9

"PR is a long-term business strategy — not a one-time campaign or quick win." — @JasonMudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us by buying us a coffee or leaving us a quick podcast review.

About Jason Mudd, Axia Public Relations

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Axia Public Relations

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Understanding the creator economy with Penn State’s Bill Zimmerman

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 19:00:00 -0400

Bill Zimmerman on LinkedIn

In this episode, Bill Zimmerman joins host Jason Mudd to discuss how the creator economy is transforming public relations and marketing strategy.

Tune in to learn more!

Our Guest:

Our episode guest is Bill Zimmerman, a professor in the College of Communications at Penn State University. With a background in journalism and public relations, he recently authored a textbook on the creator economy. His academic work focuses on preparing students for the evolving landscape of influencer marketing, content creation, and digital media strategy.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. Why brands must understand the difference between influencers and content creators

2. The power of evaluating creators’ niche audiences instead of just follower count

3. Why trust, disclosure, and transparency are crucial in influencer partnerships

4. How to build an effective creator brief and why it matters for brand alignment

5. Tools and trends shaping the future of influencer marketing and PR education

Quotables

“Trust is the currency of the creator economy. It must be earned and maintained.” — @BillZimmerman

“A million followers doesn’t mean a million buyers. Engagement matters more.” — @BillZimmerman

“Creators are trusted more than institutions because they deliver real talk and transparency.” — @BillZimmerman

“You hire a creator for their voice. Over-directing the message kills authenticity.” — @JasonMudd9

“Disclosure isn’t optional. It’s ethical, smart, and legally required.” — @JasonMudd9

“The creator brief is quickly becoming the backbone of successful campaigns.” — @BillZimmerman

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.

About Bill Zimmerman
Bill Zimmerman is an assistant teaching professor at Penn State University’s College of Communications. He brings a wealth of experience from his previous roles as a newspaper reporter and PR professional. Bill holds a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and another in higher education from Penn State, along with accreditation in public relations.

A thought leader in the evolving world of digital media and PR education, Bill authored a textbook on the creator economy and is launching a content creator certificate program at Penn State. His work is helping shape how future PR and marketing professionals approach influencer strategy, creator partnerships, and audience trust in the digital age.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Understanding the Creator Economy: Making Digital Media Work for You

Additional Resources:

Influential.co

GRIN

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Earn Media by Helping Journalists’ Lives Easier with Muck Rack

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 21:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Linda Zebian joins host Jason Mudd to discuss the challenges journalists face in maintaining work-life balance and how PR professionals can better support them. She shares industry insights from Muck Rack, explores newsroom pressures, and offers strategies for improving media relations.

Tune in to learn more!

Our Guest:

Linda Zebian is the senior director of communications at Muck Rack. She leads internal and external communications strategies across the enterprise. Her work spans across messaging, issues management, media relations, social media, and employee communications. As Muck Rack’s first-ever communications hire, Linda brought extensive experience from The New York Times, where she spent 10 years in various communications roles. She was named a “Woman to Watch” by PRWeek in 2024 and recognized for her leadership in Ragan Communications’ 2023 Top Women in PR list.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. The current state of work-life balance in journalism

2. Key stressors impacting media professionals today

3. How PR professionals can improve relationships with journalists

4. The evolving landscape of newsroom workflows

5. Strategies to support journalists’ well-being and efficiency

Quotables

"The media industry has changed dramatically, and work-life balance is a bigger challenge than ever." — @LindaZebian

"Journalists are under immense pressure. PR pros can help by being mindful of their time and needs." — @LindaZebian

"The relationship between PR and journalists should be built on trust, efficiency, and respect." — @JasonMudd9

"Empathy in media relations goes a long way. Understanding journalists' workload can improve PR success." — @LindaZebian

"Being strategic and concise in your pitches will make journalists more receptive to your stories." — @JasonMudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend, buy us a coffee, or leave us a quick podcast review.

About Linda Zebian

Linda Zebian is the senior director of communications at Muck Rack, where she leads internal and external communications strategy, including messaging, issues management, media relations, social media, and employee communications. She joined Muck Rack in January 2022 as its first-ever director of communications, bringing a wealth of experience in media and corporate communications.

Before working at Muck Rack, Linda spent a decade at The New York Times, where she held various communications roles supporting growth, product, and technology teams. She played a key role in reinforcing the company’s innovation and financial success, driving subscription growth, and strengthening brand affinity. Prior to that, she worked at Consumers Union, managing media relations for Consumer Reports. She began her career as a reporter at Folio before transitioning into conference programming for Red 7 Media.

Linda was named a “Woman to Watch” by PRWeek in 2024 and a “Top Woman in PR for Leadership” by Ragan Communications in 2023. She frequently gives guest lectures at

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Navigating PR & Communications Hiring – KC Partners

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 13:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Brooke Kruger joins On Top of PR host Jason Mudd to discuss the latest hiring trends in PR and communications, the importance of networking, and strategies for standing out in today’s competitive job market. Whether you’re a job seeker or a hiring manager, Brooke shares expert insights to help you navigate the evolving landscape of talent acquisition.

Tune in to learn more!

Our Guest:

Our episode guest is Brooke Kruger, a seasoned executive recruiter and founder of KC Partners. She has over 20 years of experience helping companies build high-performing leadership teams. Her expertise extends into the PR and communications world, where she has successfully placed top talent in roles that shape brand narratives and corporate messaging. With a keen understanding of industry trends, she connects organizations with strategic communicators who drive engagement and reputation management.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. The latest trends in PR and communications hiring

2. Why networking is essential for job seekers and hiring managers

3. How to stand out in today’s competitive job market

4. The best strategies for companies to attract top talent

5. Common hiring mistakes and how to avoid them

Quotables

— "Networking is critical in today’s job market for both candidates and hiring managers." — Brooke Kruger
— "Hiring managers have the upper hand right now, so they need to be strategic in selecting top talent." — Brooke Kruger
— "Candidates should optimize their LinkedIn presence — hiring decisions start there." — @JasonMudd9
— "Transparency in the hiring process leads to better experiences for both candidates and employers." — Brooke Kruger
— "A well-structured hiring process ensures you make the right talent decisions for long-term success." — @JasonMudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through buy me a coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.

About Brooke Kruger

Brooke Kruger, a seasoned executive recruiter and founder of KC Partners, has over 20 years of experience helping companies build high-performing leadership teams. Her expertise extends into the PR and communications world, where she has successfully placed top talent in roles that shape brand narratives and corporate messaging. With a keen understanding of industry trends, she connects organizations with strategic communicators who drive engagement and reputation management.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Brooke Kruger on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brookechilenkruger

KC Partners website: https://kc-partners.com/

Our On Top of PR sponsors:

Production sponsor: Axia Public Relations, one of America’s Best PR Agencies, according to Forbes Magazine

Presenting sponsor:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Maximizing Agency Partnership with Mark Riggs

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0500

In this episode, Mark Riggs joins On Top of PR host Jason Mudd to discuss how brands can build stronger relationships with their PR agencies, set clear expectations, and maximize their agency partnerships

Tune in to learn more!

Our Guest:

Our episode guest is Mark Riggs, CEO and lead strategist at Pemberton, a consultancy helping PR and marketing agencies achieve organic growth. With over 20 years of experience, Mark has worked with top brands like Allstate, Honda, Ford, and Coca-Cola to create award-winning consumer programs. His expertise in client-agency relationships offers valuable takeaways for brands and agencies.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. Why unspoken expectations can hinder agency-client relationships

2. How agencies and clients can align their goals for better results

3. The importance of defining measurable success metrics

4. How agencies can push back when clients demand work beyond the scope

5. The best way for brands to collaborate with their agencies for long-term success

Quotables

- "Unexpressed expectations lead to frustration. Transparency is key." — Mark Riggs
- "Agencies should be treated as strategic partners, not just vendors." — @JasonMudd9
- "Define your success metrics from day one to ensure alignment." — Mark Riggs
- "PR is more than just media coverage; it's strategic communication." — @JasonMudd9
- "If you're hiring an agency, give them the data they need to measure success." — Mark Riggs

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through buy me a coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.

About Mark Riggs

Mark Riggs is the CEO and lead strategist of Pemberton, a management consultancy helping PR and marketing agencies achieve organic growth. With over two decades of experience, Mark has led successful campaigns for major brands and specializes in guiding agencies toward better client relationships and business strategies. His deep industry knowledge makes him a sought-after consultant and speaker.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Mark Riggs on LinkedIn: Mark Riggs on LinkedIn

Pemberton website: Pemberton Worldwide

Our On Top of PR sponsors:

Production sponsor: Axia Public Relations, one of America’s Best PR Agencies, according to Forbes Magazine

Presenting sponsor: ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews

Coffee sponsor: Fans like you fuel our efforts through buy me a coffee.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

20 reasons your company's social media sucks — and how to fix it

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 23:00:00 -0500

In this solocast episode, On Top of PR host Jason Mudd discusses how the top 20 mistakes companies make with social media and how to fix them

Tune in to learn more!

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. How to properly resource your social media department

2. The importance of platform-specific content optimization

3. How to effectively incorporate user-generated content and employee advocacy

4. Why social media crisis planning is crucial

5. The value of consistency in social media schedules and audits

Quotables

"Social media has become its own little marketing department because of all the resources that you really have to put into it." — @JasonMudd9

"If you're not responding to comments and messages, your audience will move on to your competition." — @JasonMudd9

"Social media moves fast. If your reply takes days, your audience has already moved on." — @JasonMudd9

"A sporadic posting schedule makes your brand forgettable." — @JasonMudd9

"Have a crisis readiness response plan in place and ready to go." — @JasonMudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You can also support us through buy me a coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.

About Jason Mudd, Axia PR

In an increasingly tech-forward world, Jason’s grasp of the technological demands companies face help his multiple-sector clients reach their target audiences. After teaching himself HTML in 1994, Jason helped pioneer internet marketing strategies as an early adopter of e-commerce, search engine optimization, and social media, inspiring tech giants like Yahoo. He speaks to corporations and industry groups and writes about PR trends and best practices for American City Business Journals and other national outlets.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Axia Public Relations

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Leveraging data analytics for organic social media growth

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 20:00:00 -0500

Nicole Scarbrough on LinkedIn

In this episode, Nicole Scarbrough joins host Jason Mudd to discuss data analytics for social media growth

Tune in to learn more!

Our guest:

Our episode guest is Nicole Scarbrough, a social media analyst at Dun & Bradstreet, a leading global provider of business decisioning data and analytics. Nicole produces and manages organic social media content across platforms including LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, X, and TikTok. From writing copy and crafting impactful campaigns to reporting and graphic design, she continuously works to optimize content and processes.

Born and raised in Northeast Florida, Nicole attended the University of North Florida, graduating with a B.A. in political science and a B.S. in communication. When she’s not at the office or spending time with friends and family, Nicole is an avid distance runner, mountain biker, and gym goer. She also loves to take advantage of the plethora of scenic trails and parks in the area.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. How to leverage LinkedIn Lives with strategic partners to build organic reach

2. Strategies for managing social media platforms with distinct approaches

3. Best practices for implementing employee advocacy programs

4. How to balance data-driven content with people-focused storytelling across platforms

5. Essential tools and technologies for efficient social media management

Quotables

"LinkedIn Lives are a fantastic tool to grow your audience, and they really play off name recognition." — Nicole Scarbrough

"From channel to channel, we have different strategies. LinkedIn is going to be more business-focused." — Nicole Scarbrough

"I can't imagine not being in a role or a position with a company where you're not learning and getting opportunities to grow and do new things every day." — @JasonMudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a professional colleague or friend. You may also share your experience with others, buy us a coffee, or leave us a quick podcast review.

About Nicole Scarbrough

Nicole Scarbrough is a social media analyst at Dun & Bradstreet, a leading global provider of business decisioning data and analytics. Nicole produces and manages organic social media content across platforms including LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, X, and TikTok. From writing copy and crafting impactful campaigns to reporting and graphic design, she continuously works to optimize content and processes.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Dun & Bradstreet

Sprout Social

Our On Top of PR sponsors:

Production sponsor: Axia Public Relations, one of America’s Best PR Agencies, according to Forbes Magazine

Presenting sponsor: ReviewM

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Social Media Marketing Professional Development with NISM

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 18:00:00 -0500

In this episode, Jennifer Radke joins On Top of PR host Jason Mudd to discuss the evolving landscape of social media marketing careers, professional certification benefits, and strategies for combating burnout in the industry. Tune in to learn more!

🤔 5 things you’ll learn during the full episode:

1. Social media marketing trends

2. The importance of analytics, content management, and keyword analysis

3. How certification can lead to career advancement

4. Strategies for communicating social media value to leadership

5. Ways to combat burnout and imposter syndrome

🎧 Episode Highlights

[00:00:09] Introduction to Jennifer Radke Jason: "Hello and welcome to On Top of PR. I'm your host, Jason Mudd with Axia Public Relations. Today I'm joined by our special guest, Jennifer Radke from the National Institute for Social Media and Online Marketing certified Professionals."

[00:04:20] Industry Trends and Challenges Jennifer: "One of the trends that we're seeing right now is unfortunate because it hasn't changed... social media marketing professionals are feeling a lack of respect for the work that they do."

[00:13:18] Certification Benefits Jennifer: "54% of those who were certified received a raise as a result of getting their certification, 56% received a promotion."

[00:27:11] Addressing Burnout in Social Media Jennifer: "Burnout is a real thing. So we are seeing and the data in the study has actually shown us that people are leaving the industry right now when we shouldn't be seeing that."

[00:31:26] Finding Community Support Jennifer: "Find a community, whether it be ours or something more in your space. That you can collaborate with, commiserate with and just share resources."

[00:33:28] Healthcare Social Media Example Jennifer: "If you think about that person on your social who's consistently yelling at people and or brands about what they didn't do right. Put that in the perspective of being the person answering that for a health care system in the middle of a global pandemic."

📚 Resources

Listen to more episodes of the On Top of PR podcast.
Find out more about Axia Public Relations.
Jennifer Radke on LinkedIn
Jennifer Radke on X
National Institute for Social Media (NISM)
Online Marketing Certified Professionals (OMCP)
Get a free NISM eBook with code "ontopofpr"

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

The Power of AI in Communications – Webcor’s Shel Holtz

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 20:00:00 -0500

In this episode, Shel Holtz joins On Top of PR host Jason Mudd to discuss AI in corporate communications.

Tune in to learn more!

Our Guest:

Shel Holtz leads communications innovation at Webcor, a premier commercial construction firm. As Webcor’s senior director of communication, Holtz pioneers AI integration in corporate communications. He brings over two decades of Fortune 400 experience and strategic communication expertise to help organizations navigate digital transformation.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. Strategic AI implementation in PR workflows

2. Advanced prompting techniques for superior AI-generated content

3. Cutting-edge AI platforms for diverse media creation, from visuals to audio

4. Essential guidelines for ethical AI use in communications

5. Career advancement strategies in an AI-enhanced PR landscape

Quotables

"AI is transforming PR fundamentally. It's not about uniform implementation but personalized workflows that enhance strategic thinking." — @ShelHoltz

"The future belongs to communicators who leverage AI for enhanced productivity while maintaining human creativity." — @ShelHoltz

"Strategic AI disclosure builds trust. Be transparent when AI use could influence audience perception." — @ShelHoltz

"AI liberates PR professionals from routine tasks, enabling focus on high-value strategic planning." — @ShelHoltz

"Success in modern PR requires mastering AI as a strategic tool, not fearing it as a replacement." — @ShelHoltz

"Effective AI implementation requires understanding both technology capabilities and human communication needs." — @ShelHoltz

"Tomorrow's PR leaders will be those who strategically combine AI efficiency with human insight." — @ShelHoltz

"I'm definitely leading the charge of AI within my organization, showing examples and inspiring others instead of thinking the old way." — @JasonMudd9

"We can produce more volume than before at a greater quality using AI. That's what makes us more valuable to our clients." — @JasonMudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through buy me a coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

LinkedIn: Shel Holtz

Website: holtz.com

Twitter: @ShelHoltz

Additional resources from Axia Public Relations:

Listen to more episodes of the On Top of PR podcast.

Find out more about Axia Public Relations.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

An Accountant’s Marketing to CEO Journey - Adecco's Tyra Tutor

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 14:00:00 -0500

In this episode, Tyra Tutor joins host Jason Mudd to discuss career longevity, leadership tips, marketing strategies, and remote work trends.

Tune in to learn more!

Our Guest:

Our episode’s special guest is Tyra Tutor, president and CEO of TAD PGS, Adecco Group's government solutions subsidiary. Tyra’s Adecco Group career spans 27 years, with roles leading investor relations, communications, marketing, mergers and acquisitions, special projects, and more. Axia’s friend and VIP client since 2004, Tyra shares some of her secrets to success and longevity in a global organization.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. Career longevity through adaptability

2. Corporate marketing, communication, and development best practices

3. Managing multiple brands, niche marketing, and reputations

4. Day in the life — tips for aspiring CEOs

5. Workplace flexibility and remote work trends

Quotables

“I had the great privilege of sitting in boardrooms, and in most of my roles, I was the right-hand person of CEOs. I got to witness a lot of great leaders.” — @Tyra Tutor

“Have a willingness to learn, a willingness to work hard, and make sure you have a good boss — someone who is willing to give you a chance and to give you new opportunities to make sure you aren’t stagnant in your job.” — @Tyra Tutor

“When you have a lot of brands, you're probably not going to be a household name, and you have to be okay with that. So your expectation has to be lower.” — @Tyra Tutor

“Work hard, be there when no one else is, and do the tasks that no one else wants to do. Many times, I held roles and took on tasks that were not in my job description, and sometimes, that got me into a meeting I wouldn't otherwise be in.” — @Tyra Tutor

“I like to surround myself with people who love to work hard. I'm not saying they don't have balance, but when they're at work, they're working hard. They have a good attitude and are ready to do whatever it takes to finish a job and give ourselves a well-done.” — @Tyra Tutor

“The most important thing for the CEO was that what we told our client through marketing, what we told the public through PR, and what we reported to the Wall Street analysts with numbers was all consistent, transparent, and accurate. That hit home for me.” — @Tyra Tutor

“One of the challenges that many companies face is marketing multiple brands for different niches. I see this with a lot of companies — they are going after different audiences, different verticals, and not getting the funding necessary to pull all that off.” — @JasonMudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through buy me a coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Tyra Tutor on LinkedIn

Adecco Group website

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Pitching to Podcasts with Axia's Jason Mudd

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 13:00:00 -0500

In this solocast episode, On Top of PR host Jason Mudd responds to a fan letter about tips for pitching to podcasts.

Tune in to learn more!

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. Do your research — know the show

2. Pitch uniqueness and expertise

3. Follow up

4. Avoid common mistakes

5. Preparation and promotion matters

Quotables

“It’s ultra-important to consume the podcast before pitching to understand its focus.” — @JasonMudd9

“When you send a pitch, provide some context about who your expert is. A link to their LinkedIn profile would be great. If they have a common name like John Smith, maybe include a photo of what they look like so when we’re doing our due diligence, we can easily find them.” — @JasonMudd9

“You’d be better off spending time crafting one great pitch than spending a little time on hundreds of pitches and getting a bunch of no’s. Double down on the shows that have the right audience, the right topic, and the right fit.” — @JasonMudd9

“Come up with a really good topic — something unique that your guest has a provocative, contrarian, or unique point of view on. I’m looking for something that really pops and resonates with our audience.” — @JasonMudd9

“It might be easy to say it’s easier to pitch a podcast than it is a major news outlet, but you’ve got to keep in mind there are big-time podcasts out there that are just as in demand as any mainstream, tier-one media outlet.” — @JasonMudd9

Host contact info and resources:

Axia Public Relations website

Proven process for earned media coverage

Solocast 130: Media pitching tips

E-book: Learn Media Relations from the Media

Additional Resources from Axia Public Relations:

Listen to more episodes of the On Top of PR podcast.

Find out more about Axia Public Relations.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Del Monte Foods: Engaging Gen Z in PR Campaigns

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 19:00:00 -0500

How influencer partnerships can boost PR campaigns

In this episode, Bibie Wu joins On Top of PR host Jason Mudd to discuss how Del Monte Foods balances innovation and tradition in its PR strategies.

Tune in to learn more!

Our Guest:

Our episode guest is Bibie Wu, chief communications and technical development officer at Del Monte Foods. She leads marketing, corporate communications, investor relations, product and packaging research and development, and environmental, social, and governance for Del Monte Foods' powerful portfolio of brands.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. Balancing a 130-year-old heritage brand legacy with innovation

2. Staying relevant with emerging trends

3. The launch and strategic plan behind Joyba Bubble Tea

4. Engaging Gen Z and Zillennials through influencer marketing

5. The importance of synergy across teams during campaigns

Quotables

“We like to say, ‘This is not your grandmother's Del Monte.’ You can make so much more than just a green bean casserole. We’re innovating for today’s consumer and staying on top of what's popular in culinary flavor trends.” — @Bibie Wu

“People are getting their ideas and the recipes from social, from TikTok, etc., so we're incorporating those trends into our product.” — @Bibie Wu

“It’s all about synergy — integrating the PR agency, digital team, brand team, or internal media planning, it’s important to make campaigns that can be meaty across all those platforms.” — @Bibie Wu

“We've been putting more of our efforts behind developing products and marketing campaigns that speak to these younger millennials and Gen Z because they're going to be the families of tomorrow.” — @Bibie Wu

“That's why we name the show On Top of PR — because there are so many topics, tips, and trends that our audience has to stay on top of that we do our best to try to bring those relevant topics to the table.” — @JasonMudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You can also support us through buy me a coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.

About Bibie Wu

Bibie Wu has more than 20 years of experience in consumer packaged goods marketing leadership with many well-known and respected brands at General Mills and Campbell's. Before joining Del Monte in 2018, she served as Henkel’s vice president of marketing and head of laundry conditioners and home care. She was also responsible for Henkel’s omnichannel and visual branding departments. She is a graduate of Amherst College and received an MBA from Dartmouth College.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Bibie Wu on LinkedIn

Del Monte Foods website

Additional Resources:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Legendary journalist Mort Crim on media evolution, authenticity, and truth

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 19:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Mort Crim joins On Top of PR host Jason Mudd to discuss his career highlights, truth in journalism, and his newest memoir, “Anchored: A Journalist’s Search for Truth.

Tune in to learn more!

Our Guest:

Our episode guest is Mort Crim, a retired journalist, author, lecturer, and motivational speaker. He inspired the Anchorman character Ron Burgundy.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. The inspiration behind Anchorman’s Ron Burgundy
2. Mort’s journalism career highlights and pivotal moments
3. Maintaining a trusted image in journalism and PR
4. How the media has changed and ways to adapt
5. Mort’s book, “Anchored: A Journalist’s Search for Truth”

Quotables

“I have a philosophy that if you run fast enough, old age can’t catch you.” — @Mort Crim

“Never have an ego or have arrogance about yourself because you never know when you're going to need help or the support of others in your community.” — @JasonMudd9

“It's all about the story. History is made up of stories. We call journalists the people who write the first draft of history. But that hasn't changed — for all of the technological change, for all the proliferation of media — it's still about content.” — @Mort Crim

“Become a good writer, and if you're a good writer, I can teach you how to stand in front of a camera. I can teach you how to hold the microphone. I can teach you how to be a broadcaster. But I can't teach you how to think, and I can't teach you how to write.” — @Mort Crim

“Journalism is a profession that requires, first of all, a commitment to honesty and truth. But secondly, you need training. You need to have some understanding and experience in how to recognize a story, how to organize a story, how to tell a story in a way that is meaningful to the audience.” — @Mort Crim

“PR needs to be all about the audience of the news outlet when you're pitching media.” — @JasonMudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with others, buy me a coffee, or leave us a quick podcast review.

About Mort Crim

Mort Crim is a journalist, author, lecturer, and motivational speaker. He is the main inspiration for the character Ron Burgundy, a news anchor in the Anchorman movie series. His network and local broadcast experience in radio and TV includes five years as a correspondent for ABC in New York City and two decades as a senior editor and anchor for WDIV-TV, an NBC affiliate station in Detroit. He was backup for Paul Harvey’s “The Rest of the Story” radio program for five years. He is the author of eight books, including his most recent memoir, “Anchored: A Journalist's Search for Truth.”

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Mort Crim on X

Mort Crim on LinkedIn

Mort Crim on Facebook

Mort Crim’s website

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

How an insurance carrier manages crisis communications

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 13:00:00 -0400

Doug Filaroski on LinkedIn

Disclaimer: We edited portions of this recording from its originally aired version at Citizens Property Insurance Corporation's request.

In this episode, Doug Filaroski joins host Jason Mudd to discuss how a property insurance company manages crisis communications.

Tune in to learn more!

Our Guest:

Our episode guest is Doug Filaroski, senior communications representative at Citizens Property Insurance. He manages crisis communications projects, provides strategic consulting, and oversees the production of all types of content — from leadership messaging to digital communications and video.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. Citizens Property Insurance’s communications strategies

2. How to respond to a crisis

3. The role of crisis response centers during catastrophic events

4. The importance of fraud prevention campaigns

5. Why companies need a crisis communication plan

Quotables

“We feel a great responsibility — because we are the state or the people's insurance company — to provide them with good service.” — @Doug Filaroski

“Florida was responsible for 79% of all the lawsuits in the United States against property insurance companies.” — @Doug Filaroski

“When I started with a company about 10 years ago, I don't think we had as good a plan as we have now. So one of the best tips is to have a plan. Frankly, a lot of people I talk to in crisis communications don't really have a formal plan.” — @Doug Filaroski

“I'm personally a big fan of templates. If I have to send the same email twice, I'd sure like to have a template for it for the third time, and I always encourage my teammates to do the same thing.” — @JasonMudd9

“A lot of the comments you're making speak to the culture of your organization and that you obviously care and you're there to serve, as opposed to just being the solution that's the least desirable for your customers. I think that really matters and goes a long way.” — @JasonMudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with others or leave us a quick podcast review.

About Doug Filaroski

Doug is a former journalist who's covered presidential campaigns, government corruption, and growth. He now works as a corporate storyteller. After stints at a Fortune 500 company and the JAX Chamber, he moved on to internal, external, and crisis communications for Citizens Property Insurance in Florida. Doug is also the vice president of communications for the Florida Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Doug Filaroski on X

Citizens Property Insurance website

International Association of Business Communicators

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

The important role of internal communications

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 12:00:00 -0400

Our Guest:

Linda Beltran is vice president of corporate communications at Holiday Inn Club Vacations, a leading vacation ownership company with more than 30 resorts across the U.S. She oversees a team of communications professionals who manage internal and external communications, executive visibility, corporate social responsibility, media relations, crisis communications, community relations, and thought leadership.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. How internal communication management can prevent external crisis
2. Executive media training and thought leadership
3. The evolution of internal communications
4. The future of internal communications
5. Internal communications best practices

Quotables

“Your team members are really your first and most important audience.” — @Linda Beltran

“We have to be nimble and pivot. And I tell people all the time, improvising and pivoting are one of the undersold skills that you have to have in this line of work.” — @JasonMudd9

“If you have a company and leadership that really puts their faith in their comms team, you're already ahead of the curve, and then the rest is just making sure that they're being received.” — @Linda Beltran

“Pre-pandemic, people weren't necessarily paying attention to their internal audience.” — @Linda Beltran

“I love the idea of trying something new. I love the idea of failing forward. And as I tell my team quite a bit, as long as you're working on something that won't be shown externally, take some risk internally.” — @JasonMudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with others or leave us a quick podcast review.

About Linda Beltran

As a seasoned communications leader with over 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Linda brings strategic, creative, and impactful solutions to diverse audiences and stakeholders. Her mission is to enhance the reputation, visibility, and engagement of the organizations she works with, aligning communications with their values, culture, and goals.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

How to improve your media pitches

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 21:00:00 -0400

In this solocast episode, host Jason Mudd discusses how to improve your media pitches and craft news releases journalists will notice.

Tune in to learn more!

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. How to improve four media pitch examples
2. Keep your pitch short and visually appealing.
3. Tailor your pitch to match the journalist's beat.
4. Offer value — why should the journalist care?
5. Have a copy editor review the release.

Quotables

“About half of the news stories they write come from media pitches. So media pitching works when it's done right. Media pitching works when you have a relationship or attempt to build a relationship; you don't need a relationship to get media coverage.” — @JasonMudd9

“You just want to send a teaser and have them say, ‘You know what, I would like to hear more’ or ‘This isn't a good fit for me.’ But instead of doing it in 10 paragraphs, what if you just did it in three sentences?” — @JasonMudd9

“That's why we believe in having copy editors on our team who are grammarians. They're experts at what they do — the red-pen police or the people who correct your grammar in public that you don't like.” — @JasonMudd9

“If you can't tell me who said it, then I'm probably not going to quote you on it.” — @JasonMudd9

“You should not send a news release, or even a media pitch, through blast … think 1-to-1 with each media pitch that you send out.” — @JasonMudd9

“More targeted, more selective pitches are going to help you be more successful.” — @JasonMudd9

“Just like in dating, just like in sales, in media pitching, the intent of the first meeting is to get a second meeting.” — @JasonMudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with others or leave us a quick podcast review.

About Jason Mudd, Axia PR

Jason Mudd is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands. Since 1994, he’s worked with American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster’s, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon. He founded Axia in July 2002. Forbes named Axia one of America’s Best PR Agencies.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Best practices for producing PR events

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 18:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Alfredo Garcia joins On Top of PR host Jason Mudd to discuss best practices for producing PR events.

Tune in to learn more!

Our guest:

Our episode guest is Alfredo Garcia, vice president of sales for Sight & Sound and Mugwump Productions. He started his journey with Sight & Sound as a marketing intern, where he discovered his passion for the audio-visual production side of events. Now an executive leader, he’s played a pivotal role in the company’s growth from 15 employees to more than 50 today.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. Questions event producers will ask
2. Technical media accommodations
3. How much notice event production teams need
4. What organizations should consider before planning an event
5. Logistics and budget planning

Quotables:

“My first question is always the same, no matter what type of media event it is. And that is, “Why are we doing this event? Why are we spending your money? Why are we pulling in resources and what is the purpose and outcome we are trying to get out of this event?” — @Alfredo Garcia

“If you’re depending on media to be there, how embarrassed might you be if they just can’t come or don’t come for whatever reason?” — @JasonMudd9

“If you’re depending on media to fill the room, you better have a pretty good announcement.” — @JasonMudd9

“Whenever I see a whole bunch of microphones, I think of crisis communication.” — @Alfredo Garcia

“Why would you not want to engage with an expert company to have them bring their experience, know-how, and ideas that might save you time, money, and ultimately drive home that better first impression for the attendees at your event?” — @JasonMudd9

“We try to become an extension of what our clients are trying to do. We are thinking of things people don't think about.” — @Alfredo Garcia

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with others or leave us a quick podcast review.

About Alfredo Garcia

As Sight & Sound’s vice president of sales, Alfredo manages daily sales operations, develops sales strategies, and forecasts company revenue. He focuses on client retention and expanding the client base locally and nationally.

Alfredo earned a communication degree from Jacksonville University, which laid the foundation for his career in the hospitality industry. He’s drawn to the industry’s opportunities for travel, bringing creative solutions to events, and building long-lasting relationships. His journey with Sight & Sound began in 2005 when he joined as a marketing intern and discovered his passion for the audio-visual production side of events. After progressing through roles as a marketing coordinator and project manager, he found his niche in sales.

Outside of work, Alfredo enjoys gardening with his wife, traveling with his family, and supporting all his local sports teams.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Media relations best practices

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 14:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Axia’s David Triana joins host Jason Mudd to discuss key strategies for nurturing mutually beneficial media relationships that make a lasting impact.

Tune in to learn more!

Our Guest:

David Triana is a public relations professional specializing in media relations and securing earned media coverage for clients in a variety of industries. He currently serves as the director of media relations at Axia Public Relations. He has been mentioned in outlets such as the Daily Mail, Business Insider, and Forbes, providing commentary on topics related to the PR industry.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. Always provide value when communicating with the media.
2. Proprietary data can differentiate you from your competition.
3. Respect for journalistic ethics is key.
4. Stay ahead of the news cycle whenever possible.
5. Make the media's job as simple as possible (and be as prepared as possible).

Bonus: Tips on earning media coverage for PR professionals with no prior newsroom experience.

Quotables

“Not being afraid to fail — I think that is the most important thing and most important attribute you can have as a PR professional.” — @David Triana

“It’s like a venn diagram: what the media wants, what the company wants, and what is newsworthy and interesting.” — @JasonMudd9

“Anytime I’ve reached out to the media on behalf of a client, I never want to go empty-handed.” — @David Triana

“Sometimes a really good media pitch is just three sentences. You want them to say, ‘Tell me more, I'm interested.’” — @JasonMudd9

“I tell clients, you probably have some data internally that you don't even realize would be valuable to help set a finger on the pulse of the marketplace and the economy and what it’s doing.” — @JasonMudd9

“So much of this is making a really good first impression that defines the longevity of that relationship. And if you're willing to be available right off the bat … things like that set you apart from many others.” — @David Triana

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with others or leave us a quick podcast review.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Data-driven storytelling on social media

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 13:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Kate Meyers Emery, Ph.D., joins On Top of PR host Jason Mudd to discuss ways organizations can use data-centric storytelling on social media to raise awareness and engagement.

Tune in to learn more!

Our Guest:

Our episode guest is Kate Meyers Emery, Ph.D., senior digital communications manager at Candid, a nonprofit providing comprehensive data and insights on the social sector.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. What to do when you are swimming in data and how to turn it into a story for your organization.

2. How smaller social media teams can leverage their own data.

3. Ways organizations can experiment with data to drive brand awareness and engagement.

4. How to create good social media content without visually appealing subjects.

5. Common mistakes organizations make on social media.

Quotables

Data is really attractive to audiences. When you use numbers, people love it. People love numerals. It's our hook. — @Kate Meyers Emery

When you're communicating, there's two personality types: one is interested in emotion and the other is logic. If you can create a venn diagram and appeal to both at the same time without alienating one of the audiences, that's a good blend. — @JasonMudd9

You gotta make the platforms happy. The platforms don't want you to leave social media. You have to put stuff out there that makes the platforms happy that drives more engagement on the platform. — @Kate Meyers Emery

People want to connect with other people. People don't want to connect with faceless brands. — @Kate Meyers Emery

There's always three options. If you get more than that, you get analysis paralysis, and no one wants to make a decision. And the simple answer is usually the best answer. — @JasonMudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with others or leave us a quick podcast review.

About Kate Meyers Emery, Ph.D.

Kate Meyers Emery, Ph.D., is the senior digital communications manager at Candid, where she leads the strategy, content production, and analysis of organic social media. Kate uses experimentation and data-driven storytelling to get people the information they need to do good.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Communication Professionals shape business success with Priceline

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 18:00:00 -0400

Leslie Cafferty, chief communications officer of Priceline, the world's largest global travel company, joins On Top of PR host Jason Mudd to discuss the pivotal role of communications professionals in business success and growth.

Tune in to learn more!

Our Guest:

Our episode guest is Leslie Cafferty, chief communications officer at Booking Holdings the world's largest global travel company. She’s also the executive sponsor for the company’s employee resource group dedicated to equality and equity for women across the organization. Booking Holdings brands include Priceline, Booking.com, OpenTable, Kayak, and Agoda.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. Differentiating marketing and communications in business
2. Strategies to help with the rising cost of labor and doing business
3. Tips for aspiring chief communication officers
4.Evolving trends in communications
5. The importance of diversity in communications and business

Quotables

“The art of what we do is storytelling. You could be writing a speech for a CEO, messaging points for a lawsuit, or sharing a consumer product story. That’s art. You have to think creatively.” — @Leslie Cafferty

“Rising tide floats all boats. More data out there about travel, booking travel, and best practices probably inspire someone to want to go on a trip.” — @Jason Mudd

“It’s all about collaboration with the business. Communications is not seen anymore as just a subset of marketing — we have a seat at the table in leadership meetings.” — @Leslie Cafferty

“Anything you say can create or destroy value in seconds. Our role and expertise is about doing more creating than destroying.” — @Leslie Cafferty

“The skills, talents, and responsibilities haven’t changed, just the tools, platform, and speed at which you can communicate with your audience has increased, therefore making every move you make more critical and potentially vulnerable.” — @Jason Mudd

About Leslie Cafferty

A 20-year tech company veteran with a passion for communications, marketing, and promoting more diversity in business, Leslie Cafferty is the senior vice president and chief communications officer for Booking Holdings, the world’s largest global travel company, known for brands such as Priceline, Booking.com, Kayak, OpenTable, and Agoda. Cafferty oversees all corporate, financial, brand, crisis, CEO, executive, and internal communications initiatives for the company, which operates in more than 200 countries. She’s also the executive sponsor for the company’s employee resource group dedicated to equality and equity for women across the organization.

Previously, Cafferty was the global vice president of marketing and communications at Nielsen, the world’s leading global research company. Before Nielsen, she spent eight years as the director of global communications for IAC, a leading internet company operating more than 25 market-leading digital brands. She attended Harvard Business School and graduated magna cum laude from Lehigh University with a degree in international relations.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

What journalists want from your media pitch

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 11:00:00 -0400

Crafting winning media pitches, learning the elements needed to stand out and secure coverage.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

What doesn’t help your pitches
Following up — NOGAS
Use the phone to tell your story
Exclusive/advance/embargo — know the difference
Key elements to a good pitch

Quotables

“Great sales is about helping, not about sales. Great media relations is about helping a reporter uncover a news story that's valuable and interesting that they didn't know about previously.” — @JasonMudd9
“People really like people who have confidence and who have a unique, contrarian, and provocative point of view.” — @JasonMudd9
“Improvising is one of the key attributes of being successful in PR.” — @JasonMudd9
People care about stories about people. They don’t care about stories about corporations.” — @JasonMudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with others or leave us a quick podcast review.

About Jason Mudd

Jason Mudd, APR, is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands. Since 1994, he’s worked with American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster’s, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon. He founded Axia in July 2002. Forbes named Axia one of America’s Best PR Agencies.

At Axia, Jason attracts, develops, retains, innovates, and leads top PR talent and clients. He oversees strategic communications for the firm’s national clients and provides high-level consultations to client leadership teams at billion-dollar global brands, both business-to-business and business-to-consumer, including spokesperson training, crisis communications management, analytics, social media, online reputation management, and more. He also speaks frequently to corporations and industry groups and writes about public relations trends and best practices for American City Business Journals and other national companies.

Jason’s contact info:

Resources:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

How AI is transforming strategic communications

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 10:00:00 -0400

AI strategist Kathleen Perley shares top recommended AI tools and how to optimize them for business communications strategies.

Our guest

Our episode guest is Kathleen Perley, professor of AI at Rice University’s Jones School of Business. Kathleen is an innovative healthcare tech leader and trusted adviser in the emerging world of optimizing AI for business marketing and advertising.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

The race for AI: staying authentic while building public trust
Unique ways to use AI for business and personal development
Top recommended AI tools
How to utilize AI safely: best practices
AI and deep fakes: What is coming next?

Quotables

“Do we let this ego race to be first end up hindering our ability to have a public that trusts and aligns with AI and doesn’t build this resistance?” - @Kathleen Perley
“This [AI] is our generation’s moon landing.” - @Kathleen Perley
“How do we take the mundane, the rote out of our lives so we can spend more time doing what we do best, which is developing these relationships and human connections?” - @Kathleen Perley
“It's one of those things I keep hearing over and over again — that if you use AI to help generate content, you’ll get devalued in the algorithms from a search engine ranking perspective — but I’m not seeing that come true. I think the focus is more on quality and less on who is the creator or origin. If we use both humans and AI, it usually produces something even better than just a human or just AI alone.” - @Kathleen Perley
“If you haven’t started integrating AI into your crisis communication plan, now would be a great time to start thinking about that.” - @Jason Mudd
“My biggest fear right now is that [AI] produces so much content so quickly that it almost takes just as much work to go through and improve it and fix it. But that first draft is awfully nice to have most of the time.” - @Jason Mudd

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also share your experience with others by leaving us a quick podcast review.

About Kathleen Perley

Recognized as one of MM+M’s Women to Watch 2024 and with her agency on the Inc 5000 list for three years, Kathleen is a celebrated leader in merging AI with business strategy, especially in marketing and advertising.

She also serves on MD Anderson's advisory committee and supports Ncourage, an investment fund aiding women-owned businesses.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Why your social media isn’t working with Holly Bishop

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Holly Bishop joins On Top of PR host Jason Mudd to discuss why your company's social media isn’t working.

Tune in to learn more!

Guest:

Holly is a seasoned social media and marketing professional with over 10 years of diverse experience spanning medical practices, retail/e-commerce, and non-profit sectors.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. Understanding the role of social media professionals

2. How to manage a work/life balance as a social media professional

3. Why your company’s social media isn’t working

4. How trust and flexibility with your social media team can improve your content

5. The importance of community engagement

Quotables

“There’s a lot of misconception that social media managers can do all of these things and that they’re experts at every single social media platform, and that is just not the case.” - Holly Bishop

“Companies either don’t prioritize social media or they don’t have the resources to make it an entire team. Yet, social media is a powerful tool with a global audience.” - Jason Mudd

“One person can’t do something great alone. They need others around them.” - Jason Mudd

“I'm seeing a huge shift in social media managers embracing the fact that our screen time is probably triple what a normal person’s would be by Wednesday afternoon. It just is what is, but also knowing when to turn things off and when to be unavailable.” - Holly Bishop

“This is the kind of role that you wouldn’t be doing unless you were genuinely passionate about it.” - Holly Bishop

“We also have our own social media too, which are almost always suffering and looking terrible because we're always so focused on the brands that we run.” - Holly Bishop

“They also don’t realize that what got them there doesn’t get them to be successful in social media. What I mean by that is they may be really good with their own social media, but what they don’t realize is that the expectation for professional social media is way higher. They can get away with typos and incomplete sentences on their own socials, but when you get to the corporate side, there’s not going to be a lot of patience or forgiveness when it comes to that kind of stuff.” - Jason Mudd

“Even for serious brands, it’s important to have fun with the things that are being put out with social media because at the end of the day, as a consumer for your audience that you are speaking to, if it's boring or it's not giving a hook or not interesting or providing that value why would they want to read what you put out anyways?” - Holly Bishop

“Having a really good professional working for your brand is so important because they are able to take that fun side but still utilize the important brand messaging and standards that you have for that specific brand but just making it their own, being able to speak in a way to that brand’s audience that captures their attention but still follows those rules of professionality.” - Holly Bishop

“If there isn’t that support to give for that professional to be able to do those things with ha

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Lessons learned from navigating national crises with Linda Rutherford, Southwest Airlines

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In this episode, Linda Rutherford joins On Top of PR host Jason Mudd to discuss her take on current airline crises and go into depth about Southwest’s crisis communication plan and how they’ve managed their past crises.

Guest:

Linda Rutherford is the Chief Administration Officer for Dallas-based Southwest Airlines, the nation's largest airline in terms of domestic Customer boardings. Linda is known for creating and leading powerful teams that equip, empower, and engage the business to serve its people and customers.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. Linda’s take on current airline crises

2. Southwest’s communications department and response plan

3. How Southwest has responded to past crises

4. How to manage the media and consumers’ perception of a crisis

5. How to balance your message post-national crisis

Quotables

“Today, communications represent the pace of media. Before, it might’ve seemed a little slower and more leisurely, and today, I would also say that public relations represents a lot more responsibility for brand reputation and issues management.” - Linda Rutherford

“Certainly, the role of journalists has changed significantly, much like our roles in communications have.” - Linda Rutherford

“Obviously, first and foremost, it is the safety of our passengers and employees on the affected flight. It is what do we need to do to get them safely on the ground, and then what do we need to do to understand what happened so we can go about learning how we prevent it from happening in the future.” - Linda Rutherford

“We like to say that we're in a deregulated environment, but we're regulated in the air and on the ground.” - Linda Rutherford

“I also like to say that we operate, we fly the general public, and we operate in weather. So what could possibly go wrong daily? That's why you spend a lot of time preparing and understanding what your contingencies are.” - Linda Rutherford

“My analogy is when Taylor Swift tickets went on sale, and Ticketmaster had a brownout, that's basically what happened.” - Linda Rutherford

“We did have a union, which we were negotiating with at the time that was perpetuating the story by calling crew, scheduling technology, antiquated. So that storyline was out there, and a lot of media were picking that up.” - Linda Rutherford

“There's a lot of demand to say everything at once, but we didn't necessarily have the credibility to say everything at once.” - Linda Rutherford

“We did tell the whole story. We had our chief operating officer give congressional testimony before a Senate subcommittee and told the whole story like I'm telling you.” - Linda Rutherford

“I tell people all the time that PR is about building up that equity so that when you have an issue, people already know that you're trustworthy and honorable and that you do the right thing.” - Jason Mudd

“The first thing you need to do is respond to what's right in front of you, and then you can begin to build on the story as you go and as you learn more, admit mistakes, be honest, and then be very transparent about what you'r

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

3 Ways Franchisors Can Use PR to Grow Their Company with John Hewitt of Loyalty Brands PR

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In this episode, John Hewitt joins On Top of PR host Jason Mudd to discuss three ways franchisors can use PR to grow their company.

Guest:

John Hewitt is a renowned entrepreneur who has made a significant impact in the business world through his innovative ideas and strategic thinking. He is best known for his success in the tax preparation industry, having founded two of the largest tax preparation companies in the U.S.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. How to use PR to build your credibility

2. How PR efforts can MAKE you money

3. The mindset needed to take advantage of PR opportunities

4. Where to start when looking for PR opportunities

5. Why maintaining relationships with journalists is important

Quotables

“Part of what a leader has to do is have a somewhat rational goal and be able to sell that goal.” - John Hewitt

“You need a rival to inspire people and show them the path that you’re on.” - Jason Mudd

“PR creates that brand name, and it creates support from the local community.” - John Hewitt

“We often call this newsjacking. That’s the term we use for when something’s happening in the news, and you twist it or position it to your benefit.” - Jason Mudd

“If you get to start all over again and you don’t do it much better, then you’re an idiot.” - John Hewitt

“Building relationships with people and not rushing into relationships but just building them slowly over time is important to public relations.” - Jason Mudd

“I’ve gotten more comments when I’ve provided substantive commentary and expert, helpful advice when I’m quoted in the news.” - Jason Mudd

“How can someone do business with you if they’ve never heard of you.” - Jason Mudd

“Happy successful franchisees, that’s our mantra. If franchisees are happy and successful, you can’t stop growing by leaps and bounds. If they’re not, you can’t grow.” - John Hewitt

“There’s nothing more fun than changing and improving lives.” - John Hewitt

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About John Hewitt

John T. Hewitt is an American entrepreneur and founder of Jackson Hewitt, Liberty Tax Service, and Loyalty Brands. Together these companies account for approximately 10,000 tax preparation and business services franchises in the USA and Canada. In addition, Hewitt is a pioneer in the development and use of specialized tax-preparation software, which is now the industry’s standard practice.

After leaving Jackson Hewitt in 1996, John decided to launch a new company that would be the vehicle for further marketing and brand development innovations, Liberty Tax Service. The new company initially focused its operations in Canada. Liberty Tax Service was launched there when Hewitt purchased a Canadian tax company on September 1, 1997. The new concern achieved a huge measure of success by opening more than 4,000 offices in North America by 2012 which made it the fastest-growing major tax-preparation company in history. Liberty Tax Service is best known for the costumed "wavers" dressed as the Statue of Liberty

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Time is of the Essence Solocast with Jason Mudd of Axia Public Relations

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In this solocast, On Top of PR host Jason Mudd discusses why time is of the essence. Media relations require quick responses because reporters are typically on deadline; therefore, Jason goes into depth about how to be more timely and responsive to journalists’ inquires.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

Why time is of the essence for media relations
How to be more timely and responsive to journalists
Why you should pad deadlines
The definition of newsjacking
What to do in 2024 for better media relations

Quotables

“In the news business, time is of the essence.” - Jason Mudd
“The news moves fast, and if your news is not hard, your news is not breaking news, and if it doesn't have one of the 10 elements of news, then you're not as likely to get news coverage.” - Jason Mudd
“Newsjacking is when you hear of a story trending in the news, and you have the ability to hook onto that news story or tie or place or insert yourself, your employer, or your expert into that trending story.” - Jason Mudd

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Jason Mudd

On Top of PR host, Jason Mudd, is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands and fastest-growing companies. Since 1994, he’s worked with American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster’s, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon. He founded Axia Public Relations in July 2002. Forbes named Axia as one of America’s Best PR Agencies

Resources

Connect and learn more about Jason Mudd on LinkedIn.
Follow Jason Mudd on ‘X’.

Additional Episode Resources

Additional Resources from Axia Public Relations

Listen to more episodes of the On Top of PR podcast.
Find out more about Axia Public Relations.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

How to leverage a one-person social media team with Jacob Shipley

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In this episode, Jacob Shipley joins On Top of PR host Jason Mudd to discuss how a one-person social media team works, as well as some social media tips, tricks, and trends.

Guest:

Our episode guest is Jacob Shipley. He started as the first social media hire at YouVersion. He now works for Tyson Foods and has built his own LinkedIn following, leading him to start a social media content strategy newsletter.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

What first-party data collection is
Why B2B companies need to be on social media
Pros and cons of being a one-person social media team
2024 social media trends
The minimum viable social strategy needed to succeed

Quotables

“You're delivering tangible value so that your customers want to hear from.” - Jacob Shipley
“The difference between B2B social media and B2C social media is B2C you are talking to consumers and with B2B you're talking to consumers that happen to work in a business.” - Jacob Shipley
“The bigger the team, the more complex it is, the harder it is to fight that.” - Jacob Shipley
“Some of the accounts that have grown the fastest were some of the ones with the least amount of resources because they had to be scrappy, they had to be really creative and really clever about how do I meet my audience's need?” - Jacob Shipley
“If you look at what really performs well, it's the kind of stuff that feels off the cuff, that feels native, that feels personal, it's cliche, but you can't fake authenticity.” - Jacob Shipley

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Jacob Shipley

Jacob started as the first social media hire at YouVersion, an app with half a billion downloads. While there, YouVersion's Instagram grew by over a million followers two years in a row. Their TikTok grew from 0 to 300,000 in less than 6 months. In his current role at Tyson Foods, he handles the technology and execution for organic social, paid social, and first-party data collection. Jacob also has a weekly newsletter, Social Studies, which has one goal: to help social media managers take their game to the next level.

Resources

Connect and learn more about Jacob Shipley on LinkedIn.
Follow Jacob Shipley on ‘X’.
Visit Jacob’s newsletter for more information.
Follow Dave Adamson on ‘X’.
Follow Tommy Clark on ‘X’.

Additional Resources from Axia Public Relations:

Listen to more episodes of the On Top of PR podcast.
Find out more about Axia Public Relations.
Social Media Content Calendar Templates

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

The ROI of LOL with Steve Cody

Mon, 01 Jan 2024 10:00:00 -0500

Steve Cody joins On Top of PR host Jason Mudd to discuss Steve’s book, “The ROI of LOL,” and how effective comedy within the workplace is.

Guest:

Steve is the author of “The ROI of LOL: How Laughter Breaks Down Walls, Drives Compelling Storytelling, and Creates a Healthy Workplace.” He’s also a comedian, climber, and dog lover, but not necessarily in that order.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

What compelled Steve to write “The ROI of LOL”
The reaction of comedy in the workplace
Why humor/laughter is so important for companies
How a company can measure the ROI of LOL
Where the implementation of comedy in an organization can occur

Quotables

“We conduct a lot of due diligence ahead of time. We understand what the guidelines and guardrails are for each organization's culture.” - Steve Cody
“When in doubt, leave it out.” - Steve Cody
“Consumers trust corporations more than anyone else right now. I think that means that we’re in a weird place right now.” - Jason Mudd
“I’m a big believer that a fun work environment is not only going to be a better place to work but it's also going to generate more creativity and innovation within the organization.” - Jason Mudd
“It has to be authentic. It has to be meaningful.” - Steve Cody

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Steve Cody

Steve Cody is a multifaceted individual, blending his love for climbing, comedy, and writing. From summiting the highest peaks in Africa and Europe to raising over $50,000 for charities through stand-up comedy shows, he finds pride in diverse accomplishments. Additionally, as a writer, he contributes to Inc.com, maintains a daily blog, and has made notable appearances on CNBC, MSNBC, NPR, and other prominent media outlets, as well as authoring his book: "The ROI of LOL."

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Connect and learn more about Steve Cody on LinkedIn.
Follow Steve Cody on “X”

Additional Episode Resources:

Additional Resources from Axia Public Relations:

Listen to more episodes of the On Top of PR podcast.
Find out more about Axia Public Relations.

Disclosure: One or more of the links we shared here might be affiliate links that offer us a referral reward when you buy from them.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

AI for Strategy, Measurement, and Monitoring with Dan Gaynor from Signal AI

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 18:00:00 -0500

Dan Gaynor joins On Top of PR host Jason Mudd to discuss the importance of a company narrative, how to craft and measure a narrative, the future of corporate narratives, and much more.

Guest:

Dan Gaynor is the co-founder of Kelp Data, the first AI-powered platform for corporate reputation, which was acquired last year by Signal AI. Serving nearly half of the Fortune 500, Signal AI's data analytics platform delivers industry reputation insights and benchmarks hundreds of companies — enabling communications and marketing executives to shift their strategies, capitalize on emerging opportunities, or mitigate new risks. Dan oversees Signal AI Strategic Solutions, which is the company's insights division, and works hand-in-hand with CCO's, CMO's, and CEO's to shape strategy and deploy AI across industries like big tech, pharma, and sustainability.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

Why every company needs a personal narrative
How to craft and measure your company’s personal narrative
What the future of company personal narratives look like
Current company narrative trends and what to avoid
How to utilize AI to measure your company’s work

Quotables

“What we found over and over again was that the human being had an incredibly powerful role in shaping what the AI output would look like.” - Dan
“We had to create industry-agnostic topics defined by human beings who would then train an AI to call back any piece of content across the world that that concept would relate to.” - Dan
“AI is the only way that you can get to the necessary level of breadth and depth.” - Dan
“Either you define your narrative or the marketplace defines it for you.” - Dan
“One of the things that we've seen is that data is not just a thermometer, it is a guide in terms of how to act. The most successful organizations deploying our insights are the ones that take them, have a strategy meeting right after, and operationalize them across functions.” - Dan
“If we have data on this, let's follow the data. If we don't have data, let's follow your recommendations.” - Jason

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Dan Gaynor

Dan Gaynor is a founder of Kelp Data, the first AI-powered platform for corporate reputation. The company’s data analytics platform delivers industry reputation insights and benchmarks hundreds of companies — enabling communications and marketing executives to shift their strategies, capitalize on emerging opportunities, or mitigate new risks. Kelp was acquired by Signal AI, which serves 40% of the Fortune 500, in July 2022. The deal brings together industry corporate reputation insights with Signal’s tech stack and global data sources, enabling enterprises to better understand where their reputation stands and how to strengthen it.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

AI in Public Relations with Antony Cousins, Executive Director for AI Strategy at Cision

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 19:00:00 -0500

Antony Cousins discusses GPTs and how to use them in PR with host Jason Mudd.

Guest:

Our episode guest is Antony Cousins, Executive Director for AI Strategy at Cision. Antony is an accredited public relations practitioner who honed his PR and communications expertise in a variety of roles in UK Government organizations, including the Ministry of Defence, Home Office, and Cabinet Office.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

What GPTs are
Implications GPTs have in the PR industry
What autopilot AI is
How to build GPTs
How to prepare your employees for a world with AI

Quotables

“I fell into it really by accident.” - Antony Cousins
“I was in that startup for five and a half years basically iterating, building on, and learning how to implement AI in businesses. And that stayed with me. Basically, I didn't want to do anything other than AI after that.” - Antony Cousins
“People ended up doing jobs that were more interesting and more fulfilling and automating the kind of tasks that you don't really want to be doing as a human. And I think that's the thing that drives me.” - Antony Cousins
“AI can't replace the human touch.” - Jason Mudd
“We're not trying to remove the human from the process, just automate the basics, like the 80% is a good way to think about it.” - Antony Cousins
“The human still needs to add that empathy still needs to add the emotional understanding, the contextual awareness that the model won't have.” - Antony Cousins
“AI can replace some of the busy work that we don't like to do or the tedious tasks and work we don't like to do.” - Jason Mudd
“If you create a campaign and your content happens to plagiarize a campaign from some competitor from two years ago, the reputational impact is still yours. So you still need to take responsibility.” - Antony Cousins
“If you can think about writing your prompts in a very literal way, you're going to get a better outcome.” - Jason Mudd
“That's exactly the value of an agency and the value of a specialist is because they've got more contextual awareness and a whole bunch of history of your brand, of your situation, of other competitors doing the same things.” - Antony Cousins
“The idea is that generative AI is a good first draft, but it's never going to be a great final draft. So it's a good beginning and a bad ending.” - Jason Mudd

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Antony Cousins

Over the last 23 years, Ant has held diverse roles in media relations, strategic communications, political analysis, counter-terrorism, and, over the last 10 years, AI-tech leadership including CEO of an AI startup focused on detecting fake news and misinformation. Ant is currently Head of AI Strategy for Cision, the largest global provider of media intelligence technology as well as the Tech Hub Chair of the Association for Measurement and Evaluation of Communications (AMEC). He is an accredited PR practitioner, CIPR committee member, part of the UK's All-Party parliamentary group on AI, and was named in PR

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

How to use editorial calendars to get earned media coverage with Jason Mudd

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 15:00:00 -0500

Jason Mudd discusses editorial calendars and how to use them to pitch to publications

Guest:

Our episode guest is Jason Mudd, CEO of Axia Public Relations.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

What editorial calendars are
Different types of media you can find editorial calendars for
How to use editorial calendars to help determine pitches
How to get/find a publication’s editorial calendar
How to pitch once you have an editorial calendar

Quotables

“Editorial calendars are a tool that is used predominantly by print and digital publications and specifically their advertising departments to kind of help plan out and coordinate between advertising and the editorial or newsroom or features department upcoming coverage that has a theme.” - Jason Mudd
“You want to use the calendars that determine the content/ideas that these publications are looking for.” - Jason Mudd
“Once you have the editorial calendar in your hands, whether it's digital or you printed it out or however it might be, the first thing you want to do is you want to start being an investigator.” - Jason Mudd
“I want to emphasize that this is a relationship business, and we in the public relations profession need to start putting more emphasis on relationships.” - Jason Mudd

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Jason Mudd

Jason Mudd is the CEO of Axia Public Relations, with a career spanning decades and collaborations with prominent organizations, including American Airlines, Hilton, and Verizon.

Resources

Connect and learn more about Jason Mudd on LinkedIn.

Additional Resources from Axia Public Relations:

Listen to more episodes of the On Top of PR podcast.
Find out more about Axia Public Relations.
Free Blog Editorial Calendar Template
Editorial calendars: A PR pro’s best friend

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes Magazine as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

How PR can help journalism survive with Tina McCorkindale

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 15:00:00 -0500

Tina with IPR discusses the data around local journalism and how we as PR professionals can help it survive.

Guest:

Our episode guest is Tina McCorkindale, CEO of the Institute for Public Relations. She serves on boards of several industry associations and has received several awards for her contributions to the profession.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

What the Institute for Public Relations is and what it does
Statistics on misinformation and disinformation
Who people trust not to spread disinformation
How disinformation affects elections and other important events
How you can find disinformation and combat it

Quotables

“We have disinformation as a threat to our democracy” - Tina McCorkindale
“When you ask who's doing a good job combating disinformation, we also added to that me, I am great at combating disinformation.” - Tina McCorkindale
“Most people say they're doing a very good job of combating disinformation, but we know that's not true because we are the primary ones who spread disinformation.” - Tina McCorkindale
“PR professionals should look at opportunities like you're describing to support nonprofit groups who are doing things to support local journalism, fund local journalism, and equip them with the tools and resources they need to survive and succeed.” - Jason Mudd
“For companies, sometimes it's very easy to see the disinformation, But where it gets difficult is when people are having conversations and people aren't listening, and it's hard to do that on your own as an organization.” - Tina McCorkindale
“Doing it well and doing it right, not necessarily doing it for the clicks and not necessarily doing it just to be the first, but to get it right.” - Jason Mudd
“Journalism has this huge responsibility (of combatting disinformation), and if we don't support journalism, then who is going to provide us with that information?” - Jason Mudd

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with others and leave us a review!

About Tina McCorkindale

Tina McCorkindale, Ph.D., APR, is the President and CEO of the Institute for Public Relations, a nonprofit research foundation devoted to research that matters to the public relations and communications profession. Prior to that, she was a university professor and has more than 10 years of experience working in corporate communication and analytics. She serves on the boards of several industry associations and has received several awards for her contributions to the profession.

Resources

Connect and learn more about Tina McCorkindale on LinkedIn.
Visit the Institute for Public Relations for more information.
The Expanding News Desert (UNC) Reports

Episode recorded: October 23, 2023

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

How to prepare for any communication crisis with Tom Ciuba

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 20:00:00 -0400

Tom Ciuba and Jason Mudd discuss crisis communications, crisis plan creation and updates, and social media management in the latest On Top of PR episode.

Guest:

Our episode guest is Tom Ciuba, Vice President of Communications at Genesee & Wyoming. His diverse background includes roles in consumer PR, association marketing, and employee communications.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

What’s considered a crisis and issue management
Why you should hire an outside agency to establish your crisis plan
How to update your crisis plan
How to manage social media chatter during a crisis
Lessons learned from crisis communications

Quotables

“It’s PR, not ER.” - Jason Mudd
“No update is still an update.” - Tom Ciuba
“We've written dozens and dozens of crisis plans for a variety of industries, a variety of companies of all sizes. And we've been brought in to manage those. So that body of knowledge from our entire team can really be contributed and added value to a crisis plan versus maybe what you can do from the inside.” - Jason Mudd
“Come up with templated responses that if such a situation were to arise, you'd be prepared to answer quickly should the media or the public be knocking on your door.” - Tom Ciuba

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Tom Ciuba

Tom has been a professional communicator for 15 years and currently serves as Vice President of Communications at a freight transportation company. His diverse background includes roles in consumer PR, association marketing, and employee communications.

Additional Episode Resources:

Additional Resources from Axia Public Relations:

Listen to more episodes of the On Top of PR podcast.
Find out more about Axia Public Relations.
CrisisPoint

Episode recorded: October 11, 2023

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes Magazine as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Media Relations Best Practices With Axia

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Kasey Klee, Marjorie Comer, and Bob Wiltfong join On Top of PR host Jason Mudd to discuss media relations best practices.

Guest:

Our episode includes Axia’s news team: Kasey Klee, Account Executive; Marjorie Comer, News Media Consultant; Bob Wiltfong, Public Relations Account Director; and Jason Mudd, CEO. Together they discuss the five best practices that come with media relations: preparing, relationship building, messaging, pitching, and following up.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How to plan and prepare for pitching stories
How to build meaningful relationships with reporters
What you’re messaging should look like
How to go about pitching stories
Why you should follow up

Quotables

“The goal for any public relations person is the media list, the contact list and the relationships that we build with the media.” - @Bob
“You're always looking to localize a national story and PR people do that with news jockey. What we're trying to do is tie in a newsworthy item involving our clients to a national story. So it's kind of the same idea.” - @Bob
“All news is local. And so if you can find a local angle to a national story, then that's very beneficial.” - @Jason
“Relationship building is probably one of my favorite things that I get to do as a PR professional.” - @Marjorie
“Building a relationship with a reporter doesn't have to be scary. It doesn't have to be this taboo thing. We're all people and we all want to build a connection with someone else.” - @Marjorie
“The relationship between a PR person and a journalist could be such a dynamic duo if it's done correctly.” - @Kasey
“It's not just who we know, but it's really who knows us.” - @Jason
“Every pitch is a little bit of an experiment.” - @Jason
“Smaller wins will lead to bigger things.” - @Jason

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About the Axia Team

Jason is the founder of Axia, serving as a trusted adviser to renowned brands like American Airlines, Hilton, and Verizon. He resides in Amelia Island, Florida.
Bob, a PR strategist, and former award-winning news anchor, brings his expertise to clients like Boeing and Sony. He calls Jacksonville, Florida home and joined Axia in February 2023.
Marjorie, an award-winning PR professional, has been with Axia since October 2011, skillfully implementing PR plans and handling reactive needs from her base in Joplin, Missouri.
Kasey, known for her enthusiasm and attention to detail, coordinates client programs and has been a trusted adviser since August 2021. She resides in Jacksonville Beach, Florida.

Guest’s Contact Info and Resources:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Encouraging Words in Your Storytelling Journey with Ken Melton

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory website

Explore the world of storytelling and communication with host Jason Mudd and guest Ken Melton, Communication Strategist at Johns Hopkins.

Guest:

Our episode guest is Ken Melton, Communication Strategist at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory. Ken is a retired U.S. Marine public affairs specialist with a master's in public relations from Georgetown University and a bachelor's in communications from the University of Maryland Global Campus. He's passionate about public relations, employee engagement, storytelling, teaching, and writing.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

Why doubt can be good when completing a writing project
The best ways to improve your writing skills
Ways to make data and numbers easier for your audience
Ken’s most valuable writing advice
What roles emotions play in creating a complex story and how to leverage them

Quotables:

“Make your stories speak” - @KenMelton2001
“You can't let what you've thought or what you know shape your story. It's all about what's inside you and what you want to get across.” - @KenMelton2001
“Once you come to the realization that there's nothing more I can learn, nothing more I can do wrong, then you're doing yourself disservice.” - @KenMelton2001
“I doubt myself because I want to answer myself in a positive light.” - @KenMelton2001
“I really love talking about it and helping people find their voice and telling how their stories are going to be, even if it's something like talking about a project.” - @KenMelton2001
“Always write for the human reader first and then the search engine second.” - @JasonMudd9
“Don't be afraid to ask for help. You never know the answer you're going to get, but it gets you closer.” - @KenMelton2001
“A piece of advice that's been helpful to me over the years that I try to give to others is while you're writing, visualize the one person that you are writing this to.” - @JasonMudd9
“When you have a memory, it's always tied to maybe even a sound or a smell. The same thing goes to your reading. When you read something, that one nugget and it brings you back, you're like, Oh, man, I remember that.” - @KenMelton2001

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

Contact Ken Melton:

Ken Melton on Twitter

Ken Melton on LinkedIn

Additional Resources:

Encouragement for your writing journey PRSA article
Newsjack your way into the spotlight
Listen to more episodes of the On Top of PR podcast.
Find out more about Axia Public Relations.

Episode recorded: September 6, 2023

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Earned media coverage doesn’t work the way you think it does with Jason Mudd

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 19:00:00 -0400

Explore earned media coverage insights with Jason Mudd, CEO of Axia Public Relations, and gain valuable insights into effective PR strategies.

Guest Bio:

Our episode guest is Jason Mudd, the CEO of Axia Public Relations and a trusted adviser to some of America's most admired brands. With a career spanning decades, he has worked with prominent organizations, including American Airlines, Hilton, and Verizon.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. Why media coverage needs to feature your company’s products or services

2. Why more prominent, bigger media isn’t always better

3. Why you should act like a billion dollar company for media coverage

4. How to act like a publicly traded company in the media

5. How to make journalists care about your company and pitches

Quotables:

“You are more likely to get more readership, maybe less eyeballs, but more readership on that brief than you are a full feature story because people are busy and they just don't have time to read a full feature story.” - Jason Mudd
“At the end of the day, shorter means more people are going to invest in it.” Jason Mudd
“In PR we tend to forget that it's about relationships and building relationships. So I'm a big advocate for putting relationships back into public relations.” - Jason Mudd
“80% of the time they're covering prominent companies. Now, 20% of the time they're doing something else, and that's your opportunity, but it's only 20% of the time. So you've got to think more opportunistically about looking for ways to get woven into and tied into the organization.” - Jason Mudd
“The more you act like a publicly traded company even when you're not public and you're willing to talk openly about your numbers, whether they're true financial dollars or percentages, then that makes you have more substance to the news that you're sharing and therefore automatically makes you more newsworthy.” - Jason Mudd
“Have an audience focus, empathetic message about why they should care, how this is going to help them.” - Jason Mudd

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with others and leave us a review!

About Jason Mudd:

Jason Mudd is the CEO of Axia Public Relations, with a career spanning decades and collaborations with prominent organizations, including American Airlines, Hilton, and Verizon.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Additional Resources from Axia Public Relations:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

The benefits of purpose-driven storytelling

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 15:00:00 -0400

Pam Fultz and Jason Mudd discuss the importance of purpose-driven storytelling for PR professionals.

Guest:

Our episode guest is Pam Fultz, Senior Community Relations Manager at Bentley Village. Pam is also an adjunct lecturer for the University of Florida and Northeastern University. She is a past president of PRSA’s Gulf Coast chapter.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

What purpose-driven storytelling is
Why purpose-driven storytelling is important
How writers can pull at their audience’s heartstrings
Why PR professionals should use mission-driven stories
How to create purpose-driven stories without sounding too salesy

Quotables

“PR is not just about media coverage, it’s more.” — @Jason Mudd
“Stories are designed to make an emotional connection with people … and ultimately create brand loyalty.” — Pam Fultz
“PR's role is not just external communication, it's also internal communication.” — @Jason Mudd
“You have to find the stories. You have to dig deep and find those connections.” — @Pam Fultz

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Pam Fultz

Pam Fultz, M.S., APR, is an educator, public relations professional, and volunteer. She works as the senior community relations manager of Vi at Bentley Village and teaches as an adjunct lecturer for the University of Florida and Northeastern University. Pam teaches graduate courses in Public Relations Measurement & Evaluation, Public Interest Communications: Measuring Social Change, and Crisis Communications. She also serves as a Wildlife Committee ambassador for the Conservancy of Southwest Florida.

Pam holds a Master of Science degree in corporate and organizational communications from Northeastern University in Boston and a Bachelor of Science degree in communications from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. She is a past president of PRSA’s Gulf Coast chapter.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Episode recorded: Aug. 23, 2023

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Disaster Communications: 5 Ways to Make the Most of A Bad Situation with Amy Susán

Tue, 15 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Amy Susán and Jason Mudd discuss disaster communications and five ways to make the most of a bad situation.

Guest:

Our episode guest is Amy Susán of Columbia, Missouri. She is the Director of PR and Communications at EquipmentShare, where she harnesses digital tools and an engaging approach to develop and guide mission-based visions, influential brands with purpose, and unforgettable campaigns.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How authenticity leads action
Identifying an ambassador
Establishing a reputable partner
Letting others tell your story
The power of internal communications

Quotables:

[05:59] “What we're talking about today is, you know, not necessarily how to take advantage of those instances, but how to do the best for your company and most importantly, for those people that are impacted.” - Amy
[06:08] “When we talk about disaster communications and crisis communications as it relates to natural disasters, I really think it needs to be handled, and it sounds so ominous, but D.E.A.D. And that's handled delicately, empathetically, and diplomatically.” - Amy
[06:30] “You have to imagine that you are there because it's going to have to come up authentic. And if not, it's just going to ring on deaf ears.” - Amy
[07:13] “It's the traditional “P’s” of PR, so we protect our identity and our public image. We promote all of our services and then we position our company as a thought leader.” - Amy
[08:25] “You have to remove yourself so that you can get the correct information. But then you also have to, at a later time, really go through those feelings and experience them.” - Amy
[08:37] “Journalists are supposed to be independent observers, right? And so if you know, it can be hard for them to do that sometimes. It can also be hard for them to, you know, separate those emotions.” - Jason
[11:35] “Identifying an ambassador on the ground that truly embodies your core values is really, really important.” - Amy

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Franchising, Home Improvement & Home Services with Ryan Spalding

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 15:00:00 -0400

Ryan Spalding and Jason Mudd discuss franchising, home improvement and home services.

Guest:

Our episode guest is Ryan Spalding of Toronto, Canada. He is the Director of Franchise Marketing at Garage Living where he has created and implemented the marketing strategy for over 40 franchise locations and leads the marketing team across all marketing channels.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How marketing in the music industry differs from the home improvement industry
How customer home service has changed after the pandemic
How online reviews impact lead generation
The nuances of doing business internationally
How PR can be used for franchisors

Quotables:

[04:50] “[In the music industry and the home improvement industry] you’re still using the same marketing principles. You're identifying your target market and you’re looking at tactics to reach those of that audience, whether it’s through traditional marketing, avenues, digital marketing avenues, or whether it’s through publicity campaigns.” - Ryan
[09:52] “During the pandemic, it was almost easier [for franchises] to launch, because everyone is really interested in improving your home during the pandemic.” - Ryan
[11:12] “I think that the demand is reverting back to what it was before the pandemic. Now you’re maybe back in the office and can travel. There’s options to spend your money in other places.” - Ryan
[18:37] “Now more than ever, online reviews are more important than perhaps they were a couple years ago. Especially for our industry and our segment.” - Ryan
[19:04] “People are going to online reviews whether it’s Google, Facebook, or the platform to see what the reputation is of the company, especially if they’re not too familiar with it. That’s a perfect place for them to go to.” - Ryan
[19:30] “Google reviews are obviously super important because they feed into other aspects like your SEO and your google rankings.” - Ryan
[21:00] “People are going to look to profiles to see if they’re active, if they have a lot of followers, how they are responding to people leaving comments. It’s just another way to build your reputation and your social trust.” - Ryan
[23:00] “When we’re looking at our marketing strategy, we’re not looking at just one area of marketing, whether it be digital advertising, Google reviews, or social media, we’re not just looking at them in silos, we’re looking at them as a whole picture. I believe that PR plays a big role in that.” - Ryan

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Ryan Spalding

Ryan Spalding of Toronto, Canada, is the Director of Franchise Marketing at Garage Living. Before breaking into the franchising and home improvement industry, Ryan worked in marketing for the music industry for 17 years. He worked with both Warner Music Canada and Dine Alone Records. Ryan joined Garage Living in 2020 where he has created and implemented the marketing strategy for over 40 franchise locations and leads the marketing team across all marketing channels.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

PR tips with a former news anchor with Bob Wiltfong

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 15:00:00 -0400

Bob Wiltfong and Jason Mudd discuss PR tips from a former news anchor.

Guest:

Our episode guest is Bob Wiltfong, a retired TV News personality and now Axia’s Public Relations Account Director.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How to build media relationships
Knowing when the pitch is right
What is newsjacking
The elements of news
How to leverage local news on behalf of your brand

Quotables

4:10 “It's helpful to frame it as all you need is really one yes, that's all you're looking for is one yes. You're in a sea of no’s. So, you're just swimming through no's to get to that one yes, and you will find that one yes. You just got to keep swimming.” – @Bob Wiltfong
4:30 “In PR, I tell people that the first 50 rejections are the hardest. So, once you get past having people say no 50 times, then it just kind of rolls off your back. The other cliche I like to say is a quick no is better than a forever maybe.” – @Jason Mudd
6:45 “Sometimes you just have to change things up if you're getting ghosted. Try to approach them from a different channel.” – @Jason Mudd
8:28 “One practice that's very helpful is the idea of read and react [by Michael Smart]. Instead of trying to please the journalists and consume everybody, all you're trying to do is consume your top-focused targets. Every day make a point of consuming maybe one or two of their content pieces and then contact them or reach out to them with no pitch, just compliments.” – @Bob Wiltfong
9:35 “PR people can't be PR people if they're not spending time consuming content. You can't pitch something that you've never seen. I don't know a single PR person who's really good at what they do, who does not consume news.” – @Jason Mudd
12:20 “Clients who I see aren't successful with media are those that can't spend time with a journalist unless they're going to cover them. That's just the wrong approach. You're not investing the relationship the right way.” – @Jason Mudd
19:30 “When you talk about real estate, you talk about location, location, location. With news, it's local, local, local.” – @Bob Wiltfong
23:50 “The three elements I was taught in J School are very true. Is it timely? Is it local? Is it out of the ordinary?” – @Bob Wiltfong
28:37 “One of the things we have in our arsenal, as PR people, is that journalists and outlets are an open book for their staff.” – @Bob Wiltfong

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

How our PR firm is using AI and how you can too

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 15:00:00 -0400

Guest:

Our episode guest is Jason Mudd, CEO of Axia Public Relations.

Five things you’ll learn about in this episode:

Starting using AI
Using caution with AI
Setting up policies around using AI
Communicating and enforcing policies around AI
Ways to use AI

Quotables

“AI is a tool that can help you be more productive, and like anything else — when mobile technology came out, when social media came out, when e-commerce came out — you can either ignore those things or you could be early adopters of those things and start pioneering the way.” — @JasonMudd9
“AI works really fast and is a very helpful and powerful tool. The issue is the quality of the tools. The quality of the tool reminds me of an intern, a college student or maybe even a high school student as far as the quality of the work goes.” — @JasonMudd9
“You really are going to have to take this [AI] rough draft, and I emphasize the rough in it, and finesse it, tweak it, and modify it to get it to where it needs to be production ready.” — @JasonMudd9
“Like what Ronald Reagan said, ‘trust but verify’ — so you need to verify that people are following the policies that you created, and you need to enforce those policies.” — @JasonMudd9
“We are not using AI to replace the talent that we have at our agency or the talent assigned to your account. Instead, we’re using AI to keep those people doing what is called their highest and best use — HBU.” — @JasonMudd9
“AI is a rough draft; it’s an entry-level virtual assistant giving you some guidance.” — @JasonMudd9
“If [you] can’t give input properly, [you’re] never going to be able to use AI properly.” — @JasonMudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Jason Mudd

Jason Mudd is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands and fastest-growing companies. Since 1994, he’s worked with American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster’s, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon. He founded Axia Public Relations in July 2002. Forbes named Axia as one of America’s Best PR Agencies.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Shattering the Six Gender Bias Barriers Still Holding Women Back at Work with Amy Diehl

Mon, 01 May 2023 15:00:00 -0400

Amy Diehl and Jason Mudd discuss how bias against women persists in female-dominated workplaces.

Guest:

Our episode guest is Amy Diehl, Ph.D., the chief information officer at Wilson College and a workplace gender bias expert and consultant. She has a 27-year career in information technology and is a prominent gender equity researcher. Her work has been published in academic journals, book chapters, and in Fast Company, Ms. Magazine and Harvard Business Review.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

Why men are in leadership roles more often than women
What makes an industry equitable
How to make your workplace healthy for men and women
The phenomenon of presentism
How to eliminate bias and what can women do if they are confronted by bias

Quotables

“What's better is for managers, for leaders, to set goals for their employees, you know, certainly provide them with the resources to meet their goals and the support that they need, but measure the success by the goals and not just by the time spent in that chair.” - Amy Diehl
“Workplaces were originally built by men and for men with men's needs in mind, but not women’s. So one aspect of male privilege is something called male gatekeeping. So when the men are in charge, they get to decide who gets to enter leadership. And when they do allow women into leadership, when they're using male gatekeeping, they put boundaries around women's authority.” - Amy Diehl
“The problem is the pipeline for the sake of women, it leaks. And again, it's because of the barriers that they're facing day in and day out.” - Amy Diehl
“There’s things you can do to make your workplace healthy, not just for women, but for men too. And so if you are the person at the top, you're a leader. There's lots of steps you can take.” - Amy Diehl
“Whenever women encounter bias or are confronted by bias, the first thing is they should not take it personally.” - Amy Diehl

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with others and leave us a review!

About Amy Diehl

Amy Diehl, Ph.D., is the chief information officer at Wilson College and a workplace gender bias expert and consultant. She has a 27-year career in information technology and is a prominent gender equity researcher. Her work has been published in academic journals, book chapters, and in Fast Company, Ms. Magazine and Harvard Business Review. She was named to the 2020 EdTech Dean’s List of Higher Ed IT Influencers Worth a Follow. She was also named a 2019 Central Penn Business Journal Woman of Influence and received the 2016 Women and Leadership Affinity Group Outstanding Scholarship for Emerging Scholars Award from the International Leadership Association.

Order Amy Deihl's new book, Glass Walls: Shattering the Six Gender Bias Barriers Still Holding Women Back at W

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

How to become an excellent TEDx speaker with Alan Cohen

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 18:00:00 -0400

Guest:

Our episode guest is Alan Cohen, an author, public speaker, executive coach, and trainer for organizations and individuals seeking to maximize potential and drive peak performance in their lives, organizations, and careers. He is a Ted Talk speaker, and trains other speakers to speak on the stage and to use speaking to grow their business.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

What makes a good speech
How to stand out against other TEDx applicants
How to be bold and back it up
Why you need to identify your goal of being a TEDx speaker
Why you shouldn’t be afraid if your idea isn’t new

Quotables

“I tell people all the time, you know, you've got to say something provocative, contrarian, and unique that they haven't heard everybody else say, because you sound like everybody else, they're not going to pick you.” — @JasonMudd9
“The thing that I think makes a great TEDx speech is it is when people really bring their stories and their histories into the story and are willing to be vulnerable in that way too, regardless of what the topic is.” - Alan Cohen
“So if you've got props like bring them, if you feel like if, if singing is part of your story, then sing. Do creating art on stage. Do that, play the drums, do whatever that. I think creativity goes a long way, as long as it doesn't obscure the key message and the way that you want people to be thinking differently.” - Alan Cohen
“The more pure your purpose for doing it, I think, the more the energy of your application will appeal to the committee.” - Alan Cohen
“It's researching the different TEDxes that are happening all around the country, all around the world, looking at the themes online, and seeing if you can connect your origin story, your journey to one of the themes.” - Alan Cohen

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with others and leave us a review!

About Alan Cohen
Our episode guest is Alan Cohen, an author, public speaker, executive coach, and trainer for organizations and individuals seeking to maximize potential and drive peak performance in their lives, organizations, and careers. He is a Ted Talk speaker, and trains other speakers to speak on the stage and to use speaking to grow their business. Spending decades as both a marketing expert and Human Resources consultant, he presided over the successful launch of the Harry Potter series as Scholastic’s Director of Marketing, as well as Director of Communications for the Broadway League. As an Executive Coach, Alan has worked with global organizations including Bloomberg, Tiffany, American Express, NBC, Bravo, Edelman Public Relations and MetLife.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

No tricks, just content with Dave Auchter

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Guest:

Our episode guest is Dave Auchter, vice president at Haskell. In this episode, Dave Auchter joins host Jason Mudd to discuss all things content. They discuss the three pillars of content and other information regarding technology Haskell uses and how they keep their job sites safe.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

No tricks, just content
The technology stack
The three pillars of content
How Haskell is creating safer job sites
Tips on attracting, recruiting, and retaining talent

Quotables

“We typically say 70 to 80% of our customers are repeat customers, but as you can imagine, as we've grown, it's taken new customers to help with that growth.” — Dave Auchter
“Optimize first for the human and second for SEO.” — @JasonMudd9
“If you’re going to buy a mattress, buy a good mattress because you’re going to be on that mattress for a third of your life. That’s the same with your work.” — Dave Auchter
“Yeah, but not just content. We talk about business development in three stages.” — Dave Auchter

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Dave Auchter

Dave is chief marketing officer at Haskell overseeing enterprise-wide corporate marketing. Haskell delivers more than $2 billion annually in architecture, engineering, construction (AEC) and consulting solutions to assure certainty of outcome for complex capital projects worldwide.

Dave Auchter’s contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

Motivating your employee with the value of PR

Disclosure: One or more of the links we shared here might be affiliate links that offer us a referral reward when you buy from them.

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.

On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Using procurement to find a PR agency with Leah Power

Mon, 20 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Jason Mudd discusses best practices for procurement in public relations with Leah Power.

Guest:

Our episode guest is Leah Power. Leah has been working with agency leaders and their executive teams for over 25 years – first agency-side at media and creative agencies in Canada and the U.S., and now at the Institute of Canadian Agencies, the not-for-profit trade association agencies across Canada.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

The reason brands and clients hire an agency
The difficulties that come with having an in-house agency
When to involve procurement when hiring an agency
When to not involve procurement when hiring an agency
Non-negotiables you should have when going to procurement during the agency hiring process

Quotables

“The client needs an expert, and that’s why they go to any agency.” — @power_lp
“It’s really hard to recruit, develop, and retain that expert in an in-house environment.” — @JasonMudd9
“Know when to make it and know when to buy it.” — @power_lp
“It’s important for clients to connect with their procurement department to understand what their role is, to understand what they bring to the table. They’re there to mitigate risks. It’s a really important role.” — @power_lp
“Procurement works for the department that is seeking out the relationship as opposed to that department having to work under and for procurement.” — @JasonMudd9
“I like to talk about the relationship between the client, procurement professional, and the agency as a three-legged stool. And you know what happens when you don’t involve one of the legs on the stool – it falls over.” — @ power_lp

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with others and leave us a review!

About Leah Power

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

www.20percent.com/

Additional Resources from Axia Public Relations:

Disclosure: One or more of the links we shared here might be affiliate links that offer us a referral reward when you buy from them.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

100th episode: Lessons learned in podcasting

Mon, 06 Mar 2023 13:00:00 -0500

Jason Mudd discusses his podcast journey in this solocast for our 100th episode of On Top of PR.

Guest:

Our solocast is with host Jason Mudd, CEO at Axia Public Relations.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How Axia started podcasting
Why you might want your own branded podcast
The three phases of starting a podcast
How to successfully promote and monetize your podcast
What producing and launching a podcast consists of

Quotables

“This is when your hard work starts to pay dividends because you'll want to build relationships, you'll want to promote the episode, and you will want to obviously attract sponsors who are underwriting the show itself.” — @JasonMudd9
“Consumers have this idea subconsciously or otherwise, that if you haven't launched 10 episodes yet, you're probably not established or credible. So if you launched day one with 10 episodes, you're giving quite a menu of options and topics that people can enjoy.” — @JasonMudd9
“I recommend you invest the time it takes to do it well and do it right, but don't have analysis paralysis. The first step is launching, and then you can improve on an ongoing basis." — @JasonMudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Additional Axia Resources:

Disclosure: One or more of the links we shared here might be affiliate links that offer us a referral reward when you buy from them.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Best practices for internal communications with Casey Mank

Mon, 20 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Casey Mank and Jason Mudd discuss best practices for internal communications.

Guest:

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

Why you are not a great writer yet
Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF) & what it means
The importance of keeping everything you do forward-friendly
Why you should answer emails in a timely manner
How to decide what emails should be conversations

Quotables

“I'm always emphasizing that they need to understand at least the difference between a goal and an objective, and a strategy and a tactic.” — @JasonMudd9
“Writing is really social and you need other people to look at your work, and you need feedback from real humans, not just you going over your draft alone again and again. So yeah, you're not a great writer alone. You need other people to react to your draft with you and give you that perspective.” — @bold_type
“I would love it if teams within organizations would actually just take a few minutes to sit down and set out what their own best practices are around emails for emailing each other and their clients.” — @bold_type
“So (BLUF) bottom line up front, it just means you come in and you immediately say what is the main high-level takeaway from this communication? And then you can go back and say, and here's the background and here's the details, and here's how we got here.” — @bold_type
“Especially when I see somebody sending an email that's just all over the place, I'm like, tell me what you're gonna tell me. Tell me, and then tell me what you told me again.” — @JasonMudd99
“Any email you send, there's a very permanent electronic record of it. And I want you to imagine that it can be on the front page of the New York Times.” — @bold_type

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with others and leave us a review!

About Casey Mank

Our episode guest is Casey Mank, co-founder of Bold Type, a woman-owned communications skills training firm that focuses on workplace writing skills. She's led writing workshops for organizations including Kellogg's, Sephora, and Mastercard. Mank has a background as an English teacher, teaching in different programs and schools around Georgetown University. She’s previously been at the business school and currently teaches in the school of nursing at Georgetown’s medical campus. Mank got into teaching professional teams how to do their workplace writing tasks and likes to stay on the line between academia and workplace writing.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Recruiting and Retaining Young PR Professionals with Kim Ades

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Kim Ades and Jason Mudd discuss recruiting and retaining young PR professionals.

Guest:
Our episode guest is Kim Ades, the founder of Frame of Mind CoachingTM and co-founder of The Journal That Talks BackTM. She's a pioneer in leadership coaching and thought mastery. She uses her unique philosophy and direct coaching style to help leaders identify their blind spots and learn to direct their thinking to achieve extraordinary results.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

The four things companies need to have to slow turnover
Why organizations lose their top talent
Improving mental well-being in work and your personal life
The myth of work-life balance
Why empathy is not a good idea

Quotables

“I started to understand that young people are faced with a whole bunch of challenges that perhaps I wasn't faced with when I was young, or I saw them a lot differently.” — @kimades
“We can be compassionate, we can be understanding, we can acknowledge that someone is suffering, but jumping in the pool beside them never serves them.” — @kimades
“So they want to be part of an environment where they are accepted, validated, and appreciated. They want their work to count in the grand scheme of what they're doing at work. And so noticing what they are doing, noticing their contribution is very, very important. When they are under-noticed, then that's a problem for them.” — @kimades
“They need support outside of the workplace. So when they're feeling that anxiety, when they're feeling that turbulence, when they start a new job and they're unsure of themselves and they're not reading the room properly, or they get feedback from their boss and they think it's the end of the world, they need a place to go and work through that.” — @kimades

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with others and leave us a review!

About Kim Ades
Our episode guest is Kim Ades, the founder of Frame of Mind CoachingTM and co-founder of The Journal That Talks BackTM. She's a pioneer in leadership coaching and thought mastery. She uses her unique philosophy and direct coaching style to help leaders identify their blind spots and learn to direct their thinking to achieve extraordinary results.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

The Journal That Talks Back

Additional Axia Resources:

Disclosure: One or more of the links we shared here might be affiliate links that offer us a referral reward when you buy from

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Dealing with stress in the public relations industry with Mark Mohammadpour

Mon, 23 Jan 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Mark Mohammadpour and Jason Mudd discuss easing stress that comes with working in the PR industry.

Guest:
Our episode guest is Mark Mohammadpour, the founder and chief well-being officer at Chasing the Sun. After experiencing the stress of the PR industry and realizing the toll it took on his body, he made a change in his life, allowing him to lose 150 pounds and help others with their well-being too.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

Why is PR stressful?
How to make the PR profession less stressful
Hacks for saving employees’ time
How to successfully wind down after work
What employers need to consider of employees

Quotables

“Since at least 2012, a company called CareerCast has named PR manager or PR executive as one of the top 10 most stressful jobs” — @JasonMudd9
“Our role is building relationships, that's literally the title of what we do and the definition, and it takes a lot of time.” — @markmoh
“It's important to acknowledge that, because we are building relationships, it takes time, it takes a lot of brain power and it takes a lot of physical energy as well.” — @markmoh
“But not only is there a new cycle that's 24/7, there's a social media cycle that's 24/7, there's the search engines, and web content that's 24/7.” — @JasonMudd9
“Because we're seeing employees really ask themselves, ‘How is my life positively impacted at this company, what's the relationship like,’ you know, why is it that people are staying, and what's being impacted there, and what are those, what are those variables?” — @markmoh

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with others and leave us a review!

About Mark Mohammadpour
Mark Mohammadpour is the founder and chief well-being officer at Chasing the Sun. After spending his public relations career as an executive at Edelman and Weber Shandwick, and after losing and keeping off 150 pounds over the last decade, Mark launched Chasing the Sun to empower PR professionals to prioritize their well-being so they can shine in the family room and the board room.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

Chasing the Sun: Your Chief Wellness Podcast with Mark Mohammadpour

Additional Axia Resources:

Disclosure: One or more of the links we shared here might be affiliate links that offer us a referral reward when you buy from them.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Making your company notable and quotable with Shanita Akintonde

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 20:00:00 -0500

Shanita Akintonde and Jason Mudd discuss building anticipation and brand loyalty for your company.

Guest

Our episode guest is Shanita Akintonde, CEO at ShanitaSpeaks. Shanita Akintonde is an international speaker, author, and educator. She’s also a former PRSA Diversity and Inclusion Committee National Chair.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How to sell the anticipation of your brand and company
PR best practices that infuse branding strategies
Big brand concepts to borrow as a PR pro
How to borrow those big brand concepts for your own company
Time-tested traditional and nontraditional ways to ensure PR success

Quotables

“Being true to themselves as a brand and also being true to their consumers creates a perfect creme brulee because it allows for the authenticity of the brand to shine on the consumers in a way that lets them be their best selves.” — @_ShanitaSpeaks
“Don't be afraid of a multimedia approach to getting the word out.” — @_ShanitaSpeaks
“It's not about what people are thinking about us in our brands, it's how we make them feel.” — @_ShanitaSpeaks
“The written word is so powerful; it's even more powerful in some cases than the spoken word because I can go back and revisit it and look at it and hold it close.” — @_ShanitaSpeaks
“Being notable and quotable is about changing the world.” — @_ShanitaSpeaks

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with others and leave us a review!

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

Additional Axia Resources:

Episode recorded: August 18, 2022

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Why you should invest in PR throughout a recession

Tue, 03 Jan 2023 14:00:00 -0500

In this solocast, host Jason Mudd describes why it’s important to continue to invest in PR during a recession and provides ways to keep your company in consumers’ minds.

Tune in to learn more!

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Impostor Syndrome with Kris Kelso

Tue, 13 Dec 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Our episode guest is Kris Kelso, CEO at The Kelso Group. He is a keynote speaker, entrepreneur, and author of “Overcoming The Impostor: Silence Your Inner Critic and Lead with Confidence.”

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

What impostor syndrome is
What the opposite of impostor syndrome is
Why impostor syndrome is more common in high achievers
How the Peter Principle relates to impostor syndrome
How to overcome impostor syndrome

Quotables

“Humble confidence is your confidence being in the ability that you have to learn and adapt and grow.” — @kriskelso
“It's the ability to say, I may not have all the answers, but I believe I can find the answers and I may not have achieved everything I want to achieve, but I believe that I'm on the path to getting there.” — @kriskelso
“Don’t value yourself by comparing yourself to others.” — @kriskelso
“The only person that I need to be better than is me yesterday.” — @kriskelso
“Success is built on the learning that comes through failure. And so when that inner critic wants to tell you, ‘You're at risk of failure, you better back up,’ the mindset shift that you can use to combat that fear is failure is learning.” — @kriskelso
“Community without vulnerability will feed your impostor syndrome, but community with vulnerability will starve it.” — @kriskelso

About Kris Kelso

Kris Kelso is a keynote speaker, entrepreneur, and author of “Overcoming The Impostor: Silence Your Inner Critic and Lead with Confidence.” Trained and certified as an executive coach, Kris has worked with hundreds of entrepreneurs, business owners, and their leadership teams. He is a faculty instructor at the Professional Christian Coaching Institute, an adviser and instructor at the Nashville Entrepreneur Center, and a contributing writer for publications including Fast Company Magazine, Yahoo Finance, and The Nashville Business Journal.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Listen to more episodes of the On Top of PR podcast
Find out more about Axia Public Relations
Find Kris Kelso on Twitter
Connect and learn more about Kris Kelso on LinkedIn
Visit kriskelso.com for more information.

Additional Resources:

https://www.kriskelso.com/ontopofpr/
Stop telling women they have impostor syndrome (regarding Kris's concerns about the article)

Additional Resources from Axia Public Relations:

The three types of PR agency clients.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Taking your speaking skills to the next level with Allison Shapira of Global Public Speaking

Tue, 29 Nov 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Our episode guest is Allison Shapira, CEO of Global Public Speaking. Before starting her public speaking coaching career, she was an opera singer.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

The performance of public speaking
The public speaking skills you need today
How to craft talking points
How to develop a speech for an executive
How to take your speaking skills to the next level

Quotables

“I actually start with opera and end with folk music to make a point about authenticity over perfection in our public speaking. So I've been able to bring music into my keynotes, which I love.” — @allisonshapira
“Even if you're not being paid, every time you're onstage, you have an opportunity to influence others' behaviors, thoughts, actions. And that's such an awesome responsibility. We don't want to wing it.” — @allisonshapira
“Read it out loud and make sure it sounds good to the ear as opposed to looking good to the eye.” — @allisonshapira

About Allison Shapira

Allison Shapira is a former opera singer-turned-entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and expert in public speaking. She is the founder/CEO of Global Public Speaking LLC, a communication training firm and certified woman-owned small business that helps people speak clearly, concisely, and confidently – both virtually and in person. She teaches public speaking at the Harvard Kennedy School and has spent nearly 20 years developing leadership communication programs for Fortune 50 companies, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations around the world. Allison is a certified virtual presenter and a certified speaking professional. She holds a master’s degree in public administration from the Harvard Kennedy School and is the author of “Speak with Impact: How to Command the Room and Influence Others,” which was a Washington Post bestseller. She was a finalist for 2017 Woman Business Owner of the Year by the National Association of Women Business Owners, San Diego Chapter. She lives in the Washington, D.C., area.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

Disclosure: One or more of the links we share here might be affiliate links that offer us a referral reward when you buy from them.

Additional Axia Resources:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Crisis communications insurance with Bob Dietzel, co-founder at KMRD Partners

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Our episode guest is Bob Dietzel, co-founder at KMRD Partners. He has a Master of Business as well as an associate in risk management and certified insurance counselor designations.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

What corporate crisis insurance does
How to know insurance covers your crisis management
Which in-house employee to speak to in order to learn more about the crisis insurance plan
Who to speak to at the insurance company to understand your insurance plan
Why it's important to have crisis insurance

Quotables

“Research shows that for every dollar you spend on crisis planning, you'll save $7 during a crisis.” — @JasonMudd9
“It doesn't cost anything to start building a relationship other than your time.” — @JasonMudd9
“From an insurance perspective, it's important to understand that ‘reputation’ is a broad term and it's not insured.” — @BobDietzel

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Bob Dietzel

Bob co-founded KMRD Partners in 2005. KMRD is a risk and human capital solutions firm where he serves as his clients’ outsourced risk manager and insurance broker. Bob has his Master in Business as well as associate in risk management and certified insurance counselor designations.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

Cyber Risk Management and Insurance

Additional Axia Resources:

Episode recorded: June 6, 2022

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

About your host, Jason Mudd

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

The State of Journalism & PR 2022 reports with Greg Galant, CEO of Muck Rack

Tue, 01 Nov 2022 05:00:00 -0400

Our episode guest is Greg Galant, CEO at Muck Rack. He built Muck Rack to enable PR teams to work together to find the right journalists for their stories, send customized pitches, and so much more.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

The origin of Muck Rack
The current states of Journalism and PR (2022)
How to find what’s being written about in the media
Best practices for media pitching
What journalists need from PR professionals

Quotables

“More people are spinning off and becoming influencers or content creators and newsletter writers.” — @JasonMudd9
“I'm often advising clients the same thing. Just like these journalists have broken off and created their own media company. I think brands need to be thinking about what kind of owned media or web media and content they can be creating themselves.” — @JasonMudd9
“I think that everybody in this industry has to really focus on what are the right outlets to be reaching for your earned media efforts and in doing your research there and challenging your clients or your bosses to like, if they're still old school about what publications they read to realize there're new publications and new outlets that matter.” — @gregory
“The advice we're giving to our clients on an ongoing basis is the point of earned media. You can't control it, and you can't necessarily time it, but it's super credible.” — @JasonMudd9
“The goal of the pitch isn't to provide every single last detail about your story because if the journalist is interested, they'll ask questions, that's why they became journalists.” — @gregory
“I always tell people, the media is an audience, a channel and a tool.” — @JasonMudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Greg Galant

Gregory Galant is the co-founder and CEO of Muck Rack, a platform enabling PR teams to work together to find the right journalists for their stories, send customized pitches, build meaningful relationships with the media, monitor news and quantify their impact. It’s used by thousands of organizations, including Taco Bell, Pfizer, Golin, International Committee of the Red Cross, Knight Foundation, Kauffman Foundation and Penguin Random House. Muck Rack is also the solution of choice for journalists, who use Muck Rack’s free, automatically updated portfolios to showcase their work and provide information about what stories they’re looking for.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

Additional Axia Resources:

Use Twitter to build foundations for relationships with j

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Pitching news stories to media outlets solocast with Jason Mudd from Axia Public Relations

Tue, 18 Oct 2022 05:00:00 -0400

Our episode guest is Jason Mudd, CEO at Axia Public Relations. He is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands and fastest-growing companies.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How to start writing stories for media outlets
What you should focus on in your stories.
The logistics of stories you’ll submit to media outlets.
How to pick which news outlets to pitch to
How to pitch to news media outlets

Quotables

“You can almost always network your way into some sort of opportunity to submitting [stories]” — @JasonMudd9
“One thing I would do is I would submit a new article every six to eight weeks, and I wouldn't do it any sooner than that.” — @JasonMudd9
“Use your expertise and your content to be what leads the way and sets the path for you ahead.” — @JasonMudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with others and leave us a review,

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

Disclosure: One or more of the links we share here might be affiliate links that offer us a referral reward when you buy from them.

Episode recorded: July, 2022

About your host, Jason Mudd

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

4 lessons in empathy from ‘Ted Lasso’ with Mark Mohammadpour, CEO of Chasing the Sun

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 04:00:00 -0400

Mark Mohammadpour is the founder and chief well-being officer at Chasing the Sun.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

Four lessons of empathy from Ted Lasso
What toxic positivity is
How to implement empathetic practices for employees
How to implement empathetic practices for clients
How to change your actions to suit your employees and clients better

Quotables

“The character Higgins gave Keely this advice: A good mentor hopes you'll move on; a great mentor knows you'll move on.” — @markmoh
“As leaders, we know that our good employees are going to move on. How we respond to it is what's most important.” — @markmoh
“The way that you are communicating that you're leaving is going to have an impact on not only a direct manager but the rest of the organization.” — @markmoh
“It's hard to have empathy when you're tired. Understand where your employees or clients are coming from.” — @JasonMudd9
“It's all about taking care of yourself so you can take care of others, and the way you take care of others is showing love and empathy for them and understanding their situation.” — @JasonMudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with others and leave us a review!

About Mark Mohammadpour

Mark Mohammadpour is the founder and chief well-being officer at Chasing the Sun. After spending his public relations career as an executive at several well-known PR industries and losing and keeping off 150 pounds over the last decade, Mark launched Chasing the Sun to empower PR professionals to prioritize their well-being so they can shine in the family room and the board room.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

Additional Resources from Axia Public Relations:

The value of listening and empathy in PR

Episode recorded: May 19, 2022

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

About your host, Jason Mudd

On Top of PR host, Jason Mudd, is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands and fastest-growing compan

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

How company executives can become powerful keynote speakers with Michael Port from Heroic Public Speaking

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 05:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Michael Port, CEO of Heroic Public Speaking, joins host Jason Mudd to discuss the art of public speaking. Tune in to learn how to express yourself on stage, the different types of speaking events, the four categories of a keynote speaker, how to prepare a speech, and much more!

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How to express yourself fully when speaking
What to think about before hiring a PR agency to book your speaking engagements
How to use a breakout room to gain a keynote speaking opportunity
The four categories of keynote speakers
How to choose a topic to speak on

Quotables

“When you feel fully self-expressed, you generally feel more confident.” — @michaelport
“If you want to do something visionary, start with what really pisses you off.” — @michaelport
“Make sure that you care more about the audience and the experience they have than about what you're going to get out of the experience.” — @michaelport
“You might want to consider moving out of expertville and into visionary town.”— @michaelport
“You start with a question, and it's important to ask a question that Google can't answer.”— @michaelport

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with others and leave us a review!

About Michael Port

Michael Port is the author of nine books, which have been translated into 29 languages. A few of them have become perennial bestsellers and made it onto such lists as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and USA Today. Some have won awards from 800-CEO-READ and Amazon. After delivering thousands of paid speeches on the world’s biggest stages, Michael and his wife, Amy, built Heroic Public Speaking HQ, a performance training center, to develop and nurture the next generation of professional speakers along with CEOs and founders, bestselling authors, business owners, and people leading movements and advancing important causes.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Corporate communications with Matt Hurst, VP of Communications at Nielsen

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 05:00:00 -0400

Our episode guest is Matt Hurst, vice president of communications at Nielsen. Matt started his career as a sports writer then transitioned to communications by working on the Amazon Web Services PR team.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

Matt Hurst’s efforts on Andy Jassy’s three-hour-long keynote
Advice for working with busy executives
Current corporate challenges for Nielsen
Corporate crisis tips
What to read to stay on top of corporate communications

Quotables

“You're trying to write a press release or you're trying to write social media post or internal communications, but at the end of the day, the way we should all view ourselves is as storytellers.” — @matt_hurst16
“No day is going to be exactly the same. You wake up and you're like, OK, am I in proactive mode today for communications? Am I creating big strategic plans? Am I in the weeds on understanding how some of this measurement ratings work, and how do I communicate that? Or am I putting out a fire based on crisis comms or some backlash that Nielsen may be facing for whatever reason?” — @matt_hurst16
“(Nielsen One is) the forthcoming launch of this new cross-platform measurement that Nielsen is developing and will roll out later in 2022 to better capture the way that people are viewing and consuming media.The new updates will specifically refer to social media, digital media, influencer marketing, and in-game and in-mobile app advertising.” — @matt_hurst16
“I love being a builder in communications.” — @matt_hurst16

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with others and leave us a review!

About Matt Hurst

Matt is a data-driven and results-oriented communications professional who someone described as "a triple threat" due to his leading work across external, internal, and executive communications. He has more than 20 years of experience in global communications across a number of industries with proven experience in building high-performing teams, integrated communications plans, and corporate messaging and narratives. He is a principal adviser, speechwriter, and chief spokesperson for leaders of high-visibility organizations.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

Andy Jassy's thee-hour-long keynote speech

Additional Axia Resources:

Episode recorded: Feb 24, 2022

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Why the PR industry is a train wreck solocast with Jason Mudd

Tue, 09 Aug 2022 08:00:00 -0400

Our solocast is with host Jason Mudd, CEO at Axia PR.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

A brief history of PR
What PR is
Why the modern PR industry is a train wreck
How to elevate your career in PR
How PR pros should be measuring PR

Quotables

“They ran it verbatim, which to me is the ultimate compliment. That means you wrote a news release in a great way and you wrote it so well that the news outlet thought it was written perfectly. They didn't make any edits or changes or cuts or trims or anything like that. When that happens, you should celebrate.” — @JasonMudd9
“The PR industry was born out of a train wreck; (the) modern PR industry was born out of train wreck. Maybe it's still a train wreck and we should really do some exploration about the current practice of PR.” — @JasonMudd9
“(PR) is about the public that you serve through building mutually beneficial relationships.” — @JasonMudd9
“You can't be an expert in everything. You can't be producing a newsletter, managing the website, managing social media, doing earned media, and all these other activities.” — @JasonMudd9
“If you're busy doing all this activity and no strategy, you're never going to get anything done. You're never going to rise above the work.” — @JasonMudd9
“The way I define public relations is creative problem-solving and then communicating about it.” — @JasonMudd9
“Take a defensive posture and stand up for yourself as the expert. Don't become an order-taker; instead, become an adviser.” — @JasonMudd9
“If you don't lead, you're just going to become an order-taker, and you're going to become undervalued.” — @JasonMudd9
“No strong brand was built being comfortable. No strong brand or fast-growing company grew because they were comfortable and they played it safe. No, they took risks and they thought expansively.” — @JasonMudd9
“Don’t be boring!” — @JasonMudd9
”We need to start measuring what matters and stop measuring what doesn't matter. And what doesn't matter, oftentimes, are vanity metrics like impressions, advertising value equivalency, likes, shares, comments, clicks, et cetera. What matters is how many people did you truly reach, and how many people did you impress or educate them or get them to change an opinion.” — @JasonMudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with others and leave us a review!

Jason Mudd’s contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

How celebrity partnerships can help your PR with Celebrity Focus CEO Ric Bachrach

Tue, 26 Jul 2022 05:00:00 -0400

Our episode guest is Ric Bachrach, CEO of Celebrity Focus. His background as an athlete and collegiate coach led to a career as an agent, commercial agent, and vice president of marketing for a major sports agency and a consultant at the other.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

Common misperceptions about working with celebrity talent
The difference between celebrities and influencers
How to protect yourself when approaching a celebrity that isn’t well known yet for partnership
Whether you should give up equity or stock in a partnership with a celebrity
What name, image, likeness is

Quotables

It's very easy to have champagne taste and a beer wallet, but the beautiful thing is that if we understand that there's talent available for every budget, as long as you're flexible you're always going to have a good relationship. — @RicBachrach
It's not that celebrities aren't influencers – of course they are – but the reality is as the word influencer is most commonly used today, that's in relation to people who have become famous or achieved some relative level of fame, primarily through a digital footprint platforms that they're working on, either as bloggers, or as YouTubers, or [other] things. — @RicBachrach
You see applications that are business-to-business driven, others that are business-to-consumer. So there's no shortage of the ways that companies use celebrities nor in the different applications in the various disciplines, advertising, marketing, PR, sales, promotion. — @RicBachrach
In every single case, it's the same thing: The celebrity serves as the vehicle for the dissemination of corporate messages. — @RicBachrach
One of the things that I always counsel my clients on right out of the gate is the understanding that they are not buying a new best friend. — @RicBachrach
They can now be compensated by a brand or by an organization for the use of their name, their images, their likenesses — @RicBachrach
NIL is here to stay; the challenge with it right now is that it's unchartered territory — @RicBachrach

About Ric Bachrach

Ric is the CEO and president of Celebrity Focus. His company’s main goal is to connect famous people with famous brands. He was inspired to start the company after realizing the needs of talent and realizing he could put that to work for corporate clients. He understood this need from his background as an athlete and collegiate coach, which led him to a career as an agent, commercial agent, and vice president at a major sports agency and a consultant at the other.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

Episode r

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Embracing the power of “No” and storytelling with keynote speaker, author, and actor Rob Biesenbach

Tue, 12 Jul 2022 05:00:00 -0400

Our episode guest is Rob Biesenbach, keynote speaker, author, and retired actor. He worked in corporate communications by day and began a secondary career of acting at night. From there, he launched his keynote speaking business and has been teaching people the lessons he learned from acting and improv and how to implement them into corporate communications and business.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

The power behind saying “No” to invitations
Tips on how to decline
Lessons learned in corporate communications from acting and improv
How to become a keynote speaker and the challenges speakers currently face
How to get better at storytelling and how to access free storytelling tools

Quotables

“One of my secrets for enjoying less stress is definitely embracing the power of saying ‘No.’” — @JasonMudd9
“Not every invitation is an obligation, right? You have the opportunity to simply say no.” — @JasonMudd9
“It's easy to have a strategy or a lot of activity and no strategy. And part of that is embracing the power of ‘No.’” — @JasonMudd9
doing onstage and in front of the camera could be applied directly to my business career.” — @RobBiesenbach
“I think we could all be better storytellers.” — @JasonMudd9
“Seth Godin said logic is a battering ram. I mean, you can bury people in facts and data and evidence and all the rest, and you need that stuff. But by itself, it's not enough to persuade. You have to win hearts to change minds.” — @RobBiesenbach
“One of the most important stories that anyone can tell is the story of who they are.” — @RobBiesenbach

About Rob Biesenbach

Rob Biesenbach is a keynote speaker, workshop leader, and author. Oh, and did we mention a retired actor? Rob has not only built himself a successful career in corporate communications and started his own business but took classes at Second City where he learned how to act and do improv. Rob joined as a guest to share more about storytelling, presentation, how to say “No,” and much more!

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Episode recorded: January 27, 2022

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

About your host, Jason Mudd

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Fanocracy: What is it and what does it mean? With author David Meerman Scott

Tue, 28 Jun 2022 05:00:00 -0400

Our episode guest is David Meerman Scott, author of “Fanocracy” and the “New Rules of Marketing and PR” series. David is passionate about the band the Grateful Dead, surfing, and a few other things, as well as sharing research and advice to improve companies’ marketing strategies.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How to build fans and customers
The science behind why free things make loyal customers
Why we are fans of things
The importance of video for your business
Why passion is infectious and how your employees can build passion among fans

Quotables

“One of the things that the Grateful Dead did was they were one of the only bands that did and still do allow fans to record their concerts … You could even bring professional-level recording gear in to record concerts. And so this idea of giving away free content with absolutely no expectation of anything in return, or for that matter, giving any kind of gift without any expectation of anything in return, is a really, really great way to build fans.” — @dmscott
“People are surprised by “truly free” because we've been trained that “free” doesn't necessarily mean free. You know, there's all these free offers, but then it comes with some kind of catch.” — @dmscott
“It turns out that when we become a fan of something, what we're doing is we're actually wanting to be part of a tribe of like-minded people. That's what all humans are – we're hard-wired for that.” — @dmscott
“Communications is about a human relationship with people. It's not something that should be driven by the legal people.” — @dmscott
“A cliche I like to share is if attorneys had it their way, you would lock the doors and keep all customers and all employees out of the building. But then you … would just have a building and not a company, right?” — @JasonMudd9
“This idea of … sharing what you're passionate about has nothing to do with being a doctor. It has to do with being a human, and that builds fans.” — @dmscott
"Authenticity is key.” — @JasonMudd9

About David Meerman Scott

David started writing books, speaking at events, and advising emerging companies on how to align marketing with the ways people buy after being fired from his job. That was back in 2002, and since then his 12 books have sold over 1 million copies in 30 languages. His book "The New Rules of Marketing & PR," originally published in 2007, opened people's eyes to the new realities of marketing and public relations on the web.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Disclosure: One or more of the links we share here might be affiliate links that offer us a referral reward when you buy from them.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Ethical behavior with PRSA’s 2016 National Chair and EthicalVoices host Mark McClennan

Tue, 14 Jun 2022 05:00:00 -0400

Our episode guest is Mark McClennan, founder, CEO, and host of EthicalVoices and GM of C+C in Boston, a purpose-driven firm. He was also the 2016 PRSA National Chair.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

Why ethical failures happen
How to deal with ethical dilemmas
How to have conversations with people making unethical decisions
How to encourage ethical responsibility within your company
Current ethical failures in the PR industry and their impact

Quotables

“Ethics is at the core of deceit, betrayal, drama – all of the great stories from the past 4,000 years usually tie back to ethical failures.” — @McClennan
“Fundamentally it's only the authentic phrase that works the best.”— @McClennan
“Follow the rules as you do for management, praise in public, and criticize in private.” — @McClennan
“You need to do something, nothing, or something more.” — @McClennan
“If somebody was doing something out of envy, you're going to need to use a very different argument with somebody who's using out of obedience to authority. You know it’s not just a one-size-fits-all message.” — @McClennan
“Just like we do in crisis communications, you always want to give options. It’s not a binary solution.” — @McClennan

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with others and leave us a review.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

14 ways to save money with a PR agency with Jason Mudd

Tue, 31 May 2022 05:00:00 -0400

Jason Mudd tells how to use bundling and referral services, budget depending on PR needs, and more.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

The pros of bundling PR services
Long-term ways that you can save money with your PR agency
How to determine whether you want to spend money on PR software
How to make crisis management cheaper
Why you should cut your advertising budget and increase your PR budget

Quotable

“If you’re only engaging a PR firm this much, just a tiny bit of services, then you’re probably going to be paying a premium, but if you can bundle more services and give that PR firm more scope or more work or more projects, you should, in turn, start to see a little bit more money back to you.” — @JasonMudd9

Jason Mudd’s contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Cybersecurity and Crisis Communications with Bryce Austin, TCE Strategy

Tue, 17 May 2022 05:00:00 -0400

Bryce Austin is a foremost expert, author, keynote speaker and adviser on cybersecurity. As the CEO of TCE Strategy, he is a leading voice on emerging technology and cybersecurity issues. He actively advises the boards of companies in industries as diverse as financial services, retail, health care, technology, e-commerce, and manufacturing.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

Why you should prioritize cybersecurity
How to protect your organization’s data
Most active cybercrimes in 2022
Who’s responsible for promoting and managing cybersecurity within your organization
Information about the chief information security officer and next-generation antivirus

Quotables

“I had a 15-year career where things were moving up and up and up. And I went from bonus checks to unemployment checks because of the cybersecurity breach.” — @brycea
“I decided to start my own company to help other companies understand what these cybersecurity issues are so that they can make good real world decisions about them.” — @brycea
“You don't only have an incentive of protecting our corporate brand reputation by doing the right things to protect the company from cybersecurity breaches, but it's also in your best interest from an employment standpoint.” — @jasonmudd9
“I'm always talking about the importance of how you behave online or on connected devices at home because there's probably nothing more distracting for a productive employee than to have a personal data breach” — @jasonmudd9
“It's something I don't want to minimize, but on the grand scale of bad things that can happen in the world of cybersecurity, losing a credit card is not very high on that list, from one consumer to another.” — @brycea

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Additional resources:

Episode

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

What to do if illegal activity occurs in your organization with Gunster Law Firm’s Jonathan Osborne

Tue, 03 May 2022 05:00:00 -0400

Our episode guest is Jonathan Osborne, business shareholder and co-chair of White Collar Defense and Investigations with Gunster law firm. Jonathan tells what to do after alleged or confirmed illegal activity in your organization.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

The first step you need to take when you are aware of the investigation
The difference between a subpoena and a search warrant and what you're allowed to know
The rights whistleblowers have with your company after communicating an issue with the government
What companies can do to establish communication with employees so they bring up the issue before taking it to the government
What you can do with client privilege during an ongoing investigation

Quotables

“The first call you make is to your trusted legal adviser, whether that's in-house counsel or outside counsel. Even if they're not a criminal attorney or have any experience with these matters, they know through a referral network or just their training and otherwise, their network, to be able to quickly get somebody available.” — @JonathanOsborne
“Having a really robust compliance program that includes training, either from your in-house attorney's team or a compliance team or external counsel and compliance professionals, is key.” — @JonathanOsborne
“However, it is important in that moment for everyone that's in that premises to know that they still have their constitutional rights, which include the right to remain silent. They don't have to speak with the agents without an attorney present.” — @JonathanOsborne
“The first thing that, you know, even if the government isn't willing to provide any information, is that there's a serious problem at your business.” — @JonathanOsborne

About Jonathan Osborne

Jonathan K. Osborne began his practice at Gunster and later returned to the firm after serving in the U.S. Department of Justice as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of Florida.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Additional resources:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

How to be a great Chief Marketing Officer with Mercer Island Group’s Steve Boehler

Tue, 19 Apr 2022 05:00:00 -0400

Our episode guest is Steve Boehler, Founder of Mercer Island Group. He’s worked with well-known brands such as Tide, Pringles and Jif.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

Why delegation is important for a CMO.
What to do before you cut the cord on an old agency or hire a new one.
How to manage an already small budget for the best results.
How to be ready for the role of CMO.
Habits to establish in order to be a successful CMO.

Quotables

“And so at any given moment in time, it’s normal for a CMO to not feel like they can get it all done, or to feel confident that they even have the right roadmap in place to tackle what they need to do and to do it in the kind of prioritized way that allows them to get their job done.” — @MIG_Steve
“You have to be careful to set your own boundaries because you could be putting in that many hours every week, whether you’re driving yourself to do that or your management style is driving you to do that.” — @JasonMudd9
“One of the first pieces of advice we give to CMOs is to ensure that they put enough effort and enough time into building effective proxies for themselves.” — @MIG_Steve
“It doesn’t mean just delegating; it means building people in a way where you’re confident that they are going to represent the company and the organization the way you need them to.” — @MIG_Steve
“It’s okay for them to be fallible. It’s okay for them to not have all the answers. They need to have confidence in what they know, though, and have confidence in how they approach things.” — @MIG_Steve

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Steve Boehler

Steve Boehler has led consulting teams on behalf of clients as diverse as Nokia, HP, Microsoft, Sprint, Nintendo, Abbott Laboratories and numerous others. He founded MIG after serving as a division president in a Fortune 100 when he was only 32. Earlier in his career, Steve Boehler cut his teeth with a decade in Brand Management at Procter & Gamble, leading brands like Tide, Pringles and Jif.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

Episode recorded: Dec. 23, 2021

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

On Top of PR host, Jason Mudd, is a trusted adviser and dynamic str

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Marketing Mess to Brand Success with Franklin Covey's Scott J. Miller

Tue, 05 Apr 2022 05:00:00 -0400

Our episode guest is Scott Miller, Special Advisor on Thought Leadership for the Franklin Covey Company and host of their weekly podcast series, On Leadership with Scott Miller. Scott is also the author of several books.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How to focus on the customer and not just your company's values, goals, missions, etc.
Since everyone is an ambassador to your firm, you need individuals to understand where their value proposition is.
Why you need to understand your company’s money-making model and educate your employees on it.
How to share information and build relationships with your competition and/or companies in different industries.
Why you should hire people who are smarter than you.

Quotables

“When you own your mess, you make it safe for others to own theirs. Doesn’t every leader wish their team owned all their mistakes and their messes?”— @ScottMiller
“Donald Miller, the famous marketing mind that wrote many books, including “Building a StoryBrand,” says, “Most people’s messaging is like a cat chasing a rat in a wind chime factory.” To your point, no one cares why you’re in business or how many locations… when it’s time to expand with you, they might care. But that’s not part of why they’re hiring you.” — @ScottMiller
“Everybody is an ambassador for your brand; they should be trained and they should be advised of the responsibility of how they are a brand ambassador for your company. No matter how large or how small.” — @ScottMiller
“Everybody’s in sales. Whether your title says it or not.” — @ScottMiller
“Great public relations and marketing people have an abundance mentality, not a scarcity mentality.” — @ScottMiller
“Tim Ferriss (@tferriss) says, “Delegate, automate…” excuse me, “Eliminate, delegate, automate.” And then I add to that, and then verify, right? Verify it’s actually being done.” — @JasonMudd9
“Never stop reading ‘cause it will absolutely build your ability to think and reduce your thoughts to writing. Writing is still such a valuable competency in business.” — @ScottMiller

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

About Jason Mudd:

On Top of PR host, Jason Mudd, is a truste

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Building a brand and reputation for staffing and human resources companies with Jason Mudd

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 05:00:00 -0400

Watch the episode here

Jason Mudd describes how to build a brand and reputation for staffing and human resources companies using ADP monthly job reports.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

Build your brand and reputation by providing commentary for the monthly ADP employment reports for a TV station, magazine, newspaper, etc.
Get these opportunities by building a relationship with a newsroom reporter or news contact. Connect with them by phone, over lunch, or whatever your style is, but start building connections.
After the ADP report is released every month, write and send pitches to your contacts and be consistent with it. Eventually, your contact could use your commentary.
If your pitch isn’t used that month, you can still use it for a blog post, social media post, podcast episode, or webinar.
Use the information from ADP reports to book yourself and talk to businesses and community groups about what the report data means for their business and for certain jobs.

Quotables

“I do believe riches are in the niches, and it's a great way to differentiate and eliminate a lot of your competition.” — @JasonMudd9 of @axiapr
“Either way, you just wanna get on the radar, and the best way to stand out on their radar is to bring a contrarian, provocative, right? Or unique point of view to the table that the existing sources they use do not bring, and that's how you stand out from the clutter.” — @JasonMudd9 of @axiapr
“Now, again, they might not use you the first time, the second time, the third time, so it's important just to stay in touch and stay relevant.” — @JasonMudd9 of @axiapr
“There's so many ways you could repurpose this from a news pitch into your own content elsewhere.” — @JasonMudd9 of @axiapr

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with others and leave us a review!

Episode recorded: October 26, 2021

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

First Wednesday: ADP (monthly) National Employment Report
First Friday: BLS Employment Situation report
Third Friday: States release their employment & unemployment reports

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.
Burrelles has a special offer for On Top of PR fans. Check it out at burrelles.com/ontopofpr.

About your host, J

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Environment, social and governance in communications with Alison Taylor, Ethical Systems

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Watch the episode here

Alison Taylor of Ethical Systems and Jason Mudd discuss how to tackle ESG (Environment, Social, and Governance) in the corporate communications world.

Guest:

Alison Taylor is the Executive Director of Ethical Systems, a research collaboration based at NYU Stern School of Business. She is also a professor at Stern and is writing a book for Harvard Business Review Press on how companies can do the right thing in a turbulent world. It will be published in 2023.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

What ESG is: a framework for investors to analyze a company’s environment, social, and governance risks and opportunities
How to start discussing ESG at your workplace
How the age of hyper-transparency affects business leaders
How companies can do the right thing in a turbulent world
How brands can build and sustain trust

Quotables

“I would certainly advise companies not to try and boil the ocean, not to try and tick the box on 40 or 50 issues, not necessarily to listen to everybody that's yelling at you, but be really, really focused about how you can make money by providing more value to society or having a better environmental impact.” -@AlisonTaylor
“Being transparent is pretty difficult because companies aren't really used to saying, ‘This is hard and we haven't got it right.’ Companies are used to saying, ‘We've got it under control and we're doing our best and here are all the great things we're doing.’ So, I think at the moment, we're in this really problematic situation where transparency is increasing, reputational pressure is increasing, but we don't necessarily have realistic ideas of what a business should and shouldn't be doing. It's really a kind of art form to tell that story well without exaggerating, without lying, without greenwashing, but also not implying that it is a company's job to solve every single social-environmental problem out there.” -@AlisonTaylor
“I think both communication and sustainability professionals can end up feeling like Chicken Little, that they're running around the company saying, ‘You got to do this, you've got to do that, the sky is falling in,’ and the reality is you need to pick one to three issues where you're going to try and make a difference.” -@AlisonTaylor

If you’re enjoying the show, please share it with others and leave us a review!

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Additional resources:

Business for Social Responsibility: resources for understanding ESG and business sustainability
Ethical Systems' monthly newsletter

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Pub

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

How brands feel about their abilities to endure the recession with Drew McLellan and Susan Baier

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Drew and Susan discuss their findings from the eighth annual Agency Edge Research Series, using input from approximately 1,200 clients in the U.S. spanning multiple industries. This study explores how clients feel about their organization’s ability to endure the recession, the actions they’ve already taken, and how likely they are to make changes that could either positively or negatively affect their agencies.

Guests:

Susan Baier is the CEO of Audience Audit and has been a marketing strategist and researcher for more than 30 years. She crafts custom attitudinal segmentation research for agencies and marketers for B2C, B2B, and higher-ed organizations including Gap, AT&T, Jayco, Tufts University, and more.

Drew McLellan is the CEO of Agency Management Institute and has been in the advertising industry for more than 30 years. He advises hundreds of small- to mid-sized agencies on how to grow and become more profitable.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

The three segments of agency clients: the committed (25%), the concerned (42%), and the close (33%)
How to determine which segment a client falls in to best serve them as an agency
The challenges and opportunities created by clients with a strong preference for in-person agency relationships
Why brands are choosing to work with more than one agency
How the Great Resignation affected agencies and brands

Quotables

“We've seen a consistent trend where folks are working with more than one agency. Drew talks about this a lot where it's really not sort of a one-agency world anymore, and agencies need to work with each other on behalf of a client that they're collaborating with.” — @SusanBaier
“When an agency says, "We're a full-service integrated agency," clients scratch their heads and say, "How could you possibly be good at everything?" And so, I think the agencies that have specialized, like you have, Jason, give themselves and their clients both an advantage and a relief that you're not trying to be everything to everybody.” — @DrewMcLellan
“It's very difficult to see clearly the label on the outside of a bottle when you're inside the bottle. And so, part of what an agency always brings to their clients is an informed outside perspective.” — @DrewMcLellan

Guests’ contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

Agency Edge Research Series

Episode recorded: Dec. 1, 2021

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sp

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Responding to slander with attorney Thomas Julin, Gunster Law Firm

Tue, 01 Feb 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Our episode guest is Thomas Julin, First Amendment attorney, business litigator, and shareholder at Gunster Law Firm. Thomas has more than 30 years of experience advising companies and the media on free speech issues and libel claims.

Topic:

In this episode, Gunster’s Thomas Julin and host Jason Mudd share how brands can react to unfair news treatment and important federal statutes that come into play.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

Solutions for handling unfair news media, social media, and web coverage
The difference between brands’ and journalists’ rights and responsibilities
How the anti-SLAPP statute and Section 230 in the Communications Decency Act can affect defamation claims
What makes someone a public figure
How public comments can harm a libel case

Quotables

“The pace of content being developed is unlike anything we've seen before. And there are no signs that it's gonna slow.” — @JasonMudd9
“It's really a whole new ball game now from when I first started off, but I've pretty much seen it all from the beginning.” — @tomjulin
“Once a person steps forward and starts commenting publicly, then they're gonna become a public figure. That's gonna make it much, much harder for that person to sue and win a libel case.” — @tomjulin

Important links:

Google Scholar: Search “Thomas Julin” to see his cases and “libel and slander” to learn more on the topic.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

If you’re enjoying the vodcast, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

Episode recorded: Nov. 18, 2021

Sponsored by:

“On Top of PR” is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
“On Top of PR” is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.
Burrelles has a special offer for “On Top of PR” fans.

About your host, Jason Mudd

Jason Mudd, “On Top of PR” host, is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands and fastest-growing companies. Since 1994, he’s worked with American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster’s, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon. He founded Axia Public Relations in July 2002. Forbes named Axia one of America’s Best PR Agencies for 2021.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Effective crisis communications with Christopher Britton, RockDove Solutions

Tue, 18 Jan 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Our episode guest is Christopher Britton, chief operating officer of RockDove Solutions. He has decades of executive leadership experience and is known for creating and improving successful public and private companies, such as AT&T and Rosetta Stone.

Topic:

Christopher Britton and Jason Mudd discuss best practices for organizations to consider when preparing for inevitable crises. These involve leveraging technology, forming response plans, and practicing within your team.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

Best practices that corporate communications and marketing professionals need to think about when preparing their organization for a crisis
How to leverage technology
The importance of breaking down silos from a communications standpoint
What In Case of Crisis offers
The basics of DIYing a crisis response plan

Quotables

“Communications professionals now need connectivity more so than ever before” — @ChristopherBritton
“Technology is what is causing, in many cases, the acceleration of escalations around different events. So, in order to combat that you need technology to create an effective and efficient response.” — @ChristopherBritton
“For every dollar spent proactively on crisis planning and management, you'll save $7, according to research, for when you're dealing with a real crisis” — @JasonMudd9
“One of the biggest challenges we often see is knowing what you need to know when you need to know it. — @ChristopherBritton

Important links:

Guest’s contact info and resources:

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

Episode recorded: Nov 18, 2021

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.
Burrelles has a special offer for On Top of PR fans. Check it out at burrelles.com/ontopofpr.

About your host, Jason Mudd

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

What to ask before hiring a PR agency with Jason Mudd

Tue, 04 Jan 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

The role of trust in a relationship with a PR agency
The importance of enjoying who you work with
How to verify that an agency can do what needs to be done
Why you should pay attention to what an agency talks about on their website
How to determine where you fit in on a list of clients

Quotables

“You have to wonder, is this company in a position to grow with us or grow into us, or are we better off finding a company that already has that type of experience and can demonstrate it in their portfolio and case study?” — @jasonmudd9
“Life is too short to work with people and companies and organizations that you're not excited about doing business with.” — @jasonmudd9
“If you're not finding them talking about it actively, then they're probably not practicing it actively.” — @jasonmudd9
“You wanna make sure you're not gonna be their biggest client, and you wanna make sure you're not gonna be their smallest client.” — @jasonmudd9

About Jason Mudd

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

Episode recorded: October 7, 2021

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Marketers and Data Privacy with attorney Sharon Toerek, Toerek Law

Tue, 21 Dec 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Our guest is Sharon Toerek, intellectual property and marketing law attorney and owner of Toerek Law, a national law firm based in Cleveland, Ohio.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

Common data compliance mistakes companies make
What General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is and its effects on marketers in the United States
The importance of a team that can look at consumer data from a marketing, legal, and technological point of view
Questions brands should be asking to ensure responsible data practices
Why marketers should have a response plan in place for data inquiries

Quotables

“If listeners could come away with one thing from this conversation, it would be to remember that it doesn't matter where you are. It doesn't matter where your agency is. It matters where your consumer is sitting. And so, if you're that unlucky company who maybe has 10, 20, 100 consumers in Germany on your list, you've got to comply with GDPR.” — @SharonToerek
“Ultimately, all roads are going to point back to the brand when it comes to being responsible for complying with the law.” — @SharonToerek
“Have a plan ready for how you're going to respond to consumers before you even launch the campaign.” — @SharonToerek
“I love it when we take responsibility and we do things ethically as an industry, and we push others to do the same thing. Even if we're dragging people along and trying to get them to come along with us (kicking and screaming), I think it's the right thing to do for the industry.” — @JasonMudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Sharon Toerek

Our episode guest is Sharon Toerek, intellectual property and marketing law attorney and owner of Toerek Law, a national law firm based in Cleveland, Ohio. She focuses on clients in the advertising, marketing, and creative services industries, helping creative professionals protect, engage, and monetize their creative assets.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

Previous On Top of PR episode on social media disclosure

Episode recorded: Nov 18, 2021

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by

ReviewMaxer
On Top of PR is brought to you by ReviewMaxer

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

How to boost HR effectiveness with CEO of VIVO Growth Partners, Molly Eyerman

Tue, 07 Dec 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Our episode guest is Molly Eyerman, founder and CEO of VIVO Growth Partners. Molly is an HR expert who helps companies recruit, manage, and retain top talent.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

The hidden implications of counteroffers
The most common reasons that people leave their jobs
The benefits of having a performance-based job culture
Why discussing compensation on a peer-to-peer level prevents bias
The current trends in benefit programs

Quotables

“Ask your people what they want because that makes them feel valued and feel that they have a voice in making a decision about what they get.”— @MollyEyerman
“All of the different changes throughout the pandemic have made people realize even more so that they don’t have to stay in a job they don’t love.” — @MollyEyerman
“Reward people appropriately as they’re showing excellent performance and on a regular basis because if you give someone a huge raise just to match a counteroffer so they don’t leave, what you’re really saying is ‘I haven’t valued you for the last x number of months or years.’”— @MollyEyerman
“We all see the metrics and the data around how much more certain demographics make than others, so I do think having more transparency is a helpful thing.” — @MollyEyerman

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Molly Eyerman

Our episode guest is Molly Eyerman, founder and CEO of VIVO Growth Partners. Molly helps companies develop their most valuable assets – their people. She assists with recruiting and retaining top talent. Molly uses her HR expertise to advise companies on how to navigate challenges while improving employee engagement and benefiting all parties involved. She has experience working with clients in numerous industries ranging from technology and real estate to nonprofit and financial services.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

APR's tips on retaining your talent

Episode recorded: Oct 28, 2021

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.
Burrelles has a special offer for On Top of PR fans. Check it out at burrelles.com/ontopofpr.

About your host, Jason Mudd

On Top of PR host, Jason Mudd, is a tr

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Using psychology to become a better leader with psychologist and educator, Dino Signore

Tue, 23 Nov 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Our episode guest is Dino Signore, manager of entrepreneurial education at the Edward Lowe Foundation and president of Signore Group. Dino is an entrepreneur, educator, and psychologist.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

What the SCARF method is and how it can be used to improve leadership.
How to influence others by using knowledge of how the brain works
Why past management techniques no longer work
How stress affects your ability to think clearly
How the limbic system and prefrontal cortex work together to influence our responses to the world around us

Quotables

“Leadership can be defined a lot of different ways, and one way I like to define it is that it is an act of influence.” — @DinoSignore
“We use our prefrontal cortex to make sense of the world. But the challenge is that if somebody has their limbic system activated, and in some cases hyperactivated, it is biologically impossible to be able to think.” — @DinoSignore
“What are the things that you're doing leadership-wise, management-wise, that could be pushing people away from you versus pulling them toward what you want them to do?” — @DinoSignore
“One of our accolades is that we went 63 months with zero turnover at our agency, and a lot of that had to do with listening and being collaborative, and giving autonomy.” — @jasonmudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Dino Signore

Our episode guest is Dino Signore, manager of entrepreneurial education at the Edward Lowe Foundation and president of Signore Group. Dino is an entrepreneur, educator, and psychologist with a Doctorate in Business Psychology. He leads all of the learning events at the Edward Lowe Foundation. Through the Signore Group, Dino coaches and consults directly with second-stage entrepreneurs and executive directors on the management challenges that stem from growth.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

Episode recorded: Oct 28, 2021

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.
Burrelles has a special offer for On Top of PR fans. Check it out at burrelles.com/ontopofpr

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Improving media relations with APR consultant, Ashley Billings

Tue, 09 Nov 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How to get your company’s news on the news
The value of honesty when building relationships with reporters
Why you should be pitching visual stories
The importance of presentation as an interviewee
How interesting stories mix qualitative and quantitative data

Quotables

“It helps when the PR professional pitches something very specific – something that the rest of the newsroom doesn't know about.” — @ashleybillings
“It loses the impact of being news if everyone knows about it.” — @jasonmudd9
“Visuals are very important. Any time a PR firm can share pictures or video, that’s an extra thing to ensure that their story gets on TV.” — @ashleybillings
“If you email everybody, you’re really emailing nobody.” — @jasonmudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Ashley Billings

Our episode guest is Ashley Billings, Media Relations Consultant at Axia. Ashley is an award-winning ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC-affiliate TV news reporter in California, Jacksonville, and D.C. Clients love her ability to translate PR messages into TV news stories. She joined Axia in June 2018. A born storyteller, Ashley earned media coverage on all five Orlando TV stations and the two largest Orlando newspapers for her client’s grand reopening.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Ashley Billings on LinkedIn

Additional Resources:

Daybook: a list of topics that a newsroom wants to see covered
Media Relations e-book
Meet the media webinar

Episode recorded: October 7, 2021

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.
Burrelles has a special offer for On Top of PR fans. Check it out at burrelles.com/ontopofpr.

About your host, Jason Mudd

On Top of PR host, Jason Mudd, is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands and fastest-growing companies. Since 1994, he’s worked with American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster’s, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon. He fo

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Why your news release didn’t get coverage with Jason Mudd

Tue, 26 Oct 2021 05:00:00 -0400

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

The importance of being able to determine what is important to people outside of your organization
How to use timing to your advantage when pitching a news release
The importance of building newsroom relationships
The value of company newsletters and private blogs
The importance of customizing your pitches to specific audiences

Quotables

“If it’s not interesting to people outside of your organization’s walls, it's probably not gonna be newsworthy.” — @jasonmudd9
“Research shows that for every 100 pitches or news releases an individual in the newsroom receives, they only have time to write about one or two.” — @jasonmudd9
“You wanna find a way to be helpful and trustworthy and be a reliable source for that newsroom contact before you’re asking them to cover your story.” — @jasonmudd9
“Nothing’s more beneficial than listening carefully to the reason why your story didn’t get covered in the first place.” — @jasonmudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

More about Jason Mudd

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

Episode recorded: October 7, 2021

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Get and keep a seat at the table with FanDuel’s Chris Jones

Tue, 12 Oct 2021 05:00:00 -0400

Learn how to get and keep a seat at the table by being brave and proactive with management with FanDuel’s Chris Jones, Vice President of Corporate Communications at FanDuel. With more than 25 years of diverse experience in the communications field, Chris has a unique view on what it takes to be successful.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How being “at the table” from the beginning leads to dominating the marketplace
How operating with competitors is sometimes necessary to accomplish a shared goal
The importance of knowing what is interesting beyond the four walls of a company
How data-driven storytelling yields greater results
How to improve communication strategy by building bridges between different sectors of a business

Quotables

“We’re not playing catch up; we’re not writing a press release 24 hours before we go live; we’ve been part of those meetings since the beginning. And it led to us dominating the marketplace that first day.” — @chrisjones
“You can’t come in at the last minute and be strategic.” — @jasonmudd9
“You have to be willing and brave to stand your ground and advise in a way that, maybe, short term they don’t want to hear but long term will help the business.” — @chrisjones
“Keep fighting those battles to get yourself at the necessary tables – or on the necessary Zooms in today’s pandemic-driven meeting world. As long as you’re doing that and you’re being a little bit brave, you’re probably gonna have more success in your career long term.” — @chrisjones

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Chris Jones

Our episode guest is Chris Jones, Vice President of Corporate Communications at FanDuel. With more than 25 years of diverse experience in the communications field, Chris has a unique view on what it takes to be successful. He has a track record of delivering go-to-market strategies in not only communications but in marketing, media, crisis response, and business. He embodies what it means to go the extra mile in order to elevate a company.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

Want to boost your company’s PR power? Report to the C Suite, study says

Episode recorded Sept. 24, 2021

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies for 2021. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.
Burrelles has

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Leaning into uncertainty with CEO of Ragan Communications, Diane Schwartz

Tue, 28 Sep 2021 08:00:00 -0400

Our episode guest is Diane Schwartz, the CEO of Ragan Communications. Diane is a powerhouse in the communications sector with more than 20 years of experience as a trusted leader and creator.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

The key day-to-day roles of communicators
If and how brands should take a stand on social issues
The most important skills that communicators need today
How PR professionals can reduce stress
The importance of brand consistency and transparency

Quotables

“What we used to call soft skills like empathy, relationship building, trust, and presentation skills, these are hard skills now. They are absolutely necessary.” – @dianeschwartz
“The leader in the room should listen to everyone first before weighing in.” – @jasonmudd9
“Communicators need to learn how to ask for more and not be afraid to ask for more.” – @dianeschwartz
“We should be hiring people who are curious, who want to learn more, who want to dig in; people who are really curious about the market they serve and the people around them.”– @dianeschwartz

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Diane Schwartz

Diane Schwartz is a powerhouse in the communications sector with more than 20 years of experience as a trusted leader and creator. She serves communicators at all stages of their careers through conferences, training programs, councils, and subscription products. Through Ragan’s Workplace Wellness Insider, Diane provides resources to promote corporate well-being and align employee health with company goals.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

@dianeschwartz on Twitter
Diane Schwartz on LinkedIn
Email: dianes@ragan.com

Additional Resources:

Visit www.ragan.com/ontopofpr for $100 off on Ragan’s Future of Communications Virtual Conference

Episode recorded: September 24, 2021

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.
Burrelles has a special offer for On Top of PR fans. Check it out at burrelles.com/ontopofpr.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Mall of America: Staying afloat in turbulent times with Dan Jasper

Tue, 21 Sep 2021 05:00:00 -0400

Dan Jasper is director of public relations at Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How Mall of America, as a major retail destination consistently providing first-class experiences, dealt with different challenges brought by COVID-19 and went beyond the extra mile by over-communicating what is happening at Mall of America, and what you can expect when you come here so that you can plan ahead and have the best experience
How they handle protests fairly as private property holders and public figure appearances safely, and how Mall of America helped minority-owned businesses be successful and reach an enormous audience that they didn't reach before
Discover the best PR practices that can help businesses win COVID-19 challenges.
How Mall of America extended help to several impacted communities
How social media is more than just a marketing tool; it is indeed a relationship-building tool.

Quotables

"Go the extra mile when you're talking safety and all of the precautions in place. Go beyond what you think is necessary in terms of communicating with the guests. We really try to over-communicate what is happening at Mall of America — what you can expect when you come here — so that you can plan ahead and have the best experience." — Dan Jasper
“Every year we have more than 40 million annual visitors and about 60% of those are what we call drive market or local; the rest are either across the nation or from other nations, international travel coming here, and there's no way to reach all of those people.” — Dan Jasper
"We have a lot of partners in the community that are willing to reach out and help us secure this building. We had a lot of friends in the community that just showed support." — Dan Jasper
"We reached out to businesses that were impacted, schools — everyone we could think of with destroyed property — and extended our help. We specifically asked how we could help them as a mall. So, the first thing we did was we listened to impacted communities." — Dan Jasper

About Dan Jasper

Dan Jasper has served as the amazing director of public relations at Mall of America for 17 years and has more than 20 years of PR and communications experience prior to that. Dan leads public relations, community relations, social media, storytelling, tourism, and the advanced service portal at the Mall of America. He is a key national spokesperson for the mall. He also manages crisis communications and government affairs.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Dan Jasper on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-jasper-a962552/
Mall of America official website: https://www.mallofamerica.com/

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations. Forbes recognizes Axia as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer r

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Captivate your audience with transformational storytelling with CEO Tim Pollard, Oratium

Tue, 31 Aug 2021 05:00:00 -0400

Tim Pollard founded Oratium in 2011. As CEO, he leads the ongoing development of Oratium’s intellectual property as well as leading all major client relationships. Tim has developed a remarkable insight into the science of designing and delivering extraordinary sales messaging.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

The most destructive problems that sales messages suffer from, the amplifying effects of the virtual environment on those problematic hallmarks, and how the problem can be fixed
How to improve your storytelling approach and skyrocket your sales if you’re among the marketing department heads, public relations, and corporate communications management at a mid-market to enterprise size company
The most toxic communication hallmarks: too much information (you violate your audience’s mental bandwidth), too confusing (complete lack of narrative and logical story), and too sender-focused
How to get beyond the 1970s-style thinking to a communication method that lines up with good brain science so you can deliver your solutions seamlessly
If you’re trying to develop a consumer brand, retainability is everything—it’s time to bring your business to a higher level where people make purchasing decisions based on your loyal customers’ ability to retell your value proposition

Quotables

“We teach people how to get beyond the 1970s thinking to a communication method that works and lines up with good brain science.” — Tim Pollard
“Sometimes the presentations you’re making are simply not compelling enough. Even if you’re the perfect solution to their problem, the customer does not move forward.” — Tim Pollard

About Tim Pollard

Over a long career in sales at many companies, including Unilever, Barclays, and the Corporate Executive Board—and now a decade into building Oratium—Tim has developed a remarkable insight into the science of designing and delivering extraordinary sales messaging. The result has been two best-selling books, The Compelling Communicator: Mastering the Art and Science of Exceptional Presentation Design and Mastering the Moment: Perfecting the Skills and Processes of Exceptional Presentation Delivery, which form the intellectual backbone of his course. This messaging model is in active use and is the preferred messaging solution of companies as diverse as Cisco, Disney, IBM, LinkedIn, and Salesforce.

Contact info:

Meet the Oratium team: https://www.oratium.com/our-team/
Oratium on Twitter: https://twitter.com/oratium
Tim Pollard on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-pollard-8145a54/
Oratium on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessageArchitects

Additional resources:

ReviewMaxer: http://reviewmaxer.com
Axia Public Relations: https://www.axiapr.com/

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, which Forbes named as one

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

How a scholarship program can benefit your company with Jason Mudd

Tue, 24 Aug 2021 05:00:00 -0400

This is a solo episode that talks about how providing scholarships can give you a competitive advantage. Did you know that it's a stepping stone for you to build a strong brand and reputation?

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

Understand why many companies are actively offering scholarships, how it positions you as a thought leader, and how it helps significantly with reputation management.
The importance of not only promoting your scholarship program but promoting the winners of your program.
Changing someone’s life through scholarship programs and becoming part of their success. They'll always remember you and they might even help you and your company be successful down the road, whether that's buying products from you or services, making introductions for you, being an advocate for you, and possibly even coming to work for you or hiring your company to provide the services that you provide.
Start making that part of your sales presentations, talk about the number of scholarships you give out, and your intention for doing it.
Attracting more applicants as you build your reputation through scholarship programs.

Quotables

“Customers like to do business with people who are good stewards of the community and economy.” — @jasonmudd9
“Many brands out there offer scholarships because it’s a great way to give back.” — @jasonmudd9
“The price of a scholarship is less expensive than buying an advertisement.” — @jasonmudd9
“Tell the heartstring stories of how you've helped people who otherwise might not have been able to go to college or graduate from college without financial assistance.” — @jasonmudd9

About Jason Mudd

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Twitter: @jasonmudd9
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmudd/
Website: https://www.axiapr.com/
Have a question for Jason? Email: podcast@ontopofpr.com

Sponsored by:

We are thrilled to have Burrelles sponsor our solocast episodes. Thanks to Burrelles for its support. Burrelles has a special offer exclusively for On Top of PR fans. Check it out at burrelles.com/ontopofpr

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

The WOW Factor Workplace with Deb Boelkes, Founder at Business World Rising

Tue, 10 Aug 2021 05:00:00 -0400

Our episode guest is Deb Boelkes, Founder at Business World Rising. Deb is on a tear, transforming the business world into one you'll love and never want to leave.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

The value of creating the best workplace, striving to have a WOW brand that customers love, and wouldn't ever want to buy from somebody else.
Building a workplace culture where you enjoy getting up every day, where work is not work, and you're thrilled to be there every minute.
Take your mindset to the next level, love what you do, and inspire everybody else around you to be the best they can be.
How you can spread your WOW factor, energy, and enthusiasm around you and make it extremely CONTAGIOUS to the point where people around you pick up the positive vibes you're bringing.
The possibility of creating a workplace where the best and most talented people line up to get in. A workplace where every time top talent comes into your company, they say WOW!

Quotables

“The satisfaction of your employees directly correlates with the satisfaction of your customers." — @Deb_Boelkes
"Aim to have a wow brand that customers love and wouldn't ever want to buy from somebody else." — @Deb_Boelkes
"When you love what you're doing, you're a great person to be around. You are enjoyable to be around." — @Deb_Boelkes
"When you've got folks who are not happy with their job, believe me, how they're feeling is going to be pervasive and will affect how they interact with customers." — @Deb_Boelkes

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with others and leave us a review.

About Deb Boelkes

Deb Boelkes is the award-winning author of "The WOW Factor Workplace: How to Create a Best Place to Work Culture" and "Heartfelt Leadership: How to Capture the Top Spot and Keep on Soaring." Deb is not just a role model heartfelt leader; she’s the ultimate authority on creating the best places to work, with 25+ years in Fortune 150 technology firms, leading superstar sales, marketing, and professional services teams. As an entrepreneur, she has accelerated advancement for women to senior leadership. As an author and keynote speaker, Deb has delighted and inspired over 1,000 audiences across North America and beyond.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

@Deb_Boelkes on Twitter: https://twitter.com/deb_boelkes
Deb Boelkes on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debboelkes/
Company website: https://www.businessworldrising.com/about
Deb’s books:
- The WOW Factor Workplace: How to Create a Best Place to Work Culture
- Heartfelt Leadership: How to Capture the Top Spot and Keep on Soaring

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

How your brand can benefit from being immersed in the esports and gaming space with John Higgins

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 05:00:00 -0400

Learn how your brand can start marketing within the gaming and esports community with our guest John Higgins.

John currently heads up OS Studios - a live production and creative agency that specializes in video gaming and esports. Before working in video gaming, John was an award-winning creative director recognized globally for his work in television commercials and live broadcasts.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How your brand can benefit from being immersed in the esports and gaming space
What the difference is between gaming and esports
How to get started and connect with the gaming and esports communities
How to collaborate with esports and gaming content creators to reach a larger audience
The most creative ways brands have marketed in the gaming community

Quotables

“Gaming is a sleeping giant.” -@JOHNJJHIGGINS
“A lot of the biggest earners in gaming aren’t necessarily the best players. It’s the content creators, the people that are on Twitch.” -@JOHNJJHIGGINS
“When you look at gaming you should really look at the content creation aspects and how all these games have become more social.” -@JOHNJJHIGGINS
“Around 70% of all revenue in esports is sponsorship.” -@JOHNJJHIGGINS

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.
Burrelles has a special offer for On Top of PR fans. Check it out at burrelles.com/ontopofpr.

About your host, Jason Mudd

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

The impact of leadership communication on mental wellbeing and organizational performance with Vance Meyer

Tue, 20 Jul 2021 17:00:00 -0400

Vance Meyer used to be a corporate communication executive. He is now promoting and advocating for mental wellness and acquiring skills to be of service to others in the future.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

What marketing communication leaders need to think about in terms of guiding their team on how to communicate, externally and internally
The strategy and tactics that corporate marketing professionals can begin to take, whether that’s communication tactics or as a trusted advisor to leaders
The importance of self-care and self-acceptance not just for the sake of your health, but for your effectiveness as a communicator
How coming out of COVID can help individuals be more considerate of others and make an impact, not only today but for future generations
Crisis management from someone with extensive experience in employee communication, media relations, executive communication, social media, crisis management, and corporate branding

Quotables

“All the strategic work that we do to prepare for a crisis, unfortunately, goes out of the window during the crisis.” – @middle1dweller
“Sometimes, leaders get so ambitious about focusing on growth and expansion to the point of sacrificing their integrity.” – @jasonmudd9
“I didn’t realize that I wasn’t capable of handling the stress that comes along with PR jobs without treating myself better and having more self-care.” – @middle1dweller
“Take care of yourself. Take time to revive yourself because it’s not just important for your health, but for your effectiveness as a communicator.” – @middle1dweller
“Sometimes, people find themselves working for a company that’s in a bad spot and they end up inheriting the problem.” – @jasonmudd9
“Everybody has mental wellness needs.” – @middle1dweller

About Vance Meyer

Vance Meyer was a former corporate communication executive who is now promoting and advocating for mental wellness and acquiring skills to be of service to others in the future.

These efforts are inspired by 30 years of personal and family experience with chronic depression and anxiety, as well as recent significant progress in managing his symptoms through lifestyle change. Vance has extensive experience in employee communication, media relations, executive communication, social media, crisis management, and corporate branding.

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

Vance Meyer’s contact info and resources:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/middle1dweller
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vancemeyer/
Website: https://namijax.org/board-of-directors/

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Tips on how to develop a PR presence without a degree with Kate Yandoh Harris

Tue, 13 Jul 2021 05:00:00 -0400

Kate Yandoh Harris is a born storyteller who helps businesses realize results by creating compelling content. She an optimist, island lover, and “word person”.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How to get started in PR and marketing without a PR or marketing degree
Why hospitality might be a great starting point for marketing and PR professionals
How you can learn the most from less desired positions
How to educate your audience instead of just selling them your product or service
How to pivot and be creative in your PR efforts

Quotables

“In order to connect with your audience, you have to quickly jump in and live in their world for a little bit.” -Kate Yandoh Harris
“The experiences that I’ve had that helped me get better have been the jobs that nobody really wants.” -Kate Yandoh Harris

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Kate Yandoh Harris on LinkedIn
Stan’s website: https://stanphelps.com/

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.
Burrelles has a special offer for On Top of PR fans. Check it out at burrelles.com/ontopofpr.

About your host, Jason Mudd

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

How to build, launch, and monetize your own podcast with Jason Mudd

Tue, 06 Jul 2021 05:00:00 -0400

Learn the ins and outs of starting your own podcast with our host, Jason Mudd. Jason is the managing partner of Axia Public Relations.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

The four questions to ask yourself before you start your own podcast
The steps to building your own podcast
The three steps to launching your podcast
How to monetize your podcast
10 podcast pro tips to those just starting out

Quotables

“Podcasting builds awareness, understanding, trust, and decision.” -@jasonmudd9
“To monetize your podcast, there are three steps. The first one is promotions and conversions. The second one is guest relations, and the third is sponsorships.” -@jasonmudd9
“Consciously or subconsciously, people know that if a podcast has not produced 10 episodes, it might not make it, or it might already be dead upon arrival.” -@jasonmudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Jason Mudd

Contact info and resources:

Twitter: @jasonmudd9
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmudd/
Website: https://www.axiapr.com/
Have a question for Jason? Email: podcast@ontopofpr.com

Additional Resources:

PodcastValet
Three steps when starting your podcast: Build, launch, and monetize

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Why only 3% of people are able to think and operate their brands differently with keynote speaker, Stan Phelps

Tue, 29 Jun 2021 05:00:00 -0400

Learn how your brand can achieve competitive separation with our guest, Stan Phelps, founder of PurpleGoldfish.com. He is a Forbes Contributor, IBM Futurist, and a keynote speaker.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

Why only 3% of people and brands are able to think and operate their business differently
The two main ways you can stand out and achieve competitive separation
Why you need to be very clear with who your company is for
Why being middle of the road could be the downfall of your company
What benchmarking is and why it’s a hindrance to thinking different

Quotables

“Every weakness has a corresponding strength.” — @StanPhelpsPG
“Be very clear who you're for and the customer that you serve and don't be afraid to push off the ones that you're not for.” — @StanPhelpsPG

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Stan Phelps

Stan Phelps is the founder of PurpleGoldfish.com. He is a Forbes Contributor, IBM Futurist, and a keynote speaker. His award-winning books focus on the little ways to drive differentiation, increase loyalty, and promote positive word of mouth. He has spoken at over 200 events in 11 countries.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

The power of following up to get more media coverage for your brand with APR consultant, Marjorie Comer

Tue, 22 Jun 2021 05:00:00 -0400

Learn why following up is your most powerful tool when pitching news reporters with our guest, Marjorie Comer, news consultant for Axia Public Relations. Marjorie is an award-winning public relations professional. Clients love Marjorie’s work ethic, speed, and diligence.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

The power of following up to get more media coverage for your brand
How to use follow-ups to get in front of media, clients, and contacts
How to stand out when pitching the news media
How to build a media list for your company
How to build relationships with reporters

Quotables

“Without following up, media pitches tend to just die or get buried.” -@Marjorie_Comer
“One thing I’ve done is ask my clients for three times they may be available or ask the reporter to give me three times they would be available to speak to my client because company executives aren't always on-call when a reporter may be.” -@Marjorie_Comer
“Put things in your calendar because that's how you're going to remember to follow up with them.” -@Marjorie_Comer
“From industry research, we’ve seen that 2:00 or 3:00 p.m. on Thursday is the best time to follow up with somebody for an end of the week deadline.” -@jasnmudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Marjorie Comer

Marjorie Comer is an award-winning public relations professional. Clients love Marjorie’s work ethic, speed, and diligence. She has worked at Axia Public Relations since October 2011.

At Axia, Marjorie serves as a public relations consultant for the PR firm’s national clients. She’s a skilled writer and works hard to ensure the firm’s clients receive the white-glove experience. She also blogs about public relations trends and best practices.

Marjorie’s contact info and resources:

Marjorie Comer on Twitter: @Marjorie_Comer
Marjorie Comer on LinkedIn

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.
Burrelles has a special offer for On Top of PR fans. Check it out at burrelles.com/ontopofpr.

About your host, Jason Mudd

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Courageous conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion with Tru Pettigrew

Tue, 15 Jun 2021 05:00:00 -0400

Our episode guest is Tru Pettigrew. He connects brands with consumers and builds bridges across generations. Tru has also established a strong reputation for helping organizations build bridges across racial, cultural, social, and relational lines.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

The difference between diversity, equity, and inclusion
The difference between equity and equality
How to set up your team for success by figuring out what they need to be successful
The three different types of diversity
How to have courageous conversations about diversity, equity and inclusion

Quotables

“A lot of agencies are responsible for helping their clients craft appropriate and relevant communications for a lot of the challenges and issues that are going on, but they’re also being challenged on how they are stepping up and reflecting the diversity within the agency world.” -@truaccess
“Diversity is a state of being, it’s static. Equity and inclusion require us to take action and leverage the richness of diversity that is available to us.” -@truaccess
“Equity is giving people what they need to succeed. Oftentimes it’s confused or transposed with equality. Equality is treating everyone exactly the same. But the reality is we don’t all need the exact same thing because we’re at different places on our journey.” -@truaccess

About Tru Pettigrew

Tru is a celebrated author, an engaging speaker, a committed community leader, and an award-winning marketing executive with close to 20 years of experience at the nation’s top advertising & marketing agencies.

Tru founded Tru Access to serve as an inspiration and empowerment consultancy to help individuals and organizations bridge gaps across areas that cause division, dysfunction and separation.

Considered one of the country’s top Millennial Empowerment experts and cross-generational thought leaders. His first book, “Millennials Revealed” serves as a guide for countless individuals and organizations across the country to help them build meaningful connections across diverse generations.

Tru has shared his marketing talents and expertise to help contribute to the success of brands such as Nike, State Farm, Heineken, Hennessy, Unilever and Ford just to name a few.

Tru’s contact info and resources:

Website: tru-access.com
Tru Pettigrew on Twitter: @truaccess
Tru Pettigrew on Instagram: @truaccess
Tru Pettigrew on LinkedIn

Additional Resources:

George Floyd business mentorship program
The three forms of diversity: identity, experiential, neurodiversity

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is s

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

How to connect with your audience through social & web media with Adam O’Daniel of Movement Mortgage

Tue, 08 Jun 2021 05:00:00 -0400

Our episode guest is Adam O’Daniel, director of marketing and communications at Movement Mortgage. He leads marketing, communications, public relations and corporate events.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How to use social media and web content to directly reach your audience
How to stop relying on only news coverage for PR
How to attract the best audience relevant to your company
How to make your social media more engaging
How to figure out who your real audience is

Quotables

“A few years ago, business was slowing down and we knew the news cycle was changing and we weren’t getting the type of news coverage we were used to getting, so we decided to build our own content machine.” -@Adam_ODaniel
“I looked at sports teams for inspiration for social media content. I asked, ‘What are they doing to stay relevant and interesting on social media? And how can we use some of those principles in our social media content?’” -@Adam_ODaniel
“As a natural extension of us sharing ourselves so transparently on social media, we attracted the people that we wanted.” -@Adam_ODaniel

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Adam O’Daniel

Adam leads marketing, communications, public relations and corporate events at Movement Mortgage, a top 10 retail mortgage lender and six-time member of the Inc. 5000 list.

His background includes 15 years of experience in marketing, communications, public relations, content strategy, financial journalism, writing, and editing.

Adam’s contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

movement.com/careers

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.
Burrelles has a special offer for On Top of PR fans. Check it out at burrelles.com/ontopofpr.

About your host, Jason Mudd

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Mistakes companies make when working with influencers with Jason Mudd, APR

Tue, 01 Jun 2021 05:00:00 -0400

Learn how to effectively work with influencers with our host, Jason Mudd. Jason is the managing partner of Axia Public Relations.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

Mistakes companies make when working with influencers
The difference between an influencer and a spokesperson
The slippery slope of working with influencers who buy followers
Why influencers are relevant to B2B brands
The value of micro influencers

Quotables

“Every major influencer and many household brands buy fake (or real) followers.” — @jasonmudd9
“If you have a million social media followers and half of them are fake, then half of your audience isn’t going to engage with your content at all.” — @jasonmudd9
“If you’re not getting authentic engagement on social media, the social media algorithm won’t place posts as often.” — @jasonmudd9
“The more followers an influencer has, the less credibility they can have with their audience.” — @jasonmudd9

About Jason Mudd

Clients love Jason’s passion, innovation, candor, commitment, and award-winning team. In an increasingly tech-forward world, Jason’s grasp of technological demands on companies provides his clients in multiple sectors a unique advantage toward reaching their top audiences. At Axia, Jason attracts, develops, retains, innovates, and leads top PR talent and clients. He oversees strategic communications for the firm’s national clients and provides high-level consultations to client leadership teams at billion-dollar global brands, both business-to-business and business-to-consumer, including spokesperson training, crisis communications management, analytics, social media, online reputation management, and more. He also speaks frequently to corporations and industry groups and writes about public relations trends and best practices for national businesses.

Jason’s contact info and resources:

Twitter: @jasonmudd9
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmudd/
Website: https://www.axiapr.com/
Have a question for Jason? Email: podcast@ontopofpr.com

Additional Resources:

www.axiapr.com/influencers
Check a Twitter account for fake followers: Follower Audit
Check an Instagram account for fake followers: FakeCheck.co

Sponsored by:

We are thrilled to have Burrelles sponsor our solocast episodes. Thanks to Burrelles for its support. Burrelles has a special offer exclusively for On Top of PR fans. Check it out at

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Elevating a brand’s damaged reputation with Mark Sherwood

Mon, 24 May 2021 11:00:00 -0400

Learn how to build a team that will improve a brand’s damaged reputation with our guest Mark Sherwood, Deputy Executive Director of Marketing at Detroit Public Schools Community. He develops and manages annual marketing and communication strategies, staff, budgets, research, competitive analysis and surveys.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

Why outsourcing work can be more efficient for your marketing department
What it’s like to market a public school district in Detroit
The value of marketing partnerships
How to adapt to several different audiences
The challenge of building a brand

Quotables

“As a marketer, if someone tells you they're gonna give you the worst brand possible to turn around and you don't think that that's a challenge that you would want to undertake then, you're probably in the wrong field.” — Mark Sherwood
“One of the things that I've learned over the years is how to surround myself with key individuals that have unique talents or skill sets.” — Mark Sherwood

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Mark Sherwood

Mark Sherwood is a Senior Marketing Executive who brings over twenty years to the table, performed and served both B2B and B2C industries, and has been tasked with establishing in-house agency services in each role throughout his career. Mark believes every decision boils down to creating, establishing, growing, and protecting the brand. When not deep in a "how can I make it better" mindset, Mark enjoys spending time with his wife, enjoying his daughter's artwork as she pursues her degree at NYU, golfing whenever he can, and is still a closet gamer nerd.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Mark Sherwood on LinkedIn

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.
Burrelles has a special offer for On Top of PR fans. Check it out at burrelles.com/ontopofpr.

About your host, Jason Mudd

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Be a trusted advisor to your executive team with John Herbkersman, communications executive

Tue, 18 May 2021 05:00:00 -0400

Learn how communicators can be a trusted advisor to their company’s executive team with our guest John Herbkersman. John is a semi-retired senior communications executive who has served as a senior counselor for numerous Fortune 500 executives/companies.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How Jack Welch changed business operations and transparency
Why communications has evolved to be so prominent in the workplace
Why transparency with employees creates a better work environment for everyone
How to properly use a communicators’ toolbox
Being a trusted advisor to leadership as a communicator

Quotables

“Communications has been prominent at most companies because communicating information to employees allows them to become active in the communities they serve.” — @JohnHerbkersman
“Communicators have a toolbox of things, but before we take action we need to understand what's the goal, what's the objective? What do we want to accomplish?” — @JohnHerbkersman
“Always be prepared. Understand what the short term business goals are for your company and the financials.” — @JohnHerbkersman
“Prepare yourself and write down the 10 to 15, most likely crisis scenarios that can occur at your business. Have talking points ready.” — @JohnHerbkersman
“If you have an opportunity to meet with your CEO, make sure it's a good meeting.” — @JohnHerbkersman

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About John Herbkersman

John is a strategic communications and marketing leader with demonstrated, results-driven experience in all facets of corporate communications and strategic planning - including public relations, media relations, reputation management, crisis communications, social media, investor relations, marketing communications, event planning, public affairs, government affairs, community affairs, and more.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

John Herbkersman on Twitter
John Herbkersman on Linkedin

Additional Resources:

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.
Burrelles has a special offer for On Top of PR fans. Check it out at

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

How to know if a PR agency is the right fit for your company with Shannyn Lee

Tue, 11 May 2021 05:00:00 -0400

Learn how you can build and maintain a relationship with a PR agency with our guest Shannyn Lee, director of coaching at Win Without Pitching. Shannyn spent a decade in senior marketing and communication roles in Fortune 500 companies before moving to a business development leadership role.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

What clients need to know when hiring the right agency
How you can be a good partner to your PR agency
When to walk away from a potential PR agency
How to avoid the procurement when hiring a PR agency
How to have a candid conversation about agency budgets

Quotables

“You as the client have so much pressure on you during the day that hiring of a firm to help you with a problem is one of a million things on your plate.” — Shannyn Lee, @WWPitching
“Employ any and all social capital you have within your organization to avoid procurement when hiring an agency. If you have good relationships with senior executives go make your case for why you don't wanna run this through procurement.” -Shannyn Lee, @WWPitching

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Shannyn Lee

Shannyn spent a decade in senior marketing and communication roles in Fortune 500 companies before moving to a business development leadership role at a well-regarded Seattle design firm. She also spent four years at Catapult New Business where she worked with agencies of various disciplines and size, building and leading their business development programs. Her time on the front lines of agency business development coupled with many informative years on the client side, has given Shannyn a unique perspective into what marketers are looking for in agencies and what agencies must be doing in order to compete and win.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.
Burrelles has a special offer for On Top of PR fans. Check it out at burrelles.com/ontopofpr.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Leveraging podcasts and video to break through the PR clutter with Kate Warnock of Forcura

Tue, 04 May 2021 05:00:00 -0400

Our episode guest is Kate Warnock, Director of Communications and Brand Strategy at Forcura. She manages all communications and brand efforts for Forcura, a leading SaaS technology company in the post-acute health industry.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

The benefits of having a company podcast
The challenges of starting a podcast
How to promote your podcast
If a video or audio-only podcast will work better for you
The most important element for a successful podcast or video series

Quotables

“Depending on the industry you’re in, you need a secure infrastructure to sustain your podcast inventory.” — @mkatewarnock
“There’s nothing more personal and humanizing than the human voice.” — @mkatewarnock
“If you interview guests on your podcast, you can drive brand awareness and business for your company.” — @mkatewarnock
“The platforms today are so user-friendly, it really doesn’t take anybody with any sophisticated knowledge to produce a podcast.” — @mkatewarnock
“Make your podcast something you can be proud of and that can stand the test of time.” — @mkatewarnock

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Kate Warnock

Kate is a health industry nerd having spent her entire career in this sector, first with a large health insurance company, and now in a healthcare technology firm. She is currently the director of communications and brand strategy at Forcura.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.
Burrelles has a special offer for On Top of PR fans. Check it out at burrelles.com/ontopofpr.

About your host, Jason Mudd

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

When to use a commercial newswire for your news release with Jason Mudd, APR

Wed, 28 Apr 2021 05:00:00 -0400

Learn the benefits of using commercial newswires and the mistakes companies make when posting their news releases with our host, Jason Mudd. Jason is the managing partner of Axia Public Relations.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How commercial newswires work
The benefits of using commercial newswires
When to use a commercial newswire
Why publicly companies need to use commercial newswires
Mistakes companies make when using commercial newswires

Quotables

“The primary benefit of using commercial newswires is instantly getting your news story in front of thousands and potentially millions of consumers over night.” — @jasonmudd9
“A lot of publicly traded companies have to post to commercial newswires for disclosure reasons.” — @jasonmudd9
“If dollars are limited I would spend more of my time media pitching and picking up the phone and teasing a news release than I would putting a news release on a commercial newswire.” — @jasonmudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Jason Mudd

At Axia, Jason oversees strategic communications for the firm’s national clients and provides high-level consultations to client leadership teams at billion-dollar global brands, both business-to-business and business-to-consumer, including spokesperson training, crisis communications management, analytics, social media, online reputation management, and more.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Twitter: @jasonmudd9
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmudd/
Website: https://www.axiapr.com/
Have a question for Jason? Email: podcast@ontopofpr.com

Additional Resources:

Sponsored by:

We are thrilled to have Burrelles sponsor our solocast episodes. Thanks to Burrelles for its support. Burrelles has a special offer exclusively for On Top of PR fans. Check it out at burrelles.com/ontopofpr
On Top of PR

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

10 areas websites struggle with and how to improve them with Clarissa Schearer, APR

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 05:00:00 -0400

Learn 10 tips on how you can spring clean your website to get ready for summer with our guest Clarissa Schearer, PR Strategist at Axia Public Relations. Clarissa builds and maintains client relationships, shares client messages across news media, and builds brands through web media.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How you can improve your company website
How every part of your website reflects back on SEO
Why website SEO is important
How to increase your website page speed
The importance of website accessibility

Quotables

“Having a website that loads quickly is important because it impacts your company credibility too, so if customers don’t find your website credible, they might not find your services credible either.” - @ClarissaRose728
“If you’re not keeping up-to-date with your Javascript libraries, you’re putting your website at risk of being attacked.” - @ClarissaRose728
“If your company is being accused of not following the Americans with Disabilities Act, the first thing a plaintiff’s lawyer will look at is if your website has an accessibility statement.” - @ClarissaRose728

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Clarissa Schearer

Clarissa is a PR strategist. She builds and maintains client relationships, shares client messages across news media, and builds brands through web media. Clients love her work ethic and results.

Clarissa’s contact info and resources:

Clarissa on LinkedIn
Axia Public Relations website

Additional Resources:

Accessibility statement solutions

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.
Burrelles has a special offer for On Top of PR fans. Check it out at burrelles.com/ontopofpr.

About your host, Jason Mudd

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

How to take your social media to the next level with Emily Barrett, APR

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 05:00:00 -0400

Learn how your company can improve its social media presence with our guest Emily Barrett of Axia Public Relations. Her role is to monitor social media channels and develop unique, innovative, and engaging content.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

Social media best practices
How companies can improve their social media presence
What it means to post natively on a social media platform
The importance of boosting and sponsoring your social media posts
How you should manage your social media budget

Quotables

“Every company is going to have a different social media platform that works best for them.” -Emily Barrett
“When someone asks you to post natively to a platform, it means your content is posted directly on to the social media page and it matches the content that’s on that platform.” -Emily Barrett
“Creating social media groups can help you build a community and connect with people on a personal level.” -Emily Barrett

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Emily Barrett

Emily is a social media specialist at Axia Public Relations. Her role is to monitor social media channels and develop unique, innovative, and engaging content. Emily earned social media marketing certification from HubSpot while studying communications and environmental science at the University of North Florida. Born and raised in West Palm Beach, she has always had a passion for writing and the environment.

Emily’s contact info and resources:

Emily on LinkedIn
Axia Public Relations website

Additional Resources:

The 2%: You’re talking to yourself and why no one likes your social media posts
Social media checklist

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.
Burrelles has a special offer for On Top of PR fans. Check it out at burrelles.com/ontopofpr.

About your host, Jason Mudd

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Why corporate communicators need the help of a PR agency with Hy-Vee’s Dawn Buzynski

Tue, 06 Apr 2021 05:00:00 -0400

Learn why corporate communicators should collaborate with a PR agency to better share brand messages with Dawn Buzynski, Director of Strategic Communications at Hy-Vee. She oversees the communications initiatives designed to promote and elevate the brand.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

The benefits of the having a PR agency mindset while working in corporate communications
How to highlight employees at your company
The difference between working at a PR agency vs. a corporate communications role
What are pros and cons of working with a PR agency vs. working with an ad agency with a PR department
Why corporate communicators need a PR agency’s help

Quotables

“Having a learner mentality is important if you decide to transition your career to the agency side.” — @dawnbuzy
“Having category expertise is the primary area you need to consider in your search for an agency.” — @dawnbuzy
“If you don’t have a PR agency helping you communicate during a pandemic, it’s not too late, hire one.” — @dawnbuzy
“Communicators need to be at the decision-making table.” — @dawnbuzy

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Dawn Buzynski

Dawn is an accredited public relations practitioner (APR) with more than 20 years of experience in communications and marketing. Her expertise encompasses public affairs, media relations, social media, and digital communications. She has experience in both B2B and B2C communications in various sectors, such as government affairs, education, nonprofits, real estate, and industrial manufacturing.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.
On Top of PR’s solocasts sponsor, Burrelles, has a special offer for On Top of PR fans.

About your host, Jason Mudd

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

The future of the PR industry with PRWeek’s Gideon Fidelzeid

Tue, 30 Mar 2021 05:00:00 -0400

Our episode guest is Gideon Fidelzeid, managing editor at PRWeek. Gideon’s covered the PR industry for two decades, and his insights into the industry have been informed through his leadership on projects like the annual PRWeek Awards, Best Place to Work, and Salary Survey.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

What are PR industry trends?
What might the future look like for the PR profession?
How has COVID-19 changed the PR industry, and how has the industry pivoted its PR campaigns?
What are examples of companies that have some of the best PR campaigns?
What is the importance of diversity and inclusion on communications teams?

Quotables

“Small PR agencies have so many capabilities these days that I hardly even look at them as small anymore.” — @GFidelzeid
“This is a wonderful time to be a PR agency.” — @GFidelzeid
“When it comes to the PR industry, I think the glass is more than half full.” — @GFidelzeid
“One of the things PR has always been able to hang its hat on is its social media prowess.” — @GFidelzeid
“Diversity and inclusion have gone beyond being a nice thing to do. It’s a must-do.” — @GFidelzeid

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review

About Gideon Fidelzeid

Gideon Fidelzeid is the managing editor of PRWeek and a senior producer at the Haymarket Studio, PRWeek’s custom content arm. Having covered the PR industry for two decades, Gideon’s insights into the industry have been informed through his leadership on projects like the annual Agency Business Report, Best Places to Work, Salary Survey, Diversity Distinction in PR Awards, and the Comms Report in partnership with Cision.

Gideon’s contact info and resources:

Gideon on Twitter
Gideon on LinkedIn
PRWeek website: www.prweek.com/us

Additional Resources:

PR Week awards

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.
Burrelles has a special offer for On Top of PR fans. Check it out at burrelles.com/ontopofpr.

About your host, Jason Mudd

On Top of PR host, Jason Mudd, is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands and fastest-

ReviewMaxer
On Top of PR is brought to you by ReviewMaxer

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

The difference between online reviews and online reputation with Jason Mudd, APR

Tue, 23 Mar 2021 05:00:00 -0400

Learn how to improve your company’s online reputation with our host, Jason Mudd. Jason is the managing partner of Axia Public Relations.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How online reviews compare to your online reputation
Steps to auditing your company’s online reputation
The importance of domain authority
What you can do offline to improve your online reputation
How to find the right agency to help improve your company’s online reputation

Quotables

“The idea of online reputation management is making sure you have that positive first impression when someone is ‘window shopping’ your brand on the internet.” — @jasonmudd9
“Make sure you’re investing in optimizing pages that will rank higher more organically and naturally because of their domain authority.” — @jasonmudd9
“By improving the offline part of a business, we’re able to help improve the online portion of a company’s reputation.” — @jasonmudd9
“You didn’t earn a bad reputation instantly or overnight, so don’t expect a positive reputation to develop overnight.” — @jasonmudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Jason Mudd

Jason’s contact info and resources:

Twitter: @jasonmudd9
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmudd/
Website: https://www.axiapr.com/
Have a question for Jason? Email: podcast@ontopofpr.com

Additional Resources:

Burrelles
This solocast episode is brought to you by media monitoring company Burrelles.

ReviewMaxer
On Top of PR is brought to you by ReviewMaxer

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

How to use HARO and ProfNet with Cision’s Allison Richard

Tue, 16 Mar 2021 05:00:00 -0400

Learn HARO and ProfNet best practices and how to give your query the best chance at a response with our guest Allison Richard, opportunities manager of members and content at Cision. Allison has been in the industry since 2003 and started as the media research supervisor for Cision.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How to use HARO and ProfNet more efficiently
The difference between HARO and ProfNet
How to carefully read HARO and ProfNet queries
How you should respond to a reporter on HARO and ProfNet
How to build relationships with a reporter through HARO and ProfNet

Quotables

“HARO: It’s an immensely popular platform, and we love the love that people have for the service.” — Allison Richard, @helpareporter
“Don’t give up on a failed first pitch.” — Allison Richard, @helpareporter

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Allison Richard

Allison Richard is the opportunities manager of members and content at Cision. She helps oversee the company’s HARO and ProfNet platforms, providing product knowledge and promoting each platform’s value to clients. She loves hearing success stories from clients who’ve found or served as experts in content due to these services.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

About your host, Jason Mudd

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Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Understanding human motivation can increase sales with Darryl Salerno

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Our episode guest is Darryl Salerno, president and CEO of Second Quadrant Solutions. He works with professional service companies to boost their market efficiency, competitiveness, processes, and management training programs.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How to use human motivation to boost sales, increase margins, and improve employee satisfaction
What a decoy is and how it works
The psychology of pricing and buying
What anchoring is and how it works
The difference between a social norm and a market norm

Quotables

“Human decision-making is not always rational, but it can be predicted.” — @darrylsalerno
“When you’re talking about pricing, generally, people will not choose the highest priced item. They will also not choose the lowest priced item. They’ll usually pick the middle choice.” — @darrylsalerno
“How a person responds to a difficult situation can diffuse the situation.” — @darrylsalerno
“The ability to give people two choices is very powerful.” — @darrylsalerno
“Nothing has any value except what people are willing to pay for it.” — @darrylsalerno

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Darryl Salerno

Darryl Salerno has held the title of CEO, COO, CFO, and CAO at four top 10 public relations agencies. Currently, he is the president and CEO of Second Quadrant Solutions, an organization that specializes in working with professional service firms to improve their business performance, profitability, and systems. He is also a member of Mensa and a stand-up comedian.

Darryl’s contact info and resources:

Darryl on Twitter
Darryl on LinkedIn
Company website: secondquadrant.com
Darryl’s book: The Complete Agency Management Handbook: Your Guide to Greater Success and Profitability

Additional Resources:

Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions by Dan Ariely
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by

ReviewMaxer
On Top of PR is brought to you by ReviewMaxer

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Fourteen tips to increase news release engagement that every PR person should know with Business Wire’s Serena Ehrlich

Tue, 02 Mar 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Learn what you can be doing to increase your news release engagement and how you can use commercial newswires to your benefit with Serena Ehrlich, director of product marketing at Business Wire. She is responsible for Business Wire’s go-to-market marketing strategy, including initiating consumer discovery, supervising product releases, developing market-oriented content, and creating thought leadership initiatives.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How to use commercial newswires to your benefit
How to improve your news releases
What the most important word in your news release headline is
If you should put more than one call-to-action in your news release
The importance of bundling imagery in your news releases

Quotables

“You don’t want to use wire services or commercial wire service for something that’s not news.” — @Serena
“When you write a news release, your headline is the number one factor in the open rate of your news release.” — @Serena
“People in real estate say location, location, location. And I say in PR and marketing, it’s repetition, repetition, repetition.” — @jasonmudd9
“Before you ever pitch somebody in the media, you should already have a relationship with them in one way or another.” — @Serena
“Coverage is still the most trusted piece of content a brand can generate.” — @Serena
“A Newswire isn’t going to be your media relations program. It’s an amplification of your media relations program.” — @Serena

About Serena Ehrlich

Serena Ehrlich is the current director of product marketing at Business Wire. She has worked over the last 20 years to provide guidance on trends in investor relations, public relations, and general consumer behavior relations. When she began her advertising career, she gained a branding understanding from a large-scale perspective. Ehrlich designed and implemented successful local, national, and international social, mobile, and traditional marketing campaigns for brands like Kraft, Kohls, Avon, Mattel, and more prior to joining Business Wire in 2013.

Serena’s contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

Sponsored by:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting on

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Why “storytellers” may not be the best word to describe PR pros with Carnival Cruise Line’s Chris Chiames

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Learn why the word “storytellers” can have a negative connotation for PR pros with our guest Chris Chiames of Carnival Cruise Line.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

Why Chris Chiames thinks PR pros shouldn’t be storytellers
Why measurement is just one important factor in demonstrating PR effectiveness
The value of observation before making suggestions
The importance of asking “why” as communicators
How the travel industry plans to recover from the pandemic

Quotables

“Smart companies hire smart people.” — @ChrisChiames
“Great writing is the key for public relations.” — @ChrisChiames
“Storytelling is certainly important, as part of what public relations does effectively. But we’re ultimately more than storytellers. We’re conversationalists, and we are listening, hopefully, as much as we are telling stories.” — @ChrisChiames
“There’s a lot more pressure on communicators to make sure they’re delivering messages and content that people are engaging with.” — @ChrisChiames
“The more thoughtful questions you ask, the more people like and trust you.” — @jasonmudd9
“It really is a privilege to be able to sit in the middle of your organization and be responsible for its reputation and success in multiple ways.” — @ChrisChiames

If you enjoyed the episode, would you please leave us a review?

About Chris Chiames

Chris Chiames is the chief communications officer for Carnival Cruise Line, the most popular cruise operator in the world. After starting his career in politics, he has spent most of the past 25 years in travel, including executive roles at American Airlines, U.S. Airways, Orbitz, Sabre, and leading the travel and tourism practice at Burson-Marsteller.

Contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

Axia Public Relations: https://www.axiapr.com/

About your host Jason Mudd

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

How newsrooms post content on their websites with Axia Public Relations’ Jason Mudd, APR

Tue, 16 Feb 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Learn how newsrooms post stories and content on their websites and what to expect when your story goes live with our host, Jason Mudd, managing partner of Axia Public Relations.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

If a TV newsroom always posts an online article in addition to the aired news story
How you can get a copy of an aired TV news story video
Beware of copyright when posting TV news stories on your website
If a news story will always include a link to your company’s website
The value of SEO for newsrooms

Quotables

“Even though you appeared on a news channel, that doesn’t mean it’s your property. You are actually consenting for the news station to have the exclusive copyright of that video content.” -@jasonmudd9
“Search engine optimization is as important to the news channel as it is to you.” -@jasonmudd9
“Newsrooms are designed to remain objective and not simply endorse companies, products, and services.” -@jasonmudd9

About Jason Mudd

Jason’s contact info and resources:

Twitter: @jasonmudd9
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmudd/
Website: https://www.axiapr.com/
Have a question for Jason? Email: podcast@ontopofpr.com

Presented by: ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Tips on telling your company’s story with Rayonier’s Alejandro Barbero

Tue, 09 Feb 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Learn how to tell your company’s story by involving employees with our guest Alejandro Barbero, director of strategic development and communications at Rayonier. He makes the complex simple and is constantly taking on new challenges. During his 25 years of global experience, he has taken businesses and teams to places they’ve never been.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

The value of putting your employees’ happiness first
Why companies need to tell the story of their brand
How you can reevaluate your company values
How to bring authenticity into your company’s communications
Company storytelling strategies

Quotables

“No communication’s piece that I could create will ever supplant the trust that our employees build on a day-to-to basis.” — Alejandro Barbero
“If you’re not telling your story, you’re letting somebody else tell your story.” — Alejandro Barbero
“We’re never going to be the best storytelling company in the industry if it’s just the communications team doing the storytelling. We need to empower everyone in the company to become storytellers.” — Alejandro Barbero

About Alejandro Barbero

Passion, curiosity, tenacity, vision, and fun describe Alejandro Barbero. First a family-man, Alejandro is also a big-idea guy that can strategize, be bold, and get things done. He makes the complex simple and is constantly taking on new challenges. During his 25 years of global experience, he has taken businesses and teams to places they’ve never been. He believes there is always a way, and you just need to open your eyes to see it.

Alejandro’s contact info and resources:

Alejandro’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alebarbero/
Rayonier’s website: https://www.rayonier.com/stories/

Additional Resources:

Axia Public Relations: https://www.axiapr.com/

Presented by: ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

About your host Jason Mudd

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Understanding photography copyright law with Hashtag Legal’s Jamie Lieberman

Tue, 02 Feb 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Learn how to avoid copyright infringement when using stock photography with our guest Jamie Lieberman, owner and founder of Hashtag Legal. Jamie has been a practicing lawyer for 15 years. Today, she partners with clients across verticals including influencer marketing, creative services, and e-commerce.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

Understanding what a license to use a photo is
The pitfalls of using stock photography
How to create policies that prevent cease and desist letters surrounding stock photo photography
How to respond if you receive a cease and desist letter for using copyrighted photography
Best practices when using stock photography and other creative elements

Quotables

“If you’re asking someone to create work on your behalf, you also have to make sure you’re getting the rights to the work being done.” -Jamie Lieberman, @hashtaglegalllc
“It’s important to have an understanding not only of, ‘I just bought this stock photo and I’m going to use it,’ but also, ‘what does the license allow me to do?’” -Jamie Lieberman, @hashtaglegalllc
“If you get a cease and desist letter, the first piece of information and advice I have is don’t ignore it.” -Jamie Lieberman, @hashtaglegalllc
“The better you keep your records, the better chance you have to mitigate any copyright damages.” -Jamie Lieberman, @hashtaglegalllc

About Jamie Lieberman

Jamie Lieberman, owner and founder of Hashtag Legal, has been a practicing lawyer for 15 years. As an experienced entrepreneur, Jamie understands the unique needs of business owners at different stages in their organization’s growth. Today, she partners with clients across verticals including influencer marketing, creative services, and e-commerce. She has a deep commitment to making legal photography accessible and regularly speaks about legal matters, the art of negotiation, and entrepreneurial topics at leading industry events like Alt Summit, Podcast Movement, and FinCon and as an expert source for media like Digiday and Forbes. You can also catch her as a co-host on The FearLess Business Podcast.

Jamie’s contact info and resources:

Website: hashtag-legal.com/ontopofpr
Hashtag Legal’s Instagram: instagram.com/hashtag_legal/
Jamie’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jamie-lieberman-8618b54/

Additional Resources:

Axia Public Relations: https://www.axiapr.com/

Presented by: ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

About your host Jason Mudd

On Top of PR host, Jason Mudd, is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands an

ReviewMaxer
On Top of PR is brought to you by ReviewMaxer

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

The power of PR measurement with Katie Delahaye Paine

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Our episode guest is Katie Delahaye Paine, aka The Measurement Queen, a pioneer in the measurement field for three decades. Her latest company, Paine Publishing, is the first educational publishing firm entirely dedicated to making more Measurement Mavens.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

The power of PR measurement
Why PR measurement is important
How to start measuring PR
The future of PR measurement
The role of measurement in corporate social responsibility and corporate social advocacy

Quotables

“I really do think that AI and machine learning can go a long way to fix the accuracy problems in measurement because there is a tremendous amount of accuracy problems.” -@queenofmetrics
“Whenever there’s a crisis and companies are doing foolish things, I always have this vision of the entire PR department bound, gagged, handcuffed in the basement, and screaming at the top of their lungs, “Don’t do that!” So what AI, data, and measurement can do today is release the shackles.” -@queenofmetrics
“If you dodge the press, the time it’s going to take you to get from a whole bunch of negative press back down to neutral is a lot longer.” -@queenofmetrics
What’s the thing that is going to get your boss’ boss walking into your office and plunking a case of champagne down on your desk because you’ve done such a fabulous job?” -@queenofmetrics
“For corporate social advocacy, you must measure: Did that advocacy appear authentic? Did it raise your trust levels? And did it make anybody want to do business with you more often?” -@queenofmetrics

About Katie Delahaye Paine

Katie Delahaye Paine, aka The Measurement Queen, has been a pioneer in the measurement field for three decades. She founded two measurement companies, KDPaine & Partners Inc. and The Delahaye Group. Her books, Measure What Matters (Wiley, March 2011) and Measuring Public Relationships (KDPaine & Partners, 2007), are considered must-reads for anyone tasked with measuring public relations and social media. Her latest book written with Beth Kanter, Measuring the Networked Nonprofit: Using Data to Change the World, is the 2013 winner of the Terry McAdam Book Award.

Her latest company, Paine Publishing, is the first educational publishing firm entirely dedicated to making more Measurement Mavens. Its newsletter, “The Measurement Advisor,” is the industry’s most comprehensive source of information about best practices in communications measurement. In her consulting practices, she designs measurement dashboards for some of today’s most admired companies. Katie has also been a leading promoter of standards in the PR and social media measurement fields.

Contact info and resources:

Website: painepublishing.com
Monthly newsletter: The Measurement Advisor

ReviewMaxer
On Top of PR is brought to you by ReviewMaxer

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Why marketing is the heart of any enterprise with Jeffrey J. Fox

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Our episode guest is Jeffrey J. Fox, founder of Fox & Company Marketing Consultants and author of 11 bestselling books. For more than 25 years, Jeffrey has been helping clients grow revenues and increase gross margins.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

Some of the mistakes top marketers make
How to improve your marketing, storytelling, and communication skills
The four factors to sustain business success
Why customers are just “ok”
How you should price your products

Quotables

“Marketing is the job that helps the company identify, attract, get, and keep customers. It’s the heart and center of an enterprise.” — Jeffrey J. Fox
“Marketing’s job is to point salespeople to where they should go and to arm them with the tools to make the sale.” — Jeffrey J. Fox
“A lot of companies think that they’re in charge of quality. They’re not. The quality is defined by the customer.” — Jeffrey J. Fox
“Customers buy for only two reasons. They buy to solve a problem or to feel good and some mix of both of them.” — Jeffrey J. Fox

About Jeffrey J. Fox

For over 25 years, Jeffrey J. Fox has been helping clients grow revenues and increase gross margins. Jeffrey is the founder of Fox & Company, a management consulting firm that shows clients how to dollarize their value proposition to overcome the price objection and to shorten the sales cycle. Jeffery has written 11 bestselling business books that have been translated into more than 30 languages.

Jeffrey is the author of “How to Become CEO,” which was on the New York Times, Business Week, Wall Street Journal, Knight-Ridder, and Amazon.com bestseller lists. His books have been bestsellers in France, Germany, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Russia. His book “How to Become a Rainmaker” was selected as one of the 100 best business books ever written. His book “Dollarization Discipline” was selected as one of the top 30 business books of 2005.

He is a popular speaker, appearing regularly before senior management groups and sales forces. Jeffrey is a graduate of Harvard Business School. Fox & Company is located in Chester, CT.

Contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

Axia Public Relations: https://www.axiapr.com/

About your host Jason Mudd

On Top of PR host, Jason Mudd, is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands and fastest-growing companies. Since 1994, he’s worked with American

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

10 elements of news and newsworthiness with Axia Public Relations’ Jason Mudd, APR

Tue, 12 Jan 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Learn what makes a story newsworthy with our host, Jason Mudd. Jason is the managing partner of Axia Public Relations.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

What the 10 elements of news are
How you can proactively address the timeliness of your news
What consequences could be considered newsworthy
Why human interest is almost always local
How the 10 elements of news can apply to other communications

Quotables

“The more legitimate, genuine elements of news your story has, the better it’s going to be.” — @jasonmudd9
“The news media loses interest quickly, and events that happened in the past become stale when there’s always something new and fresh going on somewhere else.” — @jasonmudd9
“The best thing you have in business is your reputation, and your reputation comes from integrity. So always protect that integrity with your communication and with your PR.” — @jasonmudd9

About Jason Mudd

Contact info and resources:

Jason on Twitter: twitter.com/jasonmudd9
Jason on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmudd/
Website: www.axiapr.com/
Blog post: 10 elements of news and newsworthiness

Presented by: ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Four leadership tips to guide you through uncertain times with Ken Jacobs

Tue, 05 Jan 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Our episode guest is Ken Jacobs PCC, CPC, owner and principal of Jacobs Consulting & Executive Coaching. Ken is an experienced certified coach who helps corporate (and agency) leaders, senior executives, and managers in public relations, marketing, advertising, and/or related communications functions. He focuses on helping others achieve and surpass their organizational, career, and personal goals.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How to switch from a “challenge” mindset to an “opportunity” mindset
Improving your emotional intelligence
How to be more transparent
Setting high standards for your own leadership
Taking care of yourself as a leader

Quotables

“Followers have always followed courage and optimism. Your followers can be your team members, peers, your boss, or your stakeholders — internal and external. We all have the ability to lead, to create outcomes that are good for all of us.” — @KensViews
“The core definition of leadership to me is, ‘I have the ability to influence positive outcomes both in myself and in others.’”— @KensViews
“You can only take care of your employees if you’re taking care of yourself.” — @KensViews
“I know it may not feel like it now, but fear is a choice. What if you chose courage? What would that feel like?” — @KensViews
“If you can inspire, employees will self motivate.” — @KensViews

About Ken Jacobs

Ken is an experienced certified coach who helps corporate (and agency) leaders, senior executives, and managers in public relations, marketing, advertising, and/or related communications functions. His focus is assisting others achieve and surpass their organizational, career, and personal goals by helping them become more inspired and effective leaders.

Contact info and resources:

Ken on Twitter: twitter.com/KensViews
Ken on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jacobsconsultingcoaching/
Jacobs Consulting & Executive Coaching: www.jacobscomm.com/
Ken’s eBooks:
Podcast: Taking the Lead
Other books mentioned:
- Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves

Additional Resources:

Axia Public Relations: https://www.axiapr.com/

Presented by: ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

About your host Jason Mudd

On Top of PR host, Jaso

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Breaking into the PR industry as a recent graduate with Colin Wylie

Tue, 29 Dec 2020 05:00:00 -0500

Our episode guest is Colin Wylie, assistant director for marketing and assessment at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, Reeve Union. Colin also serves on the board of directors for PRSA Northeast Wisconsin.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How to transition from being a PR student to a PR professional
Understanding the PR industry as a recent graduate
The importance of relationships, networks, and professional associations when navigating the first years in your PR career
How to use your student experience to give you an advantage after graduation
Why you should apply for the Axia Public Relations scholarship if you’re a college student

Quotables

“If you treat mistakes as learning experiences, that’s when you’ll see the most growth.” — @thecolinwylie
“If you don’t make the ask, you won’t get new opportunities.” — @thecolinwylie

About Colin Wylie

Colin currently works as the assistant director for marketing and assessment at Reeve Union at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. He also serves on the board of directors for PRSA Northeast Wisconsin. Colin graduated from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.

Contact info and resources:

Colin on Twitter: www.twitter.com/thecolinwylie
Colin on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/colin-wylie/

Additional Resources:

Axia Public Relations: www.axiapr.com/
Axia Public Relations scholarship: www.axiapr.com/scholarship

Presented by: ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.
About your host Jason Mudd

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

A sale is a love affair with Jack Vincent, strategic poet

Tue, 22 Dec 2020 05:00:00 -0500

Our episode guest is Jack Vincent, Strategic Poet. Jack helps companies sell more effectively, from tactical questioning to killer stories.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How a sale is a love affair
The five phases you need to pull a buyer through in their purchase
Tactical tools help your sales team sell more effectively
The killer question for closing and bringing the sale to conclusion
How marketing leaders can guide sales people to pitch like they’re storytelling

Quotables

“We have to get attention in an attractive way. You need to disrupt and get attention to prove you are worthy of my attention.” — @jackvincent
“Asking questions is not a sign of ignorance, it's a sign of professionalism.” — @jackvincent
“Love your customers even if they tell you no.” — @jackvincent

Contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

ReviewMaxer: http://reviewmaxer.com
Axia Public Relations: https://www.axiapr.com/

Presented by: ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving and promoting online customer reviews.

About your host Jason Mudd

On Top of PR host, Jason Mudd, is the CEO and managing partner of Axia Public Relations. He is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands. Since 1994, he's worked with American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster’s, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon. He founded Axia in 2002.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Building a successful content strategy with Wounded Warrior Project’s Sherry Sanderford

Tue, 15 Dec 2020 05:00:00 -0500

Learn the role of content strategy and why a solid content strategy is important to your marketing and PR efforts with our guest Sherry Sanderford, public relations manager at the Wounded Warrior Project. Sherry is a strategic communications leader with extensive experience in corporate, health care, and health technology communications.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

What is the role of content in today’s PR environment?
How can organizations drive content through a multi-channel strategy?
How does a solid content strategy support earned media efforts?
How do you measure the impact of your content strategy?
What are lessons for PR practitioners operating during a pandemic?

Quotables

“Good content is the gift that keeps on giving.” — @ssanderford
“Let's get back to a broader view on public relations, of which earned media and media relations is a component.” — @ssanderford
“Having a very strong customer base, follower base, supporter, or donor base is key.” — @ssanderford
“We have to be willing to be open to new ideas that may be coming from folks that we might not necessarily have thought understand our business or the work that we do.” — @ssanderford
“I think taking a little bit more time and guiding people produces enormous rewards in the end. You get richer stories and content. Be willing to laugh and learn.” — @ssanderford

If you enjoyed the episode, would you please leave us a review?

About Sherry Sanderford

Sherry Sanderford is a strategic communications leader with extensive experience in corporate, health care, and health technology communications. She recently joined the Wounded Warrior Project as the public relations manager. Her responsibilities include leading a team of public relations professionals in charge of external communications and reputation. Previously, Sherry ran S2 Communications & Consulting where she provided communications strategy and consulting to businesses and non-profit organizations, primarily in the healthcare space.

Before that, Sherry spent 20 years at Aetna/CVS Health leading executive communications, internal communications, and media relations for numerous business areas. She enjoys connecting people to one another around a shared purpose.

Sherry Sanderford’s contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

ReviewMaxer: http://reviewmaxer.com
Axia Public Relations: https://www.axiapr.com/

About your host Jason Mudd

On Top of PR host, Jason Mudd, is

ReviewMaxer
On Top of PR is brought to you by ReviewMaxer

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Five questions to ask before sending any corporate communications with Axia Public Relations’ Jason Mudd, APR

Tue, 08 Dec 2020 05:00:00 -0500

Learn what five questions you should ask yourself and your team before sending any corporate communications to your audience with our host, Jason Mudd. Jason is the managing partner of Axia Public Relations.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

The five questions you should ask yourself before you send out any corporate communications
Why your audience isn’t “everyone”
Why it’s ok if your audience doesn’t know about your brand yet
Why you should stick to having three company messages for your audience
How you can make your message valuable to your audience

Quotables

“You should ask yourself what does your audience know? And I promise you, it’s okay for the answer to be they don’t know anything.” — @jasonmudd9
“Now, the audience might know a lot about your company, your product, your service, your organization, your point of view, and thought leadership. And that’s good too, but we just need to establish a baseline of what people know.” — @jasonmudd9
“You have to be careful about offering too many options because people have analysis paralysis where you give them too many decisions and they can’t move. They don’t do anything, they’re uncertain, or they’re not sure where to go.” — @jasonmudd9
“You have to have a mindset of being helpful first, and once you have secured the audience’s awareness, then it’s about trust. Then it’s about consideration. Then it’s a decision.” — @jasonmudd9

If you enjoyed the episode, would you please leave us a review?

About Jason Mudd

Jason Mudd, APR, is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands. Since 1994, he's worked with American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster’s, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon. He founded Axia in July 2002.

Contact info and resources:

Twitter: @jasonmudd9
LinkedIn
Website: axia

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Why your company marketing efforts should stay active during a recession with Drew McLellan andSusan Baier

Thu, 03 Dec 2020 05:00:00 -0500

Learn the three ways brands are responding to the current economic climate and why you shouldn’t ditch your marketing efforts during a recession with Susan Baier, president of Audience Audit and Drew McLellan, CEO of Agency Management Institute.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

What three ways brands are responding to the economic climate
Why brands who are actively building attention and being aggressive in their marketing efforts will win out over their competition when the recession is over
How to work with an outside agency during this time of uncertainty
Why agencies are the best resource to aid their clients during an economic downturn
Why you should never stop telling the story of your brand

Quotables

“You can't stop running your business and making good decisions just because the economy is not as robust as it was.” — @DrewMcLellan
“There's always opportunity if you are wired to look for and take advantage of that opportunity.” — @DrewMcLellan
“When a brand goes dark during an economic downturn, they lose market share, they never get back. And a brand who accelerates and amplifies their voice during a downturn gains market share that they never lose.” — @DrewMcLellan
“Companies of all sizes want their agencies helping them strategically and they're really looking to them for advice.” — @susanbaier
“Agencies have a bird's eye view on what's working not just for you, but for their other clients.” — @DrewMcLellan
“I think it's important to remember that agencies and clients are a symbiotic relationship. They work well together, they survive together.” — @susanbaier

About Susan Baier

A marketing strategist and researcher for more than 30 years, Susan is an audience specialist. She crafts custom attitudinal segmentation research for agencies and marketers for B2C, B2B, and higher ed organizations including Gap, AT&T, Jayco, Tufts University, and more.

About Drew McLellan

For almost 30+ years, Drew McLellan has been in the advertising industry. He started his career at Y&R, worked in boutique-sized agencies, and then started his own agency in 1995, which he still owns and runs. Additionally, McLellan owns and leads Agency Management Institute, which advises hundreds of small to mid-sized agencies on how to grow their agencies profitability through agency owner peer groups, consulting, coaching, workshops, and more.

Contact info and resources:

ReviewMaxer
On Top of PR is brought to you by ReviewMaxer

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Building media and customer relationships with HARO founder Peter Shankman

Tue, 01 Dec 2020 05:00:00 -0500

Learn how you can improve yourself and your relationship with the media and your customers with our guest, Peter Shankman, who is an entrepreneur, author, keynote speaker, and Pelton enthusiast.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

Why companies should use neurodiverse marketing
Common mistakes marketing and PR professionals make when approaching the media
How to build relationships with the media
Learning how your brain works to keep you motivated and productive
How to engage customers

Quotables

“The key really is understanding both your audience from a hiring perspective as well as from a selling perspective.” — @petershankman
“Any story you do has to be making the reporter’s life easier.” — @petershankman
“Understand that 99% of what you believe to be news may very well be news to you but not to anyone else.” — @petershankman
“Reach out to me with good quality content, and I'll be a lot happier. And chances are, I’ll buy from you when I do have something to buy.” — @petershankman
“Your audience will tell you exactly how they like to get their information if you let them.” — @petershankman
“I think that my greatest fear is missing out on an opportunity because I was afraid to take the risk.” — @petershankman

If you enjoyed the episode, would you please leave us a review?

About Peter Shankman

The New York Times has called Peter Shankman “a rockstar who knows everything about social media and then some.” He is a five-time best selling author, entrepreneur, and corporate in-person and digital keynote speaker, focusing on customer service and the new and emerging customer and neurotypical economy. With three startup launches and exits under his belt, Peter is recognized worldwide for radically new ways of thinking about the customer experience, social media, PR, marketing, advertising, ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), and the new Neurodiverse Economy.

Contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

ReviewMaxer: http://reviewmaxer.com
Axia Public Relations: https://www.axiapr.com/

About your host Jason Mudd

On Top of PR host, Jason Mudd, is the CEO and managing part

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Job search advice and hiring top PR talent with Nicole Balsam, Capstone Hill Search

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 05:00:00 -0500

Our episode guest is Nicole Balsam, former management consultant at Capstone Hill Search. Balsam has more than six years of experience placing director-level and above candidates in the PR, communications, and marketing space.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How can I get a job?
What does the current PR job market look like?
What mistakes are candidates making in their resumes and job search approaches?
How do I find someone to fill an open position at my company?
When should I hire a recruiter?

Quotables

“Oftentimes, the best time to find a job is when you’re not looking for a job.” — @nicolebalsam
“The larger trend I have seen is that there has been a real hesitancy for people to hire at very senior levels.” — @nicolebalsam
“What you can do to stand out for opportunities you’re really interested in is tailor your resume so it’s specific for that role or company to make it clear why you would be a great fit not only for the role but for the organization.” — @nicolebalsam
“If you post a job on LinkedIn and get back 400 resumes, I personally believe you should look at all of them. You don’t need to read every single one in great detail, but sometimes gems are hidden in there.” — @nicolebalsam
“The great thing about using a search firm is you get to control the narrative about your organization in the marketplace.” — @nicolebalsam

If you enjoyed the episode, would you please leave us a review?

About Nicole Balsam

Nicole Balsam is a former executive search consultant for Capstone Hill Search with more than six years of experience placing director-level and above candidates in the PR, communications, and marketing space.

Contact info and resources:

Twitter: @nicolebalsam
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolebalsam/

Additional Resources:

ReviewMaxer: http://reviewmaxer.com
Axia Public Relations: https://www.axiapr.com/

Presented by: ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

About your host Jason Mudd

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Which type of PR agency client are you? with Audience Audit’s Susan Baier

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 20:00:00 -0500

Our episode guest is Susan Baier, president of Audience Audit. Susan has been a marketing strategist and researcher for more than 30 years and specializes in analyzing audiences.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

What are the three types of PR agency clients?
Why doesn’t hiring an agency based on size or spend guarantee it will meet your needs as a client?
When is the best time to initiate the conversation about campaign research?
How can research save you money?
Why do assumptions not make you dumb?

Quotables

“Agency clients are really different, and it doesn’t have anything to do with how big they are or how much money they have.” — @susanbaier
“I think it’s a fallacy to assume that a big client means more money.” — @susanbaier
“Everybody thinks they need to have a PhD in statistics to talk about research, and that’s certainly not true, but you do have to have some comfort around it.” — @susanbaier

If you enjoyed the episode, would you please leave us a review?

About Susan Baier

Contact info and resources:

Additional Resources:

ReviewMaxer: http://reviewmaxer.com
Axia Public Relations: https://www.axiapr.com/

Presented by: ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

About your host Jason Mudd

ReviewMaxer
On Top of PR is brought to you by ReviewMaxer

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

The cost of hiring in-house PR vs. a PR agency with Axia Public Relations’ Jason Mudd, APR

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 05:00:00 -0500

Learn the true cost of employing PR professionals inside of your organization with our host Jason Mudd. Jason is the managing partner of Axia Public Relations.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

What’s the true cost of employing PR professionals inside your organization?
How does hiring an in-house PR professional compare to hiring a PR agency?
What tool can I use to figure out these costs?
Why does hiring a PR professional for their contacts doesn’t work?
If I hire a PR professional on my team, will I end up outsourcing anyway?

Quotables

“Whether you choose to take a risk of employing or operating an effective PR department or attempt to go buy cheap by only hiring one person, the expenses and risks really add up quickly.” — @jasonmudd9
“For most companies, an effective PR campaign will require the efforts of the team.” — @jasonmudd9
“The more PR staff a company has on payroll, the more that company depends on outside PR firms.” — @jasonmudd9
“Your PR firm is providing an external team of proven PR professionals who are eager to immediately drive PR outcomes for you and your company.” — @jasonmudd9
“If you’re growing your in-house team, there’s going to be a higher proclivity to outsource more work to an outside agency anyway.” — @jasonmudd9

About Jason Mudd

Contact info and resources:

Twitter: @jasonmudd9
LinkedIn: https://w

ReviewMaxer
On Top of PR is brought to you by ReviewMaxer

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Engaging employees and creating a positive workplace culture with Richard Hadden

Tue, 10 Nov 2020 05:00:00 -0500

Our episode guest is Richard Hadden. Richard is an author, speaker, and workplace expert who helps leaders connect people practices with profit performance.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How do you create a great place to work?
What are people practices and profit performance?
How can I improve my workplace’s culture?
What can I do as a manager to be a great boss when I have a small team and budget?
What is the future of employee engagement?

Quotables

“Creating a focused, engaged, and capably led workforce is one of the best things any organization can do for its bottom line.” — Richard Hadden, @contentedcows
“You’ve got people who are in leadership positions and they’re simply not good leaders. It doesn’t mean they’re not good people, but they just haven’t yet developed skills around leadership.” — Richard Hadden, @contentedcows
“Showing people that you care about them as people, that’s going to manifest itself in certain [positive] ways.” — Richard Hadden, @contentedcows
“It’s about showing [employees] that you care about them and are willing to make exceptions because you know that they can bring about exceptional performance.” — Richard Hadden, @contentedcows
“Engaged employees give better performance.” — Richard Hadden, @contentedcows

About Richard Hadden

Richard Hadden is an author, speaker, and workplace expert who helps leaders connect people practices with profit performance. A ninth-generation Floridian, Richard has been speaking since he was 18 months old but professionally for the last 20 years. In that time, he’s spoken for more than 1,000 audiences (mostly in person, but recently online) on five continents. He holds an MBA as well as the Certified Speaking Professional designation from the National Speakers Association. He’s also a member of five airline frequent flier programs, gets free bottled water at three major hotel brands, and holds VIP status with a nationally known pizza delivery chain.

Contact info and resources:

Twitter: @contentedcows
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardhadden
Website: contentedcows.com
Books:

Additional Resources:

ReviewMaxer: http://reviewmaxer.com
Axia Public Relations:

ReviewMaxer
On Top of PR is brought to you by ReviewMaxer

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Prioritizing PR over advertising with Laura Ries

Tue, 03 Nov 2020 05:00:00 -0500

Our episode guest is Laura Ries, president at Ries & Ries. Laura is a branding guru and the bestselling author of “The Fall of Advertising & the Rise of PR.”

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

Why should I lead with PR before advertising when launching a campaign or brand?
What is the importance of brand positioning?
Why should companies try to go “all in” when launching a brand?
What are some brand hits and misses when it comes to brand positioning?
Why should only well-established brands spend money on advertising?

Quotables

“The best thing for news value are new categories because really people don’t care about brands. They care about categories, and that’s what the media covers.” — @lauraries
“Intentionally not doing advertising when you’re launching a brand is actually incredibly important.” — @lauraries
“One of the reasons brands take so long and why PR is so essential: it’s because it takes time to get in the mind.” — @lauraries
“Staying safe isn’t how you get in the mind of the consumer. It’s not how you engage with them. Being all in is the way to go.” — @lauraries

If you enjoyed the episode, would you please leave us a review?

Contact info and resources:

Twitter: @lauraries
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauraries/
Website: ries.com
Books
- The Fall of Advertising and the Rise of PR
- Visual Hammers

Additional Resources:

ReviewMaxer: http://reviewmaxer.com
Axia Public Relations: https://www.axiapr.com/

About your host Jason Mudd

Presented by: ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

The decay of civility in public discourse with Syracuse University’s Anthony D’Angelo

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 05:00:00 -0400

Learn how the decay of civil public discourse is hurting our democracy with our guest, Anthony D’Angelo.

Guest:

Our episode guest is Anthony D’Angelo, professor of practice at Syracuse University's Newhouse School of Public Communications. Anthony has more than 30 years of agency and corporate communications experience and is a co-chair of the Public Relations Society of America’s Commission on Public Relations Education.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How is the decay of civility in public discourse hurting our democracy?
What is the Public Relations Society of America doing to promote civility?
What are the symptoms of incivility?
What can you do to combat incivility?
What’s the outlook for civility in the future?

Quotables

“The symptoms of incivility in public discourse have to do with increased polarization that we feel in so many public and private dialogues.” — @TonyDAngelo_SU
“There is research that shows that there are health effects that incivility takes as a toll on those who experience it.” — @TonyDAngelo_SU
“If there’s a profession that can take up this mantle of trying to be the balm that soothes all the pain that’s caused by instability, it ought to be the public relations profession.” — @TonyDAngelo_SU
“The civility effort is not designed to squelch dissent, it is instead designed to help advance productive dissent.” — @TonyDAngelo_SU
“Public relations has been said to help people and ideas at organizations adjust to one another, not force the other side to conform.” — @TonyDAngelo_SU

About Anthony D’Angelo

Following more than 30 years in agency and corporate public relations, Anthony D'Angelo is a professor of practice at Syracuse University's Newhouse School of Public Communications. He is a past national chair of the Public Relations Society of America and currently co-chair of the Commission on Public Relations Education. His columns and commentary have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, BusinessWeek, CNBC, Sports Illustrated and a variety of other media outlets.

Contact info and resources:

Email: dangeloa@syr.edu
Twitter: @TonyDAngelo_SU
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-d-angelo-163351a/
PRSA Civility Taskforce Whitepaper

Additional Resources:

ReviewMaxer: http://reviewmaxer.com
Axia Public Relations: https://www.axiapr.com/

Works and people cited:

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Learning from the COVID-19 pandemic and preparing for a crisis with Firehouse Subs’ Kristen Majdanics

Tue, 20 Oct 2020 05:00:00 -0400

Find out what lessons Firehouse Subs learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and how you can implement these solutions at your company with our guest Kristen Majdanics, vice president of marketing at Firehouse Subs.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How did Firehouse Subs prepare for the COVID-19 pandemic?
What lessons did Firehouse Subs learn from the COVID-19 pandemic, and how can you implement these solutions to your company?
Why will focusing on the local community before a crisis help your company during a crisis?
How do you track consumer behaviors before and after a crisis?
How can you be smart and brief with your communications to consumers?

Quotables

“Being a local business with local connections and living that local impact was part of how [the Firehouse Subs’ founders] grew the business.” — Kristen Majdanics
“One of the things that has continued to be important to us is watching the behaviors of consumers and following where they lead.” — Kristen Majdanics
“What we do is ask what are the decisions we need to make to make guests feel comfortable? But just as important is do your crew members feel comfortable while working?” — Kristen Majdanics

About Kristen Majdanics

Kristen is the vice president of marketing at Firehouse Subs, leading a team of 17 marketing professionals and supporting a system of more than 1,100 restaurants.

Contact info and resources:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristen-petrillo-majdanics-147908/
Firehouse Sub: https://www.firehousesubs.com/
Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation: https://firehousesubsfoundation.org/

Additional Resources:

ReviewMaxer: http://reviewmaxer.com
Axia Public Relations: https://www.axiapr.com/

About your host Jason Mudd

ReviewMaxer
On Top of PR is brought to you by ReviewMaxer

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Improving your earned media coverage with Axia Public Relations’ Jason Mudd, APR

Tue, 13 Oct 2020 05:00:00 -0400

Jason Mudd is an expert in earned media and media relations. Learn Axia Public Relations’ earned media process and how your company can replicate the steps.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How can I improve and increase my earned media coverage?
How can I better understand how to work with the media?
What types of stories should I share with the media?
What are the most important steps of the earned media process?
Why should I think visually with every news topic I pitch?

Quotables

“It’s always good to look at the elements of news and align your communication, media, pitch, or news release to as many of them as possible.” — @jasonmudd9
“You need to think of the media as an audience, a channel, and a tool to get your message out there.” — @jasonmudd9
“You need to be thinking visually when you’re writing and pitching your story.” — @jasonmudd9
“Contrary to popular belief, when you post something to a commercial newswire, while it might go to newsrooms, a lot of newsrooms aren’t standing by waiting for a story.” — @jasonmudd9
“Pitching media is very similar to doing sales because you have to have a great product, you have to have an audience that’s interested, and you’ve got to make it relevant to what they want to know or they want to do.” — @jasonmudd9

If you enjoyed the episode, would you please leave us a review?

About Jason Mudd

Contact info and resources:

Twitter: @jasonmudd9
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmudd/
Axia Public Relations: https://www.axiapr.com/

ReviewMaxer
On Top of PR is brought to you by ReviewMaxer

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

How your company can effectively hire and work with a PR agency with Drew McLellan

Tue, 06 Oct 2020 05:00:00 -0400

Guest:

Our episode guest is Drew McLellan, CEO at the Agency Management Institute. For almost 30+ years, McLellan has been in the advertising industry and advised hundreds of small to mid-sized agencies on how to grow and become more profitable.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

Why are marketing managers scaling down their outside agency resources?
Can a PR agency be a full-service integrated advertising agency?
What makes a client decide to delegate work to agencies vs. bring the work in-house?
What’s the process of hiring a PR agency?
Should brands market during a recession?

Quotables

“A current trend is most clients have more than one agency relationship.” — @drewmclellan
“Clients prefer to work with an agency that has a depth of expertise in their vertical, industry, or audience.” — @drewmclellan
“Unless the person who is making that buying decision has been around the block for a while and has a deep background in marketing, nobody’s quarterbacking the game and making sure that everybody’s efforts are moving the ball in the same direction.” — @drewmclellan
“The more the agency knows, the more a good agency can help you get the most out of your time and money that you’re buying.” — @drewmclellan
“One of the mistakes that clients make is that once they hire an agency, they only talk functionally about the work. They don’t step back and talk strategy.” — @drewmclellan

If you enjoyed the episode, would you please leave us a review?

About Drew McLellan

Contact info and resources:

Twitter: @drewmclellan
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drewmclellan/
Website: https://agencymanagementinstitute.com/
Podcast: https://agencymanagementinstitute.com/agency-owner-podcast/
COVID-19 resources: https://agencymanagementinstitute.com/covid-19-agency-survival-tools/

Additional Resources:

ReviewMaxer: http://reviewmaxer.com
Axia Public Relations: https://www.axiapr.com/

Presented by: ReviewMaxer

ReviewMaxer
On Top of PR is brought to you by ReviewMaxer

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

How to use personality analytics to better hire, engage, and develop employees with Dolly Penland

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 05:00:00 -0400

Learn how to hire the best individual for your company, lead them to their highest potential, and remotely manage them during the pandemic all through personality analytics. Dolly Penland is the CEO of a talent optimization consultancy and has had years of experience helping companies scale.

Topic:

Use personality assessments to build the best team for your company and optimize them to their highest potential

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How to better manage your clients and employees?
How can a company minimize turnover?
How personality analytics help you hire the best talent for your company?
How can you manage individuals with different personalities?
Is it effective to have a team composed of individuals with different personalities?
How to be more customer focused?

Quotables

“I am encouraging my managers and my leaders to be self aware of their impact on people even remotely because we are still in a working environment, a working relationship.” — @DollyPenland
“You have to understand how people are going to be unique and value them for those unique qualities.” — @DollyPenland
“We have to understand that just because somebody has a degree or a certification doesn’t mean that we don’t still need to invest time and energy into developing them, training them, getting up to speed on whatever their new workload is.”— @DollyPenland
“Success is not a one time event. It’s ongoing.” — @DollyPenland
“I like to make sure that employees understand how their little piece is helping the ultimate organization’s big outcomes. That’s empowering for people to know those kinds of things.” — @DollyPenland
“It starts with self awareness because I have to understand that I might be the one getting in my own way.”— @DollyPenland

About Dolly Penland

Dolly Penland, president & CEO of Business Results, a PI® Certified Partner and Talent Optimization consultancy, works with organizations to help them hire and manage their talent to their highest potential. Penland specializes in multiple areas including helping businesses grow sales, reduce turnover, and develop leaders.

Contact Resources:

Twitter: @DollyPenland
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dolly-penland
Business Results: https://businessresultsllc.com/

Additional Resources:

ReviewMaxer: http://reviewmaxer.com
Axia Public Relations: https://www.axiapr.com/

About your host Jason Mudd

On Top of PR host, Jason Mudd, is the CEO and managing partner of Axia Public Relations

ReviewMaxer
On Top of PR is brought to you by ReviewMaxer

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Transitioning from a career in journalism to PR with Crowley’s David DeCamp

Tue, 22 Sep 2020 05:00:00 -0400

Learn how you can transition a career in journalism to PR with our guest David DeCamp, corporate communications manager at Crowley.

Guest:

Our episode guest is David DeCamp, corporate communications manager at Crowley. DeCamp oversees all aspects of company content strategy and publication and directs internal communications, employer brand activities, and personnel.

Topic:

The one with David DeCamp on how you can transition from a career in journalism to a corporate communications position.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How might you transition from a career in journalism to corporate communications?
How can you keep up with culture shock as you transition from news reporting to strategic communications?
Where should you get advice when you want to transition from journalism to public relations?
How do you balance your time as you manage media relations for an international company?
How do you build relationships with different departments at an international company?

Quotables

“As a reporter, you’re sort of a lone wolf. You may be working with a photographer, videographer, or an editor, but it’s a compartmentalized daily chase.” — @DaveDeCamp
“One of the things that is really important is setting out and getting advice from people who have practiced public relations successfully.” — @DaveDeCamp on transitioning from journalism to public relations
“You have to build relationships with people in different locations because you can’t be in 35 countries at once.” — @DaveDeCamp

About David DeCamp

David DeCamp’s responsibilities at Crowley include overseeing all aspects of company content strategy and publication, including social media content strategy and execution; multimedia content and personnel for digital marketing platforms and websites; magazines; and other material. In addition, DeCamp manages the company’s media relations activities at local, trade, and national levels. He also directs internal communications and employer brand activities and personnel.

DeCamp serves on the leadership committee for the Crowley Cares corporate social responsibility program and as a member of our corporate crisis management team, including incident response activities.

Contact info and resources:

Twitter: @DaveDeCamp
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daviddecamp1/

Additional Resources:

ReviewMaxer: http://reviewmaxer.com
Axia Public Relations: https://www.axiapr.com/

About your host Jason Mudd

On Top of PR host, Jason Mudd, is the CEO and managing partner of Axia Public Relations. He is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands. Since 1994, he's

ReviewMaxer
On Top of PR is brought to you by ReviewMaxer

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Going on "Undercover Boss" with Executive Producer Mike Cotton

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 04:00:00 -0400

Learn the production process for Undercover Boss and what it’s like to be on the show with our guest Mike Cotton. Cotton is an executive producer for Undercover Boss on CBS.

Guest:

Our episode guest is Mike Cotton, executive producer of Undercover Boss on CBS. Cotton has 20 years of experience working in British and American broadcast television specializing in Factual Entertainment.

Topic:

Learn what to expect when you go on Undercover Boss.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

What is the criteria for a company to appear on Undercover Boss?
What Does it have to be a nationally recognized brand to go undercover?
What can I expect from the upcoming season of Undercover Boss?
What is the production process for Undercover Boss?
How likely is it for an employee to recognize the undercover boss?

Quotables

“I’m looking for a boss that wants to do the experience, wants to embrace the undercover opportunity, and has a specific reason they want to go undercover in the first place.” — @MikeCotton1
“We want to feature a diverse workforce and feature diverse bosses.” — @MikeCotton1
“Undercover Boss is at its best when it’s at its most real.” — @MikeCotton1
“What we hope from this is that bosses will learn things that will result in company-wide changes.” — @MikeCotton1
“I think the only mistake a boss can make coming on the episode is not giving themselves over to the process.” — @MikeCotton1

About Mike Cotton

Mike Cotton is an executive producer/showrunner with 20 years of experience working in British and American broadcast television specializing in Factual Entertainment. He is best known for his work on Emmy Award-winning Undercover Boss in the UK and the US, and BAFTA winning formats that include the UK version of The Apprentice and The Only Way is Essex. He's been responsible for creating and developing numerous award-winning television formats that have successfully sold to British, American, and international networks.

Contact info and resources:

Twitter: @MikeCotton1

Additional Resources:

ReviewMaxer: http://reviewmaxer.com
Axia Public Relations: https://www.axiapr.com/

Presented by: ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

About your host Jason Mudd

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Media monitoring, clipping, and reporting in 2020 with Burrelles' Cathy Del Colle

Wed, 09 Sep 2020 04:00:00 -0400

Learn about effective media monitoring in 2020 with our guest Cathy Del Colle. Del Colle is the president of Burrelles and has an extensive working knowledge of media monitoring.

Guest:

Our episode guest is Cathy Del Colle, president of Burrelles. She began her career with Burrelles in 1987 and has extensive experience in effective media monitoring.

Topic:

Media monitoring in 2020 and beyond

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

Why is media monitoring important to an organization?
How can a media monitoring company help your organization?
What is the new trend in media monitoring in 2020?
Is monitoring print as important as monitoring web and social media?
How has technology changed media monitoring?

Quotables:

“We provide our clients with content that is relevant to them in all media streams.” — @cdelcolle
“Maybe you don’t want to monitor everything in the news but as it relates to your industry, as it relates to different things that might be important for your employees and your company.” — @cdelcolle
“We’re an extension of a PR team” — @cdelcolle
“We haven’t found the technology for the computer to take over and provide human opinion” — @cdelcolle

If you enjoyed the episode, would you please leave us a review?

About Cathy Del Colle:

Cathy Del Colle is the president of Burrelles, a media monitoring company that provides organizations with seamless personalized connections to media data across all platforms.

Del Colle started her career with Burrelles 23 years ago in sales and has been involved with client services since 1996. She has extensive working experience in what PR professionals need and has developed a close relationship with many practitioners over the years.

Contact Resources:

Twitter: @cdelcolle
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cdelcolle/
Burrelles: www.burrelles.com

Additional Resources:

ReviewMaxer: http://reviewmaxer.com
Axia Public Relations: https://www.axiapr.com/

About your host Jason Mudd:

Presented by: ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and

ReviewMaxer
On Top of PR is brought to you by ReviewMaxer

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

How to be a trusted adviser with Wells Fargo's Del Galloway

Wed, 09 Sep 2020 04:00:00 -0400

Learn how you can be a trusted adviser to your team and clients with our guest Del Galloway, vice president of communications at Wells Fargo. Galloway’s 35-year career includes practice in agency, corporate, and nonprofit sectors. He’s also served as a public relations educator.

Guest:

Our episode guest is Del Galloway, vice president of communications at Wells Fargo. Galloway’s 35-year career includes practice in agency, corporate, and nonprofit sectors. He’s also served as a public relations educator.

Topic:

Being a trusted adviser doesn’t take years of experience. You have to earn respect and be authentic.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How should your company respond during a crisis?
How did Wells Fargo handle 2020’s crises?
How can you be a trusted advisor to your team and clients?
Why is it important to be authentic?
An update on the 2020 Public Relations Society of America virtual international

Quotables:

“The crucible of crisis is often when ingenuity and innovation happen.” -@delgallowaywf
“An organization with values such as diversity, equity, inclusion, and representation must speak out.” -@delgallowaywf
“Understand the way your leaders think.” -@delgallowaywf
“Be you. Authenticity will never steer you wrong. It may on occasion rub some people the wrong way, and it may slow you down temporarily, but ultimately it will advance you.” -@delgallowaywf
“Be smart and be brief.” - @JasonMudd9

If you enjoyed the episode, would you please leave us a review?

About Del Galloway:

Galloway has a gift for “connecting the dots” between organizations and stakeholders, brands and consumers, key influentials and communities.

It is his understanding of relationships and his ability to convey the right messages at the right time — when to push and when to pause — that have made Galloway a trusted adviser to clients worldwide.

His 35-year career includes practice in the agency, corporate, and nonprofit sectors, and he served as a public relations educator.

Contact info and resources:

Twitter: @delgallowaywf
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/delgalloway/

Additional Resources:

ReviewMaxer: http://reviewmaxer.com
Axia Public Relations: https://www.axiapr.com/

About your host Jason Mudd:

ReviewMaxer
On Top of PR is brought to you by ReviewMaxer

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Social media disclosures and FTC best practices w/ attorney Paavana Kumar, Davis & Gilbert

Wed, 09 Sep 2020 04:00:00 -0400

Learn about when, how, and what to disclose as a social media influencer with our guest Paavana Kumar. Kumar is the Advertising, Marketing, and Promotions Attorney for Davis & Gilbert Law Firm.

Guest:

Our guest is Paavana Kumar, a marketing, media, advertising, and promotions attorney from Davis & Gilbert Law Firm.

Topic:

Learning more about disclosing brands/products for social media influencers

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

What are the legal regulations for companies and influencers on disclosures?
What are the advantages of bringing in legal counsel early in a disclosure?
When and how do I make good disclosures?
What are some tips on how to better manage influencer disclosures?
What are important aspects of disclosing products that I should know about?

Quotables:

“Material connection is not just payment.” - @LPaavana
“The fact that they’re issuing warning letters to influencers themselves shows they’re not afraid to take actions against individuals either.” - @LPaavana
“They’ll hold companies to a reasonable standard of training, monitoring, and ultimately taking action if an influencer is not complying with these disclosure obligations.” -@LPaavana
“The FTC is not prescriptive in how to make those disclosures.” - @LPaavana
“You can’t require a consumer to only post if it’s positive because that would violate the requirement.” - @LPaavana

If you enjoyed the episode, would you please leave us a review?

About Paavana Kumar:

Paavana Kumar is a marketing, media, advertising, and promotions attorney. She is deeply involved in all aspects of social media marketing, social and experiential activations, influencer and native advertising, and related promotions.

Contact Resources:

Twitter: @LPaavana
LinkedIn: Paavana Kumar
Davis & Gilbert LLP: https://www.dglaw.com/index.cfm

Additional Resources:

FTC: Social Media Disclosure 101 for Influencers
ReviewMaxer: http://reviewmaxer.com
Axia Public Relations: https://www.axiapr.com/

About your host Jason Mudd:

On Top of PR host, Jason Mudd, is the CEO and managing partner of Axia Public Relations. He

ReviewMaxer
On Top of PR is brought to you by ReviewMaxer

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

PR measurement with expert Johna Burke, AMEC

Wed, 09 Sep 2020 04:00:00 -0400

Learn how you should be measuring your PR campaigns and what the current PR measurement trends are with our guest Johna Burke. Burke is the Global Managing Director at the International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication with more than 20 years of experience and proven results in B2B and B2C marketing and public relations.

Guest:

Our episode guest is Johna Burke, global managing director at the International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication. Burke has more than 20 years of experience with proven results in B2B and B2C marketing and public relations.

Topic:

Keep up with the PR industry’s key measurement trends.
You might be missing some key measurement opportunities in your PR campaigns.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

What are the current trends of measurement in the PR industry?
What is the difference between inputs, outputs, outtakes, outcomes, and impacts?
What are some overlooked impacts you should be measuring?
What is the purpose of AMEC?
Why should you focus on communication to build relationships?

Quotables:

“We are seeing a trend in people measuring outcomes instead of just the outputs.” -@gojohnab
“If you don’t have a good reputation and if you aren’t trusted in your industry, then no matter how many leads you get, the funnel is going to take a lot longer to cycle through.” -@gojohnab
“People need to start doing some testing now to understand and prepare for pivot points in the new economy.” -@gojohnab
“Behind every B2B transaction is a B2C relationship.” -@jasonmudd9
“‘What is the goal you’re trying to accomplish and what are the items that you need in your toolkit to be able to properly solve that problem?’ Is always the best question as opposed to, ‘What are the tools and technology I can use?’” -@gojohnab
“Advertising, marketing, and PR work best when they are blind, consistent, and transparent to what the market is looking for.” -@gojohnab

If you enjoyed the episode, would you please leave us a review?

Contact info and resources:

Twitter: @gojohnab / @AmecOrg
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gojohnab/
Website: https://amecorg.com/

Additional Resources:

ReviewMaxer: http://reviewmaxer.com
Axia Public Relations: https://www.axiapr.com/

About your host Jason Mudd:

On Top of PR host, Jason Mudd, is the CEO and managing partner of Axia Public Relations. He is a trusted advi

ReviewMaxer
On Top of PR is brought to you by ReviewMaxer

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

How good PR pitches make good stories w/ Inc Magazine's Jeff Haden

Wed, 09 Sep 2020 04:00:00 -0400

Learn how to pitch to the media with our guest Jeff Haden. He is a contributing editor for Inc. Magazine, which averages 2.5 million readers a month. He’s also a LinkedIn influencer, bestselling author, and keynote speaker.

Guest:

Our episode guest is Jeff Haden, Inc. Magazine contributing editor, which averages 2.5 million readers a month. He’s also a LinkedIn influencer, bestselling author, and keynote speaker.

Topic:

There is a right and wrong way to pitch to the media.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How should you pitch to reporters?
Why should you build relationships with reporters?
How can you build relationships with reporters?
How can you pitch your company in a way that is helpful to audiences?
Why should you vet the reporter before an interview?

Quotables:

“One of my pet peeves of pitching is saying, ‘this would be very interesting to your readers,’ and then it has nothing to do with anything I’ve ever written before.” — @jeff_haden
“If I’m going to write about a company or an entrepreneur, I want them to have something actionable, useful, or helpful that people can benefit from.” — @jeff_haden
“If you help me, I don’t forget you.”— @jeff_haden
“It starts with a story, but the story has to be one that has value and merit.” — @jeff_haden
“For ghostwriting, I build your house, but I don’t get to live in it.” — @jeff_haden
“There is no job that doesn’t allow you to help people in some fashion.”— @jeff_haden

If you enjoyed the episode, would you please leave us a review?

Contact info and resources:

Twitter: @jeff_haden
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hadenjeff/
Website: https://www.jeffhaden.com/

Additional Resources:

ReviewMaxer: http://reviewmaxer.com
Axia Public Relations: https://www.axiapr.com/

Presented by: ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

About your host Jason Mudd

ReviewMaxer
On Top of PR is brought to you by ReviewMaxer

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Keeping your PR creative, imaginative, curious, and intuitive with Disney's Duncan Wardle

Wed, 09 Sep 2020 04:00:00 -0400

Learn how to challenge the rules of your industry and keep your team creative, imaginative, curious, and intuitive with our guest, Duncan Wardle. Wardle is the former head of innovation and creativity at Disney. He now brings his Disney experience to audiences around the world, helping people capture unlikely connections that lead to both disruptive thinking and revolutionary ideas.

Guest:

Our episode guest is Duncan Wardle, the former head of innovation and creativity at Disney. He now brings his Disney experience to audiences around the world, helping people capture unlikely connections that lead to both disruptive thinking and revolutionary ideas.

Topic:

Innovation is no longer about thriving; it’s about survival. You must be creative to stay relevant.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

How might we challenge the rules of our industry?
How might we prioritize innovation at our company?
What steps leaders can take to encourage creativity?
Why should we spend a day with consumers of our products and services?
Why is playfulness important to your creative strategy?

Quotables:

“If you think we’re going back to business as usual, you’re in for a nasty surprise.” — @duncanjwardle
“Now is the time to take time, challenge, and pivot yourself. Take all the rules of your industry, list those rules, and ask, ‘what if?’” — @duncanjwardle
“If you’re only looking at big data, you’re looking at the same data your competition has.” — @duncanjwardle
“Go and work in the front lines of the brand you represent one day a year. And go spend a day in the living room of one of your consumers. You’ll be amazed by what you find.” — @duncanjwardle
“The four traits you were born with — creativity, imagination, curiosity, and intuition — will not be programmed into artificial intelligence any time in the next decade.” — @duncanjwardle

If you enjoyed the episode, would you please leave us a review?

About Duncan Wardle:

As Head of Innovation & Creativity at Disney, Duncan helped teams at Disney Parks, Lucasfilm, Marvel, Pixar, Imagineering, and Animation to innovate, creating magical new storylines and amazing experiences for consumers across the globe.

He now brings his Disney experience to audiences around the world, delivering a series of keynotes, masterclasses, and ideation forums that help people capture unlikely connections and lead to both disruptive thinking and revolutionary ideas.

Contact Resources:

Twitter: @duncanjwardle
Website: duncanwardle.com

Additional Resources:

ReviewMaxer: http://reviewmaxer.com
Axia Public Relations: https://www.axiapr.com/

ReviewMaxer
On Top of PR is brought to you by ReviewMaxer

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Online customer reviews – best practices with ReviewMaxer’s Garrett Sussman

Wed, 09 Sep 2020 04:00:00 -0400

Learn to acquire and utilize your customers’ reviews to improve your business’ ranking and visibility with our guest, Garrett Sussman, from ReviewMaxer. He is a thought leader and expert in online-review management.

Guest:

Our episode guest is Garrett Sussman from ReviewMaxer. He is an expert in online-review management.

Topic:

Managing and acquiring online reviews to get higher search-engine rankings.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

What are the factors that Google uses to rank local businesses?
Why are reviews from your customers important for your business?
How do you get the best reviews from your customers?
What is the best system to manage, monitor, and promote your online reviews?
What is a review, and why is it a game-changer for the public-relations industry?

Quotables:

“Reviews right now are important to the local search space.” @ReviewMaxer
“The best and the easiest [thing] that customers can do for you right now is leaving you an online review.” @ReviewMaxer
“You are more likely to show up if you have a lot of positive online reviews.” @ReviewMaxer
“Online reviews account for 15% of how Google ranks a local business.” @ReviewMaxer
“The second part of that is social worth, that when someone sees other customers enjoy your services or products they are more likely to solicit your business.” @ReviewMaxer

If you enjoyed the episode, would you please leave us a review?

About Garrett and ReviewMaxer

Garrett Sussman is with ReviewMaxer, a powerful cloud software that allows companies to proactively manage their customers’ online reviews. You can track your reviews on more than 500 reviews sites to see how customers rate your company. Sussman is an expert in online review management.

Contact Resources:

Twitter: @reviewmaxer

Additional Resources:

ReviewMaxer: http://reviewmaxer.com
Axia Public Relations: https://www.axiapr.com/

About your host Jason Mudd

On Top of PR host, Jason Mudd, is the CEO and managing partner of Axia Public Relations. He is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most-admired brands. Since 1994, he's worked with American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster’s, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon. He founded Axia in 2002.

ReviewMaxer
On Top of PR is brought to you by ReviewMaxer

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

What it takes to get on Undercover Boss with Axia Public Relations’ Jason Mudd, APR

Wed, 09 Sep 2020 04:00:00 -0400

Jason helps companies get their bosses on Undercover Boss. Learn what it takes to get your company on Undercover Boss and why your company should consider it. Jason is the managing partner of Axia Public Relations.

Guest:

Jason Mudd, On Top of PR host, helps companies get on Undercover Boss. He is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands. Since 1994, he's worked with American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster’s, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon. He founded Axia Public Relations in July 2002.

Topic:

Learn how to get your company’s boss on Undercover Boss.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

What are the producers of Undercover Boss looking for?
How can you get your company on Undercover Boss?
How does CBS select who to appear on Undercover Boss?
Why do I want my company on Undercover Boss?
What coaching process will my company need to follow?

Quotables:

“On-site employees have no idea they’re on Undercover Boss.” -@jasonmudd9
“Diversity is important to Undercover Boss.” -@jasonmudd9
“Undercover Boss opens the door to a whole new crowd of businesses to share the kind of publicity an appearance on the show might create.” -@jasonmudd9
“[Undercover Boss] is a unique chance for higher-ups to get truly candid feedback from the people on the frontlines of their company in a way they would never be able to get from being behind their desk.” -@jasonmudd9

If you enjoyed the episode, would you please leave us a review?

About Jason Mudd:

Jason Mudd, APR, is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands.

Clients love Mudd’s passion, innovation, candor, commitment, and award-winning team. In an increasingly tech-forward world, Mudd’s grasp of technological demands on companies provides his clients in multiple sectors a unique advantage in reaching their top audiences. After teaching himself HTML in 1994, Mudd helped pioneer internet marketing strategies as an early adopter of e-commerce, SEO, and social media, inspiring tech giants like Yahoo.

At Axia, Mudd attracts, develops, retains, innovates, and leads top PR talent and clients. He oversees strategic communications for the firm’s national clients and provides high-level consultations to client leadership teams at billion-dollar global brands, both business-to-business and business-to-consumer, including spokesperson training, crisis communications management, analytics, social media, online reputation management, and more. He also speaks frequently to corporations and industry groups, and writes about public relations trends and best practices for American City Business Journals and other national business.

Contact Resources:

Get On Undercover Boss:

ReviewMaxer
On Top of PR is brought to you by ReviewMaxer

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Earned media attribution technology, PR research, and calculating PR's ROI w/ Cision's Mark Weiner

Wed, 09 Sep 2020 04:00:00 -0400

Learn about earned media attribution technology, quantifying ROI for your PR, and making better business decisions with our guest Mark Weiner. Mark is the chief insights officer at Cision. He is a member of the Arthur Page Society and a board member for the Institute for Public Relations.

Guest:

Our episode guest is Mark Weiner, the chief insights officer at Cision. He is a member of the Arthur Page Society and a board member for the Institute for Public Relations.

Topic:

Quantify return-on-investment for your public relations and how research leads to better business decisions

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

Why is research valuable to your profession?
Why do companies make the mistake of overlooking, underfunding, or skipping the research phase for campaigns?
How do you fund research when the perception is there is no budget for it?
What’s the right price for research?
What is attribution technology, and why is it a game-changer for the public relations industry?

Quotables

“Research is a matter of willingness for communicators, not a matter of ability.” — @WeinerMark
“Research and data take the emotion out of decision making.” — @WeinerMark
“Being approximately right is better than being totally in the dark.” — @WeinerMark
“Research often acts as a type of insurance.” — @WeinerMark
“Public relations does not drive the most sales in terms of volume, but it does provide the greatest efficiency.” — @WeinerMark
“Public relations is as big of a game-changer as social media was 10 years ago.” — @WeinerMark

If you enjoyed the episode, would you please leave us a review?

About Mark Weiner

Mark Weiner is the chief insights officer at Cision, a multifaceted communication software company that helps you reach, target, engage, and measure your audience to enrich corporate and brand reputation. Weiner is also a member of the Arthur Page Society, a board director for the Institute for Public Relations, and serves on the academic advisory board for the University of Florida School of Public Relations.

Contact Resources:

Twitter: @WeinerMark
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-weiner-0ab74b1/
Cision: https://www.cision.com/us/
Book: PR Technology, Data and Insights: Igniting a Positive Return on Your Communications Investment

Additional Resources:

ReviewMaxer: http://reviewmaxer.com

ReviewMaxer
On Top of PR is brought to you by ReviewMaxer

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Axia launches new public relations podcast On Top of PR with Jason Mudd

Wed, 02 Sep 2020 19:00:00 -0400

Learn about your host Jason Mudd and his more than 20 years of PR experience. Jason is the managing partner of Axia Public Relations. He is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most-admired brands.

Guest:

Jason Mudd, APR is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands. Since 1994, he's worked with American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster’s, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon. He founded Axia Public Relations in July 2002.

Topic:

Learn about your On Top of PR host Jason Mudd and his experience in the PR industry.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

Who is this podcast for?
What is public relations?
How can a PR agency help your company?
Why should you get involved with your company culture?
How will On Top of PR benefit your career?

Quotables:

“Everything we do, we want it to be a team effort.” -@jasonmudd9
“Great clients get great work.” - @jasonmudd9
“Every company has a culture whether or not you’re creating and navigating it.” -@jasonmudd9
“Culture is more than just core values on a wall. Culture is the way the company is led and operated.” -@jasonmudd9

If you enjoyed the episode, would you please leave us a review?

About Jason Mudd:

Clients love Jason’s passion, innovation, candor, commitment, and his award-winning team. In an increasingly tech-forward world, Jason’s grasp of technological demands on companies provides his clients in multiple sectors a unique advantage in reaching their top audiences. After teaching himself HTML in 1994, Jason helped pioneer internet marketing strategies as an early adopter of e-commerce, SEO, and social media, inspiring tech giants like Yahoo.

At Axia, Jason attracts, develops, retains, innovates, and leads top PR talent and clients. He oversees strategic communications for the firm’s national clients and provides high-level consultations to client leadership teams at billion-dollar global brands, both business-to-business and business-to-consumer, including spokesperson training, crisis communications management, analytics, social media, online reputation management, and more. He also speaks frequently to corporations and industry groups, and writes about public relations trends and best practices for American City Business Journals and other national business.

Contact Resources:

Twitter: @jasonmudd9
LinkedIn:

ReviewMaxer
On Top of PR is brought to you by ReviewMaxer

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.