The PR Maven Podcast

Let's be honest: Social media is sexy, and so is the discourse surrounding it. From the latest TikTok trend to Elon Musk taking over Twitter, there always seems to be something new happening in the digital world.

Social media is full of "influencers" with millions of devoted followers, and those influencers can have more of a public platform than Fortune 500 CEOs and elected officials in many cases. (Don't look now, but Kylie Jenner has more than 372 million followers!)

Still, public relations practitioners should be careful about getting too caught up in the social media craze. Yes, the digital aspect of PR is important, and increasingly so. By now, we all know the value-add of influencer marketing – the strategy whereby brands partner with those who have engaged social media followings. Influencer marketing is often described as the contemporary version of product placement, further blurring the lines between paid and earned media, given that it's more of a paid advertising tactic (paying influencers to endorse products).

But there's more to PR than the digital universe. It is my opinion that the ultimate influencer for PR practitioners to leverage is still traditional media. After all, PR budgets seldom include paid influencer marketing, so professionals in the field need to be creative about promoting their clients in other ways. The original way – and still the most important way – comes down to traditional media.

Continue reading here.

The article read in this episode originally appeared on the Forbes Agency Council CommunityVoice™ in November 2022.

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From her first sales pitch at 9 years old, Cherie Scott has had a clear vision of her future and has been building her brand along the way. In this episode, Cherie tells the story of how Mumbai to MAINE came to be and the different marketing techniques she has used to grow her brand. She also talks about the supportive Maine entrepreneurial community, including some of the pitch competitions she has participated in. Cherie also shares her vision for the future of Mumbai to Maine.

5:13 – Cherie shares the real story of how Mumbai to MAINE started.

13:31 – Cherie explains how she uses storytelling as her main marketing technique.

19:29 – Cherie talks about how she prioritizes her time based on what would best align with her brand.

24:19 – Cherie describes some techniques for building a brand, including how she used the cooking classes she was teaching as a focus group.

31:24 – Cherie lays out her vision for the Mumbai to MAINE brand.

34:55 – Cherie talks about how business pitch competitions have helped her build and grow her brand.

37:52 – Cherie lists some resources that have been helpful to her.

Quote

"I think the reason why people connect with my story is because everyone is like, I've always wanted to do that. I've always wanted to put something in a jar. I've always wanted to make sauces, jams, or jellies, or have some sort of an entrepreneurial dream, and here is somebody who has actually done it and did it without having any chef experience. Done it without any marketing dollars. I just took my story, my journey, and put it in that jar. I said 'this jar will tell you everything you need to know about me.'" – Cherie Scott, founder and owner of Mumbai to MAINE

Links:

Listen to Amber Lambke's episode on The PR Maven® Podcast.

Listen to Julene Gervais' episode on The PR Maven® Podcast to learn more about Greenlight Maine.

Listen to Alyne Cistone's episode on The PR Maven® Podcast to learn more about Elevating Voices.

Grow Your Audience, Grow Your Brand: https://growyouraudiencegrowyourbrand.com/

Martha Stewart: https://www.marthastewart.com/

Rachael Ray: https://rachaelray.com/

Ina Garten: https://barefootcontessa.com/

Erin French: https://www.findthelostkitchen.com/

Luke's Lobster: https://lukeslobster.com/

The Good Crust: https://www.thegoodcrust.com/

Crooked Face Creamery: https://www.upnorthricotta.com/

Top Gun Competition: https://www.mced.biz/top-gun

SCORE: https://www.scoremaine.org/

"The Game of Life and How To Play It" by Florence Scovel Shinn: https://www.amazon.com/Game-Life-How-Play/dp/1614270791

"How I Built This": https://www.guyraz.com/howibuiltthisbook

Dr. Phil Finemore: https://workfitme.com/about/

About the guest:

Mumbai native Cherie Scott left India at the age of 16 and moved to Vancouver, British Columbia. After a few stops in New York City and New Jersey, Cherie has been anchored in Boothbay, Maine now for over a decade.

In 2015, she launched her culinary blog, MumbaitoMaine.com to share her signature recipes and nostalgic anecdotes of her youth in Mumbai. In 2018, Cherie was invited to join a lineup of notable guest chef instructors at Stonewall Kitchen Cooking School where she curated an exclusive, regional Indian cooking series for four years. Cherie is now a guest chef instructor at Milk Street with Christopher Kimball Online Cooking School, Boston. Cherie is the host of "Talking Food in Maine," a series of intimate one-on-one conversations with notable culinary pioneers who have made a substantial contribution to the culinary arts in the state of Maine. To celebrate Maine's bicentennial and gastronomic talent, Cherie hosted and produced Mumbai to MAINE's podcast in 2020, showcasing some of Maine's most accomplished culinary tastemakers.

During the heart of the pandemic, Cherie launched her signature line of gourmet Indian simmer sauces: Makhani, Saag and Caldine. Inspired by her family's heritage recipes, these simmer sauces are masterfully crafted in small batches and simmered for hours with an infusion of freshly roasted and ground spice blends. Mumbai to MAINE is Maine's first Indian-inspired and award-winning culinary brand, available nationwide at www.mumbaitomaine.com and across specialty stores in Maine.

Looking to connect:

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cherie-scott-804368113/

Website: https://mumbaitomaine.com/

Podcast: https://blog.mumbaitomaine.com/podcasts/

Instagram: @mumbai2maine

Facebook: @mumbaitomaine

Facebook: @cheriescott

Public relations is a relatively new concept compared to other professions such as law or medicine. The idea of PR stems from the concept of communication, which dates all the way back to the philosophers of Ancient Greece. Most of us know about Socrates and Plato, and we've used Aristotle's art of rhetoric (Ethos, Logos and Pathos) in our writing.

But many people don't know that Ancient Greece is in fact the foundation of PR. The idea of using communication to persuade is one of the first practical uses of public relations.

The idea of spreading communication (or persuasion) to the masses comes from the early 15th century and Pope Gregory XII, who coined the term "propaganda" as we know it today. The term was repurposed from a Latin word used to describe a commission of cardinals tasked with spreading Catholicism to non-Catholic countries.

Fast forward to the birth of America, where mass communication was used in full swing to gain independence from the British Empire. Founding Father Samuel Adams spread political messages to oppose the British monarchy, inspiring the famous anti-tax protest now known as the Boston Tea Party in 1773. Three years later, Thomas Paine published "Common Sense," a pamphlet meant to persuade the masses to support the American Revolution from Great Britain. And, just months later, the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776.

Continue reading here.

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In an industry where most of your customers are grumpy from having vehicle trouble, how do you create an enjoyable experience? In this podcast episode, Nancy speaks with Lynn Campbell, director of marketing, advertising and CRM at VIP Tires & Service. Lynn talks about the differences between the automotive repair industry and the other industries she has worked. She also describes the difference between the marketing techniques VIP uses and what makes each of those techniques unique and valuable.

3:20 – Lynn explains how she is neither left nor right-brain dominant, enjoying both the science and creativity that comes with a career in marketing.

5:38 – Lynn talks about the benefits of working with an outside PR agency, such as gaining a new perspective.

10:01 – Lynn describes what the VIP magazine will include, launching spring of 2023.

12:26 – Lynn shares the differences in marketing and PR between the automotive repair industry and other industries she has worked in.

17:29 – Lynn gives tips on how to prioritize your work.

19:07 – Lynn explains different aspects of marketing and what makes each unique.

23:33 – Lynn shares a resource that has been helpful to her.

Quote

"We try to empower [our customers] and give them back control of something that they see as a very uncontrollable situation. It really helps them feel better about what they're doing when they're a partner in the decision making around what they are going to do for their vehicle. When they are offered options at different price levels and different types of products, then they can weigh in and decide what works best for them." – Lynn Campbell, director of marketing, advertising and CRM at VIP Tires & Service

Links:

Trek Across Maine: https://action.lung.org/site/TR?fr_id=23108&pg=entry

Winter tires vs. all-season: What's best for winter in Maine?: https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/features/specials/seasonal-specials/winter-tires-vs-all-season-whats-best-for-winter-in-maine-weather-snow-cars/97-7b23dfbd-7e8f-4db5-b1eb-aaab58724f9f

Down East Magazine: https://downeast.com/

Marshall Plan® Process: https://marshallpr.com/the-marshall-plan/

Tire Industry Association (TIA): https://www.tireindustry.org/

Garage Gurus: https://www.garagegurus.tech/

The Studio: https://thestudioportland.com/

"Extreme Ownership" by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin: https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Ownership-U-S-Navy-SEALs/dp/1250067057

"Practical Content Strategy & Marketing" by Julia McCoy: https://www.amazon.com/Practical-Content-Strategy-Marketing-Certification-ebook/dp/B077SKLYNT

Listen to Tim Winkeler's episode on The PR Maven® Podcast.

Listen to Tim on Episode 213: 2022 Golden Microphone Award Celebration

Listen to Steve Lyon's episode on The PR Maven® Podcast to learn more about the Maine Office of Tourism.

About the guest:

After graduating from McGill University in Montreal, Canada, with a Bachelor of Science, Lynn began her marketing career in Los Angeles working as a media planner for a local advertising agency. After a few years, she moved to Hawaii to work with a global agency, Ogilvy and Mather, and later became Vice President of The Advertising Works. She then began her own marketing agency, CG Media Specialists, which she owned and operated for six years. After moving to Maine in 1992, Lynn moved to the client side of the business working with local firms like Hannaford Brothers and WEX (formerly Wright Express), as well as Marketing Director for AutoZone in Memphis. She joined VIP Tires and Service 6 years ago and is currently their Director of Marketing, Advertising & CRM.

Lynn lives in Greene, Maine, and enjoys long hikes with her dog, Callie, and snowshoeing in the winter months. She also dabbles in acrylic painting and always enjoys a good mystery novel. Although she's lived in many places, she's made Maine her permanent home and considers herself a Mainer.

Looking to connect:

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynn-campbell-185aa061/

Website: www.vipauto.com

It's been several months since the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, but the loss still hurts. Many of us were saddened to hear the news, and it still makes me sad today.

In 2011, my agency was chosen to promote and publicize the royal memorabilia across North America for the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton — one of the great honors of my career. So, we know a thing or two about the royal family.

The queen lived a long life. She lived a good life, and she left the world in a much better place than she found it. Over the decades, the queen also taught us many valuable lessons. She reigned for 70 years, after all!

Click the link below to read the 10 things that professionals can learn from her seven-decade reign.

Continue reading here.

The article read in this episode originally appeared on the Forbes Agency Council CommunityVoice™ in October 2022.

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In this episode, Amanda Pleau, marketing and communications manager at Maine Maritime Museum, describes the career path she took to get where she is today. Amanda also talks about the work Maine Maritime Museum is doing, including an upcoming exhibit to raise awareness about what is happening in the Gulf of Maine right now. Having taught writing, Amanda explains the importance of writing in PR and communications and shares a resource she has found interesting related to Maine history.

3:16 – Amanda describes her position at Maine Maritime Museum.

5:05 – Amanda explains how her first job helped prepare her for her career.

8:15 – Amanda talks about how she had no idea she wanted to be in marketing and communications when she started her career.

14:21 – Amanda gives details about an upcoming exhibit called SeaChange.

17:05 – Amanda shares her story of moving back to Maine.

23:01 – Amanda explains how strong writing skills help with PR and communications and her background in teaching writing.

28:33 – Amanda talks about her favorite parts of working at Maine Maritime Museum.

33:29 – Amanda shares a resource that helped her learn local Maine history.

Quote

"This is kind of where the PR and marketing come in. You can't assume that people can read your mind and you have to constantly set the stage, reset, set the tone and explain where you're coming from and why you're doing what you're doing. I was thinking about this post that I did on the Maine Maritime Museum social media that was really successful. It was all of the ways you could get free admission to the museum. None of those were new. None of those had been introduced within the last year, but just reminding people of who we are, what we're doing, why we're doing it." – Amanda Pleau, marketing and communications manager at Maine Maritime Museum

Links:

Maine Maritime Museum: https://www.mainemaritimemuseum.org/exhibition/seachange/

Down East Magazine: https://downeast.com/

Bull Moose: https://www.bullmoose.com/

University of Southern Maine: https://usm.maine.edu/

Toms of Maine: https://www.tomsofmaine.com/

SeaChange: Darkness and Light in the Gulf of Maine: https://www.mainemaritimemuseum.org/exhibition/seachange/

Gulf of Maine EcoArts: http://www.gulfofmaineecoarts.org/

Roxane Gay: https://roxanegay.com/

Jo Ann Beard: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/117985.Jo_Ann_Beard

Libby App: https://www.overdrive.com/apps/libby

"Mill Town: Reckoning With What Remains" by Kerri Arsenault: https://www.amazon.com/Mill-Town-Reckoning-What-Remains/dp/1250155932

The Mexico Chicken Coop: http://mexicochickencoop.letseat.at/

"Vacationland: True Stories From Painful Beaches" by John Hodgman: https://www.amazon.com/Vacationland-True-Stories-Painful-Beaches/dp/0735224803

Listen to Emma Dimock's episode on The PR Maven® Podcast.

Listen to Katie Shorey's episode on The PR Maven® Podcast to learn more about Live + Work in Maine.

Listen to Dana Bullen's episode on The PR Maven® Podcast to learn more about Sunday River.

About the guest:

Amanda's first job in high school was working as a clerk at an independent record store. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Media and Communications from the University of Southern Maine and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Nonfiction from USM's Stonecoast program, where she served as managing editor of the Stonecoast Review. After college, her professional experience includes consumer relations at Tom's of Maine, and in the communications office at Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles, one of the largest and oldest congregations in the country. For two years, she also taught writing at the Gnomon School for Visual Effects in Hollywood.

Currently, Amanda is the marketing and communications manager at Maine Maritime Museum and publishes a biweekly memoir/pop culture e-newsletter, Pleaushares. Amanda's writing has appeared in the Portland Phoenix, Vela Magazine, and the literary journal Two Serious Ladies. She lives in Bath with her husband, their dog and cat.

Looking to connect:

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-pleau/

Website: https://bit.ly/pleaushares

Having run a PR agency since 1991, I've worked with lots and lots of clients. Some have been more successful than others, although I'm proud of the fact that most are happy with our work, and many have been clients for years. Work with enough clients, and you realize what works and what doesn't. Sometimes, a client not working out can simply be a matter of bad timing. Sometimes, it's a lack of mutual understanding or poor communication. Fortunately for us, it doesn't happen often, but some clients just aren't meant to be. If you're in the client service business, it's worth realizing this reality sooner than later: Not every client will work out.

In my experience, the key to a client working out is engagement, engagement and more engagement. I want our clients to be engaged with members of my team, constantly going back and forth on new ideas, secured deliverables and everything in between. Typically, we have a single point of contact (POC) from our agency side and the client has a single POC from their side. From time to time, there may end up being several POCs on the agency side or the client side, but one each is best.

Continue reading here.

The article read in this episode originally appeared on the Forbes Agency Council CommunityVoice™ in October 2022.

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In this episode, The PR Maven® Podcast celebrates four years and congratulates Tim Winkeler, president and CEO of VIP Tires & Service, for having the most popular episode of the year. Nancy and Tim talk about what makes VIP's business model successful and how the company's internal culture is shared externally through marketing. Nancy and Tim also discuss the Right to Repair movement and how they first met.

3:20 – Tim makes remarks on winning the Golden Microphone Award, owing VIP's success to its people.

4:08 – Tim explains the mission and values that drive VIP's marketing.

7:04 – Tim talks about how VIP sponsors nonprofits and teams their employees are involved with and the benefits of doing so.

9:32 – Tim describes the internal culture of VIP and how the company communicates that through its marketing.

14:17 – Tim explains what the Right to Repair movement is and VIP's involvement.

16:05 – Nancy tells the story about how she and Tim met.

21:31 – Tim shares a resource with an important life lesson.

Quote

"Our mission is simple: earn a customer for life. Our owner came up with that 20-something years ago and it's super simple and it's relatable to anybody. In any situation. Earn a customer for life. What would you do if your mission right now was to earn a customer for life? And so it simplifies the business."– Tim Winkeler, president and CEO of VIP Tires & Service

Links:

Handle Hard Better: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDzfZOfNki4

Listen to Kate Vickery's episode to learn more about Make-A-Wish.

Listen to Tim's first episode.

About the guest:

Tim is an accomplished people-focused leader with a track record of building high-performance teams that exceed expectations. Always focused on customer needs and feedback, he builds core competencies around making money by serving customers in different and better ways. Tim thrives in helping organizations succeed through strategy development and execution, relentlessly pursuing continuous improvement while helping each member of the team reach his/her personal best. Tim is a teacher at heart and learns every day by reading great books and meeting great people.

VIP Tires & Service operates 65 shops throughout New England. With 600 employees, VIP is a third-generation private company. Under Tim's leadership, VIP has been transformed from a discount retailer to a professional service provider by focusing on people rather than price. VIP invests in its people through a multitude of programs including leadership training, P&L training, career pathing, certification achievement, team building and many others.

VIP's culture is embodied in the company's vision: VIP's professionals love their jobs because they are appreciated, well-prepared, enjoy serving others and find personal success as a member of the VIP Family.

Looking to connect:

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timwinkeler/

Website: www.vipauto.com

Both advertising and public relations (PR) help build awareness and generate sales. But they're not the same thing.

Essentially, advertising is paid media, and PR is earned media. Advertisers purchase space online, in print or on the airwaves. They decide what the ad will say, how it will look, where it will appear and how many times it will appear. They control the message.

PR professionals, on the other hand, provide journalists with story ideas delivered through press releases or a media pitch, which is usually a brief email offering a news story to a specific reporter. If — and that is a big if — the journalist is interested in the story idea, they will develop content around it. But there are no guarantees that the coverage will say exactly what you want it to say or even that the coverage will be positive. That is another key difference between PR and advertising. In PR, you cannot control the message.

So why, you might ask, would you not just advertise? Many people are skeptical of advertising messages. They're exposed to dozens, if not hundreds, of advertisements daily on television, radio, online and in the print news. They're exposed to so many, in fact, that many of them have been desensitized, and it can be hard for any one message to sink in unless it's really compelling. Also, because the message is coming directly from the advertiser, it's often viewed as less credible.

Continue reading here.

The article read in this episode originally appeared on the Forbes Agency Council CommunityVoice™ in April 2019.

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Building an audience is an old strategy in marketing. Did you know that Proctor & Gamble created soap operas so they could build an audience to buy their soap?

That's right. In the 1930s, P&G sponsored daytime serial dramas on the radio to advertise their products to housewives. Why? Because research suggested that women wanted to be entertained while doing housework. And so, literal "soap operas" were born.

In the early to mid-20th century, Edward Bernays — long considered the "father of public relations" — also built audiences on behalf of his clientele, which coincidentally included P&G. The Conversation reports that "to counteract President Coolidge's stiff image, Bernays organized 'pancake breakfasts' and White House concerts with Al Jolson and other Broadway performers." Knowing that such events would garner significant media attention and ingratiate Coolidge with new social circles, Bernays provided an opportunity to "control and regiment the masses" in Coolidge's favor. Who can say no to a pancake breakfast?

Building an audience is as important now as it was then. We just have more tools at our disposal: From YouTube videos to blog posts and social media campaigns, there are more ways than ever to reach millions of people with your own content. Podcasting is one of the most powerful ways to reach people.

Continue reading here.

The article read in this episode originally appeared on the Forbes Agency Council CommunityVoice™ in May 2019.

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