The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson

Back in the day, you relied on personal relationships when deciding whether to do business with someone. While that’s still the case in a lot of circles, an even more popular method is through our good friend Google. I don’t know about you, but I often Google the name of someone who reaches out to me for business -- for a media interview or for help in their business. I want to know who I’m dealing with before I agree to do any work with or for someone. And I love that it’s so easy to find the information I’m looking for. Does the idea of that make you cringe? Are you unsure about what information I could find about you if I Googled your name? On this week’s episode of the Confident Communications podcast, I’m sharing 10 ways you can protect your online reputation so you can stop living in fear and start being proactive about what others can find about you online. Each tip is simple and you can do them all in one sitting. Grab this checklist so you can repeat it every few months--something I recommend to all my clients. Mentioned In This Episode: LastPass Password Manager Duck Duck Go https://duckduckgo.com/ Incognito Mode in Google Chrome https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/how-to-use-incognito-windows-in-chrome Google Alert https://www.google.com/alerts Episode 8: Top Communication Fails that Made Headlines in 2018Want 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/...

As many as 90% of people check out reviews on social media and business or industry websites before buying. That means your reviews matter. But what matters even more nowadays is how you respond to reviews your customers leave online. Unfortunately, you don’t have time to manage your reviews all day long. And you shouldn’t. What you should do, however, is make sure that you respond to every single review you receive--good or bad. In fact, it’s even more important to respond to bad reviews, publicly, as quickly as possible. On today’s episode of the Confident Communications Podcast, I’m sharing seven tips to responding to reviews online in a way that ensures your customers are heard and their problems are fixed. Mentioned In This Episode My Trip Advisor review for the resort in Costa Rica Yelp guidelines on reporting reviews https://www.yelp-support.com/article/When-should-I-report-a-review?l=en_US Consumers Will Punish Brands that Fail to Respond on Twitter Quickly - https://www.lithium.com/company/news-room/press-releases/2013/consumers-will-punish-brands-that-fail-to-respond-on-twitter-quickly Are you a professional that wants to make sure you’re following best practices online? Grab my guide to the top 5 rookie mistakes professionals make online. ">   About Molly   Want 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/...

I spent a good part of my career working with the media in my role as a public affairs officer for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and my time as the head of communications for the cruise line industry outside of Washington D.C. The journalists I met had a passion for finding the story and making sure the public heard it.One of the journalists I encountered during my career was Jeanne Meserve, an anchor and correspondent for CNN and ABC News and winner of two Emmy Awards, two CNN Peabody Awards and an Edward R. Murrow Award. In honor of World Press Freedom Day this week, I interviewed Jeanne about her experience in the field--both as a journalist and now as a moderator of high-profile town halls and forums.Jeanne has a unique perspective of how to be a great spokesperson, and we dive into the state of the media as it is today. She also speaks about how to take the fear out of talking to the press through preparation and being proactive. Getting ahead of the story is always a better tactic than preparing a canned response.Tune into this interview with a respected and seasoned pro. About Jeanne Meserve Jeanne Meserve is a moderator who brings energy and insight to every event. Her knack for asking the right question, listening and following up gives panel discussions direction, purpose and power. Her meticulous research, wide range of knowledge, and years of experience managing conversations on television have made her a go-to moderator, facilitator, emcee and host for organizations all around the world. About Molly Molly McPherson, M.S., APR, combines her knowledge of current communication practices with years of news and PR experience to help people become modern-age communicators in their industry and help to build crisis-proof businesses. From her work in the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the cruise line industry in Washington, D.C., Molly develops the right plans and messaging for clients to protect and build their reputations. Molly frequently speaks on crisis communications, public relations and social media.Listen + subscribe on Stitcher or Apple Podcasts. Want 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/...

Major League Baseball hits a home run when it comes to social media strategy. But you don’t have to be a multi-billion dollar enterprise to get noticed and stay relevant. By following the winning tactics teams use to engage their fans, you’ll soon be hitting social media home runs with the big leagues. That doesn’t mean you need to be on all the social platforms; it just means that you need to find which platforms your people are on, know what’s going to stop their scroll and then give them the content they want. On today’s episode of the Confident Communications podcast, I’m sharing five hits for how to market to your fans by using social media. And you’ll also learn how to avoid a strikeout by employees who don’t use social media properly (or in your organization’s best interest). Mentioned in This Episode Episode 24 - How the Heck Do You Use a Hashtag? Major League Baseball #THIS campaign  2019 MLB Team Twitter Hashtags and Emojis  Wave.video Want to get more information about how to stop the struggle with digital, online and social platforms? Find out more about my upcoming online learning program, The Learning Lab, and get on the waitlist so you’re the first to know when it goes live. It will offer monthly online trainings you can watch on your own time so you can more effectively communicate in the 21st century! About Molly Want 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/...

Do you know the power of a hashtag? (Do you even know what a hashtag is?) I get asked about hashtags a lot in my business, and it’s not uncommon to feel like a #dinosaur. Heck, I question myself every time I use a hashtag--still. There’s no shame in not knowing what a hashtag is or how to use it. There really aren’t any true tutorials on it and for us Gen-Xers and older, it’s just the pound symbol on the dial pad of the phone you grew up with. But for those of us who use social media on a regular basis (or want to), it’s a powerful tool you can use as a business or a consumer to help save you time and get you noticed in all the right places. On this week’s episode of the Confident Communications podcast, I’m sharing the what, why and how of hashtags so you don’t feel so in the dark. You’ll feel more confident in playing around with hashtags for business and for entertainment--there’s so much you can do with them for business or for fun.  Mentioned in This Episode Chris Messina’s first hashtag use Top hashtags from 2016 election "#Hashtag" with Jimmy Fallon & Justin Timberlake (Late Night with Jimmy Fallon)     About Molly Molly McPherson, M.S., APR, combines her knowledge of current communication practices with years of news and PR experience to help people become modern-age communicators in their industry and help to build crisis-proof businesses. From her work in the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the cruise line industry in Washington, D.C., Molly develops the right plans and messaging for clients to protect and build their reputations.  Listen + subscribe on Want 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/...

You know you’ve seen and heard it: The person driving down the street texting. The mom Facetiming her teenager in the grocery store. Loudly. The video call with background noise (or underwear hanging on the treadmill in the background). The “reply all” email threads that go on...and on...and on… Sure, you’re well aware of the annoying communication habits that others are guilty of. Do you know what you might be doing that’s annoying others? This week on the Confident Communications podcast, I’m sharing communication habits that a lot of people make--but that they need to stop. My guess is that you’re inadvertently doing at least two of these things and don’t even know it. It’s time to be more aware so you can be a better communicator and, let’s face it, not so annoying.  Mentioned in This Episode: The Learning Lab Yesware BBC News dad   About Molly Molly McPherson, M.S., APR, combines her knowledge of current communication practices with years of news and PR experience to help people become modern-age communicators in their industry and help to build crisis-proof businesses. From her work in the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the cruise line industry in Washington, D.C., Molly develops the right plans and messaging for clients to protect and build their reputations. Molly founded Confident Communications executive learning program and frequently speaks on crisis communications, public relations and social media. Listen + subscribe on Stitcher or Want 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/...

Everyone has difficult moments in their lives, whether it’s a high-conflict divorce, an argument with a friend or family member or clashed personalities at work. It happens because we’re human and because we often don’t know how to react or interact during difficult times. Instead of reacting to triggers that only make the moment more heated, this week’s guest teaches us how to pause a moment to make sure we’re reacting appropriately. Lara Currie is a speaker and trainer who teaches professionals in high-stress, high-stakes fields how to weather difficult times. In this episode of the Confident Communications Podcast, we’ll explore how to ask yourself the right questions before responding, why we need to become less emotional, how men and women communicate differently in times of stress and why we need to retrain ourselves in basic communication techniques. Mentioned in this episode Episode 16: How to Spot a Liar Matt Damon’s SNL portrayal of Brett Kavanaugh About Lara Currie Lara is a podcaster, speaker and trainer and the author of Difficult Happens. With more than 27 years of experience in high conflict positions, she has a unique and intuitive understanding of why people act--and react--the way they do. She is passionate about helping people in high stakes fields communicate effectively, make honest and meaningful connections, live with less stress and establish strong boundaries. Visit her website, listen to her podcast or readWant 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/...

When you’re in the public eye, be ready for scrutiny. Even if you’re not in the public eye, your audience is looking for transparency both online and offline. Try to hide and you’re going to get some backlash--especially in the face of a crisis. This week on the Confident Communications podcast, we’re ripping from the headlines two fallouts from two executives’ mistakes. One flat-out lied and bamboozled the public and investors out of millions (a billion!). The other thought that denial and hiding from bad press was the way to go. In both instances, they were wrong. Too many business owners, leaders, entrepreneurs and C-suite executives today deny the power of social media and the digital space. They think that not answering questions might make those questions go away. The truth is, social media is powerful and it can be both a weapon and a tool--depending on how you use it. How are you using social media? Find out what these executives did wrong. Mentioned in This Episode Episode 16, How to Spot a Liar HBO documentary on Elizabeth Holmes 'Nightline' documentary, podcast: 'The Dropout,' the story - ABC News Boeing letter to airlines, passengers and the aviation community   About Molly Molly McPherson, M.S., APR, combines her knowledge of current communication practices with years of news and PR experience to help people become modern-age communicators in their industry and help build crisis-proof businesses. From her work with the Federal Emergency Management AWant 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/...

Your Name Went Viral - But Not in a Good Way. Now What? Going viral isn’t always a good thing. Just ask Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin, who both had a rough week in court and online because of their involvement in the college cheating scandal. No one wants to go viral like that. The thing is, in today’s digital age, you’re at risk whether you know it or not. It’s important to be prepared and to know what to look for when you're headed for digital infamy, which is exactly what I’m talking about in this week’s Confident Communications podcast. I’ll share the two categories of viral coverage, how it impacts you on a smaller scale and how you can avoid that digital death spiral. I’ll also give you a number of examples you can use to help you identify where the person went wrong--and where it was online lookie-loos who took something and ran with it. Whether you’re a business owner, a corporate executive or someone who is working to the top, you need to protect yourself from those negative viral spirals. Mentioned in This Episode Chewbacca Mask Mom Candace Payne with James Corden Dr. Walter Palmer goes back to work N.Y. Governor Cuomo employee gets kicked off a plane Chelsea Clinton’s calculated response Want 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/...

Too many people get stressed out when it comes to writing, and it’s usually because they’ve told themselves that they’re a bad writer. But that’s not actually true. Most people know how to write. What you need to figure out is how to make writing a little less something you dread. When I was a kid, I loved writing-- as most kids do. But it was when my paycheck started depending on my writing ability, that writing became something I dreaded. I’ve noticed that this is usually when most adults start hating writing. I think it’s because we feel our work is under a much larger microscope and that the stakes are higher. But writing is such an important part of business, from emails to social media to proposals and reports, that it’s important to actually like it. Everyone should work to build their authority with all the written-word opportunities you have. That’s why today’s episode is so important. Listen in to learn some hacks to make writing a little less sucky for you. Mentioned in This Episode Episode 2 - How to Get a Handle on Filler Words in Your Vocabulary Do I Make Myself Clear by Harold Evans   About Molly Molly McPherson, M.S., APR, combines her knowledge of current communication practices with years of news and PR experience to help people become modern-age communicators in their industry and help build crisis-proof businesses. From her work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the cruise line industry in Washington, D.C, Molly develops the right plans and messaging for clients to protect and build their reputations. Molly founded Confident Communications executive learning program and frequently speaks on crisis communications, public relations and social media. Listen + subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Want 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/...