The Public Relations Podcast

PR professionals are under constant pressure to prove their value—but traditional sentiment analysis and media monitoring only scratch the surface. In this episode of The Public Relations Podcast, we dive deep into how AI is revolutionising PR measurement, helping comms teams move beyond ‘gut feeling’ to hard data that links PR efforts directly to financial impact. Joining me is Haider Nazer, CEO...

A quick update as I research AI tools and their potential benefits for PR and communications professionals. I highlight the limitations of traditional 'spray and pray' tactics and emphasize the need for personalized pitches to better connect with journalists and influencers. I share insights from my conversation with developers creating tools that automate and enhance press release persona...

Can you get AI to take a long technical, scientific brief and use the same story to write a good pitch for a..... 1) Women's magazine 2) An online newspaper 3) AND a sports writer? I tried using ChatGPT. I pasted copies of previous articles by these people into GPT and asked it to re-pitch the technical brief in a way that would resonate with them. This is what happened...... #pr #comms

A quick question for you? What do you need from AI tools for PR and comms? What would make the difference for you? I'm talking to developers and I want you ideas to pass on to help them get it right when building tools for the industry. Let me know on LinkedIn by searching for "Richard Midson"

How long should you wait before following up on a pitch? Should you even follow up at all? I’m always surprised by how few people actually follow up with me—but on the flip side, some follow up way too many times on pitches that were never strong to begin with. So, how do you know if someone is actually interested? And when is the right time to chase, or just let it go? In this short episode, I sh...

If you want to know how to pitch to podcasts, the best way is to ask the people who do it all day long. For years, podcasting has been called "the new media," but many clients still cling to traditional outlets, struggling to see its value. The biggest mistake? Treating podcasts like mass media. Podcasting isn’t about reaching the biggest audience—it’s about reaching the right audience. Too many c...

You have found yourself working for a very different sort of employer, a "conjurers and magicians" association. But they have a problem: people think of magic as just for children. They need your help to get across a new message. What are you going to do? Have a listen to the episode and decide how you would approach this problem.

What is the future for in house PR people in 2025? This is something I've been privately discussing on LinkedIn with Lynn Kwek from ACI in Singapore. But we thought, why don't we record a podcast episode instead? We discuss everything from AI to the importance of authentic storytelling but not just from a point of view of a list of things but how to actually approach then in 2025. As you'll hear,...

I’ve been having some fascinating conversations recently about managing the relationship between PR professionals and journalists. These discussions have been especially relevant given the current debates in Hollywood, where legal battles between celebrities are dragging PR professionals into the spotlight. The situation raises an important question: What’s the most effective way to manage a relat...

Imagine you've been given a new job. You're no longer doing PR for your current place, you've been hired by a National Museum. But....there's a big problem, and people are turning to you to solve it. What are you going to do? Every week in The Public Relations Podcast newsletter, I have a comms conundrum, and I thought it would be fun to put one on Linkedin. You don't have to answer it out loud. Y...

I had a great chat the other day on how to raise the value of Public Relations in the eyes of clients in 2025. It was with Elie Jacobs from Purposeful Advisors, who is a fascinating contact, not the least because he started his career working for former US President Bill Clinton. One of the things he's found more recently is that instead of just talking about PR with clients, he actually works wit...

If you can’t get your story into the media and don’t want to pay for ads, what *else* can you do? It's a good question, and it dominates today's episode. In short:- Just because you can't get traction doesn't mean you should give up. The solution for many people is to reframe and deliver the story in different ways:- - That includes building narratives in small parts, not one big announcement. - I...

How do you craft messages that resonate with different audiences? Whether you're navigating the complexities of global PR campaigns or fine-tuning your outreach for niche markets, the ability to tailor your messaging is essential for success in 2025. In this episode, we’re joined by Andrew Healy from Water & Wall (waterandwall.com), a leading financial PR agency based in New York, to explore t...

Welcome to Season 8 of The Public Relations Podcast! 🎉 This episode kicks off 2025 with a bang as we dive into one of the most critical strategies for PR professionals and marketers in the year ahead: momentum building campaigns. Are your campaigns falling flat or feeling like one-off efforts that don't build traction? Discover why momentum-driven campaigns are the secret to long-term success, ho...

In this episode of The Public Relations Podcast , we explore why the most impactful campaigns don’t pull audiences into their world—they meet them where they already are. Learn how to find your audience, uncover the psychology behind their frustrations, and craft relatable messages that build instant trust and rapport. I’ll also tackle this week’s Comms Conundrum: how would you convince audiences...

In this episode of The Public Relations Podcast, we dive into how aligning your messaging with your audience’s mindset can lead to truly powerful results in PR-led marketing. Drawing from my experience as a journalist, I discuss how even the smallest shift in messaging can change the impact of a story—it's not about forcing a narrative but reflecting back what people already care about. I also int...

Marketing has changed, but it doesn't seem that some people have. Jaguar Cars came out with a new marketing campaign that was widely criticised. It turned the old brand on its head but used techniques that worked well 10 years ago. It helps to highlight some of the ways that things have moved on, which we will look at in the podcast. PLUS, your weekly Comms Conundrum. What would you do? The Public...

Inside information that you can't easily find on Google is currency, and with information, you can buy access and favours. So why don't many press releases include it? Including inside information and insights magnifies the effectiveness of your pitches. We look at some ways to gather it for your pitches. And we look at some research on how to connect with Gen Z. The Public Relations Podcast Websi...

After generating an AI Christmas advert, Coca-Cola has found itself in an awkward situation. Some people are not happy about it. So, should they have made it clear it was generated by AI or shied away from it? PLUS, what would you do in this situation when you're trying to protect the reputation of a furniture maker when a product is not up to standard? How much would you defend it, and how public...

What makes a story go from overlooked to irresistible? In this episode, we’re diving into the art of creating trends—how to take your story, even if it’s not already trending, and position it as something everyone wants to talk about. We’ll explore the psychology of FOMO, share real-world examples and give you practical steps to frame your story for maximum impact. Whether you’re pitching to journ...

What is authenticity? Is it just one thing or different things to different people? In today's episode, I look at two very different politicians who are achieving authenticity with their audience and look at what comms pros can learn from it. The Public Relations Podcast Website - thepublicrelationspodcast.com/ Where you can find me - You'll find me here - LinkedIn / info@thepublicrelation...

What does it take to turn a story into a spectacle that people want to discuss and cover? Last week, an event happened that summed up a lot of the approaches to doing this, and I discussed this in today's podcast. The Public Relations Podcast Website - thepublicrelationspodcast.com/ CommsQuestionTime - commsquestiontime.com Where you can find me - You'll find me here - LinkedIn / info@thepublicrel...

Imagine your client was accused of a crime they didn't commit by an AI bot. How would you handle it? Plus, a book mention, a tip and a comms conundrum to think about. The Public Relations Podcast Website - ⁠ thepublicrelationspodcast.com/ ⁠ CommsQuestionTime - commsquestiontime.com/ Where you can find me - You'll find me here - ⁠LinkedIn⁠ / ⁠info@thepublicrelationspodcast.com⁠ #PR #publicrelations...

Speed is everything in modern comms, so how do you handle a real-time rebuttal as it emerges? In today's episode, I share some tips from my own experience and from what guests have shared with me. The Public Relations Podcast Website - thepublicrelationspodcast.com/ CommsQuestionTime - commsquestiontime.com/ Where you can find me - You'll find me here - LinkedIn / info@thepublicrelationspodcast.co...

- Should PR demonstrate a clear ROI? - Reacting to Comms Question Time - This week's fictional scenario. The Public Relations Podcast Website - thepublicrelationspodcast.com/ CommsQuestionTime - commsquestiontime.com/ Where you can find me - You'll find me here - LinkedIn / info@thepublicrelationspodcast.com #PR #publicrelations #pragency