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Crafting winning media pitches, learning the elements needed to stand out and secure coverage.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. What doesn’t help your pitches
2. Following up — NOGAS
3. Use the phone to tell your story
4. Exclusive/advance/embargo — know the difference
5. Key elements to a good pitch

Quotables

• “Great sales is about helping, not about sales. Great media relations is about helping a reporter uncover a news story that's valuable and interesting that they didn't know about previously.” — @JasonMudd9
• “People really like people who have confidence and who have a unique, contrarian, and provocative point of view.” — @JasonMudd9
• “Improvising is one of the key attributes of being successful in PR.” — @JasonMudd9
• People care about stories about people. They don’t care about stories about corporations.” — @JasonMudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with others or leave us a quick podcast review.

About Jason Mudd

Jason Mudd, APR, is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands. Since 1994, he’s worked with American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster’s, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon. He founded Axia in July 2002. Forbes named Axia one of America’s Best PR Agencies.

Clients love Jason’s passion, innovation, candor, commitment, and award-winning team. In an increasingly tech-forward world, Jason’s grasp of technological demands on companies provides his clients in multiple sectors a unique advantage in reaching their top audiences. After teaching himself HTML in 1994, Jason helped pioneer internet marketing strategies as an early adopter of e-commerce, search engine optimization, and social media, inspiring tech giants like Yahoo.

At Axia, Jason attracts, develops, retains, innovates, and leads top PR talent and clients. He oversees strategic communications for the firm’s national clients and provides high-level consultations to client leadership teams at billion-dollar global brands, both business-to-business and business-to-consumer, including spokesperson training, crisis communications management, analytics, social media, online reputation management, and more. He also speaks frequently to corporations and industry groups and writes about public relations trends and best practices for American City Business Journals and other national companies.

Jason’s contact info:

• Jason Mudd on X
• Jason Mudd on LinkedIn
• Axia Public Relations

Resources:

• Link to Bloomberg journalist’s LinkedIn post

Support the Show.

• On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
• On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

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AI strategist Kathleen Perley shares top recommended AI tools and how to optimize them for business communications strategies.

Our guest

Our episode guest is Kathleen Perley, professor of AI at Rice University’s Jones School of Business. Kathleen is an innovative healthcare tech leader and trusted adviser in the emerging world of optimizing AI for business marketing and advertising.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. The race for AI: staying authentic while building public trust
2. Unique ways to use AI for business and personal development
3. Top recommended AI tools
4. How to utilize AI safely: best practices
5. AI and deep fakes: What is coming next?

Quotables

• “Do we let this ego race to be first end up hindering our ability to have a public that trusts and aligns with AI and doesn’t build this resistance?” - @Kathleen Perley
• “This [AI] is our generation’s moon landing.” - @Kathleen Perley
• “How do we take the mundane, the rote out of our lives so we can spend more time doing what we do best, which is developing these relationships and human connections?” - @Kathleen Perley
• “It's one of those things I keep hearing over and over again — that if you use AI to help generate content, you’ll get devalued in the algorithms from a search engine ranking perspective — but I’m not seeing that come true. I think the focus is more on quality and less on who is the creator or origin. If we use both humans and AI, it usually produces something even better than just a human or just AI alone.” - @Kathleen Perley
• “If you haven’t started integrating AI into your crisis communication plan, now would be a great time to start thinking about that.” - @Jason Mudd
• “My biggest fear right now is that [AI] produces so much content so quickly that it almost takes just as much work to go through and improve it and fix it. But that first draft is awfully nice to have most of the time.” - @Jason Mudd

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also share your experience with others by leaving us a quick podcast review.

About Kathleen Perley

Recognized as one of MM+M’s Women to Watch 2024 and with her agency on the Inc 5000 list for three years, Kathleen is a celebrated leader in merging AI with business strategy, especially in marketing and advertising.

She also serves on MD Anderson's advisory committee and supports Ncourage, an investment fund aiding women-owned businesses.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

• Kathleen Perley on X
• Kathleen Perley on LinkedIn
• Rice University’s Jones School of Business
• Coursera class: "AI for everyone"
• Marketing Institute Podcast

Support the Show.

• On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
• On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

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In this episode, Holly Bishop joins On Top of PR host Jason Mudd to discuss why your company's social media isn’t working.

Tune in to learn more!

Guest:

Holly is a seasoned social media and marketing professional with over 10 years of diverse experience spanning medical practices, retail/e-commerce, and non-profit sectors.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. Understanding the role of social media professionals

2. How to manage a work/life balance as a social media professional

3. Why your company’s social media isn’t working

4. How trust and flexibility with your social media team can improve your content

5. The importance of community engagement

Quotables

“There’s a lot of misconception that social media managers can do all of these things and that they’re experts at every single social media platform, and that is just not the case.” - Holly Bishop

“Companies either don’t prioritize social media or they don’t have the resources to make it an entire team. Yet, social media is a powerful tool with a global audience.” - Jason Mudd

“One person can’t do something great alone. They need others around them.” - Jason Mudd

“I'm seeing a huge shift in social media managers embracing the fact that our screen time is probably triple what a normal person’s would be by Wednesday afternoon. It just is what is, but also knowing when to turn things off and when to be unavailable.” - Holly Bishop

“This is the kind of role that you wouldn’t be doing unless you were genuinely passionate about it.” - Holly Bishop

“We also have our own social media too, which are almost always suffering and looking terrible because we're always so focused on the brands that we run.” - Holly Bishop

“They also don’t realize that what got them there doesn’t get them to be successful in social media. What I mean by that is they may be really good with their own social media, but what they don’t realize is that the expectation for professional social media is way higher. They can get away with typos and incomplete sentences on their own socials, but when you get to the corporate side, there’s not going to be a lot of patience or forgiveness when it comes to that kind of stuff.” - Jason Mudd

“Even for serious brands, it’s important to have fun with the things that are being put out with social media because at the end of the day, as a consumer for your audience that you are speaking to, if it's boring or it's not giving a hook or not interesting or providing that value why would they want to read what you put out anyways?” - Holly Bishop

“Having a really good professional working for your brand is so important because they are able to take that fun side but still utilize the important brand messaging and standards that you have for that specific brand but just making it their own, being able to speak in a way to that brand’s audience that captures their attention but still follows those rules of professionality.” - Holly Bishop

“If there isn’t that support to give for that professional to be a

Support the Show.

• On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
• On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

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In this episode, Linda Rutherford joins On Top of PR host Jason Mudd to discuss her take on current airline crises and go into depth about Southwest’s crisis communication plan and how they’ve managed their past crises.

Guest:

Linda Rutherford is the Chief Administration Officer for Dallas-based Southwest Airlines, the nation's largest airline in terms of domestic Customer boardings. Linda is known for creating and leading powerful teams that equip, empower, and engage the business to serve its people and customers.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. Linda’s take on current airline crises

2. Southwest’s communications department and response plan

3. How Southwest has responded to past crises

4. How to manage the media and consumers’ perception of a crisis

5. How to balance your message post-national crisis

Quotables

“Today, communications represent the pace of media. Before, it might’ve seemed a little slower and more leisurely, and today, I would also say that public relations represents a lot more responsibility for brand reputation and issues management.” - Linda Rutherford

“Certainly, the role of journalists has changed significantly, much like our roles in communications have.” - Linda Rutherford

“Obviously, first and foremost, it is the safety of our passengers and employees on the affected flight. It is what do we need to do to get them safely on the ground, and then what do we need to do to understand what happened so we can go about learning how we prevent it from happening in the future.” - Linda Rutherford

“We like to say that we're in a deregulated environment, but we're regulated in the air and on the ground.” - Linda Rutherford

“I also like to say that we operate, we fly the general public, and we operate in weather. So what could possibly go wrong daily? That's why you spend a lot of time preparing and understanding what your contingencies are.” - Linda Rutherford

“My analogy is when Taylor Swift tickets went on sale, and Ticketmaster had a brownout, that's basically what happened.” - Linda Rutherford

“We did have a union, which we were negotiating with at the time that was perpetuating the story by calling crew, scheduling technology, antiquated. So that storyline was out there, and a lot of media were picking that up.” - Linda Rutherford

“There's a lot of demand to say everything at once, but we didn't necessarily have the credibility to say everything at once.” - Linda Rutherford

“We did tell the whole story. We had our chief operating officer give congressional testimony before a Senate subcommittee and told the whole story like I'm telling you.” - Linda Rutherford

“I tell people all the time that PR is about building up that equity so that when you have an issue, people already know that you're trustworthy and honorable and that you do the right thing.” - Jason Mudd

“The first thing you need to do is respond to what's right in front of you, and then you can begin to build on the story as you go and as you learn more, admit mistakes, be honest, and then be ver

Support the Show.

• On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
• On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

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In this episode, John Hewitt joins On Top of PR host Jason Mudd to discuss three ways franchisors can use PR to grow their company.

Guest:

John Hewitt is a renowned entrepreneur who has made a significant impact in the business world through his innovative ideas and strategic thinking. He is best known for his success in the tax preparation industry, having founded two of the largest tax preparation companies in the U.S.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. How to use PR to build your credibility

2. How PR efforts can MAKE you money

3. The mindset needed to take advantage of PR opportunities

4. Where to start when looking for PR opportunities

5. Why maintaining relationships with journalists is important

Quotables

“Part of what a leader has to do is have a somewhat rational goal and be able to sell that goal.” - John Hewitt

“You need a rival to inspire people and show them the path that you’re on.” - Jason Mudd

“PR creates that brand name, and it creates support from the local community.” - John Hewitt

“We often call this newsjacking. That’s the term we use for when something’s happening in the news, and you twist it or position it to your benefit.” - Jason Mudd

“If you get to start all over again and you don’t do it much better, then you’re an idiot.” - John Hewitt

“Building relationships with people and not rushing into relationships but just building them slowly over time is important to public relations.” - Jason Mudd

“I’ve gotten more comments when I’ve provided substantive commentary and expert, helpful advice when I’m quoted in the news.” - Jason Mudd

“How can someone do business with you if they’ve never heard of you.” - Jason Mudd

“Happy successful franchisees, that’s our mantra. If franchisees are happy and successful, you can’t stop growing by leaps and bounds. If they’re not, you can’t grow.” - John Hewitt

“There’s nothing more fun than changing and improving lives.” - John Hewitt

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About John Hewitt

John T. Hewitt is an American entrepreneur and founder of Jackson Hewitt, Liberty Tax Service, and Loyalty Brands. Together these companies account for approximately 10,000 tax preparation and business services franchises in the USA and Canada. In addition, Hewitt is a pioneer in the development and use of specialized tax-preparation software, which is now the industry’s standard practice.

After leaving Jackson Hewitt in 1996, John decided to launch a new company that would be the vehicle for further marketing and brand development innovations, Liberty Tax Service. The new company initially focused its operations in Canada. Liberty Tax Service was launched there when Hewitt purchased a Canadian tax company on September 1, 1997. The new concern achieved a huge measure of success by opening more than 4,000 offices in North America by 2012 which made it the fastest-growing major tax-preparation company in history. Liberty Tax Service is best known for the costumed "wavers" dre

Support the Show.

• On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
• On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

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In this solocast, On Top of PR host Jason Mudd discusses why time is of the essence. Media relations require quick responses because reporters are typically on deadline; therefore, Jason goes into depth about how to be more timely and responsive to journalists’ inquires.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. Why time is of the essence for media relations
2. How to be more timely and responsive to journalists
3. Why you should pad deadlines
4. The definition of newsjacking
5. What to do in 2024 for better media relations

Quotables

• “In the news business, time is of the essence.” - Jason Mudd
• “The news moves fast, and if your news is not hard, your news is not breaking news, and if it doesn't have one of the 10 elements of news, then you're not as likely to get news coverage.” - Jason Mudd
• “Newsjacking is when you hear of a story trending in the news, and you have the ability to hook onto that news story or tie or place or insert yourself, your employer, or your expert into that trending story.” - Jason Mudd

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Jason Mudd

On Top of PR host, Jason Mudd, is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands and fastest-growing companies. Since 1994, he’s worked with American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster’s, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon. He founded Axia Public Relations in July 2002. Forbes named Axia as one of America’s Best PR Agencies

Resources

• Connect and learn more about Jason Mudd on LinkedIn.
• Follow Jason Mudd on ‘X’.

Additional Episode Resources

• How to use newsjacking to support brand awareness and engagement
• What is news? 10 elements of news and newsworthiness
• What is earned media (coverage)?
• The documented proven process for earned media coverage
• 5 tips for responding to reporters’ media relations query tools

Additional Resources from Axia Public Relations

• Listen to more episodes of the On Top of PR podcast.
• Find out more about Axia Public Relations.

Support the Show.

• On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
• On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Send us a Text Message.

In this episode, Jacob Shipley joins On Top of PR host Jason Mudd to discuss how a one-person social media team works, as well as some social media tips, tricks, and trends.

Guest:

Our episode guest is Jacob Shipley. He started as the first social media hire at YouVersion. He now works for Tyson Foods and has built his own LinkedIn following, leading him to start a social media content strategy newsletter.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. What first-party data collection is
2. Why B2B companies need to be on social media
3. Pros and cons of being a one-person social media team
4. 2024 social media trends
5. The minimum viable social strategy needed to succeed

Quotables

• “You're delivering tangible value so that your customers want to hear from.” - Jacob Shipley
• “The difference between B2B social media and B2C social media is B2C you are talking to consumers and with B2B you're talking to consumers that happen to work in a business.” - Jacob Shipley
• “The bigger the team, the more complex it is, the harder it is to fight that.” - Jacob Shipley
• “Some of the accounts that have grown the fastest were some of the ones with the least amount of resources because they had to be scrappy, they had to be really creative and really clever about how do I meet my audience's need?” - Jacob Shipley
• “If you look at what really performs well, it's the kind of stuff that feels off the cuff, that feels native, that feels personal, it's cliche, but you can't fake authenticity.” - Jacob Shipley

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Jacob Shipley

Jacob started as the first social media hire at YouVersion, an app with half a billion downloads. While there, YouVersion's Instagram grew by over a million followers two years in a row. Their TikTok grew from 0 to 300,000 in less than 6 months. In his current role at Tyson Foods, he handles the technology and execution for organic social, paid social, and first-party data collection. Jacob also has a weekly newsletter, Social Studies, which has one goal: to help social media managers take their game to the next level.

Resources

• Connect and learn more about Jacob Shipley on LinkedIn.
• Follow Jacob Shipley on ‘X’.
• Visit Jacob’s newsletter for more information.
• Follow Dave Adamson on ‘X’.
• Follow Tommy Clark on ‘X’.

Additional Resources from Axia Public Relations:

• Listen to more episodes of the On Top of PR podcast.
• Find out more about Axia Public Relations.
• Social Media Content Calend

Support the Show.

• On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
• On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

Send us a Text Message.

Steve Cody joins On Top of PR host Jason Mudd to discuss Steve’s book, “The ROI of LOL,” and how effective comedy within the workplace is.


Guest:

Steve is the author of “The ROI of LOL: How Laughter Breaks Down Walls, Drives Compelling Storytelling, and Creates a Healthy Workplace.” He’s also a comedian, climber, and dog lover, but not necessarily in that order.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. What compelled Steve to write “The ROI of LOL”
2. The reaction of comedy in the workplace
3. Why humor/laughter is so important for companies
4. How a company can measure the ROI of LOL
5. Where the implementation of comedy in an organization can occur

Quotables

• “We conduct a lot of due diligence ahead of time. We understand what the guidelines and guardrails are for each organization's culture.” - Steve Cody
• “When in doubt, leave it out.” - Steve Cody
• “Consumers trust corporations more than anyone else right now. I think that means that we’re in a weird place right now.” - Jason Mudd
• “I’m a big believer that a fun work environment is not only going to be a better place to work but it's also going to generate more creativity and innovation within the organization.” - Jason Mudd
• “It has to be authentic. It has to be meaningful.” - Steve Cody

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it with others and leave us a review?

About Steve Cody

Steve Cody is a multifaceted individual, blending his love for climbing, comedy, and writing. From summiting the highest peaks in Africa and Europe to raising over $50,000 for charities through stand-up comedy shows, he finds pride in diverse accomplishments. Additionally, as a writer, he contributes to Inc.com, maintains a daily blog, and has made notable appearances on CNBC, MSNBC, NPR, and other prominent media outlets, as well as authoring his book: "The ROI of LOL."

Guest’s contact info and resources:

• Connect and learn more about Steve Cody on LinkedIn.
• Follow Steve Cody on “X”

Additional Episode Resources:

• WSJ: Why Is Everyone So Unhappy?
• The ROI of LOL

Additional Resources from Axia Public Relations:

• Listen to more episodes of the On Top of PR podcast.
• Find out more about Axia Public Relations.

Disclosure: One or more of the links we shared here might be affiliate links that offer us a referral reward when you buy from them.

Support the Show.

• On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
• On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.