A Candid Conversation with a Journalist (Part 1) – From Student Reporter to Editor
08.20.2025 – What do journalists think about being pitched story ideas? How can you increase the likelihood your local newspapers will run your story? In July I met up with Carol Broyles at a Johnson City, Tenn. Starbucks for a sit-down chat. I wanted you to hear the perspective of what someone who works at a local newspaper thinks about receiving press releases. She also offered tips on working with newspaper staff.
Is Your Authenticity… Authentic?
08.14.2025 – Are you committed to staying true to yourself and your brand? In a world where AI can transform still images into convincing videos, replicate voices, fabricate customer reviews, and even mimic company websites, guarding your authenticity is more critical than ever.
What Mountain Biking Taught Me About PR — And How It Can Help Your Business Win
08.06.2025 – Some people find peace in yoga. Others in baking sourdough bread. Me? I find it racing down a trail with dirt on my calves and a kind of quiet joy that doesn’t show up in selfies. I started competing in mountain bike races in 7th grade through NICA (National Interscholastic Cycling Association) — and I haven’t stopped riding since. Now, as a PR student and intern, I’m realizing just how many lessons from the trail apply to building brands, leading teams, and communicating with impact.
HVAC Customer Relations: They’re Either HOT or COLD
07.30.2025 – Tuesday afternoon I was sitting in my Johnson City home office on a hot, muggy Tennessee day. It was about 87°F and probably around 75% humidity. My elderly neighbor across the street, Cliffy, sent me a text saying her air conditioning wasn’t working. She’s about 80 years old. On top of it all, she was ill. My immediate thought was it’s not good for an elderly person to not have AC in the middle of a hot, humid summer.
Quite the Cold Play by Astronomer’s CEO
07.24.2025 – Thanks to the now-infamous July 16 Coldplay concert “kiss cam” video — featuring Astronomer CEO Andy Byron very warmly embracing Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot — the tech company scored something every PR pro dreams about: massive worldwide press coverage.
3 Huge “Word Ruts” to Avoid
07.16.2025 – As a trusted communication advisor, one of my jobs is to help spokespeople I serve avoid getting stuck in “word ruts.” In other words, saying the same thing countless others always say. Just because countless others say it. Here are three of the word ruts that personally drive me crazy…
7 Ways to Know If Your PR is Working
07.09.2025 – Results matter. Whether it’s advertising, marketing or public relations, each expenditure needs to be justified by its results. Besides the fact that many people don’t even know what PR is or what it does (need a refresher? Read this blog post), an even smaller number of folks know how to measure its effectiveness.
But wait… is it even possible to measure your PR efforts when all PR really does is send out press releases? Short answer: Yes.
3 Reasons Why Marketing Should NEVER Be the Boss of PR
08.07.2024 – Ah, public relations and marketing. Marketing and PR. Two brothers joined at the hip… yet sometimes kicking each other under the table. But they need to play nicely together in the sandbox and support each other. PR is an ideal strategy for creating a favorable environment for a business’ marketing and advertising. Think of it as setting the table before the meal is served. I have some dear marketing friends who believe PR should be under the marketing umbrella. But I adamantly disagree. (At the same time, I acknowledge the lines are sometimes blurred between the two disciplines.)