Podcast episodes

Listen to a new episode of PR Wars every Sunday night at 8 p.m. eastern.

Episode Archive:

PR Wars Podcast: Engaging in social issues

Episode 33: As corporations weigh-in on social issues, communicators are learning to become a company conscience. On today’s PR Wars, we talk with Anthony Hayes, Founder and President of The Hayes Initiative. Learn what you should think about as your company navigates the winds of social change.

PR Wars Podcast: PR intern success

Episode 32: The life of an intern. It’s tough to get that spot in the agency. When you do, what does success look like for both you and the agency? On today’s PR Wars podcast, we talk with Kaci Pollack, Talent and Culture Manager for See.Spark.Go.

PR Wars Podcast: International public relations

Episode 31: When you engage in international public relations, what is lost in translation? On today’s PR Wars podcast, we talk to Nick Haigh with British-based BAE Systems Applied Intelligence about the differences of public relations across the pond.

PR Wars Podcast: Strategy for Wikipedia

Episode 30: Is Wikipedia in your communication plan? On today’s PR Wars podcast, we talk with Josh Greene, CEO of The Mather Group about strategies to make the world’s largest reference site work for you.

PR Wars Podcast: Win at influencer marketing

Episode 29: Influencers can have stronger readership than a news publication. And, today’s influencer is a savvy content creator. On today’s PR Wars podcast, we talk with Jason Falls author of “Winfluence: Reframing Influencer Marketing to Ignite your Brand.”

PR Wars Podcast: Build better media lists

Episode 28: Build better media lists. If your media list isn’t spot on, it won’t matter how good your press releases are. On today’s PR Wars podcast, we talk with Meltwater’s Cody Konschak to help you build better media lists for better coverage.

PR Wars Podcast: Navigate an opinion charged landscape

Episode 27: Navigate an opinion charged landscape. How do you engage with public relations when public temperament is permeated with division… and dipped in napalm. On today’s PR Wars podcast, Brooke Hammerling, founder of The New New Thing, helps companies navigate an opinion charged landscape.

PR Wars Podcast: Writing a communications plan

Episode 26: Writing a communications plan. Communication planning will help you get better results. PR consultant, Isabel Peña Alfaro is our guest on the PR Wars podcast today. We’ll learn how to focus on the priorities, while we write some fun into a 2021 communications plan.

PR Wars Podcast: Publicity on a budget

Episode 25: Publicity on a budget. We have to be realistic about our budgets. When you work with a small business, every dollar needs to get results. Our guest today on the PR Wars podcast is Carmena Ayo-Davies, author of the book “Publicity on a Budget.”

PR Wars Podcast: Holiday retail PR

Episode 24: Holiday retail PR. Holiday retail. It is a tough pitch to get your clients products under the Christmas tree. Our guest today on the PR Wars podcast worked a decade for the National Retail Federation. She even worked with the team that originally coined the term “Cyber Monday.” Join us as PR Wars talks holiday public relations with Kathy Grannis Allen, Director of Media Relations at SalientMG.

PR Wars Podcast: Internal communication skills

Episode 23: Internal communication skills. Internal communications is a specialty of corporate comms. If you have an agency background, you might not have a lot of exposure here. Maybe, you never want to pick up a phone and call a reporter again. So you’re thinking, hey, maybe internal comms is right for me. Well, let’s find out. On today’s PR Wars podcast, we talk with Senior Director of Communications at Syneos Health, Khaner Walker.

PR Wars Podcast: Freelance public relations

Episode 22: Freelance public relations. The life of a freelancer. Is it right for you? On today’s PR Wars podcast, we will talk with Sarah Shkargi, who runs TNS Media and Communications about how to win at freelance public relations in 2020.

PR Wars Podcast: Event management pivot

Episode 21: Event management pivot. In the world of PR and marketing, this virus has impacted one specialty exceptionally hard: events, trade shows, and conferences. It’s been brutal. PR Wars scoured the landscape looking for someone who’s made the pivot, who has changed the paradigm. And, we found it. On today’s PR Wars podcast, we learn how Norm Aamodt, President of the Event Strategy Group is finding success.

PR Wars Podcast: Communications in a disaster

Episode 20: Communications in a disaster. If you work in public relations, you will encounter disasters. But for a government communications pro, a state of emergency turns the pressure up. On today’s PR Wars, we talk with Mike Steele, the Communications Director for the State of Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. In this role, a disaster is another day on the job.

PR Wars Podcast: Eyes of a TV photog

Episode 19: Through the eyes of a TV photog. They’ve seen it all in television news and they are the unheralded backbone of news gathering. As a PR pro, the right connection with a tv videographer can make your story soar.  
On today’s PR Wars podcast, will talk with 30-year television pro Stewart Pittman. A little respect can go a long way to helping you capture the best news hit of your career.

PR Wars Podcast: Start your own agency

Episode 18: Have you ever dreamed of running your own PR agency? If you were the boss, how would you run your agency differently? On today’s PR Wars podcast, we talk to one of the industry’s success stories… Rick French, CEO of French|West|Vaughan. FWV is the agency of record for some of the world’s top corporate and consumer brands. Learn what you need to know to start your own public relations agency.

PR Wars Podcast: How to engage the media beyond press releases

Episode 17: Get out of the press release rut. On today’s PR Wars podcast, we will look at six ways that you can engage the media without writing a press release. Learn specific tactics to add to your PR toolbox.

PR Wars Podcast: The world hates your client

Episode 16: Have you ever made a difficult choice to take on a client that has done something bad? In many cases, media villains are not as bad as they seem and the heroes are not as great as they appear. On today’s PR Wars podcast, we’ll show you how to be the conscience of a company.

PR Wars Podcast: When a reporter is hostile

Episode 15: Have you ever noticed that when you’re pitching a good story, you can’t get a reporter on the phone? And when there’s a bad story, you can’t get a reporter off of your phone. On today’s PR Wars podcast, find out why message discipline is so important when dealing with a hostile reporter.

PR Wars Podcast: Public relations on trial

Episode 14: Today on PR Wars, we’re gonna talk about some epic PR fails from the viewpoint of journalist Ellen Chang, a freelance writer for USA Today, US News & World Report, and others. But, PR people get picked on all the time. So, we’re not gonna take this public lashing lying down. I’m going to build a defense for the comms heroes in the story. Maybe as the gavel falls, journalists and PR pros will have a little more patience and understanding for each other.

PR Wars Podcast: Better measurement reports

Episode 13: Today on PR Wars, we’ll talk with one of the media intelligence giants, Meltwater. Cody Konschak is the Managing Director of Client Success at Meltwater. Learn how to make your PR measurement reports better.

PR Wars Podcast: The golden placement

Episode 12: The Associated Press is the gold standard for journalism. For many of us in public relations, a great hit in the AP can not only mean success for your company, it could mean success for your career. On today’s PR Wars podcast, we talk with Skip Foreman, Mid-Atlantic Breaking News Staffer at the Associated Press. Learn how to construct your press release to be more newsworthy.

PR Wars Podcast: Tip of the spear

Episode 11: Imagine being one of the first corporate communicators to prepare messaging for a historic pandemic. I mean… ground zero… the tip of the spear… having a manufacturing facility in Wuhan, China and creating a new playbook for its factories around the world. Today on the PR Wars podcast, Khaner Walker recounts the first days of the pandemic as Global Director of Internal and Executive Communications for computer giant Lenovo.

PR Wars Podcast: Purpose driven communication

Episode 10: How do you move the needle when you have a limited budget? On today’s PR Wars podcast, we’re going to dive into the world of advocacy and nonprofit PR and see how purpose driven communication is doing more, with less. Our guest is Laura Gross, President of Scott Circle Communications on a mission to make the world a better place.

PR Wars Podcast: What clients want

Episode 9: Today on PR Wars, we’re going to help you have a better relationship with your client. Our special guest, Allison Showalter is a Senior Manager of Corporate Communications at Red Hat and has experience on both the agency side and the corporate side. Let’s help your clients win!

PR Wars Podcast: Cut through the clutter

Episode 8: How do you get your messaging to cut through the clutter? On today’s PR Wars, former journalist and agency pro Sean O’Leary, Vice President at Susan Davis International, talks about messaging in the emerging tech sector. Learn how to differentiate your company in a crowded marketplace.

PR Wars Podcast: Nurture your reporter circle

Episode 7: How do you keep the relationships you care about alive? Today on PR Wars, we’re going to talk about relationships, but specifically… PR relationships with journalists.

PR Wars Podcast: Writing powerful speeches

Episode 6: Great speeches can change the world. In today’s PR Wars podcast, we talk about Comms 101 techniques that will make your speech writing more memorable, effective, and impactful.

PR Wars Podcast: The new PR landscape

Episode 5: Are you ready to tear up your 2020 communication plan yet?  PR Wars talks with corporate communication pro Brad Grantham. We will explore how the pandemic has changed both the media and public relations industries and where do we go from here.

PR Wars Podcast: Power of persuasion

Episode 4: The word “persuasion” has a negative connotation, like a used car salesman manipulating you into something you don’t want. Can persuasion be used for good and what are the best ways to incorporate persuasion techniques in public relations? PR Wars podcast examines the power of persuasion.

PR Wars Podcast: What am I searching for?

Episode 3: News magazines have fundamentally changed the way they select stories when they moved from print to online. Find out how to optimize your press release using Google Trends to capture more attention.

PR Wars Podcast: What’s in it for me?

Episode 2: Why do people want to pay attention to you? PR Wars takes a look at reader benefit and how that will give your press releases more impact.

PR Wars Podcast: Do the right thing.

Episode 1: What guides your decision-making during a crisis? PR Wars looks at crisis communication leadership.