

The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson
www.mollymcpherson.com
The PR Breakdown reveals the moves behind the mess. Crisis communication expert Molly McPherson dissects the viral scandals, celebrity meltdowns, and corporate disasters dominating headlines to show you the strategic mistakes and desperate moves that destroy reputations — so you never make them yourself.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 8, 2020 • 26min
111: How to Respond to a Grieving Friend
Knowing how to respond when a friend mourns the loss of a loved one can be confusing. People struggle to find the right words to say or to the right thing to do to help a friend cope with grief. Many do not know how to help ease the burden of grieving, especially with quarantine restrictions imposed by the pandemic. This episode is for the person who wants to understand what to say, what to do, and what not to do, for a friend mourning the recent death of a loved one. © Molly McPherson 2020Want More Behind the Breakdown? Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, private member chats, weekly live sessions, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It is the inside hub for communicators who want real strategy, clear judgment, and a little side-eye where it counts.Follow Molly on Substack Subscribe to Molly's Weekly Newsletter 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. Follow & Connect with Molly:https://www.youtube.com/mollymcphersonhttps://mollymcpherson.substack.com/https://www.tiktok.com/@mollybmcphersonhttps://www.instagram.com/molly.mcpherson/...

Dec 6, 2020 • 11min
Bonus: 🎁 Tips for Sending a Holiday Card on Behalf of Your Business 🎄
A holiday primer for sending a holiday card on behalf of your business—the 2020 edition. Should you send a holiday card this year? Do you send a Christmas, holiday, or E-card? And Hanukkah and Kwanza? Who to send a card to, where, and what to say. Plus, easy-to-remember, easy-to-apply tips for getting through a task that many of us put off every year. Don't forget to download your holiday gift from me: How to Properly Address a Holiday Card © Molly McPherson 2020Want More Behind the Breakdown? Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, private member chats, weekly live sessions, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It is the inside hub for communicators who want real strategy, clear judgment, and a little side-eye where it counts.Follow Molly on Substack Subscribe to Molly's Weekly Newsletter 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. Follow & Connect with Molly:https://www.youtube.com/mollymcphersonhttps://mollymcpherson.substack.com/https://www.tiktok.com/@mollybmcphersonhttps://www.instagram.com/molly.mcpherson/...

Dec 1, 2020 • 19min
110: When to Stop Talking: A strategy for gaining control in any conversation
We’re all over-talkers.But not knowing when to shut up can lead to bigger problems. In this episode Molly shares the importance of knowing when to stop talking in a discussion, argument or negotiation so that you don't create an undesirable outcome for yourself. Plus, an easy-to-follow method for how to do it. Listen + Subscribe Spotify or Apple Podcasts © Molly McPherson 2020Want More Behind the Breakdown? Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, private member chats, weekly live sessions, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It is the inside hub for communicators who want real strategy, clear judgment, and a little side-eye where it counts.Follow Molly on Substack Subscribe to Molly's Weekly Newsletter 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. Follow & Connect with Molly:https://www.youtube.com/mollymcphersonhttps://mollymcpherson.substack.com/https://www.tiktok.com/@mollybmcphersonhttps://www.instagram.com/molly.mcpherson/...

Nov 24, 2020 • 42min
109: Royal PR Lessons from Netflix's The Crown
According to this week’s guest, the British royal family has the greatest long-term brand of any organization. Hard to argue with public relations strategist Julia Angelen Joy. Not only is she an ardent follower of the Windsors, she is also a fan of Netflix drama, The Crown. That’s where I come in.When I read Julia’s blog post, 16 Royal PR Lessons, I knew I needed to bring her on the podcast to discuss the intersection of my favorite subject—public relations— with my favorite program at the moment.You guessed it.Share your thoughts on Twitter: @mollymcpherson @JuliaAngelenPRListen + Subscribe Spotify or Apple Podcasts © Molly McPherson, 2020Want More Behind the Breakdown? Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, private member chats, weekly live sessions, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It is the inside hub for communicators who want real strategy, clear judgment, and a little side-eye where it counts.Follow Molly on Substack Subscribe to Molly's Weekly Newsletter 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. Follow & Connect with Molly:https://www.youtube.com/mollymcphersonhttps://mollymcpherson.substack.com/https://www.tiktok.com/@mollybmcphersonhttps://www.instagram.com/molly.mcpherson/...

Nov 17, 2020 • 19min
108: What is Parler? Everything you need to know about this social network with all the buzz
The hottest social media app on the market has exploded amid growing frustration over the alleged censorship of pro-conservative posts by Facebook and Twitter.So what is Parler about and who is using it? Listen to hear everything you need to know about the social media platform and whether it is the right place for you. Listen + Subscribe Stitcher or Apple Podcasts© Molly McPherson 2020Want More Behind the Breakdown? Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, private member chats, weekly live sessions, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It is the inside hub for communicators who want real strategy, clear judgment, and a little side-eye where it counts.Follow Molly on Substack Subscribe to Molly's Weekly Newsletter 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. Follow & Connect with Molly:https://www.youtube.com/mollymcphersonhttps://mollymcpherson.substack.com/https://www.tiktok.com/@mollybmcphersonhttps://www.instagram.com/molly.mcpherson/...

Nov 10, 2020 • 21min
107: The ONE Winning Strategy I Found in the Chaos of the 2020 Election
An estimated 161 million Americans took the polls—either by mail or in-person—to elect a president.What happened after that was a week of division and confusion. One president-elect is declared, the other says, "Not so fast.Even in a competitive election, there was one winning strategy that struck me when it came to creating a wave of support for selling your next product, idea, or campaign: learn how to get people to mobilize and engage your product, idea, business, or movement.Learn how to build a groundswell. Listen + Subscribe Stitcher or Apple Podcasts © Molly McPherson 2020Want More Behind the Breakdown? Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, private member chats, weekly live sessions, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It is the inside hub for communicators who want real strategy, clear judgment, and a little side-eye where it counts.Follow Molly on Substack Subscribe to Molly's Weekly Newsletter 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. Follow & Connect with Molly:https://www.youtube.com/mollymcphersonhttps://mollymcpherson.substack.com/https://www.tiktok.com/@mollybmcphersonhttps://www.instagram.com/molly.mcpherson/...

Nov 3, 2020 • 31min
106: The Art of the Great Media Interview with Warren Weeks
According to my guest, there are no natural-born experts when it comes to dealing with the media. Even the legends need help speaking in front of the camera. Why is it then, that so many people who are in a position to speak with the press about positive media coverage, dealing with a contentious issue, or managing a full-blown crisis, choose not to receive the training to help them put their organization in the best light possible? Listen to this week’s guest, Warren Weeks, tell you why he is Canada's most in-demand media trainer. You can find Warren Weeks on Twitter @warren_weeks or his website www.mediatrainingtoronto.com. Listen + Subscribe Stitcher or Apple Podcasts© Molly McPherson 2020Want More Behind the Breakdown? Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, private member chats, weekly live sessions, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It is the inside hub for communicators who want real strategy, clear judgment, and a little side-eye where it counts.Follow Molly on Substack Subscribe to Molly's Weekly Newsletter 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. Follow & Connect with Molly:https://www.youtube.com/mollymcphersonhttps://mollymcpherson.substack.com/https://www.tiktok.com/@mollybmcphersonhttps://www.instagram.com/molly.mcpherson/...

Oct 27, 2020 • 24min
105: The Trick to the Perfect Response That Stops a Crisis
In an interview that made headlines last week, 60 Minutes correspondent Leslie Stahl asked President Trump, "Are you ready for some tough questions?" Whether he was or not, viewers will never know because Trump left the interview.Learn how to build the architecture behind the perfect PR response to stay one step ahead of, rather than behind, a story about your organization. Public opinion moves fast nowadays, especially on social media, which means if you don't know the risks to your organization that can lead to a crisis, you may be worse off than Rudy Guiliani in a Borat film. Listen + Subscribe Stitcher or Apple Podcasts© Molly McPherson 2020Want More Behind the Breakdown? Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, private member chats, weekly live sessions, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It is the inside hub for communicators who want real strategy, clear judgment, and a little side-eye where it counts.Follow Molly on Substack Subscribe to Molly's Weekly Newsletter 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. Follow & Connect with Molly:https://www.youtube.com/mollymcphersonhttps://mollymcpherson.substack.com/https://www.tiktok.com/@mollybmcphersonhttps://www.instagram.com/molly.mcpherson/...

Oct 20, 2020 • 14min
104: How to Memorize a Speech in 7 Easy Steps
During the recent confirmation hearings, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, asked Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett to show the notes she was working from while answering questions for the past few hours.She held up a blank block of notebook paper and said, “Just a letterhead that says United States Senate.” Now that’s memorization! On this episode of The Confident Communications Podcast, how to memorize your next speech and know it cold in 7 easy steps. It may not get you through days of confirmation hearings, but it can certainly help. Mentioned in the episodeOrai.com - Master the Art of Public Speaking Listen + Subscribe Stitcher or Apple Podcasts© Molly McPherson 2020Want More Behind the Breakdown? Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, private member chats, weekly live sessions, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It is the inside hub for communicators who want real strategy, clear judgment, and a little side-eye where it counts.Follow Molly on Substack Subscribe to Molly's Weekly Newsletter 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. Follow & Connect with Molly:https://www.youtube.com/mollymcphersonhttps://mollymcpherson.substack.com/https://www.tiktok.com/@mollybmcphersonhttps://www.instagram.com/molly.mcpherson/...

Oct 13, 2020 • 14min
103: 3 Signs Someone Is Trying to Bait You (and How Not to Take It)
If you watched the first presidential debate in 2020, you may have felt like you were watching history - a train wreck of historic proportions. For 90 minutes President Trump repeatedly interjected and clashed with former Vice President Joe Biden. When it was Biden's turn to speak, he vacillated between exasperated smiles and astonished dismay.What may have appeared to look like a chaotic mess, was likely a part of a master plan - at least by one of the candidates.Donald Trump was creating a controlled chaos by repeatedly baiting Biden and debate moderator Chris Wallace.The crosstalk was more a cross between negotiation and intimidation in the form of baiting. It's a manipulative strategy that provokes an angry, aggressive or emotional reaction from another person. Someone can take the bait in a media interview, business negotiation, relationship - and yes - even a debate.Listen to three characters that someone is trying to bait you, and what you can do to stop them dead in their tracks.Listen + Subscribe Stitcher or Apple Podcasts © Molly McPherson 2020Want More Behind the Breakdown? Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, private member chats, weekly live sessions, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It is the inside hub for communicators who want real strategy, clear judgment, and a little side-eye where it counts.Follow Molly on Substack Subscribe to Molly's Weekly Newsletter 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. Follow & Connect with Molly:https://www.youtube.com/mollymcphersonhttps://mollymcpherson.substack.com/https://www.tiktok.com/@mollybmcphersonhttps://www.instagram.com/molly.mcpherson/...


