You know a memorable quote when you hear it. You see it published repeatedly or going viral on social media, you have a quote for the ages.

We are weeks into a global pandemic and there are multiple heads of organizations attempting to make their mark on this historic moment.

How will they succeed?

In this episode, you’re going to learn how to create a memorable quote plus hear examples of memorable quotes throughout history.
 

• [4:31] 1: Write like people actually talk.
  Learn how to be conversational while leaving out the unnecessary filler language.
• [7:29] 2: Use memorable language.
  Find out how to use your words to help paint a picture.
• [8:52] 3: Avoid the hype.
  Lose the hyperbole and focus on the facts.
• [9:53] 4: Skip the jargon.
  No one wants to burn calories struggling to understand your acronyms.
• [11:38] 5: Fancy facts.
  Sprinkle storytelling to add depth to the story.
• [13:12] 6: Use this grammar style to attribute a quote.
  Certain styles lend themselves to speaking; others to writing.
• [14:02] 7: Consider the appropriate tense.
  Different word choices should be used for something that has just happened vs. something that’s more timeless.
• [15:33] 8: No fake news.
  Keep it real; avoid the bias.
• [16:58] 9: Boil down your big idea.
  Here’s how you can make your message more shareable.

Listen + Subscribe Stitcher or Apple Podcasts

© Molly McPherson 2020

Want More Behind the Breakdown?
Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts.

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Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting.

This podcast is supported by Muck Rack, the PR management platform I use to monitor media coverage, track journalist activity, and inform high-stakes strategy with real-time data. Click here to try Muck Rack for yourself.

Follow & Connect with Molly:

• https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson
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Given that an estimated 75% of people suffer from fear of public speaking, it is safe to assume that most people, when asked, would say that they want to become more confident in their public speaking. 

This means there will never be a shortage of speakers who need a tip or two to calm their nerves when speaking in front of a crowd.  The pandemic may have put a pause on in-person presentations, but the ease of virtual presentation means more people are being asked to speak on-screen, often the case, in front of large numbers of people.

On the podcast, revisiting an earlier conversation with public speaking and voice coach Gina Razón.

Why the voice is a tattletale for your confidence and exactly what speakers do when they’re not as confident or as prepared as they’d like to be when they speak.

 

© Molly McPherson 2020

Want More Behind the Breakdown?
Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts.

Follow Molly on Substack
Subscribe to Molly's Weekly Newsletter
Subscribe to Molly's Live Events Calendar.

Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting.

This podcast is supported by Muck Rack, the PR management platform I use to monitor media coverage, track journalist activity, and inform high-stakes strategy with real-time data. Click here to try Muck Rack for yourself.

Follow & Connect with Molly:

• https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson
• https://mollymc...

*Jerry Seinfeld voice* What's the deal with all these lame excuses from people??!!

The last weeks of August 2020 were far from sleepy and dull. From the DNC to the RNC; from Jerry Seinfeld to Jerry Falwell, Jr. - what a week for people speaking their minds about the heated issues of the week.  On the podcast, the best/worst excuses we heard from the week from people and organizations that landed in hot water. What they said and the likely strategy behind the response. Denial, shift the blame, bolstering, minimization, mortification, transcendence, and attacking the accuser. Response strategies to lessen the blow to a reputation. Mentioned on the podcast: 

• Jerry Seinfeld: So You Think NYC is Dead?

Want More Behind the Breakdown?
Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts.

Follow Molly on Substack
Subscribe to Molly's Weekly Newsletter
Subscribe to Molly's Live Events Calendar.

Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting.

This podcast is supported by Muck Rack, the PR management platform I use to monitor media coverage, track journalist activity, and inform high-stakes strategy with real-time data. Click here to try Muck Rack for yourself.

Follow & Connect with Molly:

• https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson
• https://mollymc...

Is it wrong to want to be admired?  Of course not!

It is natural human behavior to want people to view you in a positive light. This is neither narcissistic nor selfish behavior.

 It’s a healthy desire that inspired people to do better — to live up to the admiration. It also helps with your reputation if you find yourself in a PR crisis.

On this episode, three approaches for becoming an admirable person.

Listen + Subscribe Stitcher or Apple Podcasts

© Molly McPherson 2020

Want More Behind the Breakdown?
Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts.

Follow Molly on Substack
Subscribe to Molly's Weekly Newsletter
Subscribe to Molly's Live Events Calendar.

Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting.

This podcast is supported by Muck Rack, the PR management platform I use to monitor media coverage, track journalist activity, and inform high-stakes strategy with real-time data. Click here to try Muck Rack for yourself.

Follow & Connect with Molly:

• https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson
• https://mollymc...

People are social beings who not only thrive on interactions with others but rely on it daily. Whether it’s a conversation with a friend, time with family or a business interaction, I think we can all agree we miss mixing with people.

However, with all the chaos and fear COVID-19 brought into our lives, our typical social opportunities as well as norms have gone sideways. Even if when we do have the opportunity to see people in person, there’s an enormous elephant in the room with us — mask or no mask?

The rules for interacting during a pandemic are complicated, but the mask issue is as huge as the elephant.

Here's how get someone to politely wear a mask without sounding obnoxious.

 

© Molly McPherson 2020

Want More Behind the Breakdown?
Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts.

Follow Molly on Substack
Subscribe to Molly's Weekly Newsletter
Subscribe to Molly's Live Events Calendar.

Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting.

This podcast is supported by Muck Rack, the PR management platform I use to monitor media coverage, track journalist activity, and inform high-stakes strategy with real-time data. Click here to try Muck Rack for yourself.

Follow & Connect with Molly:

• https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson
• https://mollymc...

A few weeks back, The Ellen Degeneres Show fell under heavy scrutiny for how it's treated its employees in the past.

 

Reports came flying in about the working conditions that many employees have been experiencing while filming the show. Many of which include racism and intimidation.

 

The calls for cancellation are loud and clear - not the for the television program necessarily - but for the host, Ellen DeGeneres.

 

Anyone can find themselves in a public peck of trouble that spills out online, causing reputational harm.
On the podcast this week:

• Why you need to apologize

• When to apologize

• What not to do when you make a public apology

© Molly McPherson 2020

Want More Behind the Breakdown?
Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts.

Follow Molly on Substack
Subscribe to Molly's Weekly Newsletter
Subscribe to Molly's Live Events Calendar.

Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting.

This podcast is supported by Muck Rack, the PR management platform I use to monitor media coverage, track journalist activity, and inform high-stakes strategy with real-time data. Click here to try Muck Rack for yourself.

Follow & Connect with Molly:

• https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson
• https://mollymc...

As much of our communication nowadays shifts to remote platforms, we are having more conversations via text, email, instant message, and chat.

Even if there is no personal interaction in communication, you may be exposed to deceptions and lies you may not even notice.

On the episode this week, the tell-tale signs someone is lying to you when you read a text or email.

 

Mentioned on the podcast: Episode 16 - How to Spot a Liar.  

© Molly McPherson 2020

Want More Behind the Breakdown?
Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts.

Follow Molly on Substack
Subscribe to Molly's Weekly Newsletter
Subscribe to Molly's Live Events Calendar.

Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting.

This podcast is supported by Muck Rack, the PR management platform I use to monitor media coverage, track journalist activity, and inform high-stakes strategy with real-time data. Click here to try Muck Rack for yourself.

Follow & Connect with Molly:

• https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson
• https://mollymc...

For many people, arguing is something they would rather avoid. Confrontation is stressful and it sometimes seems like a waste of time. However, in a cultural climate more divisive than ever, it is not unusual to be drawn into a dispute.

 

Learn strategies for getting the upper hand in an argument so you can get your point across and win it in the end. 

 

 

© Molly McPherson 2020

Want More Behind the Breakdown?
Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts.

Follow Molly on Substack
Subscribe to Molly's Weekly Newsletter
Subscribe to Molly's Live Events Calendar.

Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting.

This podcast is supported by Muck Rack, the PR management platform I use to monitor media coverage, track journalist activity, and inform high-stakes strategy with real-time data. Click here to try Muck Rack for yourself.

Follow & Connect with Molly:

• https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson
• https://mollymc...

If the quarantine has you feeling a little lost; like you’ve lost your sense of direction, then it’s time for a mental reset to find out matters to you in work and life.

Listen to Molly’s conversation with J. Douglas Holladay, author of Rethinking Success, to hear the essential principles to consider to refocus, stay connected and be joyful - starting now.

Buy the book: Rethinking Success: Eight Essential Practices for Finding Meaning in Life and Work  

© Molly McPherson 2020

Want More Behind the Breakdown?
Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts.

Follow Molly on Substack
Subscribe to Molly's Weekly Newsletter
Subscribe to Molly's Live Events Calendar.

Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting.

This podcast is supported by Muck Rack, the PR management platform I use to monitor media coverage, track journalist activity, and inform high-stakes strategy with real-time data. Click here to try Muck Rack for yourself.

Follow & Connect with Molly:

• https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson
• https://mollymc...

The political meme posted to Facebook.

The tone-deaf tweet. 

The clip of your video rant.  

The indiscreet post. 

If you’re on social media, then the odds are you’ve posted something regrettable online.  

It may seem obvious that people shouldn't post off-color, racist, sexist, and inappropriate comments on social media, but lapses in judgment can happen when people start posting when they are in a "hot" state.  

On this episode, how to prevent writing a regrettable social media post. And if you do, what to do next. 

 

© Molly McPherson 2020

Want More Behind the Breakdown?
Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts.

Follow Molly on Substack
Subscribe to Molly's Weekly Newsletter
Subscribe to Molly's Live Events Calendar.

Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting.

This podcast is supported by Muck Rack, the PR management platform I use to monitor media coverage, track journalist activity, and inform high-stakes strategy with real-time data. Click here to try Muck Rack for yourself.

Follow & Connect with Molly:

• https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson
• https://mollymc...