On Top of PR with Jason Mudd (Jason Mudd, Axia Public Relations)

Show details Episodes (143)Links (494)RSS Check (58%)Related content (100)

Explore every episode of On Top of PR with Jason Mudd

Dive into the complete episode list for On Top of PR with Jason Mudd. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.

	Pub. Date	Title	Duration
	15 Feb 2022	How brands feel about their abilities to endure the recession with Drew McLellan and Susan Baier	00:33:43
Send us a text 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: Susan's Twitter Susan's LinkedIn Drew's Twitter Drew's LinkedIn Audience Audit Agency Management Institute 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. Support the show 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.
	01 Mar 2022	Environment, social and governance in communications with Alison Taylor, Ethical Systems	00:27:42
Send us a text 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: Alison on Twitter Alison on LinkedIn Alison’s bio and publications on Ethical Systems Additional resources: Business for Social Responsibility: resources for understanding ESG and business sustainability Ethical Systems' monthly newsletter Watch the episode here Sponsored by: On Top of PR is produced by Support the show 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.
	22 Mar 2022	Building a brand and reputation for staffing and human resources companies with Jason Mudd	00:14:29
Send us a text 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 Watch the episode here Guest’s contact info and resources: Jason's Twitter Jason's LinkedIn Axia Public Relations 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. Support the show 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.
	05 Apr 2022	Marketing Mess to Brand Success with Franklin Covey's Scott J. Miller	00:27:26
Send us a text 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: Scott J. Miller's Twitter Scott J. Miller's LinkedIn Scott J. Miller's Website Scott J. Miller's Podcasts 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, Jas Support the show 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.
	19 Apr 2022	How to be a great Chief Marketing Officer with Mercer Island Group’s Steve Boehler	00:39:10
Send us a text 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: Steve Boehler's Twitter Steve Boehler's LinkedIn Mercer Island Group's Website Additional Resources: PRSA PRSA Counselors Academy 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 adv Support the show 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.
	03 May 2022	What to do if illegal activity occurs in your organization with Gunster Law Firm’s Jonathan Osborne	00:29:40
Send us a text 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: Jonathan Osborne's LinkedIn Jonathan Osborne's Bio & Contact Info Additional resources: Gunster Law Firm's Website Managing Public Relations in a Crisis e-book Crisis Management Webinar Axia's Crisis Management Services 3 Key Ways to Use Social Media for Crisis Communications What to Do Support the show 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.
	17 May 2022	Cybersecurity and Crisis Communications with Bryce Austin, TCE Strategy	00:32:59
Send us a text 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: Bryce Austin’s LinkedIn Bryce Austin’s Twitter Bryce Austin’s Website TCE Strategy Bryce Austin's Book: "Secure Enough?: 20 Questions on Cybersecurity for Business Owners and Executives" Additional resources: Have I Been Pwned? "Managing Public Relations in a Crisis” e-book Crisis Management Webinar Axia Public Relations’ crisis management services Axia Public Relations’ cybersecurity experience Support the show 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.
	31 May 2022	14 ways to save money with a PR agency with Jason Mudd	00:32:04
Send us a text 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: Jason Mudd on Twitter Jason Mudd on LinkedIn Axia Public Relations Additional Resources: Business Wire PR Newswire GlobeNewswire PRWeb Axia's CrisisPoint 3 crisis communication action steps to take Can your insurance cover the costs of hiring crisis public relations? "Managing Public Relations in a Crisis” e-book "Managing your Business in a Crisis” webinar The importance of cybersecurity and crisis communications with Bryce Austin Effective crisis communications with Christopher Britton "5 Mistakes Companies Make with their PR (And How to Fix Them)” guideline Why billing by the hour might be unethical "The Right Way to Measure PR” webinar Get more money out of your PR investment Are commercial newswires effective for public relations? What companies spend on PR Support the show 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 Jun 2022	Ethical behavior with PRSA’s 2016 National Chair and EthicalVoices host Mark McClennan	00:33:15
Send us a text 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: Mark McClennan on Twitter Mark McClennan on LinkedIn EthicalVoices Additional Resources: PRSA Code of Ethics The Arthur Page Society ethics 6 steps to ethical decision making "Trial by Trolly" ethical game "Fake Famous” trailer EthicalVoices podcast How the PRSA Code of Ethics benefits communications employees 5 ethical rules your influencer marketing campaign cannot do without Journalism ethics versus pub Support the show 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.
	28 Jun 2022	Fanocracy: What is it and what does it mean? With author David Meerman Scott	00:35:13
Send us a text 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. David Meerman Scott on Twitter David Meerman Scott on LinkedIn David Meerman Scott's Website Fanocracy: Turning Fans into Customers and Customers into Fans The New Rules of Marketing and PR: Support the show 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.
	12 Jul 2022	Embracing the power of “No” and storytelling with keynote speaker, author, and actor Rob Biesenbach	00:25:41
Send us a text 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: Rob Biesenbach on Twitter Rob Biesenbach on LinkedIn Rob Biesenbach’s Website Rob Biesenbach’s YouTube Channel 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 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 Am Support the show 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.
	26 Jul 2022	How celebrity partnerships can help your PR with Celebrity Focus CEO Ric Bachrach	00:23:54
Send us a text 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: Ric Bachrach on Twitter Ric Bachrach on LinkedIn Celebrity Focus Additional Resources: Cult of celebrity: Do you need a celebrity spokesperson or spokesmodel to promote your business How prominence can add news value to your story Support the show 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.
	09 Aug 2022	Why the PR industry is a train wreck solocast with Jason Mudd	00:17:48
Send us a text 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: Jason Mudd on Twitter Jason Mudd on LinkedIn Axia Public Relations Additional Resources: What you should be measuring in your PR campaigns with Johna Burke The power of PR measurement with Katie Paine Measuring what matters in your communication efforts webinar What is earned medi Support the show 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.
	23 Aug 2022	Top 10 advertising and marketing topics to watch for in 2022 with Allison Fitzpatrick	00:38:30
Send us a text Our episode guest is Allison Fitzpatrick, partner at Davis+Gilbert, a law firm that specializes in the advertising, marketing, and public relations space. She serves as an adviser in all aspects of marketing and advertising and brings her clients through understanding the power of social media, influencer marketing, native advertising, and other forms of emerging media. Five things you’ll learn from this episode: What NFTs are and why they’re so popular in marketing The rules behind sponsorships and endorsements What to avoid in cannabis marketing The new changes coming to children’s advertising and privacy What to avoid with automatic renewal Quotables “NFTs are non-fungible tokens, and the reason it's on our list is because right now it is the hottest trend in marketing.” — @AllisonFitzpat1 “In truth, if you told me a year ago that we'd still be talking about NFTs, I really did think it was a fad that was going to go away. But no, it's No. 1 on our list for a reason because it is the hottest trend in marketing and promotions right now.” — @AllisonFitzpat1 “It's not just been a trend for a year – it's been a trend for 10 years right now. But 10 years ago they were called bloggers. Now they're called influencers, and some are even called TikTokers.” — @AllisonFitzpat1 “I think it really does make a big difference in the marketing landscape by having the availability of some of these college athletes who have very powerful names right now.” — @AllisonFitzpat1 “If you do not have enough supply to satisfy the reasonably anticipated demand, you really shouldn't advertise it because it could be considered bait-and-switch advertising.” — @AllisonFitzpat1 If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review? About Allison Fitzpatrick Allison Fitzpatrick frequently counsels clients on new media issues, including social media, user-generated content, blogging, mobile marketing, and other emerging media. She develops clients’ blogging and social media policies and procedures and reviews clients’ social media campaigns to ensure compliance with the Federal Trade Commission’s endorsement guides and .com disclosure guides. Guest’s contact info and resources: Allison Fitzpatrick on Twitter Allison Fitzpatrick on LinkedIn Davis+Gilbert LLP Additional Resources: The Top 10 Advertising And Marketing Issues To Watch For In 2022 Additional Axia Resources: 3 tips for getting started with social media influencers The must-have influencer marketing dictionary Support the show 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.
	06 Sep 2022	Corporate communications with Matt Hurst, VP of Communications at Nielsen	00:28:24
Send us a text 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: Matt Hurst on Twitter Matt Hurst on LinkedIn Nielsen Additional Resources: Andy Jassy's thee-hour-long keynote speech Additional Axia Resources: Axia’s keynote services 5 tips for managing a crisis 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 s Support the show 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 Sep 2022	How company executives can become powerful keynote speakers with Michael Port from Heroic Public Speaking	00:33:26
Send us a text 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: Michael Port on Twitter Michael Port on LinkedIn Heroic Public Speaking Additional Resources: Axia’s keynote services Embracing the power of “No” and storytelling with keynote speaker, author, and actor Rob Biesenbach Support the show 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.
	04 Oct 2022	4 lessons in empathy from ‘Ted Lasso’ with Mark Mohammadpour, CEO of Chasing the Sun	00:32:31
Send us a text 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: Mark Mohammadpour on Twitter Mark Mohammadpour on LinkedIn Chasing the Sun Additional Resources: Lessons in empathy from ‘Ted Lasso’ Microsoft virtual meeting data The Predictive Index personality test 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 fa Support the show 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.
	18 Oct 2022	Pitching news stories to media outlets solocast with Jason Mudd from Axia Public Relations	00:23:09
Send us a text 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: Jason Mudd on Twitter Jason Mudd on LinkedIn Axia Public Relations 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. 9 journalist-approved tips for pitching to the media Turn your pitches into stories to get journalists interested in them Pitching to the media On Top of PR podcast episode Episode recorded: July, 2022 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 founded Axia Public Relations in July 2002. Forbes named Axia as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Support the show 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.
	01 Nov 2022	The State of Journalism & PR 2022 reports with Greg Galant, CEO of Muck Rack	00:46:01
Send us a text 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: Greg Galant on Twitter Greg Galant on LinkedIn Muck Rack Additional Resources: The State of PR 2022 The State of Journalism 2022 Additional Axia Resources: Use Twitter to build foundations for Support the show 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.
	15 Nov 2022	Crisis communications insurance with Bob Dietzel, co-founder at KMRD Partners	00:34:42
Send us a text 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: Bob Dietzel on LinkedIn KMRD Partners Additional Resources: Cyber Risk Management and Insurance Additional Axia Resources: Axia CrisisPoint What to do when your executives have criminal allegations toward them 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 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. Support the show 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.
	29 Nov 2022	Taking your speaking skills to the next level with Allison Shapira of Global Public Speaking	00:32:06
Send us a text 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: Allison Shapira on Twitter Allison Shapira on LinkedIn speakwithimpactbook.com 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. Speak with Impact Paperback Speak with Impact Audiobook Additional Axia Resources: How company executives can become powerful keynote speakers with Michael Port from Heroic Public Speaking KeyNote, Booking Pu Support the show 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.
	13 Dec 2022	Impostor Syndrome with Kris Kelso	00:36:35
Send us a text 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. Support the show 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.
	03 Jan 2023	Why you should invest in PR throughout a recession	00:14:24
Send us a text 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! Support the show 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 Jan 2023	Making your company notable and quotable with Shanita Akintonde	00:23:21
Send us a text 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: Shanita Akintonde on Twitter Shanita Akintonde on LinkedIn shanitaspeaks.com Additional Resources: When Leadership Fails Unleash the Leader Within You Leading From the Heart Shanita’s Podcast: Marketing Insights Additional Axia Resources: Brands are using a “window of loyalty” to turn young consumers into lifelong fans Brands capturing the audience with strategic PR “stunts” Episode recorded: August 18, 2022 Support the show 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.
	23 Jan 2023	Dealing with stress in the public relations industry with Mark Mohammadpour	00:39:55
Send us a text 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: Mark Mohammadpour on Twitter Mark Mohammadpour on LinkedIn Chasing the Sun Additional Resources: Chasing the Sun: Your Chief Wellness Podcast with Mark Mohammadpour Additional Axia Resources: How to stay positive when working in PR Leadership’s responsibility of mental wellbeing with Vance Meyer \| On Top of PR podcast 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. Support the show 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.
	06 Feb 2023	Recruiting and Retaining Young PR Professionals with Kim Ades	00:23:17
Send us a text 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: Kim Ades on Twitter Kim Ades on LinkedIn Frame of Mind Coaching Additional Resources: The Journal That Talks Back Additional Axia Resources: How to stay positive when working in PR Leadership’s responsibility of mental wellbeing with Vance Meyer \| On Top of PR podcast Disclosure: One or more of the links we shared here might be affiliate links that offer us a referral rewar Support the show 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 Feb 2023	Best practices for internal communications with Casey Mank	00:36:44
Send us a text Casey Mank and Jason Mudd discuss best practices for internal communications. Guest: 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. 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. Support the show 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.
	06 Mar 2023	100th episode: Lessons learned in podcasting	00:28:19
Send us a text 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: Jason Mudd on Twitter Jason Mudd on LinkedIn Axia Public Relations Additional Axia Resources: Axia 60 Second Impact Take our On Top of PR audience questionnaire! Axia’s Services 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. Support the show 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 Mar 2023	Using procurement to find a PR agency with Leah Power	00:18:47
Send us a text 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 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. Guest’s contact info and resources: Leah Power on Twitter Leah Power on LinkedIn Leah's podcast Additional Resources: www.20percent.com/ Additional Resources from Axia Public Relations: Hiring a PR agency with Shannyn Lee The cost of hiring in-house PR vs. a PR agency with Jason Mudd 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. Support the show 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.
	03 Apr 2023	No tricks, just content with Dave Auchter	00:27:53
Send us a text 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: Dave Auchter on LinkedIn Haskell’s website 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. Support the show 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.
	17 Apr 2023	How to become an excellent TEDx speaker with Alan Cohen	00:25:22
Send us a text 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: Alan Samuel Cohen Coaching and Speaking Alan Samuel Cohen Coaching and Speaking on Facebook Alan Samuel Cohen on LinkedIn Support the show 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.
	01 May 2023	Shattering the Six Gender Bias Barriers Still Holding Women Back at Work with Amy Diehl	00:28:11
Send us a text 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 Hol Support the show 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.
	06 Jun 2023	How our PR firm is using AI and how you can too	00:27:38
Send us a text 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: Jason Mudd on Twitter Jason Mudd on LinkedIn Jason Mudd on Facebook Axia Public Relations Additional Resources: Create a usage policy for AI-generated content How PR Professionals Can Use Artificial Intelligence Tools To Enhance Their Work ChatGPT Support the show 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 Jun 2023	PR tips with a former news anchor with Bob Wiltfong	00:29:54
Send us a text 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: Bob Wilfong on Facebook Bob Wilfong on LinkedIn Bob Wilfong website Additional Resources: Ten quick PR Tips Why is the news media important? The best media pitch is a story that's already done — and copy edited! Support the show 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.
	05 Jul 2023	Franchising, Home Improvement & Home Services with Ryan Spalding	00:33:41
Send us a text 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. Support the show 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.
	15 Aug 2023	Disaster Communications: 5 Ways to Make the Most of A Bad Situation with Amy Susán	00:40:55
Send us a text 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: Amy Susán on LinkedIn Amy Susán on Twitter EquipmentShare Website Ragan Communications AI Certification Additional Resources: 3 crisis communication action steps to take Effective crisis communications with Christopher Britton How our PR firm is using AI and how you can too with Jason Mudd, CEO of Axia Public Relations Support the show 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.
	29 Aug 2023	The benefits of purpose-driven storytelling	00:22:45
Send us a text 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: Pam Fultz on LinkedIn Bentley Village 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. Support the show 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.
	11 Sep 2023	Earned media coverage doesn’t work the way you think it does with Jason Mudd	00:36:43
Send us a text 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: Jason Mudd on Twitter Jason Mudd on LinkedIn Additional Resources from Axia Public Relations: How to measure and categorize the different tiers of news media outlet types 3 crucial differences between a news story and a feature story that will make you a better writer What is news? 10 elements of news and newsworthiness Support the show 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.
	25 Sep 2023	Encouraging Words in Your Storytelling Journey with Ken Melton	00:34:19
Send us a text 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 Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory website 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 Support the show 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.
	09 Oct 2023	Media Relations Best Practices With Axia	01:10:08
Send us a text 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: Top PR pros share their tips for earning media coverage Top 5 media relations practices t Support the show 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.
	25 Oct 2023	How to prepare for any communication crisis with Tom Ciuba	00:29:38
Send us a text 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: Tom Ciuba on LinkedIn Genesee & Wyoming Strengthening a Crisis Comms Plan Amid Disruptions 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. Support the show 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.
	06 Nov 2023	How PR can help journalism survive with Tina McCorkindale	00:33:49
Send us a text 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 Support the show 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 Nov 2023	How to use editorial calendars to get earned media coverage with Jason Mudd	00:31:08
Send us a text 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. Support the show 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.
	05 Dec 2023	AI in Public Relations with Antony Cousins, Executive Director for AI Strategy at Cision	00:45:00
Send us a text 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, Support the show 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.
	18 Dec 2023	AI for Strategy, Measurement, and Monitoring with Dan Gaynor from Signal AI	00:43:08
Send us a text 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. Support the show 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.
	01 Jan 2024	The ROI of LOL with Steve Cody	00:38:58
Send us a text 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: WSJ: Why Is Everyone So Unhappy? The ROI of LOL 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. Support the show 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.
	15 Jan 2024	How to leverage a one-person social media team with Jacob Shipley	00:35:08
Send us a text 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 Templat Support the show 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.
	29 Jan 2024	Time is of the Essence Solocast with Jason Mudd of Axia Public Relations	00:20:36
Send us a text 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 How to use newsjacking to support brand awareness and engagement What is news? 10 elements of news and newsworthiness What is earned media (coverage)? The documented proven process for earned media coverage 5 tips for responding to reporters’ media relations query tools Additional Resources from Axia Public Relations Listen to more episodes of the On Top of PR podcast. Find out more about Axia Public Relations. Support the show 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.
	12 Feb 2024	3 Ways Franchisors Can Use PR to Grow Their Company with John Hewitt of Loyalty Brands PR	00:51:15
Send us a text 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 th Support the show 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.
	26 Feb 2024	Lessons learned from navigating national crises with Linda Rutherford, Southwest Airlines	00:46:13
Send us a text 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 transpar Support the show 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.
	11 Mar 2024	Why your social media isn’t working with Holly Bishop	00:37:13
Send us a text 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 Support the show 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 Jun 2024	How AI is transforming strategic communications	00:44:41
Send us a text 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: Kathleen Perley on X Kathleen Perley on LinkedIn Rice University’s Jones School of Business Coursera class: "AI for everyone" Marketing Institute Podcast Support the show 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.
	08 Jul 2024	What journalists want from your media pitch	00:43:39
Send us a text 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. 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 in reaching their top 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. 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: Jason Mudd on X Jason Mudd on LinkedIn Axia Public Relations Resources: Link to Bloomberg journalist’s LinkedIn post Ten Support the show 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.
	22 Jul 2024	The integral role of communications professionals to business success	00:46:36
Send us a text Leslie Cafferty, chief communications officer of Booking Holdings Inc., 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 Inc., 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 Inc. brands include Booking.com, Priceline, 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, Inc., 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 Univers Support the show 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.
	05 Aug 2024	Data-driven storytelling on social media	00:44:58
Send us a text 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: Kate Meyers Emery, Ph.D. on LinkedIn Kate Meyers Emery, Ph.D. website Candid website Candid on LinkedIn Candid on Instagram Candid on Facebook Canva Toggle Track Sprout Social Support the show 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.
	19 Aug 2024	Media relations best practices	00:51:04
Send us a text 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: David Triana on X David Triana on LinkedIn Email David at DTriana@axiapr.com Additional Resources: Axia Public Relations Resources Support the show 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.
	02 Sep 2024	Best practices for producing PR events	00:36:57
Send us a text 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. Support the show 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.
	17 Sep 2024	How to improve your media pitches	00:45:16
Send us a text 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: Jason Mudd on X Jason Mudd on LinkedIn Axia Public Relations 10 elements of news 10 elements of news with Jason Mudd \| On Top of PR Podcast 1:1 consultations and training with Axia Support the show 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.
	30 Sep 2024	The important role of internal communications	00:38:14
Send us a text 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: Linda Beltran on X Linda Beltran on LinkedIn Holiday Inn Club Vacations website Additional Resources: The value of being honest in internal communications 4 ways to present your corporation as grateful to its shareholders Support the show 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 Oct 2024	How an insurance carrier manages crisis communications	00:35:58
Send us a text 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 Doug Filaroski on LinkedIn Citizens Property Insurance website International Association of Business Communicators International Association of Bu Support the show 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.
	28 Oct 2024	Legendary journalist Mort Crim on media evolution, authenticity, and truth	00:37:51
Send us a text 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 Support the show 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.
	12 Nov 2024	How Del Monte Foods embraces Gen Z while honoring tradition in PR campaigns	00:31:51
Send us a text 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: How influencer partnerships can boost PR campaigns Support the show 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.
	25 Nov 2024	Pitching to podcasts	00:18:00
Send us a text 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 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 leave us a quick podcast review. Host contact info and resources: Jason Mudd on X Jason Mudd on LinkedIn 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. Support the show 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.
	09 Dec 2024	From marketing to CEO, an accountant’s journey to becoming an invaluable employee	00:44:34
Send us a text 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 Support the show 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.
	07 Jan 2025	The power of AI in communications: Basic applications to strategic implementation	00:33:16
Send us a text 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. Support the show 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.
	22 Jan 2025	Navigating Professional Growth in Social Media Marketing with Jennifer Radke, National Institute for Social Media	00:38:08
Send us a text 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" Support the show 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.
	06 Feb 2025	Leveraging data analytics for organic social media growth	00:37:12
Send us a text 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: Nicole Scarbrough on LinkedIn 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: Support the show 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.
	18 Feb 2025	20 reasons your company's social media sucks — and how to fix it	00:27:26
Send us a text 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 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 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: Jason Mudd on X Jason Mudd on LinkedIn Axia Public Relations 1:1 consultations and training with Axia Support the show 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.
	04 Mar 2025	Maximizing Agency Partnership with Mark Riggs	00:45:08
Send us a text 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. Support the show 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.
	19 Mar 2025	Navigating PR and communications hiring: Expert advice from Brooke Kruger	00:33:30
Send us a text 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: Support the show 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.
	01 Apr 2025	Getting more media coverage by making journalists’ lives easier: Insights from Muck Rack’s Linda Zebian	00:59:23
Send us a text 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 giv Support the show 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.
	09 Sep 2020	Earned media attribution technology, PR research, and calculating PR's ROI w/ Cision's Mark Weiner	00:36:32
Send us a text 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://review 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. Support the show 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.
	09 Sep 2020	What it takes to get on Undercover Boss with Axia Public Relations’ Jason Mudd, APR	00:25:22
Send us a text 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 Undercove 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. Support the show 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.
	02 Sep 2020	Axia launches new public relations podcast On Top of PR with Jason Mudd	00:16:20
Send us a text 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: 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. 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. Support the show 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.
	09 Sep 2020	Online customer reviews – best practices with ReviewMaxer’s Garrett Sussman	00:32:18
Send us a text 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. Support the show 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.
	09 Sep 2020	Keeping your PR creative, imaginative, curious, and intuitive with Disney's Duncan Wardle	00:33:21
Send us a text 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:/ 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. Support the show 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.
	09 Sep 2020	How good PR pitches make good stories w/ Inc Magazine's Jeff Haden	00:32:04
Send us a text 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 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. Support the show 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.
	09 Sep 2020	PR measurement with expert Johna Burke, AMEC	00:40:55
Send us a text 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. 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. Support the show 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.
	09 Sep 2020	Social media disclosures and FTC best practices w/ attorney Paavana Kumar, Davis & Gilbert	00:40:48
Send us a text 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 Publ 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. Support the show 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.
	09 Sep 2020	How to be a trusted adviser with Wells Fargo's Del Galloway	00:32:33
Send us a text 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: 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 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. Support the show 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.
	09 Sep 2020	Media monitoring, clipping, and reporting in 2020 with Burrelles' Cathy Del Colle	00:28:49
Send us a text 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: 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. Presented by: ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitor 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. Support the show 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.
	16 Sep 2020	Going on "Undercover Boss" with Executive Producer Mike Cotton	00:32:21
Send us a text 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 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. Support the show 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.
	22 Sep 2020	Transitioning from a career in journalism to PR with Crowley’s David DeCamp	00:27:23
Send us a text 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 bran 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. Support the show 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.
	29 Sep 2020	How to use personality analytics to better hire, engage, and develop employees with Dolly Penland	00:37:29
Send us a text 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 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. Support the show 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.
	06 Oct 2020	How your company can effectively hire and work with a PR agency with Drew McLellan	00:31:16
Send us a text 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 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: 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 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. Support the show 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.
	13 Oct 2020	Improving your earned media coverage with Axia Public Relations’ Jason Mudd, APR	00:28:20
Send us a text 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 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. 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 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. 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. Support the show 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 Oct 2020	Learning from the COVID-19 pandemic and preparing for a crisis with Firehouse Subs’ Kristen Majdanics	00:26:34
Send us a text 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 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. Support the show 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 Nov 2020	Engaging employees and creating a positive workplace culture with Richard Hadden	00:36:37
Send us a text 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: Contented Cows Still Give Better Milk Contented Cows Moove Faster Rebooting Leadership 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. Support the show 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.
	27 Oct 2020	The decay of civility in public discourse with Syracuse University’s Anthony D’Angelo	00:30:34
Send us a text 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: https://instituteforpr.org/the-launch-of-the-dialogue-project/ http://www.christineporath.com/ https://www.i Support the show 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.
	03 Nov 2020	Prioritizing PR over advertising with Laura Ries	00:26:41
Send us a text 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 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. Presented by: ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews. Support the show 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.
	17 Nov 2020	The cost of hiring in-house PR vs. a PR agency with Axia Public Relations’ Jason Mudd, APR	00:18:57
Send us a text 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 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. 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. 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 businesses. Contact info and 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. Support the show 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 Nov 2020	Which type of PR agency client are you? with Audience Audit’s Susan Baier	00:28:34
Send us a text 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 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. Contact info and resources: Website: audienceaudit.com LinkedIn Facebook Twitter: @susanbaier Agency Edge Research 2020 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. 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. Support the show 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.
	24 Nov 2020	Job search advice and hiring top PR talent with Nicole Balsam, Capstone Hill Search	00:32:58
Send us a text 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 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. Support the show 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.
	03 Dec 2020	Why your company marketing efforts should stay active during a recession with Drew McLellan andSusan Baier	00:36:28
Send us a text 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: Agency Edge Research 2020 Twitter: Susan Drew LinkedIn: Susan 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. Support the show 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.
	01 Dec 2020	Building media and customer relationships with HARO founder Peter Shankman	00:32:15
Send us a text 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: @petershankman on Twitter www.shankman.com Peter Shankman’s Books: Can We Do That?! Outrageous PR Stunts That Worked And Why Your Company Needs Them Faster Than Normal: Turbocharge Your Focus, Productivity, and Success with the Secrets of the ADHD Brain Zombie Loyalists: Using Great Service to Create Rabid Fans Podcast: Faster Than Normal 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 C Support the show 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.
	08 Dec 2020	Five questions to ask before sending any corporate communications with Axia Public Relations’ Jason Mudd, APR	00:15:36
Send us a text 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. 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. 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 businesses. Contact info and resources: Twitter: @jasonmudd9 LinkedIn Website: Support the show 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.
	15 Dec 2020	Building a successful content strategy with Wounded Warrior Project’s Sherry Sanderford	00:34:20
Send us a text 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: LinkedIn Twitter: @ssanderford Tracing the measurement origins of PESO Additional Resources: ReviewMaxer: http://reviewmaxer.com Axia Public Relations: https://www.axiapr.com/ About your host Jason Mudd On Top of PR h 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. Support the show 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.
	22 Dec 2020	A sale is a love affair with Jack Vincent, strategic poet	00:32:52
Send us a text 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: A Sale Is A Love Affair: Seduce, Engage & Win Customers' Hearts @jackvincent on Twitter LinkedIn jackvincent.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 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. Support the show 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.
	29 Dec 2020	Breaking into the PR industry as a recent graduate with Colin Wylie	00:25:43
Send us a text 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 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. Support the show 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.
	05 Jan 2021	Four leadership tips to guide you through uncertain times with Ken Jacobs	00:36:21
Send us a text 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: How to Lead the Leaders on Your Team Nine Critical Leadership Traits for Today 11 Things To Do If You Want To Be An Amazingly Effective Leader 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 Support the show 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.

Enhance your understanding of On Top of PR with Jason Mudd with My Podcast Data

At My Podcast Data, we strive to provide in-depth, data-driven insights into the world of podcasts. Whether you're an avid listener, a podcast creator, or a researcher, the detailed statistics and analyses we offer can help you better understand the performance and trends of On Top of PR with Jason Mudd. From episode frequency and shared links to RSS feed health, our goal is to empower you with the knowledge you need to stay informed and make the most of your podcasting experience. Explore more shows and discover the data that drives the podcast industry.

About us Privacy Policy