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In this week’s minisode, your host Lexie Smith, takes listeners behind the scenes and shares how her team at THEPRBAR Agency approaches customizing and creating pitch angles for journalists. This episode offers valuable insights for PR professionals, founders, and entrepreneurs looking to uplevel their businesses and career by landing earned placements in the media.  Here’s What You’ll Learn: Lexie emphasizes that bulk pitching doesn't work anymore and that it's crucial to create custom pitches for each journalist and outlet She advises starting with a general theme or idea and then identifying outlets and contacts that align with that theme Suggestions on researching the journalist thoroughly by looking at their byline page, portfolio, and social media links and consuming their content Tips on cautioning against pitching the same thing the journalist has already covered and advises finding a unique angle or perspective for the pitch Tips on keeping the pitch brief, personalized, and tailored to the journalist's interests and preferences Lexie concludes by encouraging listeners to prioritize building relationships with journalists by providing value and being respectful of their time   Sign up For Lexie's Weekly Insider to Receive Insider Tips, Invites, & More at: https://theprbarinc.com/newsworthy/ Instagram: @theprbar_inc

Caitlin Copple (she/they) is the Founding Partner & Head of PR at Full Swing Public Relations and a strategic communications expert who helps women leaders be seen and sought after so they can reclaim their power and rewrite the human story. With more than a decade of experience, her media placements have included Fast Company, Forbes, TIME, and The New York Times, among others. In 2011, Caitlin was the first openly LGBTQ person elected to the Missoula, Montana, City Council. She holds an M.A. in journalism from the University of Montana and loves enjoying the outdoors with her young son, Tollie.  In this episode, Caitlin breaks down how to effectively represent marginalized groups in public relations and how her business, Full Swing PR, strives to do so. She gives us her best pitching tips and offers advice on effectively pitching journalists within marginalized communities. Here’s what you’ll learn: How Caitlin got her start in the PR World Tips on becoming a qualified source for underrepresented groups The benefit and importance of learning from people in different groups outside of your community Services Full Swing PR offers and how they go about working with clients Her thoughts on what goals are realistic for  businesses to expect when it comes to PR Tips on pitching for local outlets to get more placements Ideas on how to raise journalists in marginalized groups  Her thoughts on what happens when PR ‘doesn’t work  Practices you can commit to start getting wins  What types of clients Full Swing PR works with And more!  Social media links: Website: https://www.fullswingpr.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ccmasingill/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/caitlincopple Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/fullswingpr/ Sign up For Lexie's Weekly Insider to Receive Insider Tips, Invites, & More at: https://theprbarinc.com/newsworthy/ Instagram: @theprbar_inc

In this minisode, host Lexie Smith walks listeners (and viewers) through the 2023 Global Comms Report: A Seminal Moment produced by PRWeek and Cision. She breaks down various segments of the report and helps listeners digest some of the results and statistics so they can best apply the information to their PR strategies going forward.  Here’s what you’ll learn: Highlights from the 2023 Global Comms Report: A Seminal Moment produced by PRWeek and Cision Who has the power to persuade in the media industry globally and within the United States Top platform preferences of communications professionals and PR pros Mainstream journalists were rated the top in the US for “Most Influence” The least influential groups globally and in the US Content considerations statistics on what audiences want to see in 2023 Resources Lexie is looking at for PR day to day And More!   Find the full Muck Rack report here: https://www.cision.com/resources/white-papers/2023-global-comms-report/ Sign up For Lexie's Weekly Insider to Receive Insider Tips, Invites, & More at: https://theprbarinc.com/newsworthy/ Instagram: @theprbar_inc

Amber Sabri is a Creative Consultant, and Founder & CEO of Azhar PR, a New York-based PR & Digital Marketing agency that amplifies female founders + minority-owned brands in the online space. Throughout all of her career endeavors, in industries that have been dominated by the majority, Amber’s mission is to help empower the minority + even the playing field.  In this episode, Amber talks about Gen Z’s perspective on the  ever-changing landscape of media and  PR. She shares what led to her launching a PR firm at the age of 24, her predictions on  the future of digital media and traditional PR, and how to effectively pitch creators and influencers on TikTok and beyond. Here’s what you’ll learn: How Amber got her start in the media and PR industry How Amber started Azhar PR at 24 years old Her perspective and the ‘Gen Z’ perspective on the media landscape at large and how social media is a part of it Her thoughts on the future of digital media and traditional PR  PR and pitching strategies she’s used with her clients Tips on what to do during a gifting suite with clients How to integrate social media into a PR strategy How to let your brand’s authenticity makes a big impact The difference between creators and influencers  How to pitch creators and influencers on TikTok And more! Social Media Links: Personal IG: https://www.instagram.com/missambersabri/ Business IG: https://www.instagram.com/azharpublicrelations/ Business Website: https://www.azharpr.com/ Consulting Website: https://www.missambersabri.com/ Sign up For Lexie's Weekly Insider to Receive Insider Tips, Invites, & More at: https://theprbarinc.com/newsworthy/ Instagram: @theprbar_inc

Catharine Montgomery founded Better Together - a VC-backed full-service, Black woman-founded, and purpose-driven public relations agency - in 2022 following a successful global agency and in-house PR career. Holding a Bachelor of Science in PR and Marketing from Auburn University and an MBA from the University of Maryland's Smith School of Business, Catharine is passionate about using her expertise to support social justice efforts and bring about meaningful change. In today’s episode, Catharine talks about her unique entry into starting, launching, and growing her PR agency and the lessons she’s still learning. She also discusses how to navigate serving worthy accounts with small budgets and how to represent marginalized and underserved clients and communities effectively. Here’s what you’ll learn: Learn about Catharine’s career in PR before starting her agency Hear the unique opportunity that allowed her to start Better Together Hear how she landed her first paying client Learn the importance of networking connections when entering the agency world How to navigate diversity, equity, and inclusion when serving clients in PR  How to handle worthy clients with small budgets The importance of remembering the mantra: ‘hire slow, fire fast’ How Catharine is building her team at her agency And More! Links to/about Better Together: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thebettertogetheragency https://thebettertogether.agency Sign up For Lexie's Weekly Insider to Receive Insider Tips, Invites, & More at: https://theprbarinc.com/newsworthy/ Instagram: @theprbar_inc

Host Lexie Smith shares four things you can do with your pitches that don't land in this minisode. From new systems to repurposing strategies and beyond, Smith believes you shouldn’t have to let your hard work go to waste when pitching. Here’s What You’ll Learn: Lexie Smith shares what to do with pitches that don't land.  She offers four suggestions to ensure that the hard work put into PR pitches doesn't go to waste She emphasizes the importance of saving pitches and offers different ways and systems to do so effectively.  She also talks about repurposing pitches for future content, social media or using them for a byline. She shares how to reuse content for future pitches by integrating previously unused data points, quotes, or angles into new pitches. And more Sign up For Lexie's Weekly Insider to Receive Insider Tips, Invites, & More at: https://theprbarinc.com/newsworthy/ Ways you Can Work with THEPRBAR: https://theprbarinc.com/private-workshops/ Instagram: @theprbar_inc Go back to the homepage

In this week’s episode, we’re Pitchin’ and Sippin’ with writer and editor Melanie Rud on all things beauty, bylines, and mastheads. Prior to becoming a full-time freelance writer, Melanie held beauty editorial positions at magazines such as ​​Shape, Good Housekeeping, and Health. Today she contributes to outlets such as Byrdie, People.com, RealSelf, RealSimple.com, Brides.com, Women's Health, Midwest Living. Tune in to learn all about how to pitch for beauty, the reality of newsroom mastheads, and Melanie’s personal pitching preferences and pet peeves.  Here’s what you’ll learn: Melanie’s background and career in the fashion and beauty industry How her journalism journey progressed Her different roles and titles and how they evolved  How she landed coveted internships Melanie’s pitching preferences when being pitched in the beauty space How she built up her portfolio and used her contacts to establish herself as a freelance writer Her preferences in receiving products when writing about a product Pet peeves when receiving pitches And More! Social media links: Website: https://www.melanierud.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melrud_/?hl=en Sign up For Lexie's Weekly Insider to Receive Insider Tips, Invites, & More at: https://theprbarinc.com/newsworthy/ Instagram: @theprbar_inc

Maggie Gillette is a multi-talented multi-passionate entrepreneur, moderator, expert, and freelance writer covering the fashion, lifestyle, and home beats for both print and digital media. She’s written for outlets such as Better Homes & Gardens, Influenced Magazine, Byrdie, Insider, and much more.  In today’s episode, Maggie talks about all things freelance journalism, the start of her career in the fashion industry, and how she got to where she is now as a writer. She shares how she writes as an expert, and how to promote yourself as the expert in a pitch. She shares tips for pitching writers and important components to make your pitch stand out.  Here’s what you’ll learn: The highlights of Maggie’s career that led to where she is today Her passion for being in the fashion world and how she launched her own lingerie line How the fashion world led her into the writing world What Maggie is actively doing now as an expert in lifestyle and fashion writing The initiative she is working on to boost the Chicago fashion scene How Maggie can speak to both the source and journalist side of freelance writing Different groups and resources to use when pursuing press  Tips on making sure your pitch matches the expert source request And Much More! Social media links: Instagram website LinkedIn Resources for finding press:  PR Journo Request: ​​https://twitter.com/PRJournoRequest?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor Press for Success:https://www.instagram.com/sabinaknows/?hl=en https://sabinaknows.com/start/  Sign up For Lexie's Weekly Insider to Receive Insider Tips, Invites, & More at: https://theprbarinc.com/newsworthy/ Instagram: @theprbar_inc

Alesandra (Alice) Dubin is a Los Angeles-based travel and lifestyle writer. Her bylines appear in outlets such as Insider, Travel + Leisure, Esquire, Glamour, Good Housekeeping, AFAR, Prevention, Woman’s Day, Shondaland, Southern Living, Fast Company, and countless others. She has a bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley and a master’s in journalism from New York University. In this special sneak peek episode of Season 5, Alice and host Lexie Smith talk about the current state of the media industry and where it’s headed with the emergence of AI and ChatGPT. From delving into her career to discussing the future of freelance writing and her personal preferences when being pitched, Alice shares her opinion and expertise on what’s to come in the world of media and PR in 2023 and beyond. Here’s what you’ll learn: How Alice Dubin got her start in the world of journalism The path her career has taken over the years and her transition into full-time freelance journalism A recap of why media layoffs are happening industry-wide What ChatGPT is and how it's being used Her thoughts on what AI and ChatGPT mean for the future of the industry at large What type of stories and journalism we’ll see as AI continues to develop Alice Dubin’s personal pitching preferences Her thoughts on how to support freelancers during this time in the media industry And More! Social media links: Substack: https://alicedubin.substack.com/ Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter: @alicedubin Website: alicedubin.com Sign up For Lexie's Weekly Insider to Receive Insider Tips, Invites, & More at: https://theprbarinc.com/newsworthy/Instagram: @theprbar_inc

 In this episode, I get personal in reflecting on 10 things I learned in 2022. From business and industry trends to personal life lessons, I break down the most important things I will be taking with me as I head into 2023. Hear how my business grew, life grew, and everything in between.  Here’s what you’ll learn: 10 things that Lexie learned this last year The importance of sleep, health, and remembering how social media doesn’t always show the full picture Important PR and business tips to keep in mind as you head into 2023 The power of collaboration and adapting a collaborative mindset How critical it is to stand top of mind as a brand, and how PR plays a critical role in such A reminder that life doesn’t slow down, so you have to And more Sign up For Lexie's Weekly Insider to Receive Insider Tips, Invites, & More at: https://theprbarinc.com/newsworthy/Instagram: @theprbar_inc

We are doing a feed drop this week with Lexie’s interview with Jamie Ratermann on the Limitless Podcast. This episode focuses on PR & Marketing. While there are many similarities, there are also crucial differences that tie up PR and marketing to create an almost perfect communication strategy. Jamie Ratermann chats with PR coach Lexie Smith, about cancel culture, communication crises, and how PR can be a long-term strategy that focuses on the credibility of your brand while also creating visibility for you. Here’s what you’ll learn: How Lexie refers to PR looking like collaboration and relationships Some differences between public relations and marketing Lexie’s entrepreneurial journey  Utilizing social media in the PR process Tips on the art of cultivating opportunities  Tips on handling constructive criticism and negative comments, especially on social media Tips on preparing clap-back statements Tips on handling cancel culture and getting neutral And More! Check out the Limitless Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/limitless/id1612863029 Sign up For Lexie's Weekly Insider to Receive Insider Tips, Invites, & More at: https://theprbarinc.com/newsworthy/ Interested in learning more about Pitchin’? Book a Free Consultation here. Instagram: @theprbar_inc

Aly Walansky is an award-winning travel and food journalist with over 20 years of experience in the field writing for outlets such as Food & Wine, Food Network, Forbes, TODAY Show, Southern Living, AllRecipes, The Kitchn, and many more. Muck Rack rated her the #1 Food Journalist of 2022, and her Substack, which she sends out six days a week to thousands of subscribers, was recently rated a Substack Bestseller.  In today’s show, we dive into the worlds of Food, Travel & Lifestyle Journalism. We talk about press dinners, lead times, and the editorial process, and review Aly’s personal pitching preferences. She also breaks down the difference between a journalist freelance pitch and a PR pitch, subject line winners and don’ts, and more. Here’s what you’ll learn: How to pitch as a freelance writer to an editor and the difference between a journalist freelance pitch and a PR pitch Standard lead times for the industry at large How to get Media to attend press dinners (and are press dinners still even a thing?) How Aly got into the world of food and travel journalism How Aly uses Substack and manages to keep all of her ongoing projects organized Hear Aly Walansky’s pitching preferences The importance of formatting a pitch like the journalistic “inverted pyramid” How to craft a winning subject line, and what to avoid when pitching Hear what she’s working on currently for different publications And More! Social media links: Substack: https://alywalansky.substack.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alywalansky/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/alywalansky LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alywalansky/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alywalansky Sign up For Lexie's Weekly Insider to Receive Insider Tips, Invites, & More at: https://theprbarinc.com/newsworthy/ Instagram: @theprbar_inc

Liz Kressel currently is the CEO of Lizard Strategy where she works with retailers and consumer brands both large and small — such as Keurig, Eagle Creek, and Crunch Fitness - to craft, launch and grow digital sales into sustainable revenue streams. Liz started her early days in e-commerce working on lifestyle-based subscription models for the big media giants and previously launched and ran a million-dollar shopping partnership with A+E Television Networks to sell products from their shows online and on TV in real-time, achieving complete product sell-out within 3 months' time. An early pioneer in the shoppable content space, she also serves on the  Board of BEON, a shoppable OTT channel.   In today’s episode, we dive into the world of live shopping, social commerce, and e-commerce. We learn how live shopping and social commerce can be used as effective strategies to increase sales and how to ensure your website is optimized to convert when you land your next big media feature.Here’s what you’ll learn: How Liz got her start in the e-commerce and social commerce space How she launched her services for big-name brands as well as startups What live shopping and social commerce is  Her tips on how to increase e-commerce sales How the live shopping industry got its start and popular platforms to explore How to optimize your e-commerce site to convert How live shopping combines content, commerce, and community at the same time And More! Social Accounts: LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizkressel/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lizkressel/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/lizkressel Sign up For Lexie's Weekly Insider to Receive Insider Tips, Invites, & More at: https://theprbarinc.com/newsworthy/ Interested in learning more about Pitchin’? Book a Free Consultation here. Instagram: @theprbar_inc

In today’s episode, Lex gets personal talking about why she decided to expand THEPRBAR brand and launch a new boutique PR agency with a twist – THEPRBAR Agency. She breaks down the when and the why and shares insights on when it’s the right time to outsource PR and onboard an agency (and when it’s not).   Here’s what you’ll learn: Why THEPRBAR is expanding and launching a PR agency What THEPRBAR brand at large looks like and offers today How Lexie came to this place in her own business and why she decided to launch Tips on knowing the right time to onboard or outsource to a PR agency The benefits of DIY PR and the benefits of outsourcing PR And More! Sign up For Lexie's Weekly Insider to Receive Insider Tips, Invites, & More at: https://theprbarinc.com/newsworthy/ Instagram: @theprbar_inc

Samantha Bryant has nearly two decades of experience sharing the stories of businesses with media both locally and nationally. Her clients have ranged from retail giants, educational leaders, start-ups, renowned chefs, fashion designers, authors, boutique hotels, and non-profits. Samantha’s illustrious background allows her to truly know today’s media markets inside and out. She has been on both ends of the spectrum serving as a reporter at an award-winning publication in Iowa City and diving into production at a nationally syndicated television show in Chicago.  In today’s episode, we dive into what it means to be timely  - we chat through timely strategies, follow-ups, pitches, and press releases, and wrap up by touching on how brands can utilize community relations to spread brand awareness.  Here’s what you’ll learn: How Samantha got her start in her public relations career How she dabbled in many different areas of public relations including journalism How Samantha got big name accounts on her resume How Samantha began freelancing and working for herself  The importance of client relationships when growing your PR business Learn Samantha’s tips on resources to stay up to date on pitch ideas Hear what a pitch needs to be considered timely How brands can utilize community relations to spread brand awareness And More!  Website: https://www.samanthabryantpr.com/about Instagram: @samanthabpublicity  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthahartbryant/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/sambryant Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SamanthaBryantPR Sign up For Lexie's Weekly Insider to Receive Insider Tips, Invites, & More at: https://theprbarinc.com/newsworthy/ Interested in learning more about Pitchin’? Book a Free Consultation here. Instagram: @theprbar_inc

Allison Carpio is an author, podcast host of Hella Delicious Emails, and copywriting chef at The Conversion Kitchen. Her clients have used email to sell out their service packages, book more sales calls, and generate more warm leads. She ran quiz funnels with 8-figure businesses in the health and wellness space, converted influencer’s 1M followers into buyers, generated leads for B2B startups, and coached service-based businesses with digital offers on cooking up a palatable copy. In today’s episode, we dive into all things email marketing. Tune in to hear how we go over 4 different flavors of emails, how to make mouthwatering “shut up and take my money” copy, and much more.Here’s what you’ll learn: Hear how Allison got her start in writing and career Learn different email marketing strategies to uplevel your presence in emails  Learn different email marketing tools and programs to use Hear how Allison serves up content to her clients  Learn about Allison’s show and tips on email marketing Tips on copywriting that sells and how Allison works with her clients  And More! Social Links:  Website: https://www.theconversionkitchen.com/ IG: https://instagram.com/allisoncarpio Listen to the Podcast: https://hella-delicious-emails.captivate.fm/listen Sign up For Lexie's Weekly Insider to Receive Insider Tips, Invites, & More at: https://theprbarinc.com/newsworthy/ Interested in learning more about Pitchin’? Book a Free Consultation here. Instagram: @theprbar_inc

In this episode, your host, Lexie Smith breaks down Muck Rack’s 2022 State of Podcasting Report and gives notable stats on what the world of podcasting looks like today. She breaks down things from rankings to episode content and revenue with podcasts today.    Here’s what you’ll learn: Specifics on listeners in podcasts today Numbers of listeners per podcast  How current events are the top inspiration for new content ideas Stats on most popular podcast platforms  Ways in which podcasts are monetizing content Different publishing platforms that are popular for podcasts The use of social media to promote their podcast Learn the top reasons why podcasts are popular and the future of podcasting  And more! Find the full Muck Rack report here: https://info.muckrack.com/state-of-podcasting-2022 Sign up For Lexie's Weekly Insider to Receive Insider Tips, Invites, & More at: https://theprbarinc.com/newsworthy/ Instagram: @theprbar_inc

Jill Schildhouse is an award-winning writer and editor who has appeared in outlets such as Travel + Leisure, Brides, Insider, Reader's Digest, Oprah Daily, Men's Health, Women's Health, Southern Living, Oxygen, Greatist, and many more. Also the co-founder of Top Tier Consulting, Jill helps teach publicists how to build and maintain relationships with journalists and perfect their pitch - among other services. In today’s episode today we cover how to become a journalist’s BFF, Jill shares her personal pitching preferences, and we dive into a very up-and-coming platform and resource called Substack.  Here’s what you’ll learn: How Jill got her start in freelance journalism, and highlights of her career Jill’s personal pitching preferences (including how to stand out in her inbox when pitching) How to break into the world of freelance journalism More about the platform, Substack Different ways that you can become a journalist’s BFF Jill’s programs and services offered through Top Tier Consulting How you can connect and work with Jill And More! Social media links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_globalglutton/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JillSchildhouse LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillschildhouse/ Top Tier Consulting: https://toptierconsulting.net Substack newsletter filled with industry insights and calls for pitches: https://jillschildhouse.substack.com/  Top Tier Consulting Substack newsletter: https://toptierconsulting.substack.com/ Sign up For Lexie's Weekly Insider to Receive Insider Tips, Invites, & More at: https://theprbarinc.com/newsworthy/ Instagram: @theprbar_inc

Hilary Hartling is a Brand & Messaging Strategist drawing from 15+ years of experience leading visionary integrated marketing and synergy initiatives for film releases from global entertainment brands: Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Touchstone, and Dreamworks. After helping launch and grow multi-million and billion-dollar franchises for The Walt Disney Company (think Toy Story, Cars, Pirates of the Caribbean, Frozen, and more) and experiencing industry success with 70 #1 opening weekend box office wins, Hilary has leveraged her Fortune 50 experience to establish a brand consultancy and online education platform helping entrepreneurs create captivating brands that resonate. In today’s episode, we dive into magical brand land. We talk about how to replicate Disney’s Brand Magic in your own small business, we learn Hilary’s signature branding Brandpolish Blueprint Method, pro personal branding tips, and so much more. Here’s what you’ll learn: How Hilary Hartling got her start with global entertainment brands: Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Touchstone, and Dreamworks How and why Hilary transitioned into entrepreneurship and became a Brand & Messaging Strategist How to replicate Disney’s brand magic in your own small business  Hilary’s signature Brandpolish Blueprint Method to create a clear and cohesive brand strategy, helping you draw in dream clients.   How to create your brand superpower in one clear statement And More! Social Links:  Website: https://hilaryhartling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hilaryhartling/ Facebook: https.//www.facebook.com/HilaryHartlingHQ/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hilaryhartling/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hilaryhartling/_created/ Additional Resources: Join “The Brand Building Entrepreneur” Facebook Community:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebrandbuildingentrepreneur  Download the Free Guide: Your Brand Superpower In One Clear Statement https://hilaryhartling.lpages.co/brandsuperpower/ Sign up For Lexie's Weekly Insider to Receive Insider Tips, Invites, & More at: https://theprbarinc.com/newsworthy/ Interested in learning more about Pitchin’? Book a Free Consultation here. Instagram: @theprbar_inc

In this episode, your host, Lexie Smith walks listeners through omnichannel PR strategies and how to grow your audience through multi-touchpoint campaigns. Packed full of real-life examples and actionable tactics, this minisode was inspired by an actual lecture Lexie led for Texas Tech University. Here’s what you’ll learn: The definition of omnichannel marketing and how it translates to developing an omnichannel PR strategy How omnichannel PR strategies can be leveraged to develop multi-touchpoint campaigns that can increase brand awareness and grow your business Real-world examples of omnichannel PR strategies and campaigns and what outcomes transpired from such Why and how you can leverage a singular marketing or PR tactic across a multitude of platforms - both virtual and IRL  And much more about omnichannel PR strategies Sign up For Lexie's Weekly Insider to Receive Insider Tips, Invites, & More at: https://theprbarinc.com/newsworthy/Instagram: @theprbar_inc