67: Why Awards Matter & How to Create Successful Entries with Mike McDougall

https://www.podchaser.com/

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

Download my free guide: Create Your Buyer Persona

Download my free guide: 10 Tips to Grow Your Business as a Podcast Guest

September 7, 2023

Christie Bilbrey

Podcasts & Podcast Guesting with Sydney Stern

September 7, 2023

Christie Bilbrey

PR Series

In this episode I interview Sydney Stern, the Head of Client Success at Podchaser Pro, the world’s most advanced podcast database. We discuss the landscape of the podcasting industry as a whole, the best ways to get started as a podcaster, reasons why you need to start if you haven’t yet, best practices for podcast guesting, how podcasters can find sponsors and how companies can find the right shows to advertise with, as well as where podcasting is headed next.

Some top tips …

The main way that many brands can differentiate themselves from their competitors is with their stories, their personalities, and the strength of the communities they build. Podcasts are an excellent way to deepen relationships with your audience, create shareable content, and keep them coming back for more of what you offer. This goes a long way in helping your brand stand out.

Confidence is the most difficult part of getting started with podcasting and podcast guesting. Surround yourself with a supportive group to help you click publish on the first few episodes.

The podcasting industry has opportunities for everyone: podcasters, podcast guests, and advertisers. There are a lot of ways to tap into brand building and monetization.

This episode at glance …

>> (5:40-7:00) An overview of today’s podcasting landscape & trends for brand growth and monetization

>> (9:00-11:20) The benefits and importance of community building on podcasts

>> (11:25-16:35) The hardest part of getting started, best practices, and audience expectations

>> (16:40-18:30) Podcast guesting best practices

>> (18:40-28:00) How to think about podcast advertising/sponsorships from the podcaster perspective as well as the advertiser’s perspective

>> (28:00-30:20) The future of podcasting

>> (30:25-34:00) How AI is impacting podcasting

Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

“I love Christie and The Business That Story Built podcast!” Does that sound like you? Please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people like you who want to build a stronger business. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast! Every week I release an episode that helps strengthen the stories we tell ourselves and the stories we tell others. Follow now!

Ways to reach Sydney Stern, Podchaser & Christie Bilbrey

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydney-stern-b6021433/

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

Download my free guide: Create Your Buyer Persona

Download my free guide: 10 Tips to Grow Your Business as a Podcast Guest

August 28, 2023

Christie Bilbrey

65: Reputation Management & Crisis Communication with Pat Ford

August 28, 2023

Christie Bilbrey

PR Series

In this episode I interview Pat Ford, a Professional-in-Residence at the University of Florida and was the former CEO of Burson-Marstellar, about what reputation management means, why it matters for the success of your business, and how to prepare for a crisis before you have one.

Some top tips …

The more goodwill you demonstrate to your audience strengthens your reputation enough to withstand some negativity. If you don’t put forth the time and effort to fill it enough, anything negative about your company can potentially sink your business. It’s like filling a kitchen sink with water or filling a reservoir. If you pour one cup of contaminated water into a kitchen sink, you’ve ruined the water. If you’ve filled a reservoir, one cup of contaminated water can be balanced by the rest.

The pre-crisis phase of a crisis communication plan happens when everything is going fine during everyday business. You always need to be ready, because if not, you won’t be ready when it’s needed. The crisis management team should include the company’s head of PR or communications, someone in operations, the general counsel or someone from legal, someone from finance who deals with investors and funding sources, the social media manager, HR, and CIO or head of cybersecurity.

You can’t always trust the first reports you hear about a crisis. Just like during the fog of war, a crisis

Don’t underestimate how crucially important your employees are during a crisis. According to Harold Burson, “Your employees are someone’s best expert on your company. They are either your greatest ambassador or your fiercest critic.”

The post-crisis phase includes demonstrating that you’ve correctly identified the problem, and either guaranteeing that it won’t happen again or that you can minimize the chance of it happening again. The second part of this phase is rebuilding your reputation.

Before issuing a corporate apology, be ready to hear stories and express sympathy and concern for those who were affected as you learn the facts about who/what is to blame. The fog of crisis is confusing and filled with high emotions. Wait to issue a response until you find definitive facts. Regardless of whether or not the company is to blame, the public always expects them to lead the solution.

If you haven’t refreshed your crisis plan at least once in the past year, it may be obsolete.

This episode at glance …

>> (5:05-7:00) An equation to measure and improve your brand’s reputation

>> (7:05-10:00) Kitchen sink vs. reservoir example of reputation management

>> (10:30-12:05) The Page Principles

>> (12:10-22:00) How to create a crisis plan

>> (22:00-24) What to anticipate during a crisis

>> (24:15-30:30) How Domino’s Pizza came out stronger after a crisis and what others can learn

>> (30:35-32:15) How Tylenol’s historic recall in the ‘80s changed the industry

>> (32:35-34:00) Resist the temptation to call an end to a crisis too soon

>> (34:05-35:00) Rebuilding a reputation

>> (35:05-41:30) Handling corporate apologies

Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

“I love Christie and The Business That Story Built podcast!” Does that sound like you? Please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people like you who want to build a stronger business. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast! Every week I release an episode that helps strengthen the stories we tell ourselves and the stories we tell others. Follow now!

Ways to reach Pat Ford & Christie Bilbrey

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pat-ford-8b37562/

fordp@ufl.edu

https://twitter.com/onepitchsaas

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

Download my free guide: Create Your Buyer Persona

Download my free guide: 10 Tips to Grow Your Business as a Podcast Guest

August 14, 2023

Christie Bilbrey

64: Pitching Journalists with Jered Martin

August 14, 2023

Christie Bilbrey

PR Series

In this episode I interview Jered Martin, Co-founder and COO of OnePitch about the best ways to establish relationships with the media, pitch them, and grow your relationships with them. OnePitch is a simple and effective tool for PR and marketing professionals to quickly identify and connect with relevant journalists. The tool uses a combination of AI and machine learning to analyze pitches and press releases and match them with journalists who write about the same topics.

Some top tips …

Before you begin pitching the media, identify the right journalists for your niche and read their articles and social media to see what they write about, include, and what they may find helpful.

Before pitching a journalist for the first time, send them an intro email that includes who you are, what your company is, what your clients do, and why they are important to the journalist’s readers - even in bullets - then offer yourself as a resource. Just like anywhere else in life, make a connection first before asking for anything. Remember that you’re working with a human and focus on making genuine connections and building relationships.

Keep your pitches short and to the point: who, what, why. Bullets are great. Highlight why what you’re sending matters to this specific journalist and don’t take up too much of their time. Include helpful links and attachments to provide additional supportive details. Also, reference their previous work that you believe shows a connection with what you’re pitching now. Make sure you’ve actually read the article and can speak to it intelligently.

Follow-up emails are a good place to include photos or a media kit as opposed to sending with the original pitch. Wait at least 48 hours before sending and make sure that these provide additional value. Ask the journalist if what you’re sending is interesting and helpful to them.

When a journalist wants to speak with you, send your availability as fast as you can, and it’s ok to send them a calendar link to book time with you, to avoid too much back-and-forth with scheduling.

When a journalist includes you or your company in a piece, always send them a thank you note or email. Share it on your socials, email your list, and mention the journalist and publication by name. Some even run ads promoting the piece to lead prospects to their funnels.

This episode at glance …

>> (8:07-9:30) The best way to begin media relations: finding the right journalists for your business and establishing relationships with them

>> (9:35-13:55) Best practices for initial outreach to the media

>> (16:30-20:20) Best practices for writing pitches

>> (20:25-22:30) The issues with pitching the same thing to multiple journalists at the same publication & what to do instead

>> (22:30-26) Best practices for follow-up pitches

>> (28:20-30:45) How to maximize your media coverage

>> (34-29:05) How to connect with OnePitch and take advantage of their resources

Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

“I love Christie and The Business That Story Built podcast!” Does that sound like you? Please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people like you who want to build a stronger business. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast! Every week I release an episode that helps strengthen the stories we tell ourselves and the stories we tell others. Follow now!

Ways to reach Jered Martin, OnePitch & Christie Bilbrey

onepitch.co

blog.onepitch.co

onepitch.co/podcast

https://www.linkedin.com/company/onepitchsaas/

https://www.instagram.com/onepitchsaas/

www.lindseygamble.com/newsletter

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

Download my free guide: Create Your Buyer Persona

Download my free guide: 10 Tips to Grow Your Business as a Podcast Guest

July 27, 2023

Christie Bilbrey

63: How B2B Can Leverage Influencer Marketing with Lindsey Gamble

July 27, 2023

Christie Bilbrey

PR Series

In this episode of the PR series, I interview Lindsey Gamble about the best ways for B2B companies to take advantage of influencer marketing to grow their business. Lindsey is an Associate Director of Influencer Innovation at Mavrck, a leading all-in-one influencer marketing platform. He has more than five years experience working with enterprise consumer brands on creator and influencer marketing campaigns and a deep understanding of the creator economy.

Some top tips …

LinkedIn and YouTube are great platforms to connect with and create influencer campaigns with B2B influencers. They can write a LinkedIn post about your company, have your company sponsor their newsletter, have a joint webinar, or consider working with them as a consultant to help generate more ideas and content about how to get your brand in front of your audience with your message. They can help you reverse engineer your target audience’s customer journey and offer another perspective of how and where you might build campaigns to achieve your goals.

Focus less on what’s popular in influencer marketing for the B2C market but more about what appeals to your target audience for your buying decision. It may be much less glamorous but much more effective.
B2B can leverage LinkedIn creators, podcasters, thought leaders, and build integrated campaigns that incorporate different channels and aspects from content creation to consulting.
In addition to reaching out to influencers, make it easy for them to find you and reach out to you on your website. It’s a two-way street.

If you want to pursue an influencer but don’t know the right way to price it for them, it’s better to reach out and have a conversation with them to share how you’re thinking about working with them and ask what their budget would be. That can help to avoid turning them off simply because you didn’t know their pricing.

Alternative ways to work with influencers include hiring to be customer service at a tradeshow to help draw more of your audience, hire them to host your podcast or YouTube channel, hire them to be a part-time member of your marketing team, and consider working with creatives to help you solve problems or be a part of the brainstorming aspect. They’re experts who know their industries but may think differently than an in-house marketing team or management.

Be as clear and specific as possible in the creative brief to avoid confusion or receiving content that doesn’t meet your expectations. At the same time, make sure that you give them enough room to create content that reflects them, their audience, and allows them to use their creativity.

This episode at glance …

>> (6:45-10:30) Strategy and tactics that often work well for B2B

>> (10:40-11:45) Where to begin, identifying goals and budget, consider bringing in an influencer as a consultant to help with that process

>> (11:45-12:45) Partner with an influencer platform like Mavrck or manually reach out to those you’re considering working with on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, or email

>> (15:25-17) Best practices and what to avoid in working with influencers

>> (17:15-18:30) Alternative ways to work with influencers

>> (19:30-24:45) Where issues can pop up in the process and how to avoid them

>> (24:50-29:05) campaign results, expectations, and the realities of the current customer journey

>> (29:10-35:00) How AI is changing the influencer space

Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

“I love Christie and The Business That Story Built podcast!” Does that sound like you? Please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people like you who want to build a stronger business. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast! Every week I release an episode that helps strengthen the stories we tell ourselves and the stories we tell others. Follow now!

Ways to reach Lindsey Gamble & Christie Bilbrey

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsey-gamble/

erikasglutenfreekitchen.com

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

Download my free guide: Create Your Buyer Persona

Download my free guide: 10 Tips to Grow Your Business as a Podcast Guest

July 14, 2023

Christie Bilbrey

62: Content That Moves Your Business Forward with Erika Heald

July 14, 2023

Christie Bilbrey

In this episode of the PR series, I interview Erika Heald on all things content creation and digital marketing. Today, managing your digital marketing can become frustrating and overwhelming. When it comes to content, it's easy to get wrapped up in the idea you’re creating content for the sake of it, but it is crucial to focus on the goals. The goal of today’s episode is to provide you with practical tips and tricks for navigating the world of content strategy that will build your confidence and your business growth.

Some top tips …

Thought leadership has become a must-include component of most brands' PR and brand-building efforts. It is so easy to post content for the sake of posting but focus on posting content that is authentic and starts conversations within your online community.

Staying organized is the best way to reduce stress when planning your content. Utilize tools such as editorial calendars, content templates, and AI to maximize your efficiency and to ensure no aspect of your content strategy or plan is overlooked; even the smallest details matter!

Make sure your content strategies are rooted in solid goals and objectives. Whether creating content for your next post or trying to determine the channel that best fits you, remember that your goals and objectives are the ultimate destinations for success among your audience and your strategy.

Going viral should not be your goal! Going viral is a vanity objective, not a business objective, and it will not add monetary value to your brand. Remember, you are trying to share your message with a specific audience, not a giant one.

Commit to avoiding random acts of content marketing. Create useful content that your audience will enjoy consuming; don’t create something to fill your editorial calendar, create content you would spend time engaging with if you didn’t work for your company.

This episode at glance …

>> (2:45-4:13) Thought leadership has become a must-include component of most brands' PR and brand-building efforts. But what exactly IS thought leadership? Thought leadership is conveyed by a person who is unafraid to share their opinions, even the unpopular ones. Thought leaders make a huge difference in your content, stand out from the crowd and truly connect with your audience.

>>(4:16-5:30) Find different people to be thought leaders for your content. Utilizing various expertise will ensure you can meet all of your content strategy needs and allow your audience to connect with your brand more uniquely and authentically.

>>(5:40-8:07) Content pillars are essential to marketing on every channel because they help you define what you want to talk about and what you want to be known for. You don’t always need to rely on keywords for pillars; focus on what drives a true connection with your audience.

>>(8:10-8:59) Content marketing is all about getting to know your audience. Similar to servant leadership, you’re trying to be helpful. Rather than trying to sell your content you’re trying to be relentlessly helpful with your content.

>>(9:33-13:33) How do I know my content drives business growth? Take a look at Gini Dietrich’s ‘PESO Model’. This model will help you understand that all content is interconnected, and you can create content that works best for your audience, messages, and objectives.

>>(13:42-17:57) Editorial calendars help you organize your ideas, objectives, and pillars. This calendar is a flexible way to help you determine what you want to do and when you want to do it; it will also keep you accountable for committing to a specific time and activity.

>>(18:11-21:30) A common mistake in creating growth-focused content strategies is focusing too much on what your competitors do. If you only focus on sharing your version of what your competitors share, you won’t stand out as a unique voice in your space.

>>(21:40-24:55) The best way to gain momentum on a small budget is to make sure you’re creating and designing content with all the repurposing options in mind. Utilizing tools such as Copy.ai, Grammarly, Tailwind, and Canva are great AI tools for creating content and copy.

>> (25:40-33:51) Erika’s Twitter chat and Linkedin live were ultimately inspired by the questions, ‘How can we have a great conversation with an expert while also allowing our community to give their input, share opinions, and ask questions?’ It is a great way to drive brand recognition, engage the audience, and receive helpful feedback.

>>(31:49-31:24) When developing a plan and determining the right channels for your brand, focus on the places where you have a solid audience to engage with. Try a new form of content per quarter and figure out what you’re comfortable with. Be realistic with your expectations and try things that are manageable for you.

>> (33:55-36:26) While going viral seems exciting, that should never be the main goal of your post. Going viral is a vanity objective, not a business objective. Viral content does not serve your brand because it is a broad approach, not one that is focused around your target market. You aren’t trying to reach a vast audience, you’re trying to reach a specific audience.

>>(36:56-42:27) When pursuing paid speaking opportunities, start by defining your thought leadership strategy and what you really want to be known for, knowing you can offer something unique to the conversation. Start with pieces that are in your comfort zone and pursue opportunities where you know someone involved in selecting the speakers or where you can get an intro. Taking advantage of low-hanging fruit is a great place to start.

Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

“I love Christie and The Business That Story Built podcast!” Does that sound like you? Please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people like you who want to build a stronger business. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast! Every week I release an episode that helps strengthen the stories we tell ourselves and the stories we tell others. Follow now!

Links Mentioned in Today's Episode

Ways to reach Erika Heald & Christie Bilbrey

erikaheald.com

Twitter: @sferika

Erika’s free download: Tools and Templates to Accelerate Your Work

Erika’s free download: How to Build a Thought Leadership Platform

Erika’s free download: How to share company content in an authentic and meaningful way

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

Download my free guide: Create Your Buyer Persona

Download my free guide: 10 Tips to Grow Your Business as a Podcast Guest

June 29, 2023

Christie Bilbrey

61: The Ethics of AI in PR with Cayce Myers

June 29, 2023

Christie Bilbrey

PR Series

In this episode of the PR series, I interview Cayce Myers, a lawyer and professor of Public Relations and director of graduate studies at the School of Communications at Virginia Tech. His focus is on media history, political communication and laws that affect public relations practice. Today’s episode focuses on AI’s place in PR, the ethics of AI, regulations surrounding it, what practitioners should and shouldn't do, as well as considerations to make before adding it. With Myers' background in PR history, politics, and the law, we also discuss what we can learn from PR history, shifts occurring in social media due to AI, and more.

Some top tips …

AI is a disruptive technology force as was social media and the internet. It will change the field of communications, but he doesn’t think it will replace it. Learning from the past, technological innovations have been absorbed into public relations and now we think of it as indispensable.

Generative AI, like Chat GPT, can be used to enhance work quality, cut costs, and improve workflow but requires oversight by a human who reviews, edits, and fact checks the work product. There is a lot of discussion right now in the PR field about how to become a sophisticated user of generative AI and train others to become sophisticated and responsible users of AI.

Additionally, generative AI users in PR need to remember that in order to stand out in the marketplace, you can’t just spit out what generative AI gives you because you won’t be a thought leader until you use what you’re given and say something unique about it. To build any career, you need to offer a unique perspective, not the status quo that would be generated by AI like Chat GPT.

Government regulation of AI is an ongoing discussion and should be followed. The current regulatory issues are privacy, discrimination, and intellectual property. For public relations purposes, copyrights of intellectual property won’t be enforced if the content is produced more by AI than by a human.

There is a need to be transparent with clients about what's creating content, or you need to figure out what to say. Lastly, you need to have due diligence.

User’s should never take what’s generated as absolute truth. Don’t wait for regulations. It’s going to be harder and harder, but fact check.

This episode at glance …

>> [3:52 to 7:41] How companies today can learn from PR's past

>> [17:07 to 21:04] What PR pros should be aware of regarding government regulation of AI that would impact PR and the way companies communicate with their audiences

>> [21:05 to 26:09] Questions to consider before adding it into your PR processes

>> [26:10 to 31:02] How to watch for bias in the research and content created by AI

>> [31:30 to 34:05] How to stay on top of AI trends impacting the way you work

>> [34:06 to 39:19] How social media is changing the way multiple generations consume news and how journalists find stories and report the news

Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

“I love Christie and The Business That Story Built podcast!” Does that sound like you? Please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people like you who want to build a stronger business. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast! Every week I release an episode that helps strengthen the stories we tell ourselves and the stories we tell others. Follow now!

Ways to reach Cayce Myers & Christie Bilbrey

Cayce Myers’ Twitter: https://twitter.com/caycemyers

Cayce Myers’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cayce-myers-ph-d-ll-m-j-d-apr-a7252734/

https://amecorg.com/amecframework/

Christie Bilbrey’s Instagram: https://instagram.com/christiebilbrey

Christie Bilbrey’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christiebilbrey/

Free guide: Create Your Buyer Persona

June 20, 2023

Christie Bilbrey

business strategy

Target the Right Prospects with Mike Maynard

June 20, 2023

Christie Bilbrey

business strategy

PR Series

Today’s guest is Mike Maynard, managing director and CEO of The Napier Group, a U.K.-based PR and Marketing agency for B2B technology companies.

“A sequence of happy accidents” is how he describes his path to his role now. He started off studying engineering in college. After seeking more enjoyment, he ran a technical support team and later went into marketing at the same company. In 2001, during the market crash, he bought an agency, Napier. To prevent it shrinking and dying out, he went the extra mile for clients which made it the agency it is today.

Today’s episode discusses his unique career path, his tips for targeting the right prospects with account-based marketing, and his perspective on global PR trends.

Some top tips …

In the sales process, the most important thing is turning down the wrong prospects. The best relationships are ones in which you can do things for the client that no one else can and that you enjoy the relationship with the client.

The PR industry struggles with being able to provide meaningful metrics. Mike recommends the AMEC framework, which takes into account the objectives, strategy, activity, outcomes, and impact.

Account-based marketing is a hyper-focused approach to marketing in which you hand-select specific companies you want to work with and focus your efforts on them, not just specific sectors you want to work with but the exact companies. This is helpful for professional services businesses and others in which you build a working relationship with your client or there are only a few major companies in your market that move the needle.

On the other hand, if you have a business that doesn’t only have a few key players or your business is one in which you don’t need a working relationship with your customer, then a mass market approach can be the right choice.

Today, the ethics of your company is equally as important as what your company does and the features and benefits it provides. Communicating this matters from a PR perspective.

This episode at a glance …

>> [4:57 to 11:46] How to identify the right prospects for your business

>> [11:47 to 13:48] How to identify the right tactics for your marketing efforts?

>> [13:49 to 16:30] How the AMEC framework can help provide meaningful metrics dependent on the client.

>> [16:31 to 18:23] Account-based marketing, why it’s often a better method to find the right clients, and how to run an ABM campaign

>> [18:24 to 19:33] When it makes sense to take a broad, mass marketing approach

>> [19:35 to 27:18] The top global trends impacting PR and marketing, including the shift to a higher consumer focus on the ethics of a company more so than the product features and the pros and cons of using AI in PR.

Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

“I love Christie and The Business That Story Built podcast!” Does that sound like you? Please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people like you who want to build a stronger business. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast! Every week I release an episode that helps strengthen the stories we tell ourselves and the stories we tell others. Follow now!

Links in the episode & ways to reach Mike Maynard & Christie Bilbrey

mike@napierb2b.com

www.napierb2b.com

https://marketingb2btech.napierb2b.com/

Download my free guide: Create Your Buyer Persona