PR's Top Pros Talk

How can you find clients that inspire your workforce? Dale Bornstein, CEO, M Booth , emphasizes the importance of forging relationships with clients that energize your team and view them as partners. She also offers advice on how to foster company culture in a hybrid environment by replicating moments of togetherness. To share your feedback, contact: Doug Simon: dougs@dssimonmedia.com  or new...

Why should communicators use earned media to get their message across? Jeanniey Walden, Chief Innovation and Marketing Officer at DailyPay , offers insights into how the brand ties its messages into the news stream to add benefit to the story of the day. Jeanniey also discusses how she differentiates her role between short-term and long-term objectives. To share your feedback, contact: Doug Simon:...

What lessons can PR professionals learn from Unicorn CEOs about communications? Brendon Craigie, CEO, Tyto , discusses the importance of prioritizing authentic storytelling to have complex topics resonate with massive audiences. Brendon also outlines the unique challenges that Unicorn CEOs face such as mitigating workloads for a fast-growing staff and handling high-pressure situations from a young...

What do communicators need to keep in mind when building an executive visibility strategy? Janine Savarese, CEO of NextTech Communications , shares the importance of building initiatives around topics that leaders are passionate about to avoid purpose washing. Janine also breaks down how to navigate visibility strategies for a CEO of a household brand versus a start-up. To share your feedback, con...

How can organizations increase awareness around DEI? Maria Rodriguez, President & CEO, Vanguard Communications , urges employers to abandon the assumption that employees only want to work on projects that align with their identities. She shares the value of having open conversations with staff members about what projects they are passionate about and comfortable working on. Maria also recommen...

How can new hires set themselves up for success during onboarding? In the second part of the discussion, Tiasha Stevenson, Vice President, Director of Creative and Agency Resourcing, Golin , emphasizes the importance of listening and being intentional about getting to know your team members to develop strong relationships. Tiasha also highlights the need for employers to create business resource g...

How can professionals be intentional about their skillset when searching for new career opportunities? Tiasha Stevenson, Vice President, Director of Creative and Agency Resourcing, Golin , shares insights on how to successfully land a new role within your own organization or with a new employer. Tiasha also offers advice for hiring managers to look for candidates who would be a “culture add” rathe...

Why should communications firms invest in research? Laura Macdonald, Co-President, Hotwire , emphasizes the need for agencies to ditch the cookie cutter approach with the world changing so rapidly. She shares insights from the agency’s mindset shift from B2B and B2C to “Business-to-Human.” Laura also highlights the importance of having diversity of experience to understand and deliver insights mos...

How has entertainment PR changed with the rise of streaming platforms? Erik Bright, Owner of Prodigy Public Relations , shares insights on how his firm generates buzz for independent films. He also discusses the role of the film festivals, and their transition into a hybrid environment. To share your feedback, contact: Doug Simon: dougs@dssimonmedia.com  or news@dssimonmedia.com - 212.736.272...

How can brands effectively communicate to Gen Z audiences? Courtney Miller, Executive Vice President of U.S. Strategy and Brand, Edelman U.S. , shares insights from the agency’s study on the issues that Gen Z audiences care about the most and the implications for communicators. Courtney also shares how brands can attract Gen Z talent by prioritizing basic safety and security needs. Download The Po...

What are the most important things to keep in mind when pitching to a podcast? Christina Nicholson, Owner of Media Maven and Founder of Podcast Clout , shares insights on how to make your pitch stand out and what mistakes to avoid. She also offers tips on how to identify relevant podcasts on national and local levels. To share your feedback, contact: Doug Simon: dougs@dssimonmedia.com  or new...

How did healthcare workers help shape internal and external communications during COVID? Josh Wilson, Director of Strategic Communications at Children’s National Hospital , offers insights on how those on the front lines became spokespeople and embraced the duty of educating the public on what they were seeing within the hospital. Josh also shares how the hospital’s new DEI initiative invested in...

Barbara Wagner, President of Barbara Wagner Communications, shares her journey of starting an agency amid the pandemic. She shares insights on working with clients in the arts and real estate space. Barbara also shares best practice for building a story and pitching to the media. To share your feedback, contact: Doug Simon: dougs@dssimonmedia.com  or news@dssimonmedia.com - 212.736.2727 For m...

How can a brand leverage the power of its legacy when pivoting its business model? Joy Corso, Chief Marketing Officer at Vonage , shares insights on effectively communicating the company’s transition from a B2C to a B2B brand. She also discusses how to assess your competition in the new space and identify opportunities. To share your feedback, contact: Doug Simon: dougs@dssimonmedia.com  or n...

A strong digital footprint has become a key factor for a successful launch. Nicole Rodrigues, CEO and Founder of NRPR Group , highlights the importance of getting PR right by being patient. She also shares how in-house communicators can gain the trust of an agency by giving strategic advice. To share your feedback, contact: Doug Simon: dougs@dssimonmedia.com  or news@dssimonmedia.com - 212.73...

What areas does the Recording Academy focus on when they are not preparing for The GRAMMY Awards?® Andie Cox, Vice President of Communications at the Recording Academy, discusses how the organization creates awareness for a range of initiatives such as advocacy for artists and pandemic relief. Andie also offers insights into the balance between entertainment publicity and a corporate brand story....

Michael Kempner, Founder & CEO of MikeWorldWide , believes that caring is the antidote to cancel culture. He offers insights into how brands can maintain a positive reputation in the current environment. Michael also emphasizes the importance of prioritizing crisis communications as an ongoing strategy rather than a reactive tool or an afterthought. To share your feedback, contact: Doug Simon:...

How can communicators redefine success throughout their careers? Cath Anderson, Head of Communications at Cityblock Health , reflects on the moment she realized that success can be defined by her own terms instead of what society or the industry expects. Cath also talks about what PR professionals need to know in order to build their skills. To share your feedback, contact Doug Simon: dougs@dssimo...

Can public affairs be approached from a bipartisan perspective? Lindsay Singleton, Managing Director & Head of the Social Impact Practice at ROKK Solutions , shares how to navigate the current political environment as a brand and find common ground. She goes into the company’s research on the bipartisan power of ESG. Download Across the Aisle: Unlocking the Bipartisan Power of ESG here . To sh...

What are the advantages of working with a boutique PR agency? David Ball, President & CEO of Ball Consulting Group, LLC and President of PR Boutiques International emphasizes how the ability to be nimble and quickly adapt to client needs has enabled his firm’s continued growth. He also discusses how larger agencies can bring a boutique feel into their practice. To share your feedback, contact:...

How can communicators retain their seat at the decision-making table in 2022? Gini Dietrich, Founder and CEO of Spin Sucks and Arment Dietrich, stresses the importance of communicating company values and keeping employees engaged in the wake of the Great Resignation. Gini also shares her passion for PR measurement and using attribution models to quantify communication effectiveness. To share your...

What is social marketing? Jennifer Wayman, President & CEO at Hager Sharp , breaks down misconceptions around the term. She discusses how to sell behavior change as a product. Jennifer also emphasizes the importance of public and private partnerships in social marketing. To share your feedback, contact: Doug Simon: dougs@dssimonmedia.com  or news@dssimonmedia.com - 212.736.2727 For more i...

How can earned media be converted into measurable results? Mark LoCastro, Director of Public Relations, SmartAsset , offers insights into utilizing a backlink strategy to generate traffic. Mark also emphasizes the importance of leveraging an internal spokesperson and shares his experience of transitioning from being a PR Manager into a national company spokesperson. To share your feedback, contact...

Why are companies shifting focus from CSR to ESG? Gloria Janata, President and CEO of TogoRun , discusses how the move impacts the role of the communications function. Gloria also dives into TogoRun’s efforts on reducing disparities in healthcare. To share your feedback, contact: Doug Simon: dougs@dssimonmedia.com  or news@dssimonmedia.com - 212.736.2727 For more info go to: https://www.dssim...

What does it mean to be a patient-focused organization? Krysta Pellegrino, Chief Client Officer at Health+Commerce , shares insights on how to put actions behind words and effectively communicate the patient focus. She also offers advice on how to be creative within a regulated industry? To share your feedback, contact: Doug Simon: dougs@dssimonmedia.com  or news@dssimonmedia.com - 212.736.27...