About Kelly Fletcher & Mary Beth WestSince 2008, Kelly Fletcher has built her Fletcher Marketing PR into a thriving marketing and PR team whose vision is to influence positive social change. She is a sought-after national speaker on the topic of marketing to women. Working with regional, national and Fortune 500 companies, Fletcher has 25 years’ experience in the full spectrum of integrated communications. Mary Beth West’s experience also spans 25 years and includes in-house and consulting posts for a range of publicly traded and privately held corporations as well as government agencies and not-for-profit organizations. Show NotesSo what’s in a name? Download our “Intro” episode of #MsInterPReted and learn from Kelly and Mary Beth why they’re turning the conversation on its head about public relations’ impact points for diverse businesses, organizations and society.In the #MsInterPReted podcast, Kelly and Mary Beth talk about Public Relations’ “MsInterPRetations,” as well as why their being Southern is a positive point of differentiation, what agency entrepreneurship means, and how women’s voices carry influence. Linkshttps://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/ Follow Fletcher PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @MaryBethWest Use the hashtag #MsInterPReted to join the conversation!
About Kelly Fletcher & Mary Beth WestSince 2008, Kelly Fletcher has built Fletcher Marketing PR into a thriving marketing and PR team whose vision is to influence positive social change. She is a sought-after national speaker on the topic of marketing to women. Working with regional, national and Fortune 500 companies, Fletcher has 25 years’ experience in the full spectrum of integrated communications. Mary Beth West’s experience also spans 25 years and includes in-house and consulting posts for a range of publicly traded and privately held corporations as well as government agencies and not-for-profit organizations. She has gained prominence in recent years as an outspoken advocate for ethical compliance and accountability in the public relations profession and in the U.S.-based professional association.Show NotesKelly and Mary Beth will reveal why #PR is so misunderstood in large part because of ethical missteps, how reactionary communicators shoot ethical strategy in the foot, how journalism now faces a credibility crisis, the wisdom of industry legend (and Tennessee native) Harold Burson, why working in collaboration with legal teams is essential, and how the London-based Public Relations and Communications Association (@PRCA_UK) is now leading the global profession with an accountability-driven ethical compliance model. https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/ Follow the PRCA on Twitter: @PRCA_UKFollow Fletcher PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @MaryBethWest Use the hashtag #MsInterPReted to join the conversation!
About Kelly Fletcher & Mary Beth West: Fletcher Marketing PR Founder and CEO Kelly Fletcher has built Fletcher Marketing PR into a thriving marketing and PR team whose vision is to influence positive social change. She is a sought-after national speaker on the topic of marketing to women. Working with regional, national and Fortune 500 companies, Fletcher has 25 years’ experience in the full spectrum of integrated communications. Fletcher has offices in Knoxville, TN, and Atlanta, GA. Fletcher Senior Strategist Mary Beth West, MPRCA, offers experience spanning 25 years, with in-house and consulting posts for a range of publicly traded and privately held corporations as well as government agencies and not-for-profit organizations. She founded, grew and later sold her 15-year PR firm to Fletcher Marketing PR in 2018. West is an authority on the topic of public relations ethics. In this episode, Kelly Fletcher reveals:Her approach to Marketing to Women and how she arrived at her fundamentals of one-concept-never-fits-all and why #PRdiversity is so important;Her favorite national niche campaign developed by Fletcher PR for spermicide brand Conceptrol®, with an edgy flair that won two Gold ADDYs (and spurs Mary Beth’s nervous laugh); Why advance test-marketing of more risky campaign concepts should never be overlooked; The essential role of market research;How risky waters should be navigated with research taking the lead, particularly when delving into socially or politically oriented campaign messaging;How #MeToo marketing arguably has been exploited for commercial gain . . . and why it’s never a smart move to pander or insult women’s (or anyone’s) intelligence.Links:Follow the "Ms. InterPReted" conversation via the Hashtag: #MsInterPReted Follow Fletcher PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @MaryBethWest Website: https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/ Learn more about the Fletcher Team Process: https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/about-us/process/
In the Tourism World, effective public relations, marketing and brand-storytelling make the world go ‘round to drive visitor interest, overnight-stays, destination ticket sales and positive economic outcomes. And that reality is only amplified across the Volunteer State: Tennessee, where tourism is a major driver of statewide as well as local economies. Join Fletcher Marketing PR Founder and CEO Kelly Fletcher and Senior Strategist Mary Beth West, as they take #MsInterPReted on a tour of the Tennessee Whiskey Trail, with special guests Chris Fletcher (Assistant Master Distiller of famed global brand Jack Daniel Distillery of Lynchburg, TN); Alexandra Castle (Master Distiller – and the first female master distiller in Tennessee – of Memphis-based Old Dominick Distillery); and “Peaceful Side of the Smokies” Tourism Director of the Smoky Mountain Tourism Development Authority, Kim Mitchell (Fletcher Marketing PR client). Together, Alex, Chris and Kim explain “whiskey mystique” and share with Kelly and Mary Beth the finer points of brand storytelling with whiskey’s unique identity as part of Tennessee culture and Southern lore – and how the female market segment is such a growing part of Tennessee tourism as well as the spirits industry. Don’t miss the Tennessee Whiskey Trail’s “Grains and Grits” Festival in partnership with the Smoky Mountain Tourism Development Authority, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019, 6:00-9:00 p.m., in Townsend, TN. In this episode, Kelly Fletcher and Mary Beth West uncover:Why their home state of Tennessee is a must-see on the global tourism map . . . and how PR, marketing and brand storytelling are essential parts of generating tourism’s economic impactThe competitive impact of the Tennessee Whiskey Trail (in friendly competition with the Kentucky Bourbon Trail What makes distillers like Chris Fletcher (Jack Daniel Distillery) and Alex Castle (Old Dominick Distillery) excited about going to work every day as part of Tennessee’s growing and dynamic distilling communityThe role of events like the upcoming Nov. 2, 2019, Grains and Grits Festival on the Tennessee spirits scene (watch for upcoming coverage in Wine Spectator!)How visitors to Tennessee can immerse themselves in rich, diverse experiences on the culinary, music, cultural and social scenes LinksKim Mitchell, Director of Tourism, Smoky Mountain Tourism Development Authority (@PeacefulSmokies): https://smokymountains.org/ Alex Castle, Master Distiller, Old Dominick Distillery (@OldDominick901): https://olddominick.com/ Chris Fletcher, Assistant Master Distiller, Jack Daniel Distillery (@JackDaniels_US) https://www.jackdaniels.com/en-us/visit-distillery Visit Knoxville: https://www.visitknoxville.com/ Tennessee Vacations: https://www.tnvacation.com/ (https://twitter.com/TNVacation) Tennessee Whiskey Trail: https://www.tnwhiskeytrail.com/ (https://twitter.com/TNWhiskeyTrail) Grains and Grits Festival: https://grainsandgritsfest.com/#info https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/ Follow Fletcher Marketing & PR on Twitter: @FletcherPRLearn more about the Fletcher Team Process: https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/about-us/process/ Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @MaryBethWest Use the hashtag #MsInterPReted to join the conversation!
Brand and CEO activism exists as a so-called strategic extension of brand awareness and engagement campaigns, often targeting younger audiences in particular and seeking to score loyalty points with consumers in general. But is the #BrandsTakingStands advocacy trend a consistently reliable strategy in the marketing toolbox, with big pay-off potential? After all, major and minor brands alike now are sinking big money into activist stances for the almighty marketing campaign. Or is #GetWokeGoBroke another trending hashtag for a valid reason . . . with cautionary tales littering the marketing and reputation-management scene, given that too many brands are “stepping in it” and getting CEO activism irreversibly wrong – with disastrous financial results? At what point is the commercialization of activism an inauthentic enterprise . . . only ratcheting up public divisiveness and other side-show issues (such as children / youth being used as campaign pawns) in our already divisive and hostile society, news media and social media environment? Mary Beth peels back the actual data of two fairly recent, highly publicized studies sponsored by well-known global PR agencies that tout CEO activism as a categorical “Must-Do” item in strategic communications . . . And as Mary Beth and Kelly reveal, there is undisclosed fine print as well as hidden asterisks to each study’s publicly reported data, telling an entirely different story than the one being promoted in agency news release headlines and Tweets favoring aggressive corporate activist stances. Kelly and Mary Beth offer cautionary points and expose how some PR firms may overtly promoting their own revenue-generating bottom lines instead of clients’ best interests. In this episode, Kelly Fletcher and Mary Beth West uncover:Does it make sense to go political with your brand?What are the risks… or the rewards… and what should be the ethics of PR firms as they guide their clients?Does corporate activism position client companies in a contrived manner as “The Hero” – when more modern storytelling techniques eschew this approach as a brand-development best practice?How do you make this approach successful in today’s era of echo chambers and tunnel vision?Are there “safe” issues – like equal pay or women’s rights? Or does ANY sociopolitical issue pose a risk of unintended rabbit holes, misinterpretations and consequences?Might social activism ideas and tactics actually fly in the face of #PRdiversity values?How did the University of Tennessee recently hit a major PR home-run using activism in a non-political and highly effective way?LinksMary Beth West’s published articles on this topic:“Spin Cycle: #PR Firms Push #CEO #Activism with Selective Data”:https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/spin-cycle-pr-firms-push-ceo-activism-selective-data-mary-beth/ “Rise of 'Do-Gooder' Marketing Can Pose Reputational Risks”:https://www.knoxnews.com/story/money/business/2019/04/11/public-relations-nikes-corporate-social-responsibility-has-risks/3069953002/ Follow the "Ms. InterPReted" conversation via the Hashtag: #MsInterPReted Follow Fletcher PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher Follow Mary Beth West, MPRCA, on Twitter: @MaryBethWest Website: https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/ Learn more about the Fletcher Team Process: https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/about-us/process/
About Mark WeaverMark Weaver started his marketing career as a blogger, photographer and social media influencer in the motorcycle industry. He moved to Knoxville, TN, from Louisville, KY, where he created digital marketing content for GE Appliances. He has a BA from Purdue University in Communications with Minors in Computer Technology and Organizational Leadership & Supervision. Now as content marketing manager for Radio Systems Corporation in Knoxville, TN (home of the Invisible Fence®, PetSafe® and SportDOG® brands), Mark has dreamed of living in Knoxville to be in a city full of personality and surrounded by so many opportunities for outdoor adventures and activities. Mark loves exploring nature with his wife and two kids. He loves to travel and experience new cultures, snowboarding, mountain biking, and of course dogs! Fun fact: Mark won the Showcase Showdown on the nationally televised game show “The Price is Right” and sold the two cars he won to live in Uganda, Africa to help out orphanages. Show NotesKelly Fletcher and Mary Beth West explore Mark Weaver’s insights about why influencer marketing “isn’t just the future; it’s the NOW.” Mark explains:What “influencer marketing” is by definitionHow he started on his pathway as an influencer himself for the motorcycle industryHow influencers tap into the trust factor that impacts the buyer’s journeyHow Mark is managing the influencer strategy and selection process at Radio Systems (which includes the PetSafe®, Invisible Fence®, and SportDOG® brands) with specific tools that all strategic communicators might consider for their technology toolboxWhy Instagram commands a lead roleWhy huge budgets may not be required to achieve significant resultsKelly also discusses the Julius / Lippe Taylor “State of Influencers Report 2019” Report; the role of macro-, micro- and nano-influencers; and the ethics / Federal Trade Commission legalities of influencer marketing transparency.LinksFollow the #MsInterPReted hashtagFletcher Marketing PR: https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/ Fletcher Marketing PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @marybethwest Follow Radio Systems Corp on Twitter: @RadioSystemsCor Follow Mark Weaver on Instagram: @markrweaver Find Radio Systems online: https://www.radiosystemscorporation.com/ Learn more about the Julius (@JuliusWorks) / Lippe Taylor (LippeTaylorPR) “State of Influencers Report 2019”: https://blog.juliusworks.com/state-of-influencers-report-2019-julius https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/influencer-marketing-is-maturing-heres-what-you-need-to-know-300867546.html?tc=socialpost
In this episode, Kelly Fletcher and Mary Beth West warn against a tactics-centric marketing / PR plan, which generally yields money ill-spent, piecemeal results and little cohesiveness with overarching business goals . . . hardly a formula for success. Strong, strategic systems of promotional communications and brand reputation-building require marketers, the C-Suite team and boards of directors to engage in a meaningful, data-driven process. Kelly and Mary Beth reveal the critical elements. Kelly and Mary Beth explain:How Marketing / PR RFPs go wrong with prescriptive tactics seeking a price list, rather than seeking agencies that offer a research-based, strategic approachHow to avoid misspending marketing dollarsWays that social media methodology requires special treatment, given how fast-moving it’s changingWhy “the process is the product” in strategic communications developmentTiming considerations to bear in mind when seeking to develop a strategy ahead of the necessary execution timelineHow competitive and situational analyses must factor in and how to engage input from the larger teamWhat a strategic mindset looks like through the marketing / PR lens and how it can be cultivated – and making sure the PR / marketing agency delivers the goods strategically with a “fiduciary” level of care for the marketing budget LinksFollow the #MsInterPReted hashtagFletcher Marketing PR: https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/ Fletcher Marketing PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @marybethwest
Links:Follow the #MsInterPReted hashtagMarc Nelson Denim: https://marcnelsondenim.com/ Follow Marc Nelson Denim on Twitter: @MarcNelsonDenim Find Marc Nelson Denim on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarcNelsonDenim/ Fletcher Marketing PR: https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/ Fletcher Marketing PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @marybethwest
In Episode 9 (Part 1 of this two-part interview), Kelly Fletcher, MPRCA, and Mary Beth West, MPRCA, welcome Francis Ingham, MPRCA – global leader of PRCA and Chief Executive of ICCO – who explains many issues of critical importance to the global public relations profession... like the importance of non-partisanship in professional associations, ethics in strategic communications, mental well-being among professionals working in high-pressure PR jobs, diversity & inclusion (and how D&I must factor into meaningful workforce development strategies to go beyond mere lip service in the PR field). Watch for Part 2 of this interview in the next episode of #MsInterPReted, when Francis delves into the topic of ethics and PRCA's most world-renowned case study of accountability standards for ethical compliance -- the expulsion of Bell-Pottinger. In Part 1: Francis discusses:How PRCA’s explosive growth is impacting the industry, in service to the highest standards of public relations practice;Why having an international outlook in the public relations profession is essential today, to help tackle the global industry’s shared issues and challenges;Why “taking a stand on issues that matter” is one of PRCA’s most important tasks… and how PRCA most recently helped forge a positive reversal-of-decision by an elected member of the Scottish Parliament who planned to serve part-time for a lobbying firm (an overt conflict of interest);Why professional membership associations that use their platforms toward overtly political or divisive ends have “lost their way”; How PRCA is undertaking the issue of mental / emotional well-being for public relations professionals, conducting its own research on this topic and providing tools to help agencies and employers to address these matters for their teams;How PRCA’s Apprenticeship Program and its just-announced Schools Outreach Programme (to younger ages) seeks to bring diverse communities into the PR workforce;Why the U.K. Government tasked PRCA-UK with assisting in Brexit preparations (and how PRCA is undertaking this task in a non-partisan manner). Listen for Part 2 of this Interview with Episode 10 of #MsInterPReted, when Francis explains the tough realities – and shocking repercussions – of taking a stand in the Bell-Pottinger ethics-violation case in 2017. Links:Follow the #MsInterPReted hashtagJoin PRCA today:Information about International Individual Membership Information about International Corporate Membership The link to join PRCA Discover Fletcher Marketing PR: https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/ Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR https://twitter.com/fletcherpr Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher https://twitter.com/kdfletcher Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @marybethwest https://twitter.com/MaryBethWest Follow PRCA-UK on Twitter: @PRCA_UK https://twitter.com/PRCA_UK Follow Francis Ingham on Twitter: @Ingers1975 https://twitter.com/Ingers1975 Follow PRCA’s #PRcast podcast: https://lnkfi.re/prcast Find out more about PRCA’s new Schools Outreach Programme: http://news.prca.org.uk/prca-launches-schools-outreach-programme/ Visit PRCA’s Newsroom to learn more about PRCA’s consistent, effective advocacy for the public relations profession: http://news.prca.org.uk/home/
In Episode 10 (Part 2 of 2) of this interview with PRCA Director General Francis Ingham, Francis explains the tough realities – and shocking repercussions – of taking a stand in the Bell-Pottinger ethics-violation case in 2017. Links:Learn more about the PRCA Bell Pottinger case study: https://www.prca.org.uk/campaigns/ethics/bell-pottinger-case-studyFollow the #MsInterPReted hashtagJoin PRCA today:Information about International Individual Membership Information about International Corporate Membership The link to join PRCA Discover Fletcher Marketing PR: https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/ Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR https://twitter.com/fletcherpr Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher https://twitter.com/kdfletcher Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @marybethwest https://twitter.com/MaryBethWest Follow PRCA-UK on Twitter: @PRCA_UK https://twitter.com/PRCA_UK Follow Francis Ingham on Twitter: @Ingers1975 https://twitter.com/Ingers1975 Follow PRCA’s #PRcast podcast: https://lnkfi.re/prcast Find out more about PRCA’s new Schools Outreach Programme: http://news.prca.org.uk/prca-launches-schools-outreach-programme/ Visit PRCA’s Newsroom to learn more about PRCA’s consistent, effective advocacy for the public relations profession: http://news.prca.org.uk/home/
Marshall keeps listeners laughing as well as riveted as he shares:How his memorial cartoons in 2018 of the late First Lady Barbara Bush and President George H. W. Bush became overnight, national media sensations while being embraced by the Bush Family (Marshall will be speaking at the Bush Presidential Library in December 2019);How his 9/11 cartoons helped unify a grieving nation; and How Jesus's Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30) served as a catalyst to change Marshall's life in the face of adversity -- including a serious bout with cancer, 18 cycles of career lay-offs in the newspaper business and the occasional animosities and even personal threats against his safety when a disenchanted reader fails to find either humor or good-natured irony in his work. Kelly Fletcher, Mary Beth West and the whole Fletcher PR team join Marshall in wishing everyone a safe, blessed Thanksgiving holiday. Links:Follow the #MsInterPReted hashtag in social media Follow Marshall Ramsey on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarshallRamsey Follow Mississippi Today: https://twitter.com/MSTODAYnews Follow Dave Ramsey on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DaveRamsey Discover Fletcher Marketing PR: https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/ Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR https://twitter.com/fletcherpr Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher https://twitter.com/kdfletcher Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @marybethwest https://twitter.com/MaryBethWest
About Mike McClamroch:A Knoxville, Tennessee native, Mike McClamroch has been East Tennessee Foundation’s chief executive since 2001. With his constant emphasis on excellent stewardship of the resources entrusted to the Foundation and on top-notch constituent services, Mike has overseen dramatic growth in the asset size and grantmaking of ETF. Prior to leading ETF, Mike practiced law and was an active volunteer with a variety of charitable organizations in the Knoxville area. In 2019, Mike received The Legacy Award for outstanding philanthropic leadership, presented by the Great Smoky Mountain Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. In Episode 12, Kelly and Mary Beth welcome Mike, who talks about the combination of passion, focus and expertise community foundations like East Tennessee Foundation deliver to the fabrics of local communities nationwide. Mike discusses:How and why philanthropy is relevant… now more than everWhy it’s so important to merge what you’re passionate about with your vocation (and how he’s personally accomplished this outcome through his leadership career path with ETF)How Mike’s personal collaboration with the late Lady Vols Head Coach Pat Summitt resulted in a national legacy through creation of the Pat Summitt Foundation (housed at ETF), to help find a cure for Alzheimer’sHow charitable organizations serve strategic needs in any community (and how public relations professionals can broker necessary relationships and programs to meet those needs)The types of nationwide community needs that philanthropic donors should consider when undertaking the task of investing dollars for local community impactWhat types of communications challenges community foundations encounter, in seeking to advance their missionsWhy careers in philanthropy are a direct path toward action-based impact… making the biggest differences to the most peopleWhy measuring impact is essentialTop mistakes that well-meaning philanthropists can easily make in the process of participating in charitable work / givingWhat “the new model” of charitable giving entailsWhy it’s important for employees of companies to be involved in the corporate giving process – such as by serving on a grant panelHow the power of endowment works as a core function of ETF to generate permanent grant-making opportunities, with benefits to grantees, donors and communitiesHow Millennials and women are helping drive philanthropy todayLinks:Follow the #MsInterPReted hashtag in social mediaDiscover East Tennessee Foundation (ETF): http://www.easttennesseefoundation.org/ Discover the Pat Summitt Foundation (housed within ETF): http://www.patsummitt.org/ Follow East Tennessee Foundation: @ETFoundation https://twitter.com/etfoundation Follow the Pat Summitt Foundation: @WeBackPat https://twitter.com/WeBackPat Discover Fletcher Marketing PR: https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/ Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR https://twitter.com/fletcherpr Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher https://twitter.com/kdfletcher Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @marybethwest https://twitter.com/MaryBethWest
The holiday season at year-end can be spiritually fulfilling and laden with good cheer . . . but it's also a time of over-booked calendars, never-ending "to do" lists (both personally and professionally) and -- in the agency business -- year-end tasks coupled with plans for the upcoming New Year Q1 that might derail well-meaning intentions to take peaceful R&R with family and friends.Every PR professional encounters workplace stress at any time of the year . . . but what happens when stresses go into overdrive and start resulting in deeper, more negative impacts on one's mindset, energy level and an ability to bring one's best self to their teams (and to their own personal lives)?In this episode, Kelly and Mary Beth share what some of the unique challenges entail of founding, launching and sustaining over many years a thriving public relations agency . . . and how both employers and employees alike should be more aware of one another's challenges and needs in order to create a healthy workplace culture, conducive to great business results and healthy mindsets year-round. Links:Follow the #MsInterPReted hashtag in social mediaDiscover Fletcher Marketing PR: https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/ Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR https://twitter.com/fletcherpr Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher https://twitter.com/kdfletcher Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @marybethwest https://twitter.com/MaryBethWest
Join Kelly and Mary Beth as they take a walk down memory lane of "Ms. InterPReted" / Season 1 and revisit their favorite on-air moments, as well as some of the key take-aways from the first 13 episodes of the podcast . . . including their amazing guests' wit, humor, wisdom, insights and incredible storytelling -- all about the power of strategic communications, human relationships and the fundamentals of good PR. As the Fletcher Marketing PR team takes a podcast hiatus for the holidays, don't forget to tune back in to #MsInterPReted on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020 for the launch of Season 2. . . Kelly and Mary Beth will have some interesting tweaks and new offerings to announce for the podcast in the New Year! Links:Follow the #MsInterPReted hashtag in social mediaDiscover Fletcher Marketing PR: https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/ Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR https://twitter.com/fletcherpr Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher https://twitter.com/kdfletcher Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @marybethwest https://twitter.com/MaryBethWest
About Bob DickieAs CEO of Bonvera, Bob Dickie leads a premium health, wellness, and lifestyle company where entrepreneurs are celebrated. Prior to the private sector, Bob served more than six years as a captain in the United States Air Force in various assignments that led to extensive duty in Europe and Asia. Post-military, Bob became the CEO for an international retail and training company supplying the direct sales and network marketing industry, which led to deep working relationships with Amway and MonaVie, to name a few. Leading a company turn-around, Bob’s team rebuilt the entire organization, with new technology and product lines helping the organization more than triple in size from 2004 to 2009.As a college athlete, U.S. Air Force Athlete of the Year, and 3rd US finisher in the Boston Marathon (23rd overall), Bob enjoys physical challenges as well as immersing himself in turn-around environments with team-building and scaling operations. He is married and the father of six children. Show NotesKelly welcomes Bob Dickie, who talks about his CEO journey to Bonvera and explains how direct-selling works, as it has evolved to a significant market force in the U.S. and abroad. Bob discusses:How the seeds of the direct-selling industry decades ago (with such companies as Avon and Tupperware) have now flourished through the power of word-of-mouth and direct-to-consumer marketing, amid so many people tuning out traditional marketing methods to inform their purchasing choices and drive their product passions;How 80% of Bonvera’s sales-team entrepreneurs are women;Why women are flocking to the direct-selling self-employment model due to a global economy; pressures for diversified U.S. household incomes; the growth of the gig economy / freelancer economy – particularly for the Millennial Generation; low cost to entry and other factors;The “love-it-or-you-hate-it” reputation of direct-selling and what drives misconceptions about the industry;The finer points of best-in-class product development and how systems of integrity must be upheld to build and earn positive brand reputation;How “fast-moving streams” and trends in society are reflective of the direct-selling evolution;How to overcome “fear of salesmanship” and find a product passion, to best consider opportunities in the field.Links:Follow the #MsInterPReted hashtagDiscover Bonvera: https://bonverahq.com/ Discover Fletcher Marketing PR: https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/ Follow Bob Dickie on Twitter: @RobertDickie https://twitter.com/RobertDickie Follow Bonvera on Twitter: @Bonvera_US https://twitter.com/bonvera_US Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR https://twitter.com/fletcherpr Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher https://twitter.com/kdfletcher Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @marybethwest https://twitter.com/MaryBethWest
In Episode 16, Kelly, Mary Beth and long-time Atlanta radio personality and LGBT trailblazer Melissa Carter explore what brands, marketers and strategic communicators are getting right (and wrong) about reaching the lesbian segment of the market. Melissa shares:Her personal coming-out journey, and what teenage and early-adult life was like for her in a Bible-belt, Middle Tennessee small town;How coming-out to her family set the pace for her to embark on an authentic life in her mid-20s, and how her father’s reaction as a Christian (and his comment about Jesus) was such a critical moment in her life;Her experience as an organ-donation recipient (kidney) and how finding a nephrologist in a gay-friendly Atlanta medical directory saved her life;Fairness issues of being “branded” gay / lesbian (given that straight people are not branded “straight”);What it means when marketers give lesbians “the scraps from the straight table” and why only lukewarm LGBT brand support never works well;What brands like Absolut Vodka, Subaru, Disney, The Hallmark Channel and Chik-fil-A are doing right or wrong in their messaging;Differences between supporting the gay community versus a willingness to SEE the gay community;How societal messages and conditioning of boys versus girls when they’re growing up feed lifelong behaviors that impact women’s ability to achieve career success;What elements of brand-experience and authenticity drive loyalty within the lesbian community;What legacies of inclusion versus exclusion mean for brands long-term. Links:Follow the #MsInterPReted hashtagTune in to Melissa Carter’s “She Persisted” podcast: https://shepersistedshow.com/ Follow Melissa Carter on Twitter: @MelissaCarter https://twitter.com/MelissaCarter Discover Fletcher Marketing PR: https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/ Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR https://twitter.com/fletcherpr Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher https://twitter.com/kdfletcher Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @marybethwest https://twitter.com/MaryBethWest
Show Notes:In Episode 17, Kelly and Mary Beth interview two women whose wit, grit and wisdom on the subjects of career and community success make for one of the most compelling episodes yet of #MsInterPReted.Sharon Hannum and Joy Bishop share:Their personal stories of entering their respective careers in male-dominated work environments (heavy manufacturing and military, respectively) and in an era when the women’s movement was only just beginning (the 1970s) and racial equality ethics were not widely discussed – much less implemented – in many workforce environments; How both dealt with overt incidents of discrimination in their careers while forging positive careers forward;How the strategies and techniques of getting a career foothold have changed over the years… and what aspects have stayed the same; Why it’s so important that woman-to-woman support systems are positive ones and not of a negative scarcity-mentality that play into common stereotypes;What companies often do wrong in the area of community involvement … and what changes they should make to get things right. Links:Follow the #MsInterPReted hashtagDiscover Fletcher Marketing PR: https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/ Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR https://twitter.com/fletcherpr Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher https://twitter.com/kdfletcher Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @marybethwest https://twitter.com/MaryBethWest
In Episode 18 (Episode 4 of Season 2), Mary Beth speaks with Shay Lynn about several essential components of nudge theory and how nudge communications can make strategic communications initiatives even more valuable to organizations. Shay and Mary Beth also discuss the complexity of PR metrics and how "too much of a good thing" can result in meaningless data overload for both PR teams and clients, without necessary directional insights that prove the real value of managing data in the first place. Among Shay's insights:How her new journey as an entrepreneur is unfolding, in leading her own public relations consultancy -- already to much industry attention and acclaimWhat "nudge communications" is, examples of how it's integrated into campaigns, what the benefits are, and how public relations professionals can use nudge as an effective, well-planned techniqueWhy metrics -- while important -- also can be mismanaged in ways that take the focus off the core benefits of campaign outcomes (or even make entire companies go awry, such as in the precedent-setting case example of Wells Fargo in the U.S. banking industry)How ethics factor into both nudge communications as well as use of metricsHow a PRCA-UK PR Council initiative Shay is overseeing on ethics is looking to undertake its work in 2020What three things public relations professionals should focus on today to achieve meaningful behavioral change with targeted stakeholdersLinks:Follow the #MsInterPReted hashtagDiscover Lynn PR: www.lynnpr.co.uk Connect with Shayoni Lynn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shayonislynn/ Follow Shay Lynn on Twitter: https://twitter.com/shayonislynn Follow Lynn PR ltd on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LynnPRLtd Discover Fletcher Marketing PR: https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/ Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR https://twitter.com/fletcherpr Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher https://twitter.com/kdfletcher Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @marybethwest https://twitter.com/MaryBethWest Follow the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA-UK): https://twitter.com/PRCA_UK
Kelly and Mary Beth have a candid chat about #EthicsWashing and how it’s damaging the public relations industry – particularly when PR industry associations are the ones doing it. Included in the discussion:How the #MeToo movement’s authenticity demands have changed some aspects of the automotive industry; How #Greenwashing, #Pinkwashing and #Gaywashing have joined the line-up of authenticity fails under public scrutiny… and why walking-the-talk is so essential;How #EthicsWashing is the latest iteration of the same phenomenon;How some simple questions Mary Beth asked the Global Alliance – originally in December 2019 – snowballed into an “international incident”;Background of what the Global Alliance is and confusion about its mission versus known deliverables / impacts;What other kinds of non-transparency behaviors by PRSA are transpiring that undermine member trust (and PRSA’s own ability to lead its U.S.-based membership in a credible manner);What value systems of accountability are supposed to look like … and how certain leaderships have drifted away from that mandateLinks: Follow the #MsInterPReted hashtagDiscover Fletcher Marketing PRFollow Fletcher Marketing PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @marybethwest Find out more about the Global AllianceRead the Global Alliance Code of Ethics Read Mary Beth’s blog post on her banishment by the GA
Kelly and Mary Beth delve into the general considerations all management teams should consider when undertaking crisis preparedness … with the first mandate being – Don’t Delay! Included in the discussion:How human reactions such as denial and “paralysis by analysis” universally stymie the best crisis-planning intentions… and how to overcome initial inertia;Why there is a major difference between having an operational crisis plan and a communications-driven crisis plan (including both internal and external stakeholders) … and that you can’t have an adequate plan until you have bothcomponents;How Kelly and Mary Beth have managed crisis consultations in their careers for a wide range of clients, including Mary Beth’s own former PR firm’s business crisis, when her office was destroyed in an office fire, requiring the displacement of her full agency team for nearly two months;Ways in which crisis communications planning have changed in recent decades, evolving from the “traditional media” paradigm to the past two decades’ far more dynamic, complicated and Citizen Journalism-driven platform of digital media;Critical considerations of IT systems back-ups, off-site employee work continuity, adequate insurance coverages and other operational / practical aspects for businesses of all sizes / scales to keep in mind;How interdepartmental, interdisciplinary inclusion across management team functions must be integrated in the planning and execution process;Why having employee contact-with-media and employee social media policies are so important;And much more. Links:Follow the #MsInterPReted hashtagDiscover Fletcher Marketing PR Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @marybethwest