While some say that Facebook is dying, the data proves otherwise. Facebook has nearly 3 billion monthly active users which is more than any other app in the world. Not only is the audience very large, but 200 million businesses are also on Facebook. If you aren’t on Facebook yet, now is the time to create an account. In this episode, Nancy goes through the basic steps you need to know, from creating a Facebook page to making a post. She also covers a few reasons why you should join, what Faceboo...
Jun 06, 2023•14 min•Ep. 240
Many think that SEO is all about keywords, but it should really be about our customers. In this podcast episode, Dale Bertrand talks about SEO best practices and creating content with the customer, not just search engines, in mind. From attracting people with content, to converting them to customers, Dale explains what conversions look like for different businesses. Dale describes how AI will change SEO and the content you should be creating. Dale also gives an overview of what his keynote speec...
May 30, 2023•37 min•Ep. 239
What do you do when the media calls for an interview after a crisis? From time to time, businesses are forced to engage in crisis communications — messaging to the masses during turbulent times. You may want to just say “no comment,” but that’s the worst thing to say after a crisis. It immediately implies guilt and will hurt your reputation in the court of public opinion. Perhaps your business is going through a product recall, or you’re dealing with an environmental issue. The 2010 BP Deepwater...
May 23, 2023•12 min•Ep. 238
After being incarcerated at age 20, Meshell Baker realized that the people who stay out of jail work and launched her career in sales. In this episode, Meshell shares some of her tips for working in sales including the power of positive energy and placing the focus of a sales call on what the person you are trying to sell to needs, rather than what you want to sell them. Meshell also talks about her recent and upcoming speaking engagements, how PR has helped her and building her personal brand. ...
May 16, 2023•37 min•Ep. 237
Influencer marketing is all the rage. It is a form of social media marketing that leverages endorsements and product placements from famous personalities and businesses to change hearts and minds. Think Kylie Jenner endorsing a new face lotion on TikTok or Roger Federer tweeting about that new Rolex in his watch collection. In many ways, influencers are often trusted more by everyday consumers than brands themselves since people can form strong connections with the people they follow online (eve...
May 09, 2023•11 min•Ep. 236
Do you know what imposter syndrome is? In this episode, Nancy speaks with Kris Kelso, author of “Overcoming The Impostor,” about what imposter syndrome is, how to overcome it and how overcoming it can benefit your personal brand. Kris also talks about his career and his public speaking journey. Kris shares how writing his book helped him become a thought leader and how his PR plan helped spread the word about his book. 4:24 – Kris talks about his career, starting in music, software development a...
May 02, 2023•39 min•Ep. 235
This episode covers what you need to know about AI in public relations and marketing. Parry Headrick, founder of Crackle PR, talks about how his agency is adapting to the age of AI and working with experts like Chris Penn, co-founder and chief data scientist at Trust Insights. Parry and Chris explain how AI will be used to streamline data and coverage reporting, content creation and other lower-level tasks. Chris also gives two helpful lists of the different types of machine learning and what ag...
Apr 25, 2023•47 min•Ep. 234
If you work in public relations, you’re bound to know what “op-ed” means. Even if you don’t, you’ve probably come across one — perhaps without even knowing it. An op-ed column refers to a piece of written content that is traditionally “opposite the editorial page” of a newspaper. It is an article written by a subject matter expert as a form of commentary, taking a stand on a particular issue and informing readers in the process. Because it is a commentary piece with a particular slant, an op-ed ...
Apr 18, 2023•12 min•Ep. 233
This episode features nine students from Northeastern University’s Experiential Network (XN) Program who have been working with The PR Maven® Podcast to create a marketing plan. The XN program aims to educate Northeastern students through educational curricula using real-life projects and problems that reflect experiences in the professional workplace. Since January, we have been working with this group of students and their professor, Carolyn Boviard, to develop two marketing plans specific to ...
Apr 11, 2023•42 min•Ep. 232
Are you looking to grow your personal brand and become an authority in your field? In this episode, Claire Mason shares how you can become a thought leader, improve your visibility and track these improvements using data. Claire describes the importance of media in your growth strategy. Claire also talks about using social media networks, such as LinkedIn, to build your personal brand online in addition to utilizing in-person tactics. Listen to find out what the lighthouse and breadcrumb strateg...
Apr 04, 2023•42 min•Ep. 231
Telling your story is a big part of building your brand. In this episode, Mads Hanna starts off by talking about her career and how it led her to brand storytelling. Mads explains how you can breathe storytelling into your brand, the four fundamental pieces for brand storytelling and when having a clear story is important in all aspects of your business. Nancy and Mads also discuss how brand storytelling is important to staying relevant, especially with all the different methods of sharing your ...
Mar 28, 2023•43 min•Ep. 230
Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the art of the podcast became a full-blown renaissance. But in truth, podcasting predated the coronavirus, responding to the evolving wants and needs of young listeners who don’t just want to blast the radio in their cars. Around the globe, there are more than 400 million podcast listeners who tune in for all sorts of content. Because of that high listenership, there are over 2 million independent podcasts with tens of millions of episodes between them. That’s r...
Mar 21, 2023•10 min•Ep. 229
TikTok is the fastest-growing social media platform worldwide, surpassing social media giants like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. In this podcast episode, Anna McDermott shares some of the tips she has learned from creating TikToks for Marshall Communications. Anna also shares the data and demographics that prove why TikTok is an important PR and marketing resource for your business. 1:32 – Anna explains how her career started in the hospitality industry. 2:40 – Anna describes how she started ...
Mar 14, 2023•23 min•Ep. 228
Did you know that the Gulf of Maine is warming faster than 96% of all the world’s oceans? Anna Dibble joins Nancy to talk about her environmental advocacy as an artist and what Gulf of Maine EcoArts is doing to shine a light on the impacts of climate change. Public relations plays a key role in helping spread the word about art exhibits, including the Gulf of Maine EcoArts’ latest collaboration with Maine Maritime Museum, an exhibit called “SeaChange: Darkness & Light in the Gulf of Maine.” ...
Mar 07, 2023•27 min•Ep. 227
Social engagement is the name of the game for business leaders. As we move into the new year, take some time to consider your own social capital and goodwill. The key to branding yourself is the impact you have on others – whether or not they know, like and trust you. Elevating your social capital and fostering goodwill among others (including clients and customers) takes your entire brand to another level. Ask yourself: Am I (still) relevant? Am I (still) recognizable in the eyes of others? Bec...
Feb 28, 2023•9 min•Ep. 226
How can you get your pitch noticed? In this episode, Rob Caldwell describes what he looks for in a pitch. If you tell a story in your pitch and make sure it is targeted to the media outlet, your pitch will be more likely to get noticed. Sending a handwritten note can also break through the clutter and help you stand out. Also, someone with a lot of personality will increase the chances of your story being covered or being featured in a cooking segment. Listen to the episode to find out more tips...
Feb 21, 2023•48 min•Ep. 225
Nancy’s love of public relations started early on when her father, an electrical engineer for Westinghouse Electric Corporation, suggested she pursue a career in PR. After graduating from Colby College , Nancy worked at Sugarloaf as the assistant director of communications. In 1991, Nancy opened her own agency with Sugarloaf as her first client. Because of her love for PR, Nancy always wanted to experience her clients’ businesses and show that she had the credentials to be the spokesperson for t...
Feb 14, 2023•11 min•Ep. 224
Do you wonder what it takes to build a strong community for your brand? In this episode, find out how the Trek Across Maine builds their brand community and how you can get involved. The Trek Across Maine benefits the American Lung Association, bringing people together from across the country and the world to support healthy lungs and clean air. The mission brings everyone together, but the experience keeps the community close. Listen to find out how Gale Auclair became part of the Trek Across M...
Feb 07, 2023•30 min•Ep. 223
“Do what you love, and the money will follow.” But will it? Michael Katz used to be a big believer in this theory but now he’s not so sure. In this episode, Michael talks about the two parts of his career: the first part where he had unfulfilling jobs and the second part where he developed his own business. Specializing in email newsletters, Michael explains the importance of doing what you are good at and being likable to your target audience. Michael connects the topics discussed in the episod...
Jan 31, 2023•32 min•Ep. 222
Using hashtags can often seem a bit overwhelming and confusing. With the unlimited number of hashtags and variety of social media channels using them, you may be asking, “What hashtags should I use? How many should I use? Should I even use hashtags?” The bottom line is that hashtags should be used, and they do benefit social media marketing efforts when used correctly. They can help improve social media visibility, encourage user engagement and clue you in on industry trends. Here are some strat...
Jan 24, 2023•9 min•Ep. 221
Let’s be honest: Social media is sexy, and so is the discourse surrounding it. From the latest TikTok trend to Elon Musk taking over Twitter, there always seems to be something new happening in the digital world. Social media is full of “influencers” with millions of devoted followers, and those influencers can have more of a public platform than Fortune 500 CEOs and elected officials in many cases. (Don’t look now, but Kylie Jenner has more than 372 million followers !) Still, public relations ...
Jan 17, 2023•10 min•Ep. 220
From her first sales pitch at 9 years old, Cherie Scott has had a clear vision of her future and has been building her brand along the way. In this episode, Cherie tells the story of how Mumbai to MAINE came to be and the different marketing techniques she has used to grow her brand. She also talks about the supportive Maine entrepreneurial community, including some of the pitch competitions she has participated in. Cherie also shares her vision for the future of Mumbai to Maine. 5:13 – Cherie s...
Jan 10, 2023•46 min•Ep. 219
Public relations is a relatively new concept compared to other professions such as law or medicine. The idea of PR stems from the concept of communication, which dates all the way back to the philosophers of Ancient Greece. Most of us know about Socrates and Plato, and we’ve used Aristotle’s art of rhetoric (Ethos, Logos and Pathos) in our writing. But many people don’t know that Ancient Greece is in fact the foundation of PR. The idea of using communication to persuade is one of the first pract...
Jan 03, 2023•12 min•Ep. 218
In an industry where most of your customers are grumpy from having vehicle trouble, how do you create an enjoyable experience? In this podcast episode, Nancy speaks with Lynn Campbell, director of marketing, advertising and CRM at VIP Tires & Service. Lynn talks about the differences between the automotive repair industry and the other industries she has worked. She also describes the difference between the marketing techniques VIP uses and what makes each of those techniques unique and valu...
Dec 27, 2022•28 min•Ep. 217
It’s been several months since the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, but the loss still hurts. Many of us were saddened to hear the news, and it still makes me sad today. In 2011, my agency was chosen to promote and publicize the royal memorabilia across North America for the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton — one of the great honors of my career. So, we know a thing or two about the royal family. The queen lived a long life. She lived a good life, and she left the world in a much bette...
Dec 20, 2022•10 min•Ep. 216
In this episode, Amanda Pleau, marketing and communications manager at Maine Maritime Museum, describes the career path she took to get where she is today. Amanda also talks about the work Maine Maritime Museum is doing, including an upcoming exhibit to raise awareness about what is happening in the Gulf of Maine right now. Having taught writing, Amanda explains the importance of writing in PR and communications and shares a resource she has found interesting related to Maine history. 3:16 – Ama...
Dec 13, 2022•41 min•Ep. 215
Having run a PR agency since 1991, I’ve worked with lots and lots of clients. Some have been more successful than others, although I’m proud of the fact that most are happy with our work, and many have been clients for years. Work with enough clients, and you realize what works and what doesn’t. Sometimes, a client not working out can simply be a matter of bad timing. Sometimes, it’s a lack of mutual understanding or poor communication. Fortunately for us, it doesn’t happen often, but some clien...
Dec 06, 2022•10 min•Ep. 214
In this episode, The PR Maven® Podcast celebrates four years and congratulates Tim Winkeler, president and CEO of VIP Tires & Service, for having the most popular episode of the year. Nancy and Tim talk about what makes VIP’s business model successful and how the company’s internal culture is shared externally through marketing. Nancy and Tim also discuss the Right to Repair movement and how they first met. 3:20 – Tim makes remarks on winning the Golden Microphone Award, owing VIP’s success ...
Nov 29, 2022•26 min•Ep. 213
Both advertising and public relations (PR) help build awareness and generate sales. But they're not the same thing. Essentially, advertising is paid media, and PR is earned media. Advertisers purchase space online, in print or on the airwaves. They decide what the ad will say, how it will look, where it will appear and how many times it will appear. They control the message. PR professionals, on the other hand, provide journalists with story ideas delivered through press releases or a media pitc...
Nov 22, 2022•11 min•Ep. 212
Building an audience is an old strategy in marketing. Did you know that Proctor & Gamble created soap operas so they could build an audience to buy their soap? That’s right. In the 1930s, P&G sponsored daytime serial dramas on the radio to advertise their products to housewives. Why? Because research suggested that women wanted to be entertained while doing housework. And so, literal “soap operas” were born. In the early to mid-20th century, Edward Bernays — long considered the “father o...
Nov 15, 2022•10 min•Ep. 211
