The PR Maven Podcast (Nancy Marshall)

In this episode of The PR Maven® Podcast, host Nancy Marshall sits down with Michelle Glogovac, THE Podcast Matchmaker™, award-winning publicist and founder of the MLG Collective. They discuss the importance of traditional and digital networking techniques for brand growth. Michelle shares her circuitous career path from corporate aviation to podcasting, her influence in helping entrepreneurs and authors tell their stories, and practical tips on how to effectively pitch oneself as a podcast guest. She emphasizes the significance of authentic storytelling, creating engaging marketing content from podcast interviews and repurposing such content for maximum reach. 

00:00 Introduction to The PR Maven® Podcast 

01:56 Introducing Michelle Glogovac 

03:59 Michelle's Career Journey 

07:28 The Power of Podcasting 

10:49 How To Become a Podcast Guest 

18:09 Promoting Your Podcast Appearance 

21:21 Pitchcraft Sponsorship Highlight 

23:57 Preparing for a Podcast Guest Appearance 

32:58 Final Thoughts and Farewell 

Related Episodes 

Episode 73: How to be a great podcast guest 

Episode 113: How to share your message through podcasting, with Peter Koch, safety management consultant and manager of digital technology at MEMIC 

Episode 90: Why repurposing content should be part of your marketing plan, with Jaclyn Schiff, founder and CEO of PodReacher 

About Michelle 

Michelle Glogovac is THE Podcast Matchmaker™, an award-winning publicist, host of the “My Simplified Life” podcast and author of “How To Get On Podcasts.” Michelle is working with clients who make an impact by defining their stories and matching them with the perfect podcasts. She has helped entrepreneurs, authors, nonprofits and advocates hone their storytelling abilities, grow their businesses, and elevate themselves as thought leaders on over 1,000 podcasts. Michelle is a sought-after speaker in this niche and has presented to thousands of publicists and groups on how to not only perfectly pitch a podcast, but to create marketing content from every interview. She has coached 14,000 authors through the process of creating and launching a podcast book tour through the Nonfiction Writers Association.  

Michelle is a wife, mom of two, stepmom of two, and a fur mom. She has her B.A. and M.S. in law, and is the founder and CEO of The MLG Collective®. Michelle resides in the San Francisco Bay Area and is a sushi lover. 

In this PR Maven® Podcast episode, host Nancy Marshall sits down with Liz Williams, the communications manager for the Episcopalian Diocese of Georgia to discuss her journey to this unique position. Liz elaborates on her journey from a marketing undergraduate to eventually working in the church's youth and children ministries. She also recounts her experience with a non-profit for mental and behavioral health before becoming communications manager. Nancy and Liz discuss the varied responsibilities, including managing social media, public relations and larger church communications. Their discussion also touches on the upcoming Episcopalian Communicators Conference, set to take place in Portland, Maine. The conference's aim is to build community amongst communicators and equip them with crucial tools. Liz discusses the importance of crisis communication within the church community, and Nancy provides details about her upcoming keynote and crisis communications workshop. 

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 

00:18 Liz Williams: Her Journey and Role in the Episcopalian Diocese of Georgia 

02:21 The Importance of Communication in Ministry 

04:14 The Role of Branding and Social Media in Evangelism 

05:32 Details about the Upcoming Episcopal Communicators Conference 

08:12 Choosing Conference Locations and the Excitement for Portland, Maine 

10:45 The Importance of Crisis Communications in the Church 

16:12 Break and Book Promotion 

17:08 The Power of Personal Branding and Networking 

24:34 The Importance of Empathy and Compassion in Crisis Communications 

24:39 Details about the Crisis Communications Workshop 

30:34 How to Register for the Conference 

33:04 Liz's Recommended Podcast and Contact Information 

35:18 Closing Remarks and Anticipation for the Conference 
 

About Liz  
Liz Williams is the communications manager for the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia. She has a deep passion for the church and its liturgy, hymns and compassion for others. Liz has served in various positions within the church and has found her calling in ministry and communications. She has also worked for a nonprofit in mental and behavioral health for children and families.  
 
Liz's career path led her to her current role as the communications manager for the diocese. She is excited about the upcoming Episcopal Communicators Conference in Portland, Maine, where she will be a keynote speaker and workshop presenter. Liz emphasizes the importance of personal branding and growing a network of connections.  
 
She believes in the power of listening and making others feel seen and heard. Additionally, Liz will be co-presenting a crisis communications workshop, where she will discuss the importance of empathy, compassion and planning in effectively communicating during times of crisis.  

TikTok is the fastest-growing social media platform worldwide, surpassing social media giants like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. In this podcast episode, Anna McDermott shares some of the tips she has learned from creating TikToks for Marshall Communications. Anna also shares the data and demographics that prove why TikTok is an important PR and marketing resource for your business.  

1:32 – Anna explains how her career started in the hospitality industry.   

2:40 – Anna describes how she started using TikTok for herself personally and for Marshall Communications.  

3:38 – Anna talks about the kinds of videos she creates.   

5:04 – Anna shares what some of her most popular videos have been so far.  

6:08 – Anna explains what Marshall Communications’ goals are for using TikTok.  

11:48 – Anna talks about how social media fits into PR.  

12:26 – Anna describes the demographics for TikTok. 

14:20 – Anna explains why you should consider using TikTok.  

16:27 – Anna talks about the algorithm on TikTok.  

18:45 – Anna explains how to share a TikTok video to Instagram Reels.  

Quote  

"Most public relations agencies are not doing TikTok. They have experience with the older, familiar platforms like Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. We're kind of on the cutting edge, I think, for social media marketing, and that's where we as an agency want to be. We want to be at the intersection between traditional PR and social media marketing. I think TikTok is helping position us very well for that." – Anna McDermott, account supervisor at Marshall Communications 

Links:  

Listen to Anna’s first episode on The PR Maven® Podcast.  

Listen to Kat Child’s episode of The PR Maven® Podcast.  

Listen to Chip Carey’s episode of The PR Maven® Podcast.  

University of Southern Maine: https://usm.maine.edu/  

Down East Magazine: https://downeast.com/  

Mainebiz: https://www.mainebiz.biz/  

About the guest:     

With a passion for creative strategy, Anna brings nearly 20 years of experience to our Marshall Plans. Her insightful work highlights each client’s unique qualities and connects them with targeted audiences and media. Anna’s areas of expertise include crafting vibrant copy for press releases, pitches, newsletters, SEO and other promotional materials as well as bringing a fresh perspective to social media marketing. Recently, Anna has been creating TikToks for Marshall Communications and is here today to teach us about TikTok!  

Looking to connect:            

Email: amcdermott@marshallpr.com  

TikTok: @marshallcommunications 

While some say that Facebook is dying, the data proves otherwise. Facebook has nearly 3 billion monthly active users which is more than any other app in the world. Not only is the audience very large, but 200 million businesses are also on Facebook. If you aren’t on Facebook yet, now is the time to create an account. In this episode, Nancy goes through the basic steps you need to know, from creating a Facebook page to making a post. She also covers a few reasons why you should join, what Facebook’s audience looks like and some content ideas to get you started.  

1:38 – Why you should create a Facebook page for your business. 

3:48 – Facebook’s demographics 

4:57 – How to create a page. 

5:51 – How to post. 

6:40 – Content ideas to share on Facebook. 

9:03 – When you should post. 

9:51 – How to schedule posts and view analytics. 

10:31 – How to delete a Facebook page. 

Resources:  

https://thesocialshepherd.com/blog/facebook-statistics#:~:text=71.43%25%20of%20the%20entire%20US,have%20an%20account%20on%20Facebook 

https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/facebook-post-ideas  

https://sproutsocial.com/insights/best-times-to-post-on-social-media/  

https://influencermarketinghub.com/best-times-to-post-on-linkedin/  

Are you looking to grow your personal brand and become an authority in your field? In this episode, Claire Mason shares how you can become a thought leader, improve your visibility and track these improvements using data. Claire describes the importance of media in your growth strategy. Claire also talks about using social media networks, such as LinkedIn, to build your personal brand online in addition to utilizing in-person tactics. Listen to find out what the lighthouse and breadcrumb strategies are and how to use them.  

3:35 – Claire talks about her career and how she got into it.   

7:13 – Claire defines personal branding or her preferred term, authority branding.  

9:93 – Claire describes how visibility can be used in your growth strategy.   

11:16 – Claire talks about media mindset insights you might not be aware of.  

13:14 – Claire explains vanity metrics.  

16:25 – Claire shares how you can combine online and in-person personal branding.  

21:04 – Claire talks about her speaking engagements through the eight networking groups she is part of. 

23:25 – Claire explains how to leverage LinkedIn, including the lighthouse strategy and the breadcrumb strategy.  

26:23 – Claire describes how she has benefited from public relations.  

27:36 – Claire shares the three secrets that will land you media coverage. 

29:38 – Claire explains how to use media coverage to create additional content and amplify your brand. 

32:35 – Claire answers the question of whether people are still reading newspapers. 

35:35 – Claire explains how curation and credibility make the media unique.  

37:23 – How can people get in touch with you? 

Quote  

"What has happened in the wake of these amazing pieces of software being invented is that we focus exclusively on lead generation and we forget that before anybody can hop into your sales funnel and purchase your software or sign up to a newsletter or sign up to your webinar, whatever the case might be, book a call with your potential business development team, they have to actually see you. And that's where the visibility piece comes in. It's very much the psychological element, the branding piece, and that is why I am a believer that the more visible you make yourself, the more your opportunity pipeline is going to be stuffed to the gills." – Claire Mason, thought leadership publicist 

Links:  

HubSpot: https://www.hubspot.com/  

Salesforce: https://www.salesforce.com/  

LinkedIn Social Selling Index: https://business.linkedin.com/sales-solutions/social-selling/the-social-selling-index-ssi  

Heroic Public Speaking: https://heroicpublicspeaking.com/  

Dorie Clark books: https://dorieclark.com/books/  

Cindy Gallop: https://cindygallop.com/  

About the guest:     

Claire Mason is a Thought Leadership Publicist, who works with founders, coaches and solo entrepreneurs. She helps them earn the publicity they deserve to grow their visibility, credibility and opportunity pipelines using her proven LinkedIn and media strategies. 

Claire has earned bylines from numerous publishers, including The Guardian, Marie Claire and The Sunday Times. And she has placed her clients’ stories in publications like Forbes, CNBC and Wall Street Journal, among others. She is often called on by other Publicists as their secret ingredient to land media coverage for their clients. 

Claire’s clients regularly see increases of 40% or more in their pipelines after implementing her content strategies. 

Her work has been showcased as an example of best practice by HubSpot. Claire is also a regular contributor to Business2Community (USA), Digital Doughnut (UK), Thrive Global (USA) and CoFounders Town (India), where she writes how content marketing can move the needle for B2B brands. 

Influencer marketing is all the rage. It is a form of social media marketing that leverages endorsements and product placements from famous personalities and businesses to change hearts and minds. 

Think Kylie Jenner endorsing a new face lotion on TikTok or Roger Federer tweeting about that new Rolex in his watch collection. In many ways, influencers are often trusted more by everyday consumers than brands themselves since people can form strong connections with the people they follow online (even if they never meet them). Look at it this way: Soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has more Instagram followers than there are people in the United States and Russia combined, making his thoughts, feelings and endorsements massively consequential — and uniquely marketable. 

Influencer marketing can be a valuable tool in your toolbox, even if you work with influencers of a lower level than famous athletes. At the very least, such marketing should be a consideration, based on your business and budget. 

Continue reading here. 

The article read in this episode originally appeared on the Forbes Agency Council CommunityVoice™ in March 2023. 

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From running the rental shop at Sugarloaf to becoming president of Sunday River, Dana Bullen joins Nancy to talk about his career in the ski business. While it may have been all about the snow when he started his career, Dana describes how people also take their experience into consideration, from the food to guest services. It all comes back to the snow at the end of the day, so Dana describes the importance of snowmaking and how Sunday River shares the snow conditions with its audience. 

00:00 Introduction to the PR Maven Podcast 

01:40 Introducing Guest: Dana Bullen 

05:06 How Dana knew he wanted to be the president of a ski resort 

07:20 Building the Sunday River brand  

10:27 Adapting to Changing Marketing Techniques 

14:48 Dana’s Personal Brand 

19:35 The importance of snowmaking at Sunday River 

24:02 How Sunday River promotes snowmaking 

26:39 Training team members to achieve a common vision 

32:01 Helpful Resources 

Related Episodes 

Episode 104: How To Grow an Already Established Brand With Karl Strand 

Episode 249: Spreading Inclusion and Acceptance Through Storytelling, With Lisa and Scott Wentzell and Heidi Bullen 

Episode 56: Chip Carey, Retired Chief Marketing Officer at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort 

About Dana 

With more than 30 years of ski industry and management experience, Dana Bullen began serving in his current role as resort president of Sunday River in September 2004. He worked his way up the ski-business ladder shortly after earning a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Maine Farmington in 1988, holding various positions at Sugarloaf as well. In 2017, he was inducted into the Maine Sports Hall of Fame. A native of Farmington, Maine, Dana enjoys skiing, fishing, hunting and the Maine outdoors. 

Bonus Q&A  

1. Dana, the pandemic and climate change are both impacting your business. How is Sunday River responding to the challenges and opportunities presented by these external factors? 

The ski business like any outdoor-based industry adapts to outside influences constantly. The Sunday River team is made up of seasoned veterans who embrace the need to constantly improve to meet the needs of our guests. The great news is that we still get to live and play in the outdoors.  

2. Sunday River continues to expand and evolve, which is so impressive! How do you manage your team so they are all focused on the same goals? 

Sunday River has a team of 1,000 leaders. The best example of this was their reaction to the devastating storm in December 2023. We had washed out roads, culverts, bridges, buildings and ski-related infrastructure. Within 24 hours all roads were passable and within 00 hours (about 4 days) we were open for skiing again. This did not happen with one person leading or even 50 people leading. It happened because all 1000 folks were moving in the same direction, working independently in their respective areas of expertise but also mindful of the collective good of the team. We had a team member who was stranded in the hotel, cut off from the resort, with a washed-out bridge that first night of the storm. They need their medicine. Without encouragement or direction, two team members (one who was a raft guide) took it upon themselves to go get the medicine and raft it across. That is the best example I can share of folks leading on their own. We are blessed with so many of these folks. 

3. What is the most impactful thing that Sunday River has done to grow its customer base and continue to grow the business? 

While we continue to improve our snowmaking and create the most modern lift system in the East, the IGLU we built this year was unique and took on a life of its own.  

Billions of dollars in profit. Millions of fans captivated by her concerts. In 2023, Taylor Swift has been everywhere, and her omnipresence provides valuable lessons for the entire public relations industry. 

In PR, we dream of making our clients a hot commodity. We dream of sending consumers into a frenzy. We dream of going viral. Sometimes, dreams become reality, and that is the excitement of PR. With hard work and strategic execution, PR campaigns can truly change hearts and minds. 

Swift’s success is essentially PR at its finest. Because of positive PR, the singer extraordinaire has become one of the most famous people on the planet. Whether you’re a Swiftie or not, the reasoning behind her success can be applied to other industries outside of entertainment and popular culture. 

Continue reading here. 

The article read in this episode originally appeared on the Forbes Agency Council CommunityVoice™ in November 2023. 

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Sign up for email notifications for when new episodes are released. 

When was the last time you took a good look at your business’s social media presence? Is it time for a social media audit? In this podcast episode, Lara Beckius, Marshall Communications’ 2023 intern, explains when and why you should complete a social media audit. Whether you want to make sure you are reaching your target audience or you want to expand your social media presence, Lara offers some tips for completing a social media audit and making sure you are moving in the right direction.  

3:25 – Lara gives an overview of her career so far.  

5:35 – Lara describes what she has learned and the types of projects she has worked on during her internship at Marshall Communications.  

6:24 – Lara explains why your business should complete a social media audit. 

8:45 – Lara shares how to determine which social media platforms to target.  

10:10 – Lara offers some recommendations for brands when doing social media.  

12:02 – Lara explains why and how to plan your hashtags.  

15:54 – Lara talks about pulling all of her interests together. 

18:32 – Lara shares how she has been involved in Her Campus.  

20:35 – Lara describes her other 2023 summer internship at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens.  

24:15 – Lara lists some resources that have been helpful to her.  

Quote 

“Don’t get overwhelmed. There are so many different social media platforms out there and there are so many different paths to pursue that it could be really easy to get overwhelmed, to kind of shut down when you’re thinking about all of that, but the idea of a social media audit is to break it down into seeing which platforms work best.” – Lara Beckius, Marshall Communications’ 2023 Intern 

Links:  

Mathnasium: https://www.mathnasium.com/ 

Connecticut College: https://www.conncoll.edu/  

Agrivolution: https://shop.agrivolution.us/ 

Lara’s Her Campus articles: https://www.hercampus.com/author/lara-beckius/  

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens: https://www.mainegardens.org/  

Gardens Aglow: https://www.mainegardens.org/events-exhibits/gardens-aglow/  

Notion: https://www.notion.so/  

Waterllama: https://waterllama.com/  

About the guest:     

Lara is from Avon, Connecticut, and is currently a senior at Connecticut College studying environmental studies, economics, and dance. She has professional experience in a variety of areas including education, marketing, advancement, the performing arts, and, most recently, environmental communications at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. She is super grateful to be continuing her summer internship at Marshall Communications this fall and has greatly enjoyed learning the ins-and-outs of the PR industry, from press releases to social media audits. 

Outside of academics, Lara also serves as the office coordinator for the Connecticut College Office of Sustainability, captain of the Connecticut College Dance Team, and president of her campus’ chapter of Her Campus, an online magazine dedicated to empowering college women. 

Looking to connect: 

Email: lbeckius@conncoll.edu  

Instagram: @laraluna

As a public relations veteran, Jody Fisher brings his vast knowledge to this episode of The PR Maven® Podcast. Jody shares some of his secrets to success, in particular, always trying to be helpful to the reporter rather than just trying to get a result for your client. He explains how he trains his clients for media interviews by making sure they are confident in the messages they want to get across. Jody also explains why the press release is not dead and emphasized the use of video to get results.  

00:00 Introduction to the PR Maven ® Podcast 

01:33 Introducing Guest: Jody Fisher 

03:45 A Career Shift From Radio to PR 

08:00 How To Think Like a Reporter 

16:48 Preparing for Media Interviews 

23:39 Why the Press Release Is Not Dead 

27:16 How Press Releases Can Be Repurposed for Content Marketing 

30:22 The Importance of Video 

34:18 Helpful Resources 

Nancy’s Episode on The PR Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/93-nancy-marshall-the-pr-maven-on-building-a-personal-brand/id1528904589?i=1000575350537  

Related Episodes 

Episode 16: Molly McPherson, Leading-Edge PR Practitioner, Speaker and Executive Coach 

How To Build Your Own PR Business With Delaney Vetter – Episode 276 

Episode 275: Public Relations Reimagined with Pitchcraft: A Deep Dive with Founders Kelsey and Derrick Ogletree 

About Jody    

Jody Fisher started his career as a radio reporter in the world’s biggest media market, New York City. Working in newsrooms and on the air, he came to understand why stories get coverage and why others don’t.  

In his 25-year career as a PR leader, he has worked with New York-based clients that include the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, Silverstein Properties at the World Trade Center, Friends of the High Line, the New York Post and Wall Street Journal and many more. He has told stories for clients on a local, national and global scale.  

He is also the host of The PR Podcast, a weekly show that spotlights guests with expertise in public relations and the news business.  

I’ve run a public relations agency for more than three decades, so entrepreneurship runs in my blood. It’s honestly difficult to fathom life before, when I worked a traditional job and reported to a boss. Honestly, I was not cut out to be an employee. I was born to run my own business. 

These days, headlines like “How to be an entrepreneur” are a dime a dozen. It seems like everyone has secret tips and pieces of advice for those looking to be entrepreneurial, even if it means thinking outside the box and excelling at a 9-to-5 job. While there is no silver bullet, one thing is clear: Entrepreneurs take pride in building a strong network, which leads to a strong personal brand. 

Without networking, it is virtually impossible to be a successful entrepreneur or to find success in business more generally. A strong network — and the strong brand that it creates — is like a magnet, attracting the “right” people to your orbit and leaving out the “wrong” ones.  

Continue reading here. 

The article read in this episode originally appeared on the Forbes Agency Council CommunityVoice™ in October 2023. 

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In this episode, Nancy Marshall, The PR Maven®, speaks with Kathleen O'Heron, CEO and co- founder of Jynx Productions. Kathleen shares her professional journey, from her early fascination with film production and editing in high school and college, to co-founding Jynx Productions, a leading boutique media production company based in New England. She discusses the value of personal storytelling in achieving impactful personal branding and the documentary style of production that her company follows. Kathleen also sheds light on the production process, where a one-day to two-week shoot goes through several iterations of research, planning, filming, rating, editing and broadcasting. Finally, Kathleen shares her passion for educating people about American life, their work with corporate clients and creating legacy documentaries for families. 

00:00 Introduction and background 

00:48 Guest introduction: Kathleen O'Heron

02:15 Kathleen's journey into filmmaking 

05:14 Kathleen's experience at Bloomberg and Jynx Productions

11:33 The impact of technology on filmmaking 

14:37 The art of pitching a story 

22:50 Current projects and future plans  

25:45 The production process in filmmaking 

35:23 The influence of media on Kathleen's career

38:33 Conclusion and contact information 

About Kathleen: 

Kathleen O'Heron is the co-founder and CEO of Jynx Productions, a media production company based in Maine. Over the last 20 years, she has built Jynx into one of the leading boutique production companies in New England. Jynx produces unscripted documentary-style content for TV networks, corporate clients and private clients, reaching millions of people on television, streaming platforms and social media. Prior to co-founding Jynx, Kathleen ran the global post- production department at Bloomberg Television in New York City, where she was instrumental in the success of several corporate initiatives. Kathleen has a unique combination of skills, including documentary storytelling, technology and international experience, having worked in London, Germany, and traveled extensively. Jynx Productions often covers American topics and stories from the perspectives of everyday people. 

“Hunger for content has not changed. In fact, it's increased. And it seems to me that the more that's available to people, the more they want.” 

At last! A new episode with Tim Cotton is here! To wrap up our fifth anniversary celebration, we are proud to launch this new episode with the PR Maven® Podcast guest with the most popular episodes of all time. In this episode, Nancy catches up with Tim Cotton. Since his last episode, Tim has retired from the Bangor Police Department, but still manages their Facebook page, as well as his own. He has also published three books and is working on a fourth. Listen to Nancy and Tim’s conversation.  

3:05 – Tim explains how his career came about by mistake.  

10:08 – Tim talks about the discipline to write.  

15:17 –Tim gives an update on the Duck of Justice (DOJ) and how people have come from all over the world to see this dead duck. 

22:42 – Tim shares how he has grown his personal brand.  

30:48 – Tim describes the themes and messages he keeps throughout his writing.  

35:10 – Tim lists some resources that have been helpful to him.  

Quote 

“When you do put information on there that needs to be disseminated to the public, if you have things bookending it, interesting things that people come to read, they’re going to find that. They’re not going to know about the cones on Court Street if they don’t read it all the time. That was my theory. If they come to read humorous things that really have nothing to do with direct law enforcement, it will bring them here when we need to spread information.” – Tim Cotton 

Links:  

Washington Post “This may be the only police department in America with a funny Facebook page” https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/inspired-life/wp/2015/12/16/this-may-be-the-only-police-department-in-america-with-a-funny-facebook-page/  

Duck of Justice Website: https://duckofjustice.com/ 

“The Gift of Fear” by Gavin de Becker: https://www.amazon.com/Gift-Fear-Survival-Signals-Violence/dp/0440226198  

“Undaunted Courage” by Stephen Ambrose: https://www.amazon.com/Undaunted-Courage-Meriwether-Jefferson-American/dp/0684826976  

“Blueberries for Sal” by Robert McCloskey: https://www.amazon.com/Blueberries-Sal-Robert-McCloskey/dp/014050169X  

“One Morning in Maine” : https://www.amazon.com/One-Morning-Maine-Robert-McCloskey/dp/0670526274/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=O4xNR&content-id=amzn1.sym.579192ca-1482-4409-abe7-9e14f17ac827&pf_rd_p=579192ca-1482-4409-abe7-9e14f17ac827&pf_rd_r=138-8285559-3248618&pd_rd_wg=kDHVM&pd_rd_r=e97a13ac-bc85-4a53-8fda-fc50ed304fdb&ref_=aufs_ap_sc_dsk  

“Goodnight Moon” by Margaret Wise Brown: https://www.amazon.com/Goodnight-Moon-Margaret-Wise-Brown/dp/0064430170  

Tim’s Books: 

“The Detective in the Dooryard” https://www.timcottonwrites.com/detective-in-the-dooryard/  

“Got Warrants?” https://www.timcottonwrites.com/books/got-warrants-dispatches-from-the-dooryard/ 

“Dawn in the Dooryard” https://www.timcottonwrites.com/books/dawn-in-the-dooryard-reflections-from-the-jagged-edge-of-america/  

Listen to the other episodes in the series: 

Encore Episode 36: Lieutenant Tim Cotton, Bangor Police Department 

Encore Episode 60: One-year Anniversary Party with Tim Cotton 

About the guest:     

Tim Cotton is a retired 34-year-cop, writer, former podcaster, author of three books, current social media manager of the Bangor Maine Police Facebook page and his own Facebook page. He has a website and provides a weekly blog to 20,000 subscribers. He is working on his fourth book, a fiction novel, under contract with Downeast Books, a Maine publisher. 

Looking to connect: 

Email: timcottonwrites@gmail.com  

X: @timcottonwrites 

Instagram: @timcottonwrites 

Website: www.timcottonwrites.com

How can you combine PR and personal branding techniques to make your business successful? In this episode, Amber Lambke, co-founder and CEO of Maine Grains, shares her business success story. Amber explains how the topic of grains was missing from conversations, how she helped start Maine Grains, and how she uses speaking engagements to start conversations and inspire others within the industry. In addition, learn who the famous Maine Grains customer is, and how Amber has been on her baking show! 

00:00 Introduction to the PR Maven® Podcast 

01:26 Introducing Guest: Amber Lambke 

03:02 Why Maine Grains Was Started and the Growth of the Company 

06:22 How PR and personal branding techniques helped build the brand 

11:59 Training employees to represent your brand and company 

13:19 How the Kneading Conference inspires others 

20:49 Maine Grains’ 10th anniversary  

28:39 Amber's Appearance on Martha Stewart’s baking show 

30:13 Advice to entrepreneurs on using PR and personal branding  

33:42 Helpful Resources  

Related Episodes  

Episode 219: Growing Your Passion Into a Brand, With Cherie Scott, Founder and Owner of Mumbai to MAINE 

Episode 201: How To Change Your Leadership Style for the Better, With Kevin Hancock, Chairman and CEO of Hancock Lumber 

Episode 68: What It Is Like To Be An Entrepreneur In Maine, with Julene Gervais, Producer and Host of Greenlight Maine 

About Amber    

Amber Lambke is co-founder and CEO of Maine Grains, Inc., a gristmill housed in a repurposed jailhouse, which has spurred the revival of grain production in Maine. A driving force behind Maine’s sustainable foods movement, she has been a leader in bringing economic vitality back to Skowhegan, Maine, by reviving the region’s grain growing and processing industry. She was also the founding director of the Maine Grain Alliance, a nonprofit geared toward preserving regional grain traditions from earth to table.   

After being incarcerated at age 20, Meshell Baker realized that the people who stay out of jail work and launched her career in sales. In this episode, Meshell shares some of her tips for working in sales including the power of positive energy and placing the focus of a sales call on what the person you are trying to sell to needs, rather than what you want to sell them. Meshell also talks about her recent and upcoming speaking engagements, how PR has helped her and building her personal brand.  

4:36 – Meshell talks about how her career in sales began.  

11:55 – Meshell shares how positivity helps people working in sales and marketing.  

14:57 – Meshell describes imposter syndrome.  

19:01 – Meshell explains that in sales you want to prepare to have a call about the person you are trying to sell to and why doing this is so important.  

25:14 – Meshell talks about her keynote speaking engagements, focusing on women working in male-dominated industries.  

27:13 – Meshell explains how she has benefited from public relations. 

28:37 – Meshell describes how she has built a strong personal brand.  

31:35 – Meshell shares some resources that have helped her.  

Quote  

“It is on the marketer or the seller to leave that person better off because when they are ready to make the purchase or make the decision, you will come top of mind. Now, if you try to cajole and connive and convince them right there on the spot and you try to manipulate the situation... What people really don't understand about the power of positivity is that we are emotional creatures and what you evoke in that person when you are trying to manipulate, they know it. They don't understand why they don't necessarily connect with you or why there are red flags going off, but internally they have been exposed to your disingenuousness. Positivity is just the impact. I always say positivity is a direct path to profits.” – Meshell Baker, Chief Confidence Igniter 

Links:  

Listen to Episode 235 with Kris Kelso to learn more about imposter syndrome.  

Listen to Lynn Campbell’s episode on The PR Maven® Podcast.  

“Start with Why” by Simon Sinek: https://www.amazon.com/Start-Why-Leaders-Inspire-Everyone/dp/1591846447  

UPS: https://www.ups.com/us/en/global.page  

Women in Auto Care: https://www.autocare.org/networking-and-development/communities/women-in-auto-care  

Any Baby Can: https://anybabycan.org/  

Women in Trucking: https://www.womenintrucking.org/  

“Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill: https://www.amazon.com/Think-Grow-Rich-Landmark-Bestseller/dp/1585424331  

“The Four Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz: https://www.amazon.com/Four-Agreements-Practical-Personal-Freedom/dp/1878424319  

About the guest:     

Meshell Baker understands that many founders, business owners and sales leaders struggle with doubt, their inner critic and imposter syndrome. She is on a mission to ignite confident belief in as many people as possible. 

Meshell Baker is a sales and confidence igniter, exhilarating keynote speaker and confident living catalyst who masterfully guides her clients to capitalize on their current conditions and leverage obstacles as opportunities, and confidently convert more conversations into raving fan clients. Meshell has phenomenal results, accolades and awards and has compiled an incredible track record of raving recommendations with clients over the past 25+ years. 

Looking to connect:            

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meshellrbaker  

Twitter: @MeshellRBaker 

Instagram: @meshellrbaker 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meshell.baker  

Website: www.meshellbaker.com   

Remember that person you met, but whose name you can’t remember? You had the most interesting conversation, but you don’t know how to reach out because a simple name has slipped your mind. 

Bob? Bill? Something else? We’ve all been there before. 

I pride myself on meeting new people and building new connections – personal or professional – and even I’m not immune to the occasional lapse in short-term memory. There was recently an individual who could help me with certain projects for work, but for the life of me, I could not remember his name. Several months ago, he was reaching out regularly to see whether my agency had any work for him, but we didn’t at the time. And so, he went from top of mind to back of mind. 

Today, I could use this person’s services. But I don’t have enough information to even search for him or his company’s name. (He specializes in book publicity. That’s all I know.) 

There’s a lesson here: Keep in touch with your contacts. If you meet someone for the first time, do whatever you can to store their name away in your mind – whether that means writing it down repeatedly, connecting with them on LinkedIn or even sending them a friendly note in the mail. I am personally an advocate for handwritten notes since I find that they foster a different, deeper sense of connection than digital outreach. It is easier for me to remember a name when I put pen to paper instead of just sending my 35th text message of the day. 

Continue reading here. 

The article read in this episode originally appeared on the Forbes Agency Council CommunityVoice™ in July 2023. 

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As The PR Maven® Podcast celebrates 5 years, we are rereleasing our two most popular episodes of all time, episode 36 and episode 60, both with special guest, Tim Cotton. Whether you have been listening to The PR Maven® Podcast consistently from the beginning or you are a more recent or occasional listener, we hope you enjoy these encore episodes as we build up to the release of a new episode with Tim coming out on September 26! Let’s get excited!  

In episode 36, Nancy recorded her first episode with Tim Cotton. At the time, Tim was a lieutenant with the Bangor Police Department who became well-known for managing the department’s Facebook page. He joined the police force in the late 1980s, became a detective in 2001 and in 2014 became the public information officer. He found himself the recipient of Facebook attention and adoration from fans around the country, and the world, who follow the Facebook page to read Tim’s insightful, humorous posts.  

Find the original episode here. 

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Twitter has been in the news a lot recently following Elon Musk’s acquisition of the company. While Twitter has undergone many changes and faced criticism recently, the platform is still a great place to help your business connect with the media and with your audience. In this episode, Nancy takes a look at some of the reasons you should consider creating a Twitter account and how to use Twitter once your account has been created.  

1:04 – Why you should create a Twitter profile for your business. 

3:44 – Twitter’s demographics.

4:40 – How to create a profile. 

5:52 – How to post. 

6:21 – Content ideas to share on Twitter. 

7:30 – When you should post. 

8:02 – How to view analytics. 

8:10 – How to delete a Twitter profile. 

Links: 

Episode 240: Facebook Basics: https://marshallpr.com/podcast/episode-240-facebook-basics/  

Episode 241: LinkedIn Basics: https://marshallpr.com/podcast/episode-241-linkedin-basics/  

Episode 242: Instagram Basics: https://marshallpr.com/podcast/episode-242-instagram-basics/  

Resources:  

https://thesocialshepherd.com/blog/twitter-statistics#:~:text=Here's%20an%20overview%20of%20Twitter's,year%20olds%3A%2038.5%25%20of%20users 

https://business.twitter.com/en/basics/what-to-tweet.html 

https://sproutsocial.com/insights/best-times-to-post-on-twitter/ 

https://blog.hootsuite.com/how-often-to-post-on-social-media/#:~:text=Twitter%3A%20Post%20between%202%20and,and%205%20times%20per%20week.  

In this episode, Nancy’s mentor, Chip Carey, shares his top tips from his 40+ year career in marketing and public relations. Find out why it is important to treat your hometown paper well, how to build relationships with reporters and journalists, and the benefits of telling a visual story and making it easy for the media to share those visuals. The most impactful tip for your career: don’t be afraid of change. Stay on top of changing technologies. Don’t be afraid to change how your brand is perceived. The ability to adapt and change will help you stay in touch with your audience. Speaking of audience, make sure you know who your customer is, so you don’t waste time and money targeting the wrong people. All this and so much more as Nancy and Chip reminisce and share special stories from their work together.  

00:00 Introducing Guest: Chip Carey   

01:52 Introduction to the PR Maven Podcast 

02:53 How a Love of Photography Led Chip to PR 

07:32 How To Build Strong Relationships With Reporters and Journalists 

14:15 A Lesson of Making a Story Visual 

16:31 Why Social Media Shouldn’t Fall Under PR 

21:34 Chip’s Time at Sugarloaf and Jackson Hole 

29:17 The Battles Between Sugarloaf and Sunday River 

39:32 The Legend of Paul Schipper  

50:27 The Importance of Events in Attracting Media Attention 

55:31 Being a Student of the Game 

Related Episodes  

Episode 104: How To Grow an Already Established Brand With Karl Strand 

Episode 10: Bill Green, Reporter, Anchor and Executive Producer at NEWS CENTER Maine 

Episode 164: How To Adapt to Changing Customer Preferences, With Dana Bullen   

About Chip  

With 46 years of experience in the ski industry, Chip Carey has held positions at many ski resorts across the country. Carey worked at Sugarloaf for 26 years, filling roles in sales, marketing and public relations. He also took on a position at The Canyons resort in Utah, where he was responsible for the NBC Today Show live coverage for 14 days of the Salt Lake Olympics in 2002. For four years, Carey worked across a network of eight resorts as senior VP of marketing for the American Skiing Company using his wide range of skills to build brands and revenues. From his experience building Sugarloaf as a skiing destination, despite the mountain’s remote location, to the launching of new brands, Carey has been involved in many aspects of ski resort operation.  

What is a changemaker and who can become one? In this episode, Dr. Patti Talbot defines what a changemaker is and explains that you don’t need to be someone extraordinarily special to make the change you want to see. Patti emphasizes working together to make change and shares some success stories from working with changemakers. Patti also talks about her career in education, founding Blue Roads Education Group, creating her podcast (On Your Own Terms) and public speaking.  

3:16 – Patti talks about her career in education and starting Blue Roads Education Group.  

5:25 – Patti explains her podcast and interview format.  

8:40 – Patti shares when and why she started her podcast.  

10:22 – Patti describes her public speaking about changemakers and why you don’t have to be special to become a changemaker.  

15:37 – Patti defines “changemakers,” and shares her hope for changemakers.  

20:40 – Patti talks about some success stories from changemakers. 

24:41 – Patti shares a resource that has helped her. 

Quote  

“One of my favorite definitions comes out of the University of Northampton in the United Kingdom, but I've tweaked it a little bit. Their definition of a changemaker is anyone who sees a social or environmental problem and has the skills and the grit to do something about it. Now, I've tweaked that a little bit because what I certainly know is no changemaker actually acts alone, so I've changed it to go this way: a changemaker is someone who sees a social or environmental problem and has the skills and the grit to work with others to do something about it. That ‘work with others’ in partnership is pretty critical to what it means to be a change maker.” – Dr. Patti Talbot, founder and CEO of Blue Roads Education Group 

Links:  

Nancy’s episode on Patti’s podcast: https://blueroadseducation.org/2023/06/07/connecting-with-curiosity-featuring-changemaker-nancy-marshall/?fbclid=IwAR01e4fzfIFXC0phQIoubqbIYdsWMq8PRW25s9BYiIoxaGf92L6-UWGWtIM  

Heroic Public Speaking: https://heroicpublicspeaking.com/  

One of Many: https://oneofmany.co.uk/coaching-certification/  

Actually® Making a Difference with Sara Price: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/actually-making-a-difference-with-sara-price/id1633274286  

About the guest:     

Patti is the founder and CEO of Blue Roads Education Group.  She cultivates the work of social changemakers who have a longing to create a more equitable, inclusive and healthful world for everyone by helping them develop the specific skills and confidence needed to take courageous action for change.  

As a public educator in pre-K through graduate education for more than 35 years, Patti’s been a part of the growth journey for people of all ages and stages of life. By focusing on the four big ideas inherent in the company mantra, “Homegrown Solutions for a Patchwork World,” she now helps clients honor their roots and transform the way they show up and work with diverse others. Her work helps clients gain the courage needed to transcend their roles as "good citizens" to become "global changemakers," working for equity and justice for all. 

Looking to connect: 

Email: patti@blueroadseducation.org  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pattitalbot/  

Website: www.blueroadseducation.org  

Podcast: https://winwinwomen.tv/show/on-your-own-terms  

Did you know that the Gulf of Maine is warming faster than 96% of all the world’s oceans? Anna Dibble joins Nancy to talk about her environmental advocacy as an artist and what Gulf of Maine EcoArts is doing to shine a light on the impacts of climate change. Public relations plays a key role in helping spread the word about art exhibits, including the Gulf of Maine EcoArts’ latest collaboration with Maine Maritime Museum, an exhibit called “SeaChange: Darkness & Light in the Gulf of Maine.” Listen to this episode to find out what role PR plays and learn more about the SeaChange exhibit.  

2:47 – Anna explains how growing up around nature led her to her career and helped her realize how there is a disconnect between most people and the natural world.   

4:38 – Anna talks about the inspiration behind the SeaChange exhibit at Maine Maritime Museum.  

10:15 – Anna describes what she hopes will come out of the SeaChange exhibit.   

14:26 – Anna shares how PR is important for all the different aspects of SeaChange, whether the exhibit is being covered from an environmental or artistic perspective.  

17:10 – Anna explains how PR can help promote art exhibits.  

18:55 – Anna talks about working with interns to create the SeaChange exhibit.  

21:52 – Anna shares one of her favorite books and some environmental authors that have impacted her work. 

Quote  

"I've had to do a lot of publicity for myself and for the arts, it's extremely important because the arts in our culture are almost put in this separate category. It's too bad they're not more part of the culture the way they are in Europe and Canada and even Mexico. They are separated so publicity is extremely important, I think. Otherwise, word of mouth isn't enough. We need the press." – Anna Dibble, founding director of Gulf of Maine EcoArts 

Links:  

Listen to Amanda Pleau’s episode of The PR Maven® Podcast.  

Colin Woodard’s Gulf of Maine series: https://www.pressherald.com/2020/09/07/mayday-gulf-maine-distress-six-part-series-from-colin-woodard/  

Bigelow Lab: https://www.bigelow.org/  

Maine Maritime Museum: https://www.mainemaritimemuseum.org/  

Conservation Law Foundation: https://www.clf.org/  

Commentary: Art Can Help Us Understand the Gulf of Maine’s Warming Problem: https://www.pressherald.com/2023/02/06/commentary-art-can-help-us-understand-the-gulf-of-maines-warming-problem/  

Intertidal: Maine Maritime Museum Exhibit Features Underwater Mountain Range: https://www.pressherald.com/2023/02/09/intertidal-maine-maritime-museum-exhibit-features-underwater-mountain-range/  

Where Art and Science Intersect: https://news.colby.edu/story/where-art-and-science-intersect/  

Maine College of Art & Design: https://www.meca.edu/  

Saint Joseph’s College of Maine: https://www.sjcme.edu/  

Maryland Institute College of Art: https://www.mica.edu/  

“Cloud Cuckoo Land” by Anthony Doerr: https://www.amazon.com/Cloud-Cuckoo-Land-Anthony-Doerr/dp/1982168439  

Gretel Ehrlich: https://www.amazon.com/Books-Gretel-Ehrlich/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3AGretel+Ehrlich  

Barry Lopez: https://www.amazon.com/Barry-Lopez-Books/s?k=Barry+Lopez&rh=n%3A283155  

Paul Kingsnorth: https://www.paulkingsnorth.net/books  

About the guest:     

Anna Dibble is a visual artist, project designer and curator.  She has shown her work in galleries and museums in the northeastern United States since 1971.  Between 2018 and 2023, she founded and directed a project-based initiative, and produced two collaborative large-scale, year-long sculpture and environmental exhibitions.  In the past, she worked in the animation industry in Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York at Disney, Sesame Street and Electric Company, Marvel and Hanna Barbara.   

Looking to connect:            

Instagram: @anna.dibble  

Website: www.gulfofmaineecoarts.org  

Personal website: www.annadibble.com  

When should you rebrand? In the changing marketplace, you may want to rebrand at a different time now than you would have wanted to in the past. Listen as Paula and Derek Slayton explain when you should consider rebranding and if your current brand promise is still achievable. Paula and Derek also discuss the language of branding, how PR and advertising can work together and why you should continue investing in marketing or the relationships you have, even when money is tight.    

3:26 – Derek explains how his career started at printing companies and a newspaper.  

4:44 – Paula talks about her career path, from getting a teaching degree to nursing and psychology.  

5:51 – Paula describes Trampoline’s competitive edge by putting employees first.  

9:18 – Derek shares the best times to rebrand.  

11:27 – Derek gives an overview of the language of branding.  

20:49 – Paula explains why it is important to continue investing in marketing during a recession. 

24:26 – Derek talks about stock versus custom photography. 

27:19 – Paula describes the difference between being excited to sell and being desperate to sell.  

29:50 – Derek shares how PR and advertising can work together to achieve marketing goals.  

31:29 – Paula and Derek share some resources that have helped them.  

Quotes  

“I think that traditionally, a lot of times, the situation comes up where there's a leadership change or a transition. There are times when a new service or product is offered that maybe takes the company to a different position in the marketplace. Those are typically times that you'd see a rebrand happening to reflect that, but I think now with social being so prominent and the marketplace being so different, so finicky, it's more like when your audience is not talking about you...” – Derek Slayton 

“…I would add to that, you really have to look inward because the truth is your brand is your promise, and then your ability to deliver on that promise. You have to keep looking inward to make sure that the promise you're making that you say you can do still holds water a year later, two years later, three years later and are you able to deliver on that?” – Paula Slayton 

Links:  

2Bobs Podcast: https://2bobs.com/  

How I Built This with Guy Raz: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-built-this-with-guy-raz/id1150510297  

About the guests:     

Paula Slayton brings more than 20 years of business management to her work at Trampoline. She ensures that accounts run smoothly through direct communication and a keen understanding of the balance that exists between projects and budgets. Her management of Glens Falls Hospital, Glens Falls National Bank and Trust Company, SeriousFun, Double H Ranch and Vail Resorts demonstrates her ability to navigate corporate and institutional layers, while still reaching goals and managing budgets and deadlines. Clients love her down-to-earth approach and accessibility. 

Derek Slayton oversees the creative process and manages projects through to completion. From creative strategy to the development of dynamic visual elements, Derek keeps projects on time and precise. Leveraging 25 years of design and communication experience, Derek's finesse has been used to guide the City of Oneonta, the Town of Newcomb, and Paul Smith's College through initiatives ranging from name changes and rebrands to comprehensive plans and campaign strategy. His attention to detail is unparalleled. He is masterful with gathering feedback and building consensus in order to keep projects on track, on message and on budget. A brand specialist and design perfectionist, he'll help to tap into unique selling points.  

Looking to connect: 

Paula’s email: paula@designtramp.com  

Derek’s email: derek@designtramp.com  

Instagram: @designtramp 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/designtramp  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/trampoline-design/  

Website: www.trampolinedesign.com

In this episode, Nancy talks with Tim Winkeler, president and CEO of VIP Tires & Service about PR, marketing and sponsorships. Tim describes his career and how VIP Tires & Service has grown since he started working there in 2010, with a focus on people rather than price. Nancy and Tim also discuss how they met after Nancy left a bad review about her experience at VIP. Nancy and Tim also talk about sponsorships and how VIP sponsors events their employees are involved in.  

00:00 Introduction to the PR Maven Podcast 

01:32 Introducing Guest: Tim Winkeler 

03:07 Tim Winkeler’s Career in the Auto Parts Industry 

05:07 About VIP Tires & Service 

06:40 How Nancy and Tim Met  

13:11 VIP’s Management Process  

15:34 VIP Tires & Service’s PR Strategy  

18:52 Investing in People  

26:39 VIP’s Sponsorship of The Trek Across Maine in 2022 

29:17 Sponsorships in VIP’s Marketing Plan 

33:06 Helpful Resources 

Links 

Competitive Edge - https://competitiveedge.tv/premiere-episode/  

Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Certification - https://www.ase.com/  

“Extreme Ownership” by Jocko Willink - https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Ownership-U-S-Navy-SEALs/dp/1250067057  

Origin USA - https://originmaine.com/  

Related Episodes 

Episode 259: How To Attract and Retain Employees in Today’s Labor Market 

Episode 213: 2022 Golden Microphone Award Celebration With Tim Winkeler 

Episode 217: Changing Customer Perceptions in the Automotive Repair Industry With PR and Marketing, Featuring Lynn Campbell, Director of Marketing, Advertising and CRM at VIP Tires & Service 

Episode 61: Sean Riley, President and CEO of Maine Course Hospitality Group 

About Tim 

Tim is an accomplished people-focused leader with a track record of building high-performance teams that exceed expectations. Always focused on customer needs and feedback, he builds core competencies around making money by serving customers in different and better ways. Tim is a teacher at heart and learns every day by reading great books and meeting great people. 

Bonus Q&A 

VIP has a program they call “five-for-five.” Explain what that means and how you implement it at your stores. 

Five-for-five is all about focusing on the customer experience.  We’ve identified the five key moments in a customer’s visit to VIP where we take the extra step to build a relationship with the customer and to make sure their experience at VIP is memorable.  The five-for-five customer engagement process is all about taking the extra time to build a relationship with the customer. 

VIP has big plans for 2024. Tell us about where you are expanding. 

For 2024, we will be opening some new locations and expanding some existing ones. We will be entering Connecticut for the first time with the acquisition of a shop in Waterbury.  We will be opening our 9th shop in Massachusetts when we open our new shop in Brockton, and we will be expanding our operations in Maine in both our Yarmouth and Augusta shops. In addition, we have several more growth projects that I’m confident will be completed in the back half of the year. 

What makes you the proudest of everything you have accomplished during your tenure at VIP? 

What I enjoy most about being a member of the VIP team is interacting with our team members and getting to know them. The people-first culture that we’ve all worked to establish makes VIP a great place to work every day, and I’m proud to wear the "VIP Blues" and do my part to support our mission to "Earn Automotive Customers for Life.” 

After beginning her career as a journalist, Cheryl Broom got her start in public relations as a public information officer. Her career led her to higher education, which has been her focus ever since. In this episode, Cheryl describes the types of clients she works with, the challenges they face and what role marketing can play to overcome those challenges. Cheryl also talks about the changes marketing has seen since the beginning of her career, including her work with diversity, equity and inclusion.    

00:00 Introduction to the PR Maven Podcast  

01:32 Introducing Guest: Cheryl Broom 

03:12 Transitioning From Journalism to Public Relations 

07:11 Public Relations for Community Colleges 

10:31 The Role Marketing Plays in Bringing Students Back to College 

13:54 What Has and Has Not Changed in Marketing Over 20 Years 

19:36 Including Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in PR 

25:14 Why Cheryl Focuses on Marketing Higher Education 

29:26 The Biggest Challenges Clients Face 

30:41 Helpful Resources 

Related Episodes 

Episode 146: Public Relations and Marketing in the Arts With Raffi DerSimonian 

Episode 11: Stephen Woessner, CEO of Predictive ROI 

Episode 264: Conversion Rate Optimization Explained, With Marty Greif, President of SiteTuners 

About Cheryl 

Cheryl Broom is a national community college leader with a passion for student success and a deep commitment to serving her clients with integrity and passion. For 20 years, Cheryl has worked for and served community colleges across the nation on projects ranging from bond passages to complex marketing campaigns. A former television news reporter, Cheryl brings her knack for storytelling to everyday projects as well as to her presentations. An accomplished speaker, Cheryl has keynoted higher education conferences across the nation. You’ll also catch her teaching Communications 101 (the dreaded public speaking class) at community colleges across San Diego. In her free time, you'll find her lifting weights, spending time with her family and golfing. 

Nancy’s love of public relations started early on when her father, an electrical engineer for Westinghouse Electric Corporation, suggested she pursue a career in PR. After graduating from Colby College, Nancy worked at Sugarloaf as the assistant director of communications. In 1991, Nancy opened her own agency with Sugarloaf as her first client.  

Because of her love for PR, Nancy always wanted to experience her clients’ businesses and show that she had the credentials to be the spokesperson for these organizations. When she worked for Sugarloaf she became a certified ski instructor, for Northern Outdoors she become a whitewater rafting guide, for the Victory Chimes Windjammer she learned what it was like to be a member of the crew and for Orvis she learned fly tying and how to fly fish.  

Nancy wraps up the episode by answering the question, “What do you love about public relations?”  

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In this episode of The PR Maven® Podcast, host Nancy Marshall welcome Kelsey and Derrick Ogletree, founders of Pitchcraft, a people-focused PR platform that aims to restore integrity and accountability in the media industry. Founded in 2021 and based in Florence, Alabama, Pitchcraft distinguishes itself by integrating a journalist's perspective into PR strategies, emphasizing relationship building among PR professionals, writers and editors. The platform offers membership to PR professionals, providing resources, content and community support to foster better connections and earned media placements. The founders discuss their journey from conceiving Pitchcraft during the pandemic to moving from Chicago to rural Alabama and the challenges they faced. They also highlight Pitchcraft's unique approach to PR, including focusing on lifestyle sectors, offering flexible payments and fostering a supportive community. Additionally, they share useful tips for crafting effective pitches and stress the importance of developing genuine relationships with media professionals. The episode concludes with a special offer for PR Maven podcast listeners and insights into the future of PR and media relations. 

00:00 Introduction to The PR Maven® Podcast 

02:07 Meet the Founders of Pitchcraft: Kelsey and Derrick Ogletree 

03:30 The Origins and Mission of Pitchcraft 

04:50 Pitchcraft's Unique Approach to PR and Media 

09:04 The Evolution of Pitchcraft: From Pandemic Idea to PR Platform 

12:43 The Future of PR 

15:50 Building Relationships in PR 

24:25 Crafting the Perfect Pitch: Tips and Strategies (continued at 34:15) 

29:10 What Defines Newsworthiness  

31:03 Walking The Line Between Being Helpful and Annoying With Journalists 

37:00 Closing Thoughts and How to Connect with Pitchcraft 

Get $200 off your first month of Pitchcraft using the code PRMAVEN.  

Free download about the top ways to build relationships with journalists.  

https://youtu.be/_TjcEBpNuIU

Related Episodes 

Episode 135: How To Borrow Credibility and Build Relationships, With Beth Nydick, Publicity Strategist at Beth Nydick Media 

Episode 230: How To Infuse Storytelling Into Your Brand, With Mads Hanna, Founder of Curated Compass 

Episode 130: How Small Businesses Can Earn Media Coverage, With Sabina Hitchen, Founder of Press for Success  

 
About Kelsey and Derrick  
Pitchcraft was co-founded in 2021 by husband-and-wife team Derrick and Kelsey Ogletree, who live in Florence, Alabama, with their 1-year-old son Asher. Having grown up in small towns and with strong family values, they’re passionate about bringing people together in meaningful, authentic ways. Through Pitchcraft, they aim to help restore integrity and accountability to the media industry through putting people first. 

Kelsey, CEO of Pitchcraft, is a Medill-trained independent journalist whose work has appeared in many print and digital outlets including The Wall Street Journal, Travel + Leisure, AARP The Magazine and others. Derrick, COO of Pitchcraft, is a graduate of the University of Alabama who previously spent over a decade in corporate finance. 

This episode is sponsored by: 

Pitchcraft - pitchcraft.media

Many think that SEO is all about keywords, but it should really be about our customers. In this podcast episode, Dale Bertrand talks about SEO best practices and creating content with the customer, not just search engines, in mind. From attracting people with content, to converting them to customers, Dale explains what conversions look like for different businesses. Dale describes how AI will change SEO and the content you should be creating. Dale also gives an overview of what his keynote speech will cover.  

2:50 – Dale started his career building websites, but explains how he switched to marketing.  

3:54 – Dales talks about what he will be speaking about in his keynote speech.  

4:35 – Nancy and Dale discuss content marketing and SEO.  

9:11 – Dale defines what conversions are for different businesses.  

13:09 – Dale explains how Google’s shift to using AI could impact SEO.  

16:26 – Dale describes what is wrong with doing SEO for rankings. 

24:49 – Dale talks about how SEO is not about keywords, but about your customers.  

28:39 – Dale shares how he creates valuable content for his clients’ customers by first doing phone surveys.  

31:56 – Dale explains how to improve search rankings. 

34:00 – Dale shares some resources that have been helpful to him.   

Quote  

“It’s those conversions at the end of the day that matter for SEO. Whether you’re generating those, rather than just rankings. I work in an industry, the SEO industry, where a lot of SEO agencies are talking about rankings and traffic. They can get you to rank for some keyword your excited about and they can get people to come to your website, but that doesn’t matter if it’s not the right people.” – Dale Bertrand, founder and president of Fire&Spark