Ms. InterPReted

Introducing . . . Ms. InterPReted – Public Relations, Demystified. Public relations (PR) stands as one of the most misunderstood, misinterpreted areas of business and organizational management. Fletcher Marketing PR’s CEO Kelly Fletcher and Senior Strategist Mary Beth West turn around misconceptions about the public relations management function by cutting through the nomenclature and setting the record straight. Join Kelly and Mary Beth on #MsInterPReted as they demystify PR as the best pathway to create, grow and amplify the roots of positive management, communications, culture, and careers -- for success that matters, from the workplace front-lines to the C-Suite to the board room to society-at-large.

The first full-length #MsInterPReted podcast episode features #PRethics during #EthicsMonth, with Fletcher Marketing PR Founder and CEO Kelly Fletcher interviewing Senior Strategist Mary Beth West – who’s made no secret of her passion on the subject.

This #PRdiversity month, Mary Beth prompts Kelly to explain why Marketing to Women matters, how "edgy" campaigns can promote good medicine, how #MeToo has impacted messaging, what pet peeves and stereotypes ("Pink It & Shrink It") rear their heads in the Marketing to Women sphere (and what some companies / campaigns do wrong), and what must-have elements are required for solid communications to the increasingly segmented space of reaching the economically powerful female consumer / decision-maker.

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.

Kelly and Mary Beth stir up some potential heat with this episode, taking to task the growing trend of brands (and their PR / marketing departments and even CEOs) adopting and pushing social debates and hotly contested political issues . . . all on the advice of some PR firms out there that may not be telling the full story of high risks vs. uncertain rewards.

In this episode, Kelly Fletcher and Mary Beth West explore Mark Weaver’s insights about why influencer marketing “isn’t just the future; it’s the NOW.”

Q4 is “Strategic Planning Season” for many companies and organizations in ramp-up to the next calendar year. Comprehending the drivers of relationship-building success starts with differentiating true PR strategy from mere tactics. Business owners and teams often misinterpret a smattering of tactics as strategy . . . and that confusion wreaks havoc on expectations and budgetary ROI. In this episode, Kelly and Mary Beth peel back the layers of cogent strategic development and how to avoid common missteps in the process.

Marcus Hall’s entrepreneurial journey can be described as anything but conventional. A visionary of his work and of his desired brand, Marcus worked for years developing Marc Nelson Denim into a widely known and respected name – not only in the Knoxville, Tennessee, area where he grew up, but also as an emerging nameplate in the fashion industry. But then it all came crashing down in sudden crisis. Join Kelly and Mary Beth, as they gain insight from Marcus on what went wrong in his journey, how taking responsibility meant taking charge, and why that empowerment is now enabling Marcus and his business to forge a stronger, more well-rooted path.

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.

Kelly and Mary Beth welcome back PRCA's Director General Francis Ingham, as he joins Ms. InterPReted from London for Part 2 of "Public Relations: Leading from the Front." In this segment, Francis provides an overview of the world-renowned Bell Pottinger case study ... one of the most high-profile examples of a public relations firm being held to account for ethical misconduct, in the history of the profession. PRCA's (and Francis's) bold stance on ethics in the Bell Pottinger case represents a ground-breaking moment of both courage and commitment in PR leadership that all professionals, academicians and students should consider, going forward. This PRCA case stands in stark contrast with the U.S.-based PR association's ethics code (an "inspiration"-only model of practice that includes no accountability mandate or credible adjudication process for firms or practitioners breaking rules of professional conduct) -- an ongoing compliance failure that Kelly and Mary Beth speak out against. Francis explains why ethical compliance and accountability matter -- and must be taken with utmost seriousness -- if the profession is to advance globally and achieve respect.

In this special Thanksgiving holiday episode, "Ms. InterPReted" hosts two-time Pulitzer Prize nominated editorial cartoonist and editor at-large of Mississippi Today, Marshall Ramsey, to share his creative process as well as the poignant experiences of both his childhood and career that have contributed to nearly three decades as -- now -- one of only some dozen editorial cartoonists currently working in the United States. A sidebar: Marshall is a cousin of #MsInterPReted Co-Host Mary Beth West's husband (as well as cousin to the family's other famous media celebrity, "Financial Peace" author and radio host / media expert, Dave Ramsey).

With the holiday season in full swing, Fletcher Marketing PR’s thoughts turn toward ways to give back, with the help of community foundation thought leader, East Tennessee Foundation. ETF President & CEO Mike McClamroch shares his decades of experience, helping both corporate and individual / family donors effectively focus their philanthropic intent toward significant community or even nationwide impact . . . among them: the Pat Summitt Foundation. Kelly and Mary Beth explore with Mike how the power of PR as a driver of strategic charitable giving delivers lasting legacies and authentic relationships.

Few careers offer the dynamic, exciting day-to-day work diversity, fast pace and intellectual stimulation as the public relations field. But alongside the adrenaline rush also comes PR's dubious honor of being ranked consistently as one of the most high-stress careers ... and the impact can take a real toll on both agency entrepreneurs and the larger PR workforce alike. To compound the issue further, openly discussing the issue has -- for decades -- been an unspoken taboo . . . but finally, this compounding factor is starting to change. Kelly and Mary Beth share with striking candor and transparency their own career experiences with challenges of work/life balance and managing the daily hamster wheel -- and how others can manage these stresses with preventative self-care in ways that help lift themselves up -- and hopefully, those around them as well.

With year-end of 2019 closing in, Kelly and Mary Beth conclude Season 1 of #MsInterPReted for the calendar year with a look back at some of the most memorable moments, guests, interviews, laughs, revelations -- and even a few tear-jerkers -- from the podcast's kick-off of Episodes 1-13. Revisit compelling interviews with guests as well as Kelly's and Mary Beth's top picks of their own best-practice discussions and insights.

Kelly kicks off 2020 and Season 2 of #MsInterPReted with a hot topic within the growing U.S. economy: the trajectory of the direct-selling industry – with Fletcher PR client and CEO of Bonvera, Bob Dickie, spotlighting many of the lesser-known and even “MsInterPReted” facts of the industry . . . including its reach and impact with female sales entrepreneurs. According to the Direct Selling Association, in 2018, direct selling generated $35.4 billion in retail sales across the United States ($192 billion globally), with “more than six million entrepreneurs in the U.S….selling products or services through the direct selling channel, providing a personalized buying experience for more than 36.6 million customers.”

Long-time Atlanta radio personality and LGBT trailblazer Melissa Carter (@MelissaCarter) shares her life journey as well as her insights about reaching the lesbian segment (and sub-segments) of the LGBT market, as well as why proper audience research and messaging for this widely misunderstood community should never be underestimated. A high school friend of Mary Beth’s, Melissa recalls her teenage revelations about discovering she was a lesbian while coming of age in the mid to late-1980s, in a Bible-belt, Middle Tennessee small town. With humor, candor and even a few mic-drop moments, Melissa sheds light on The “L” and why brands should take notice.

In the category of female mentorship and the servant-leader model, there could be no more compelling a duo than these two guests, who’ve advised countless organizations and mentored hundreds of colleagues in their careers . . . Sharon Hannum and Joy Bishop are two East Tennessee powerhouses in the business and philanthropic communities, each with careers spanning decades – including Sharon’s 30 years with Alcoa Inc. (now Arconic) and Joy’s 30 years with the U.S. Air Force civil service. Both Athena Award winners, Joy’s and Sharon’s careers as trailblazing women include numerous “firsts” in several of the organizations they served, as either the first women to hold certain posts, or, in Sharon’s case, the first African American as well. Their wisdom and insights for women and men alike to realize career success are informed by the realities of the cultures they encountered when first starting their careers, as well as modern-day evolutions of workforce, employer and employee expectations.

#MsInterPReted welcomes another guest from “across the pond” in the U.K., Shayoni Lynn, FCIPR, CM-PRCA, of Lynn PR, based in Wales – an industry expert in data-management and insight-driven communications, strategic stakeholder engagement, measurement and evaluation. Born in India, Shay holds Associate Lecturer status at Cardiff University and shares membership with Kelly and Mary Beth in the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA-UK) – in which Shay is spearheading ethics initiatives in 2020 for PRCA’s PR Council. Shay’s expertise spans numerous behavioral-science topics, including the emerging area of “nudge” communications. Shay is also a regular speaker at industry events in Europe. Last year, Shay was recognized in the WalesOnline “35 under 35” list of top young business and professional women in Wales. Early in 2020, Shay’s firm, Lynn PR, was named “One to Watch in 2020” by PRWeek UK.

#MsInterPReted Co-Host Mary Beth West made history in February 2020, by being officially banned by the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communications Management (GA) during its #EthicsMatter Month – a move the GA admonished Mary Beth (in its written reprimand to her) as being unprecedented. And why the ban?... Mary Beth revealed on an #EthicsMatter Twitter thread that she had directly asked ethical-compliance policy questions -- which the GA had failed (or refused) to answer for months. In the wake of this intimidation tactic by the GA’s nearly all-male Executive Committee, Kelly and Mary Beth break down the ethical hypocrisies and #PRfails of #EthicsWashing . . . a.k.a., when industry authorities tout codes of conduct that they themselves reject and fail in practice. Kelly and Mary Beth discuss transparency and authenticity issues that plague the public relations profession and how industry groups like the GA and PRSA let down their stakeholders through censorship, secrecy and obstructed channels of communication, when they refuse to disclose basic information that their own members rightfully request and should receive. The GA’s and PRSA’s stonewalling (including PRSA’s recent policy decision to start concealing the members of its own Audit Committee) stands in stark contrast to their joint-campaign in 2018 that touted the virtues of “a free press” and the right to “speak honestly and fearlessly on behalf of ourselves…” What are the implications of the GA’s and PRSA’s credibility and leadership posture in the PR industry? Will the GA or PRSA accept Kelly’s and Mary Beth’s invitation to appear on a future episode of #MsInterPReted, to clarify their viewpoints? Stay tuned!

As worldwide business, governmental and organizational entities face crisis-preparedness demands for coronavirus contingency planning – and as crisis issues and incidents of all forms are part of each daily news cycle – CEOs, management teams and boards of directors must stand accountable to make sure their organizations are prepared for the completely unexpected… or, in the coronavirus case, a fast-evolving and foreseeable disruption with a full-scale impact that is yet unknown.

COVID-19 has taken over the world as we once knew it, and almost nowhere is the brunt being absorbed like the employer and employee sectors. Countless employers – who just weeks ago were likely having a normal or strong year – have had the rug pulled out from under them, through no fault of their own. And the same goes for employees and the self-employed. In the U.S., what does new federal legislation portend for employers? What should they be thinking about, bracing for and – to the extent possible – getting out ahead of, to survive? Employment law Attorney Chad Hatmaker of Woolf McClane joins Kelly and Mary Beth to break down the technical as well as the strategic points of employer considerations . . . as well as how management teams must coordinate between both the Legal and PR sides to ensure that C-Suites are acting in good faith, on the best information and wise counsel possible.

Need a jolt of PR wisdom as you're navigating the COVID-19 crisis (or ANY crisis) for your organization? Then this episode of #MsInterPReted offers it in spades... As the public relations profession absorbs its share of the COVID-19 impact with job, contract and revenue losses, practitioners are seeking to help their clients and employers craft truthful, productive and forward-looking messages. Yet examples of both good and poor PR practice abound, in the current environment. How is COVID-19’s global societal impact bringing out the best – and the worst – in brands’ public relations and marketing communications? Two veteran practitioners who – like Kelly and Mary Beth – are no shrinking violets about speaking the unvarnished truth as they see it, Julia Angelen Joy and Molly McPherson join #MsInterPReted with the latest they’re witnessing from the PR front lines of the crisis.

Based in London, U.K., Koray Camgoz, MPRCA, serves as Head of Communications and Marketing for the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA). He is an internationally experienced, post-graduate communications specialist with an eye for news, a passion for digital and a track record of crafting impactful communications strategies that deliver business results. On this episode of #MsInterPReted, Koray lends a wide-ranging view of how COVID-19 has impacted the UK and larger global market, and how the PRCA has undertaken fast-paced, diverse response. As the PRCA’s full focus has shifted toward COVID-19 PR industry crisis resource-development, Koray is working with the full PRCA team (working for weeks now under the UK government’s national lockdown from home-based / remote locations) as well as volunteer senior leadership team based in locations spanning the globe, to deliver solutions and resources to its 35,000 members worldwide. On April 2, 2020, the PRCA announced that it is providing six months of free individual membership to anyone who has lost their job in the public relations industry, or to anyone who is self-employed and has seen a significant decline in their income. The offer is open to members and non-members alike from across the globe – including the U.S. – and the PRCA says it will take the word of self-employed practitioners who claim they have suffered losses.

The coronavirus impact continues to infiltrate the globe … and the “new” front lines of the battle are beginning to emerge in smaller, more rural communities. But are those communities prepared with health systems that can respond? In the U.S., the fact is that in huge swaths of non-metropolitan, smaller communities, the answer 10 years ago would have been “yes,” but today, the answer may be a definitive “no.” For one smaller community immediately south of the Knoxville, Tennessee DMA, in Blount County (Maryville / Alcoa), citizens are fortunate to have a well-sustained, forward-thinking hospital that's addressing the crisis head-on and in a well-planned manner (full disclosure: #MsInterPReted co-host Mary Beth West serves as a volunteer on the hospital’s foundation board). On this episode of "Ms. InterPReted," two top administrators from Blount Memorial deep-dive into challenges and concerns smaller communities and their health infrastructures face, across Tennessee and the nation – particularly in the face of COVID-19.

Aside from the rush to discover a vaccine and a cure for COVID-19 – as well as to forge an economic recovery from the sudden stall of the global economy – one of the most pervasive topics in society today hinges on mental wellness and emotional well-being. People from all walks of life, professions and vocations have had their lives upended – all in a matter of days, mostly beginning in March 2020, for those based in the U.S. Persistent and profound uncertainties add an additional layer of stresses on the global population. And for those working in an already high-stress field as public relations, the urgency to find a “release-valve” for emotional tension presents a daily struggle. Alicia Aebersold – chief communications officer of the Washington-D.C.-based, 121,000-member American Psychological Association – joins Kelly and Mary Beth to discuss the importance of mental wellness and how her role in such an important and relevant organization today is helping shape APA's outreach for the betterment of humanity and the world.

How must strategic communicators use data effectively in their communications campaigns, advocacy work and in counsel to senior management? Professor Ana Adi of Quadriga University in Berlin, Germany, delves into this topic, with a passion for making our work stronger through the power of the best information and insights.

Tennessee Air National Guard Lt. Col. Ashley Nickloes’ grandfather died as a U.S. military pilot in the Pacific Theater of World War II after running out of fuel on a weather reconnaissance and bombing-raid mission … and his life sacrifice drove his granddaughter’s life-inspiration to become a pilot and – ultimately – a military mid-air refueling mission combat aviator. She shares her story and her leadership tenets, on this special Memorial Day Edition of #MsInterPReted.

(Recorded June 4, 2020). The public relations industry has a diversity problem. A big one. And one leader who’s proven most effective as an industry whistle-blower is @ReputationDr Mike Paul – a globally respected strategic communications and crisis PR executive, who has resigned from the PR industry Diversity Action Alliance (sponsored by PRSA and the PRSA Foundation), due to inaction and lack of measurable commitment to change. Hear Mike’s insights on the challenges and solutions, and chime into the conversation online, at hashtag #MsInterPReted.

Knoxville-based Fletcher Marketing PR's CEO Kelly Fletcher and Senior Strategist Mary Beth West recap a memorable Season 2 of "Ms. InterPReted," with highlights and lessons learned from multiple diverse guests from four different countries, three different generational cohorts, multiple racial / ethnic backgrounds and a variety of professional communities -- from PR to academia / market research, military, law, broadcasting, consulting, consumer products, and healthcare. The season's themes fall into three core categories: 1) Responding to COVID-19, 2) Diversity and 3) Patriotism.

In this episode focused on learning, leading and coping in *The Year That is 2020 in the PR Profession*, Kelly and Mary Beth welcome Rod Cartwright, a London-based colleague and leader of Rod Cartwright Consulting, who also serves as Deputy Chair of the PRCA's Global COVID-19 Taskforce. Rod delivers wit, wisdom and a no-nonsense spirit to the topic of PR pros surviving and thriving through a nonsensical year, from both sides of the Atlantic. Rod discusses with Kelly and Mary Beth a variety of management-consulting techniques and fine-tuned methodologies that he brings to his public relations consultations -- and how he complements them with a human-factors sensibility and an appreciation for true humanity-centered empathy for others. Listeners will gain rich insights from Rod's strategic yet caring approach.

Kelly and Mary Beth proudly welcome the powerful energy and insights of Tearsa Smith, Morning Anchor of WATE-TV Channel 6 News -- the ABC affiliate of Knoxville, Tennessee, to "Ms. InterPReted." Tearsa shares her experiences from the front lines of fielding, delivering and managing community news in the Year 2020, a time of massive global chaos at every level ... and how that chaos unfolds in a Middle-America market like East Tennessee, from COVID-19, to racial injustice and demonstrations, to the day-to-day roller-coaster of the newsroom with daily life. Tearsa shares her career journey, how she managed obstacles along the way, and how she forged success from a very early age with creativity and vision. She also shares her secrets for managing success, career and life in general with a positive spirit and resilience, as well as a focus on giving to others, that invariably always gives back to oneself.

It's Women's Equality Day (Aug. 26, 2020)! One-hundred years ago, women earned the right to vote in the U.S., by taking charge, stating their case, taking to the streets over decades, and pushing for the accountability of the vote. As ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution -- giving women the right to vote -- celebrates 100 years and included a significant role for East Tennessee (with one determined mother of a young Tennessee legislator), Kelly and Mary Beth mark the significance of Fletcher Marketing PR's East Tennessee roots, its focus on lending voice to the power of women, and just how much women still confront in seeking equality, 100 years later ... including in the Public Relations industry, which is female-dominated.

As the U.S. PR industry approaches Diversity and Inclusion Month in October (which is also Global Diversity Awareness Month), Fletcher PR takes a look at D&I from the international perspective. Rax Lakhani, CMPRCA, chairs the Public Relations & Communications Association (PRCA) Diversity Network and shares his insights based in London, as a PR practitioner with nearly two decades of experience across a wide spectrum of organizations. Rax has worked for brands such as Smirnoff, Marmite, Jet2.com, Kodak, Hallmark Cards, Royal Mail and Park Plaza Hotel Group, as well as in-house within U.K. Government as Head of Digital Communications at the Ministry of Justice. His conversation with Fletcher PR brings energy and clarity to the #PRdiversity conversation -- particularly to the common challenges faced across continents and nations, and that the struggles faced by brands in the U.S. are not a unique phenomenon.

In Part 2 of this enlightening conversation with London-based Rax Lakhani -- Public Relations & Communications Association (PRCA) Diversity Network Chair -- Rax delves into the heart of more granular issues that public relations practitioners and leaders in all management disciplines must grapple with ... if they truly want to see inclusive, productive outcomes unfold for their organizational cultures, leading to desired business results and stronger relationships. Through his insights shared with Mary Beth West, Rax lends voice, empathy and advocacy to all communities who are part of these conversations, and he shares innumerable take-aways for listeners to integrate back into their work during this most challenging of eras.

When it comes to inspirational women in entrepreneurship, steeped in the power of creativity and one's own unique sense of vision and style -- look no further than the story of Patricia Nash Designs. Patricia Nash is the namesake founder and CEO of a global brand with a decade in business, all based from her headquarters in Knoxville, Tennessee. She and her daughter Jennifer oversee the company with a dedicated team, managing Patricia Nash Designs' full product line at retailers and venues such as Patricia Nash Retailers: Patricianashdesigns.com, Dillard’s and Dillards.com, Macy’s and Macys.com, Belk and Belk.com, Nordstrom and Nordstrom.com, HSN, QVC, TSC (The Shopping Channel Canada), Von Maur and Vonmaur.com, Marmaxx, Buckle and Buckle.com, Amazon.com, Navy Exchange, USMC Exchange, and Zappos.com. On this episode, Patricia and Jennifer join together to share their story of building the business as well as overcoming the trials and challenges of the 2020 Pandemic. Patricia reveals her insights on what the future holds for her company in the year ahead, as Patricia Nash Designs excels in keeping the brand real, authentic, and family-rooted with its loyal worldwide following, and all the while, seeking to contribute back to women's causes -- in particular, the challenge of homelessness, via a unique partnership just launched with the YWCA.

In this gripping conversation about the underbelly of social media outlets' unethical non-disclosures and the larger societal and PR implications, University of Tennessee Public Relations Professor Dr. Candace White discusses her latest published paper in the December 2020 edition of Public Relations Review (co-authored by UT alumnus and Clemson University faculty Brandon Boatwright), "Social media ethics in the data economy: Issues of social responsibility for using Facebook for public relations." In this conversation, Dr. White exposes why Facebook's and other prominent social media outlets' policies are damaging societal discourse, information-exchange and public trust through an often-times insidious combination of non-transparency of their own data-management operations (and to whom they're selling users' data and for what purposes) combined with overt manipulation and obstruction of free flow of information . . . enabling these unregulated technology companies to ratchet up their power at an alarming clip, largely under the radar from either government or news media questions or public accountability. Is Big Social Media's era of laissez-faire data-wielding and manipulation about to come to an end with government intervention? Or will the current lack of checks-and-balances continue, unabated, with even more public censorship and agenda-setting contrived in the process? Hear Dr. White's insights in a spirited conversation with Kelly and Mary Beth, and weigh in with your opinions, at hashtag, #MsInterPReted.

A newly minted Vice President at Fletcher Marketing PR with her recent promotion at the firm, Sarah Merrell combines an achievement-driven career in public relations with her newfound (and literal) fame as a social media influencer in the motorcycling enthusiast space. Her vision of helping bring more women into motorcycling powers the torque behind her own meteoric rise in social media, with a perfect marriage of interweaving professional focus with a personal passion (not to mention literal marriage to her husband Jud, who initially inspired her path to the sport and routinely joins her on the road, on his own two wheels!). With nearly 70,000 Instagram followers (sarah__merrell), Sarah has cultivated an enthusiastic fan base as an authentic rider and motorsports aficionada. In this episode, Sarah explains how she evolved from a timid rider always on the back of her husband's bike, to becoming an accomplished and noteworthy bike-owner and rider in her own right ... and how she carefully cultivates that following in a niche sport of dynamic brands at every turn. Sarah shares her work and perspectives as a VP at Fletcher Marketing PR, where she integrates her personal experience and knowledge as an influencer and an accomplished woman in business into achieving campaign-traction for clients across the spectrum of strategic brand communications.

In the Season 3 Wrap-Up of the #MsInterPReted Podcast, Kelly Fletcher and Mary Beth West embark on a New Year in 2021 with a look back to highlights of recent guests: MINUTE 6:38 / Rod Cartwright, FRSA, FPRCA: Rod shared insights of the PRCA's COVID-19 Taskforce and his other insights on the state of the industry and how the PRCA is helping lead the way. MINUTE 12:26 / Tearsa Smith, Anchor / WATE-TV Ch. 6 Knoxville: Tearsa shared how community journalism and its coverage of race / equality / justice issues are so important for helping citizens know and understand the authentic, real experiences of all people, of all diverse backgrounds. MINUTE 20:00 / Kelly and Mary Beth talked about Mary Beth's struggle with PRSA (the U.S.-based PR industry association) and issues of how women who ask tough questions are treated... particularly in the face of being a bona fide Whistleblower of organizational wrongdoing. MINUTE 31:45 / Patricia Nash and Jennifer Evans: Patricia Nash Designs Founder / CEO Patricia Nash (on the podcast with her daughter, COO Jennifer Evans) gave candid commentary on what the COVID-19 pandemic has meant to her business, in navigating the crisis -- and what her definition of *nimble leadership* is all about. MINUTE 36:00 / Rax Lakhani, CMPRCA: Rax provided a razor-sharp analysis of the Diversity & Inclusion issue, from the international perspective, as head of the PRCA Diversity Network. His on-point, empathetic, pro-business approach advocated for important action steps all PR professionals should take, to make D&I a reality. MINUTE 39:00 / Sarah Merrell -- VP, Fletcher Marketing PR (and Instagram Social Media Influencer): Sarah talked about realities of media relations and influencer work in today's COVID environment, particularly with pressures faced right now by newsrooms. MINUTE 42:50 / Dr. Candace White: This chat invited Dr. White to share her well-studied observations and concerns about non-disclosures inherent to the digital communications / social media platform environment. Join Kelly and Mary Beth throughout 2021, with new episodes of #MsInterPReted to launch Season 4, upcoming!

Catherine Porth -- a market researcher and data strategist -- shares her insights about putting information to strategic use for the best branding and marketing-communications outcomes. And -- this International Women's Day (#IWD2021) -- Kelly Fletcher discusses with Catherine the non-profit organization she has started -- LetHerSpeakUS.com.

Dolly Parton is easily one of the most recognizable celebrity names worldwide -- and in Tennessee (Dolly's home state) where Fletcher Marketing PR is also based, Dolly is widely regarded as a "Patron Saint." And there are good reasons for the sainthood status: In addition to Dolly being Dolly (with a consistent focus on everyday servant-leadership), Dolly Parton's Imagination Library -- Dolly's charity -- provides free books to children across the U.S. and now globally, with a focus on promoting childhood literacy. Hear from two of the Imagination Library's leaders -- Nora Briggs (Executive Director / North America) and Dr. Marion Gillooly (Executive Director / UK) -- as they explain the art, science, compassion and care that go into the Imagination Library's astounding impact on improving lives for children and families, as well as boosting childhood literacy.

Mike Ragsdale, founder and CEO of the popular 30A lifestyle brand which was inspired by the scenic 30A highway along Florida’s Gulf Coast, says he remains driven by this simple goal: be happy and inspire others to live the life they’ve imagined. When he and his wife Angela relocated their family to Florida, Mike purchased the domain 30A.com to begin as a blog. It’s hard to imagine he had any idea then what an iconic, worldwide brand 30A.com would become. The 30A brand can be found in 380 stores nationwide and boasts eco-friendly clothing, décor, drinkware, electric bikes, skincare and even beer and wine. Listen as Kelly and Mike discuss Mike’s entrepreneurial successes….and challenges…. in the pursuit of happiness and bringing a piece of the laid-back beach lifestyle to people everywhere.

Leslie Beale of Profusion Strategies in Knoxville, TN, joins Kelly and Mary Beth on #MsInterPReted for her reflections in spring 2021, as the business world contends with "new-normals" running alongside continuous additional changes, brought about by COVID-19. Leslie, Kelly and Mary Beth talk about the internal workforce implications of the pandemic on business owners, and how companies can best navigate additional onslaughts of workplace change, expectations and demands during the economic recovery. Lessons learned and how the pandemic has specifically impacted women in the workforce headline the topics discussed.

1.      Getting the Research Right2.     Applying the Critical Eye3.     Capturing What’s Wrong and What’s Right4.     Committing to Communication5.     Involving Your Team at Every LevelKelly and Mary Beth explore these five essential elements of undertaking a meaningful and effective strategic planning initiative -- whether for an upcoming fiscal year, for a new R&D effort / product launch, or any organizational development effort, aimed at future success. With some 50 years' combined experience in helping clients tackle planning with a data-informed focus, Kelly and Mary Beth discuss what they've seen organizations do well (and not-so-well) in their planning exercises, and how the post-pandemic shifts in "normalcy" for most organizations must factor into the conversation, going forward. Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on:Website:  https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FletchermarketingprOn Twitter:  @fletcherprOn Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/fletcher.pr/Follow Kelly on Twitter: @KDFletcherFollow Mary Beth on Twitter: @marybethwest 

In this chat with Kelly Fletcher and Mary Beth West, Blount Partnership President / CEO Bryan Daniels, CEcD, discusses: The old versus new model of marketing rural communities successfully Ways in which Blount County, TN has differentiated itself as a top quality-of-life community  Blount County's true partnership-driven approach, with collaboration and cooperation among municipalities, elected officials and business community leaders How Blount County is taking a role at the international level to help drive thought-leadership and best-practices (with Bryan Daniels serving on the board of the International Economic Development Council, which will bring its conference to Nashville, TN, later this year)https://www.iedconline.org/index.php?src=directory&view=staff&srctype=detail&refno=804&category=Board%20of%20Directors  How local, high-quality workforce development remains the most critical driver of attracting and retaining employers to a local community Ways in which today's social-responsibility discourse is informing the site-selection process... with some corporations including as part of their due-diligence a request for the voting record of local electorates as a criteria point for moving a headquarters or base of operations to a new community Rationale for rural communities to take a proactive stance versus a reactive stance in their econ-dev approach:  Proactive: Driving site-selection visibility and relationship-building from the front, with a rural community sending its own delegations overseas  Reactive: Relying entirely on one's state department of economic development to send site-selection leads to the local level Learn more about moving your business to Blount County, Tennessee -- The Peaceful Side of the Smokies:Blount Partnership: https://www.blountpartnership.com/ Connect with Bryan Daniels: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-daniels-b597283/  Follow the Blount Chamber on Twitter: https://twitter.com/blountchamber  Smokies Vacation: https://www.smokymountains.org/ Peaceful Side of the Smokies / Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peacefulsmokies/?hl=en  Site-Selection / Pellissippi Place: https://blountindustry.com/our-region/sites-and-buildings/pellissippi-place/ Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on:Website:  https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FletchermarketingprOn Twitter:  @fletcherprOn Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/fletcher.pr/Follow Kelly on Twitter: @KDFletcherFollow Mary Beth on Twitter: @marybethwest 

During his second visit to the “Ms. InterPReted” Podcast, Francis Ingham shares his latest insights about the state of ethics in the public relations industry, amid real-time issues that have impacted Fletcher Senior Strategist Mary Beth West, MPRCA, who now is serving a second term as PRCA Ethics Council Co-Chair. Susan Hart, MPRCA, guest-hosts alongside Fletcher Marketing PR CEO Kelly Fletcher, MPRCA. Francis Ingham is Director General of the PRCA, and Chief Executive of the International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO).With a background in politics and public affairs, Francis is External Examiner to the American University at Richmond; Trustee of The Speakers' Corner Trust; and the Master of the City of London Company of Public Relations Practitioners. He was educated at Oxford University, where he read Politics, Philosophy and Economics. He appears in both the UK and the Global editions of PR Week’s PowerBook.Follow the PRCA-UK: Website: https://www.prca.org.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prca_uk/?hl=en Twitter: https://twitter.com/PRCA_UK Follow Francis Ingham on Twitter: @ingers1975 https://twitter.com/Ingers1975U.S. citizens can inquire about PRCA-UK international membership by contacting: Website: https://www.prca.org.uk/membership/join-today/international-individual-membership  ORMelissa Cannon MPRCAPRCA International DirectorT: +44 (0) 207 233 6026 W: prca.org.ukFollow Fletcher Marketing PR on: Website:  https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/ On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fletchermarketingpr On Twitter:  @fletcherpr On Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/fletcher.pr/ Follow Kelly on Twitter: @KDFletcher Follow Mary Beth: @marybethwest Follow Susan Hart: @susanhartpr 

AlexAnndra Ontra of Shufflrr discusses the art of the presentation: How to lead with storytelling and more conversational approaches Why presentations are getting more play in the marketing mix Ways in which presentations must keep ever-evolving “in a continual loop” and not remain static over time How it is that some 70% of marketing assets are not used (a data point from 3M) – representing an intellectual-resource waste Methods for avoiding mismanagement or non-accessibility of presentation assets so that there is wider, more searchable usability of presentation data Ways that presentations can remain fresh but have enough content preservation and replicability to save staff time Discover more about Shufflrr: https://shufflrr.com/ Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on: Website:  https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/ On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fletchermarketingpr On Twitter:  @fletcherpr On Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/fletcher.pr/ Follow Kelly on Twitter: @KDFletcher Follow Mary Beth: @marybethwest

On this #SocialMediaDay2021 episode, Chris McCarty of Knoxville-based law firm Lewis Thomason delves into the larger issues at hand for companies/organizations and individuals alike in managing the good, the bad and the law, when it comes to leveraging the power of social media in productive and legally compliant ways. Kelly and Mary Beth set the stage by providing a flashback to a November 2020 episode of #MsInterPReted (Social Media & Surveillance Capitalism: Dr. Candace White), and Kelly also shares a recent challenge experienced with a Facebook hacker ... indicative of the power -- much of it unchecked -- that the largest social media companies in particular wield, which can derail any company's ability to do business, at the drop of a hat. Chris discusses legal implications of these and other challenges, as well as broader issues of free speech and regulatory facts that every PR person and professional communicator should know, in today's dynamic social media environment. About Chris McCarty of Lewis Thomason, P.C.:Chris W. McCarty, a shareholder in Lewis Thomason's Knoxville office, practices in the areas of employment law, education law and civil litigation. Chris handles matters before state and federal courts throughout Tennessee, and has argued before the Tennessee Court of Appeals. Chris also presents on employment and education law topics. His articles on those topics have been seen in numerous publications, including HR Magazine, the Tennessee Bar Journal and the Knoxville Business Journal. Chris is approved as a member of the American Arbitration Association's (AAA) Panel of Employment Arbitrators. AFFILIATIONS Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel DRI – Employment & Labor Law Committee Society for Human Resource Management American Bar Association Knoxville Bar Association Tennessee Bar Association National School Boards Association Council of School Attorneys PROFESSIONAL HONORS AND ACTIVITIES Tennessee Council of School Board Attorneys, President, 2018-2020 Best Lawyers® 2020 Employment Law – Management “Lawyer of the Year” in Knoxville Named to The Best Lawyers in America©, Employment Law Management and Education Law Named a Cityview Magazine Top Attorney Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, Elected Member, 2018 Knoxville Bar Foundation, Fellows Program, 2016 Member, American Arbitration Association (AAA) Panel of Employment Arbitrators Mid-South Super Lawyers® Rising Star, 2015, 2016 Leadership Sevier, 2015 Knoxville Zoo, Circle of Friends Leadership Council, 2015 Nucleus Knoxville, President, 2014 “40 Under 40”, Knoxville Business Journal, 2013 Tennessee Bar Association Leadership Law, 2012 Leadership Tomorrow Sevier, 2010 Tennessee Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, President's Award, 2009 Introduction Knoxville, 2007 Knoxville Bar Association, Publications Committee FOLLOW Chris McCarty and Lewis Thomason:Twitter: @LewisThomasonTN LinkedIn: Lewis Thomason / LinkedIn and Chris McCarty / LinkedIn Website: https://www.lewisthomason.com/ FOLLOW FLETCHER MARKETING PR: Discover Fletcher Marketing PR Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR  Connect with Fletcher Marketing PR on LinkedIn  Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher  Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @marybethwest 

Recorded on #WorldPRDay (#WPRD), Kelly and Mary Beth welcome one of the PR industry's most prominent and prolific thought leaders, Gini Dietrich of Spin Sucks, an entire learning platform that Gini founded and her team manages, in service to the industry, including consulting work for fellow agency owners and entrepreneurs.Gini opens up about her passion points for the industry, on both the positive / uplifting front as well as frustrating sides... and on the latter, including discrimination and misogyny that she has experienced first-hand as a business owner and public speaker. In this episode of #MsInterPReted, Gini opens up about personal (and shocking) experiences in her own career, and how the up-and-coming generation in PR will not suffer fools gladly or tolerate the discriminatory burdens that have all-too-often persisted in PR and in business / society. Gini also shares insights about other professional-practice ethics and qualities that hold great potential for the PR industry's advancement, if colleagues will embrace them. FOLLOW Gini Dietrich and Spin Sucks:Twitter: @SpinSucks @GiniDietrichWebsite: http://spinsucks.com/spin-sucks-community FOLLOW FLETCHER MARKETING PR: Discover Fletcher Marketing PR Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR  Connect with Fletcher Marketing PR on LinkedIn  Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher  Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @marybethwest 

In this episode during PRSA's #EthicsMonth, Mary Beth West interviews close colleague Susan Hart -- a past president of the PRSA Nashville Chapter, a past PRSA Nashville Chapter Hercules Award honoree, and a now-former / resigned PRSA College of Fellows member.  Susan voluntarily discontinued her 35-year membership in PRSA in 2018, in disgust with PRSA's National leadership cultural shift, after what she describes as "one of the most stressful experiences of (her) life" at the hands of PRSA National leadership, who infamously opposed ethics-driven bylaw reforms -- after secretly reversing course from prior assurances that measures would be supported.  In this interview, Susan discusses: Accountability as the essential crux of what any leadership team must offer as a non-negotiable deliverable of its own cultural mindset How leadership quickly falls down a slippery slope and point-of-no-return, when national leaders fail to conduct due diligence "Say-do" disconnects -- when organizational mission and stated principles no longer match leadership behaviors What the modus-operandi of "Operation Incompetence" entails with an escalating lack of financial transparency How the good work of PRSA's local-level chapters is overshadowed and undermined when the national organizational leadership has entrenched unethical and unaccountable practices Why curiosity by members is important and should not be demonized ... and why it's an ethical red-flag when any organizational leadership "kills the messenger" and instills fear of retaliation among a membership who become too fearful to ask valid questions. FOLLOW #PRethicsFOLLOW Susan Hart:Twitter: @susanhartpr JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUP CALLING FOR A BETTER PRSA:https://www.facebook.com/groups/ABetterPRSA  FOLLOW FLETCHER MARKETING PR: Discover Fletcher Marketing PR Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR  Connect with Fletcher Marketing PR on LinkedIn Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher  Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @marybethwest 

In this conversation, Travis Parman shares his insights about: How people sometimes "fall into public relations" from different fields ... and how he has evolved his ideas about what constitutes PR expertise as a former self-confessed "public relations purist";  Why his favorite Abraham Lincoln quote that he learned in high school helped chart his academic and career course toward public relations: "In this age, in this country, public sentiment is everything. With it, nothing can fail; against it, nothing can succeed. Whoever molds public sentiment goes deeper than he who enacts statutes, or pronounces judicial decisions"; Why diverse practitioners are so often the best public relations professionals: "They know how to read a room"; Ways that PR students should work to position themselves for thriving public relations careers, by bringing their diverse perspectives and backgrounds to the fore; In what ways companies need to avoid knee-jerk responses to "diversity programs" that lump people of one diverse cohort together and inadvertently segregate them;  How one-dimensional, tactical and transactional "understandings" of PR pose some of the industry's biggest limitations that must be countered and overcome; Why being too deferential can be a PR professional's most self-defeating behavioral modus operandi in growing their career; Ways that cross-cultural and international standards differ -- and why public relations practitioners need to advance their game, including in the #PRethics arena and with full team involvement and buy-in. FOLLOW #PRethicsFOLLOW Travis Parman:Twitter: @TravisParmanLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travisparman/  FOLLOW AppHarvest:Twitter: @AppHarvestFOLLOW FLETCHER MARKETING PR: Discover Fletcher Marketing PR Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR  Connect with Fletcher Marketing PR on LinkedIn Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher  Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @marybethwest 

In this episode, Woolf McClane's Chad Hatmaker shares: What he's seen employers and management teams do right (or wrong) since the pandemic hit on the employee relations front Specific aspects of emerging employment law that were brought to bear significantly in the past 20 months and that should be tracked going forward, in order for companies to remain compliant yet competitive How employee / front-line team expectations have now changed  Why staying proactive is so important for companies -- in order to avoid much larger problems later Ways in which communications challenges arise throughout workforce-management issues, like vaccinations And much more...  Links: Follow the #MsInterPReted hashtag Follow Chad Hatmaker of Woolf McClane Twitter: @JChadHatmaker Chad Hatmaker's blog, “Tennessee Employment Law” LinkedIn View insights from members of the Fletcher Team on WBIR's special news segment on "The Big Quit".  Discover Fletcher Marketing PR Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR  Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher  Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @marybethwest 

On this special Holiday Season episode of #MsInterPReted, Kelly and Mary Beth share special moments from past episodes of the podcast with: Marshall Ramsey -- on how some dark moments in his life (from personal loss to being cut to part-time and losing his benefits at his former employer in the wake of his cancer battle) resulted in his "It's the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me" attitude, thanks to his late father; Marcus Hall -- on how taking the wrong path in life and paying the price with incarceration actually set him free to embark on a renewed entrepreneurial journey; Tearsa Smith -- on how the power of seeing her children's joy and aspirations for their own futures have lifted her up during traumatic societal events of 2020-21... and how she seeks to share that hope with others, through the lens of journalism; Ashley Nickloes -- on how reading the documentation of her grandfather's death during World War II from running out of fuel in his plane during a combat mission over the Pacific Ocean brought her full-circle, as she has served her nation for many years as a Tennessee Air National Guard refueling-mission aviator; Melissa Carter -- on how the fear and anxiety of coming out to her family as part of the LGBT Community during her 20s ultimately surprised her in a positive way... and proved to her that her late father was the greatest Christian she ever knew; Mike McClamroch -- on how a visit one day to the home of Lady Vols Head Coach Pat Summitt changed his life, as he embarked with Coach Summitt in his role as leader of the East Tennessee Foundation to assume management operations for The Pat Summitt Foundation (@WeBackPat), to beat Alzheimer's Disease ... in the late coach's lasting legacy of public service and philanthropy.   Posted with great affection for our listeners, team members, clients, family and friends -- by Kelly & Mary Beth ... Wishing everyone a safe, happy and abundant Thanksgiving and holiday season ahead.  Discover Fletcher Marketing PR Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR  Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Instagram: fletcher.pr Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fletchermarketingpr  Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher  Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @marybethwest 

When crises strike, having a plan is essential -- and most strategists know that rule-of-thumb. But what about a crisis that unfolds in real-time, right before one's eyes (and the eyes of hundreds, thousands or even millions of stakeholders), when seconds count and the cameras are on?Kelly and Mary Beth discuss some recent events and several new pieces of industry data that PR pros and client teams alike should take into consideration.   Discover Fletcher Marketing PR Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR  Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Instagram: fletcher.pr Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fletchermarketingpr  Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher  Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @marybethwest 

In this episode, Kelly and Mary Beth discuss their PR Industry Predictions for 2022, including: How the PR agency business model's pandemic-driven shifts have impacted the industry Why the U.S. PR industry is on a particularly troublesome ethics track -- much of it self-inflicted and further exacerbated by apathy ... particularly in light of disappointing choices and lack of truth / transparency by the domestic PR association -- PRSA Ways that workforce recruitment strains between talent availability, rising payroll demands and follow-on COVID waves will impact budgets Implications of recent industry reports: Public Relations & Communications Association (PRCA-UK) (London): https://www.prca.org.uk/PR-industry-roars-back-2021-PRCA-UK-Census  International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) World Report: https://iccopr.com/services/world-reports/download-our-2020-2021-report/   Whether the PR, media and journalism sectors will ever join forces to stave off systemic public-trust root-rot driving disinformation How the Diversity conversation will continue as a merry-go-round until the industry and respective associations set a definitive bar between two separate metrics: 1) Having the PR industry employment base represent all of society demographically, or 2) Having the sector mirror demographics of other professional-service sectors with which PR competes to recruit workforce Ways that politicization and partisanship in news rooms and across the industry drive the very divisiveness that the PR industry should be more competently taking in hand and mitigating (not exacerbating) to bring people and publics together in more positive solidarity around issues How the dearth of men in the PR industry workforce (minus the C-suite) is a far more complex and troubling problem than is adequately discussed ... and if the industry fails to address the gender imbalance in 2022, we can expect to slide more into "pink-collared ghetto" territory relative to compensation and share-of-voice. Mary Beth also shares a glimpse of work-in-progress currently underway via the PRCA Ethics Council, in partnership with the Ethics & Compliance Initiative (ECI) in Washington, D.C., as part of its Global Business Ethics Survey to ascertain PR industry ethics issues.  Discover Fletcher Marketing PR Post your questions and comments about the podcast, via #MsInterPReted  Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR  Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Instagram: fletcher.pr Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fletchermarketingpr  Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher  Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @marybethwest 

Business development for any company (or fund-raising and audience engagement in the non-profit sector) can be driven extensively through sharing the heart, soul and mind of the brand. Podcasting has emerged as one of the top conduits for sharing brand voice in the competitive marketplace of ideas, through owned-media platforms that brands can directly curate and control. Chris Hill shares with Kelly and Mary Beth his production recommendations as well as marketing strategies, to help those with something to say in the podcasting space to be successful, in building a podcast from the ground-up. Discover HumblePod: Website:  https://www.humblepod.com/about/  Twitter: @Humblepod https://twitter.com/HumblePod   Discover Fletcher Marketing PR: Post your questions and comments about the podcast, via #MsInterPReted  Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR  Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Instagram: fletcher.pr Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fletchermarketingpr  Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher  Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @marybethwest 

Allison Lester -- director of media relations for Fletcher Marketing PR -- shares insights on transitioning from the pressures and challenges of years working in a media newsroom environment to the front lines of PR strategy and media relations execution for a PR firm. Among her remarks: How deadline-driven environments of the newsroom differ from deadlines / workload in PR Ways in which lifestyle / work-life balance stresses differ on the two "sides," particularly given the pandemic What "pet peeves" she encountered from PR firms back in her newsroom days Aspects of pitching for topical / timing relevance to be realistic and newsroom-friendly What it means to deliver for clients on media relations content and availability  Best-practices in media contact-development Practical considerations (such as lead times) that build parameters around what a news outlet will (or even can) cover How to "turn lemons to lemonade" when media rejection of a pitch can still present a relationship-building opportunity with a reporter  Differences between needs / opportunities for newsrooms working across different formats (print, broadcast, digital) Discover Fletcher Marketing PR: Post your questions and comments about the podcast, via #MsInterPReted  Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR  Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Instagram: fletcher.pr Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fletchermarketingpr  Follow Allison Lester on Twitter: @ALesterTN  Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher  Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @marybethwest 

Melanie White, executive vice president of Virgin Experience Gifts, shares insights from the experiential gifting field about where the market is headed and how Virgin experience gifts is leading the way in the U.S. market.Among her remarks: Melanie left her successful career in the fashion industry to find her "why" and search for something more meaningful. She talks about how providing curated experiences to enrich peoples' lives has been fulfilling.  Virgin Experience Gifts is seeking to lead the way in forging the concept of experiential gifting: providing specially curated, experiential gift-giving that people can purchase for a friend, colleague or loved one. The COVID pandemic has left Americans with a pent-up desire for travel and adventure. This is helping Virgin Experience Gifts and experiential gifting succeed despite the pandemic. Woman are some of the top customers, buying experiences for spouses, friends and children. Millennials and Gen Z are driving the trend toward experiences over traditional "things" as gifts. Consumers are incredibly diverse. Virgin Experience Gifts is tapping into this diversity by offering experiences across the spectrum on price point and interest. Experiential gifting is not only more meaningful and unique, but it's also sustainable. Americans are attracted to a more minimal approach to acquiring stuff, and helping to eliminate the clutter. Virgin Experience Gifts sees their platform as a major opportunity for providers, destinations and retail labels. Virgin Experience Gifts could be a low-risk sales platform for them and a source of referral.   Virgin Experience Gifts as a brand is in a hyper growth phase and sees big things on the horizon in the coming years. Discover Fletcher Marketing PR: Post your questions and comments about the podcast, via #MsInterPReted  Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Twitter: @FletcherPR  Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Instagram: fletcher.pr Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fletchermarketingpr  Follow Virgin Experience Gifts on Twitter: @VirginExpGifts  Follow Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDfletcher  Follow Mary Beth West on Twitter: @marybethwest 

The past few years have been tumultuous in the journalism industry. From shrinking newsrooms, fragmentation, audience mistrust, COVID and other global crisis. Muckrack conducted its annual survey of more than 1,000 journalists to assess the state of journalism in 2022.Greg Gallant is the co-founder and CEO of Muckrack and speaks on the company's annual report.Greg talks about his career as an entrepreneur and how he navigated a career from philosophy to what he does now."Once you get to any meaningful scale, the number one job of being an entrepreneur or a CEO.Is communicating ideas boiling down what's happening in the world and coming up with kind of a way to explain it and a way to position your company to be relevant."Some key findings from the report:Journalists are busier than ever and are covering more beats than ever before.Journalists are more likely to respond to pitches in 2022 than they were in 2021.Journalists feel trust from the public is improving.Twitter is the go-to social media platform for journalists. But that's not where they want to get their pitches!Greg offers some tips about how to use Twitter to connect with journalists and how to make authentic connections.Greg addresses the gender gap in journalism and what his company is doing to combat the issue.Finally, Kelly and Greg talk about leading in a remote world and the transition to remote work.

With the possible repeal of Roe v. Wade in the headlines, Mary Beth West and Kelly Fletcher talk about public relations strategies for businesses considering weighing in.Many people feel corporate brands need to take a definitive stand on these types of hot-button issue.There seems to now be a high level consumer expectation that corporations take a stand on issues and also consumer criticism if your corporate brand is remaining silent.Mary Beth and Kelly agree there's a time and a place for companies to speak out on issues that are relevant to their business, interests and industries. And then there are times when it's absolutely not.They talk through companies that have taken a stand on Roe v. Wade specifically, and the criticism surrounding PR Firm Edelman and Zeno's advice to not.

Paid placement should be considered another tool in your public relations toolbox.It's an especially good tool when trying to raise awareness about new and emerging brands.There's paid news release distribution that should be used for big announcements or seeding.Another form of paid placement is affiliate marketing that is another great tool to get your brand noticed in major media outlets.Syndicated content is a good way to control the messaging and imagery to release paid content that is prominently displayed and clearly labeled as sponsored content.Sarah goes through the different ways that these avenues impact SEO which is incredibly important for getting clicks.One of our favorite options that isn't exactly paid, is content contributor programs where you pay a fee to be considered, but there's still an application process. This option helps to gain credibility for your brand and helps to position you as an expert in thought leadership in your field.

Robin Wilhoit, anchor of Knoxville's NBC affiliate WBIR, shares her insights on journalism, ethics, the changing face of the industry and what it's like being a woman in this ever-changing field.Robin is a graduate of the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. She has been a broadcast journalist for more than 30 years, and has been anchoring the weekday newscasts at WBIR since the 90's.She is passionate about being a community advocate, serves on several local nonprofit boards and frequently lends her time to serve the people of East Tennessee. In 1998, she helped to launch Buddy Check 10, a program to promote breast cancer awareness.Beyond being an award-winning journalist, leader, and community advocate, she is also a mother of two. She shares the challenges of managing it all.Robin shares her experiences on:Ethics in the newsroomTrust in the media and how to differentiate truth from fiction in news-gatheringMaintaining humanity in journalismSharing your gifts and talentsThe importance of mentorshipBeing a woman in a male-run industry at the beginning of her careerMaintaining mental health in an emotionally difficult profession

Sharon Fenster is a public relations and diversity, equity and inclusion expert. In 2018, while serving as president of the NYC chapter of PRSA, she advocated for greater diversity equity inclusion in the PR world. This included a controversial stance at that time - calling for the release of diversity data among various organizations, not only industry associations, but private companies and agencies.In this episode, Sharon discusses what it means to be an ally, checking your privilege and using it for good, her personal journey to allyship and the changing landscape of diversity equity and inclusion in corporate America. We discuss how to handle the threat of retaliation for standing your ground and how to handle the possibility of internal or external blow-back.Learn how allyship feeds into authentic leadership or heart centered leadership and why its so important for workers today.

Allison and Sarah discuss the Fletcher Marketing PR team's predictions for public relations trends for 2023. With the end of the year around the corner, it is important to be thinking about strategic plans for the future. They talk through these predictions, the implications and benefits for businesses to look toward in the new year. In this episode Allison and Sarah discuss predictions about:  Changes in the economy  The death of influencer marketing The importance of paid media  Gathering and dissemination of data  Increase in need for owned media  Innovation and integration  Taking a stand on social issues 

Jill Kilgore has been with the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development for the past five years as the public relations media manager. She is a graduate of Southern Illinois University. The Tennessee Department of Tourist Development is the go-to for all things vacation related in Tennessee.  Sara Beth Urban is the CEO and president of HospitaityTN. Her past experience includes being Executive Director of the Tennessee Whiskey Trail and being involved with the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development as the Middle Tennessee Division Manager. HospitalityTN represents the interests of Tennessee's lodging, dining, and tourism establishments and the related businesses involved in the hospitality & tourism industry. In this episode of MsInterPReted, Jill and Sara Beth discuss what they both love about the hospitality and tourism industry in Tennessee. They talk about the state of tourism in Tennessee regarding:  TDTD and HospitalityTN efforts in the industry Tennessee Music Pathways https://www.tnvacation.com/tennessee-music-pathways Economic impacts of domestic and international travel  Current trends and attractions Predictions for upcoming trends in tourism The Bill Dance Lake initiative Women in tourism and hospitality  What everyone needs to see when they visit Tennessee  Listen to this episode of MsInterPReted to find out more about tourism in Tennessee.  Follow  Tennessee Department of Tourism Development on:On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tdtdindustry/Follow Jill on Twitter: @jillrkilgore Follow Jill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jill-kilgore-4909299a/  Follow HospitalityTN on:On Twitter: @tnhta On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hospitalitytn/?hl=enOn Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HospitalityTNOn LinkedIn: ​​https://www.linkedin.com/company/hospitalitytn/Follow Sara Beth on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-beth-urban-13290143/  Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on:Website:  https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FletchermarketingprOn Twitter:  @fletcherprOn Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/fletcher.pr/Follow CEO Kelly Fletcher on Twitter: @KDFletcher

Greg Jarboe is president of SEO-PR, which he co-founded in 2003. Their digital marketing agency has won awards for generating results for a variety of clients, including: The Christian Science Monitor, Get City Dealz, Harlequin Romance, MarketingSherpa, Parents magazine, the SES Conference & Expo series, Southwest Airlines, and Rutgers University. He's also the author of ‘YouTube and Video Marketing' and one of the 25 successful online marketing gurus profiled in Michael Miller's Online Marketing Heroes.  Since 2003, Jarboe's written more than 1,600 posts for ClickZ, Inked, Search Engine Journal, Search Engine Watch, The SEM Post, and Tubular Insights. He's spoken at over 80 industry conferences. In addition, he's an instructor at Coursera, Rutgers Business School Executive Education, and the New Media Academy.Katie Paine, aka The Measurement Queen, has been a pioneer in the field of measurement for three decades. She was recently awarded the prestigious IPR Jack Felton Medal for Lifetime Achievement, an award made for lifetime contributions in the advancement of research, measurement and evaluation in public relations and corporate communication. Her books, Measure What Matters (Wiley, March 2011) and Measuring Public Relationships (KDPaine & Partners, 2007) are considered must-reads for anyone tasked with measuring public relations and social media.  Her latest company, Paine Publishing is the first educational publishing firm entirely dedicated to making more Measurement Mavens. In her consulting practices, she designs measurement dashboards for some of today's most admired companies. More recently, Katie was named one of “25 women who rock social media” by Lee Odden's prestigious Online Marketing Blog. She contributes to Communications World, PR Week, and Business Marketing. They talk with Fletcher Marketing PR's Director of Media Relations, Allison Lester, about the upcoming transition from Google Analytics to the new GA4. Google Analytics has been utilized by professionals for the better part of a decade and is now being transitioned due to the fast-paced growth of our world. They talk about the difference between Google Analytics and GA4 regarding: Measurement of events rather than sessions Engagement rates Adjustments in the attribution model Tracking of cohorts The process of setting up goals  Integrated Marketing  And why you shouldn't wait until Q2 to get started on transitioning your business Sessions will be held this April to provide information on GA4 to PR professionals. Visit www.painepublishing.com or email Katie at measurementqueen@gmail.com. Listen to this episode of MsInterPReted to find out more about the transition from Google Analytics to the new GA4.  Follow Katie Paine on:Follow Jill on Twitter: @queenofmetricsVisit: https://painepublishing.com/  Follow Greg Jarboe on:On Twitter: @gregjarboeOn LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-jarboe-876364/ Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on:Website:  https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FletchermarketingprOn Twitter:  @fletcherprOn Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/fletcher.pr/Follow Kelly on Twitter: @KDFletcherFollow Mary Beth on Twitter: @marybethwest 

Tanisha Fitzgerald Baker is the manager of DEI for Knoxville Utilities Board, where she works on creating a diverse and inclusive work environment with equitable opportunities for all. She supports areas that impact the employee and customer experience through the lens of DEI. Tanisha is a native of Knoxville, Tennessee and she's a graduate, valedictorian, and Ms. Austin East from the Austin East High School class of 1988. She continued her education, graduating from both Florida A&M and the University of Tennessee with degrees in Actuarial Science and Education. She spent more than 20 years working for equity, access and education as an educator and leader with Project Grad Knoxville.She retired from Project Grad in 2021 and started a new career with Knoxville Utilities. She completed her certificate in social enterprise effectiveness from the University of Tennessee's Haslam School of Business. She's a graduate of Leadership Knoxville class of 2020. She was one of 30 across the state of Tennessee chosen for the 2021 Complete Tennessee Leadership Institute which she completed, along with the Mosaic Change Fellowship 2021 cohort as one of 21 across the state of Tennessee.She's the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions including the 2020 MLK Community Service Award. In addition to her professional responsibilities, she's a sought-after panelist, presenter and consultant. She's passionate about her calling to educate and elevate others.She founded Educational Enhancement Services Incorporated in 1998. She's also a founding member and current president of the Five Points Up Community Action Group. Founding member of East Knox Lions Club, founder of the unifying concept of the Village of Knoxville, and the host of a weekly radio show: Talking with T.She serves on several community boards as well as serving as the chair of the city of Knoxville's African-American Equity Task Force. She is a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority and continues to reside in the East Knoxville community. On this week's episode of MsInterPReted, Tanisha, and Kelly talk about what DEI looks like in various spaces and how to apply DEI to a multitude of aspects in the work place: DEI as it relates to hiring and human resources What diversity looks like in different spaces How to integrate DEI practices into every part of business DEI data conversions DEI in virtual workplaces Good DEI practices Follow Tanisha on:Website:  https://www.talkingwitht.comOn Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/talkingwitht/On Twitter:  @talkingwitht  Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on:Website:  https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FletchermarketingprOn Twitter:  @fletcherprOn Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/fletcher.pr/Follow Kelly on Twitter: @KDFletcherFollow Mary Beth on Twitter: @marybethwest 

Artificial Intelligence is no longer a futuristic idea, it is here. And now programs like ChatGPT are introducing AI to the world of writing, content creation and public relations, bringing with it a myriad of benefits, questions and ethical concerns.Matthew Pittman is an assistant professor of Advertising and Public Relations at the Tombras School at the University of Tennessee. He has a Ph.D. in Communications and also serves as a consultant. He talks with Sarah Merrell, Fletcher Marketing PR Vice President, about the AI writing software ChatGPT. On this episode of MsInterPReted, Sarah and Matthew discuss what AI looks like in the world of PR and marketing, what the limitations of AI are and what the implications are for humans including: The extent to which AI can be utilized for writing. ChatGPT can be utilized for research, organizing outlines, and cutting down on writing time. Where is the line that separates an article written by a person and an article written by ChatGPT? The ethics behind utilizing AI as a writing assistant. Are PR and marketing professionals ethically obligated to notify clients or the public that AI is being utilized in the writing process?  What does the ethical use of AI look like in an academic setting? Are there ways to know when students are using AI to write their entire paper or is AI so close to human writing that it is undetectable? Can AI be used for strategy?  ChatGPT is proving to be a creative tool but still lacks a specific element of creativity. That element is human creativity. ChatGPT works based on prompts that are typed in. The program then spits out suggestions and ideas. Without the initial idea from human creativity, ChatGPT would not be able to create an article or blog post for that idea.  Will AI remove humans from jobs in the communication field? Will there be a time where PR and marketing professionals are no longer needed due to AI taking over the field?  Follow Matthew on:On Twitter:  @matthewcpittmanFollow Fletcher Marketing PR:On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FletchermarketingprOn Twitter:  @fletcherprOn Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/fletcher.pr/Follow Kelly on Twitter: @KDFletcherFollow Mary Beth on Twitter: @marybethwest 

Eric Olsen has been Senior Advisor and Communication Director for Congressman John Garamendi of California's eighth district in northern California since 2017.Previously, he managed congressional campaigns and consulted on several presidential campaigns. His work as a senior PR communication staffer on Capitol Hill and for political campaigns has given him unique insight into the relationship between government and public relations. He has deployed a broad array of communication tactics throughout his career to communicate the complicated and multifaceted work that takes place in our federal government. He has also worked with major broadcast outlets and media outlets, like 60 Minutes and Meet the Press, and he has managed highly-targeted PR campaigns..Eric is a graduate of the University of California Davis with the highest honors. In his free time, he works to bring a greater level of awareness and insight into politics and how our government functions.On this episode of MsInterPReted, CEO Kelly Fletcher and Director of Media Relations Allison Lester talk with Eric about an array of topics pertaining to the world of political communication, including:  The relationship between politics and media  Crafting political messages  How to navigate the mistrust of the media as a PR professional in the world of politics  The value of reputable and trustworthy sources  The relationship between communication professionals of opposing parties  The possible future of AI use in the political communication arena  Crisis management  The myths about the political communications field  Follow Eric  on:On LinkedIn: Eric OlsenOn Instagram: @eric_olsen4On TikTok: @ericolsen44 Follow Fletcher Marketing PR:On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FletchermarketingprOn Twitter:  @fletcherprOn Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/fletcher.pr/Follow Kelly on Twitter: @KDFletcher 

Today, all of us feel the impact of stress and burnout in one way or another. It could be we feel a little extra jittery at the start of the week, or maybe it even prevents us from doing what we need to in our professional and personal lives. Regardless, we need to always try and actively combat and healthfully balance our stressors. In Booth Andrew's career, she experienced her own burnout for years but it reached its peak when she went from a successful CEO of a $5 million non-profit, mom of 3, community leader and triathlete to unemployed, broke, divorced, severely ill and separated from her community. Over time, Booth found the keys to balancing her stressors so that her burnout and its impact would never impact her the same way again. Booth also found sharing her story and her journey back was helpful to others in understanding they are not alone. She now runs the Knoxville, Tennessee based company, the Booth Andrews company.On this episode of MsInterPReted, Fletcher CEO Kelly Fletcher talks with Booth about a variety of topics pertaining to balancing stress levels and burnout, including:  Knowing your limits and respecting those boundaries  Giving yourself permission to heal  The physiological impacts of stress Dealing with trauma  De-stigmatizing mental health  Follow Booth on: On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/booth-andrews-69ba1a13/On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theboothandrews/?hl=enOn Twitter: https://twitter.com/theboothandrewsFollow Fletcher Marketing PR:On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fletcherpr/On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FletchermarketingprOn Twitter:  @fletcherprOn Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/fletcher.pr/Follow Kelly on Twitter: @KDFletcher

Casey Mank is co-founder of Bold Type and is a Center for Plain Language Board member. She also teaches English at Georgetown University and Virginia Commonwealth University. Casey and her company conduct workshops on writing skills, workplace communication and email etiquette.In our digital world of communications, it is imperative that we think more strategically and holistically about how we communicate internally and externally with our business partners. Casey shares that, “no matter how good you are at your actual job, even if your actual job has nothing to do with writing, the way that you communicate with people about the work you've done impacts how they perceive your actual work.”Writing effectively, including emailing, is such an essential skill. Casey highlights the need for more formalized training on how to do that well and what the expectations are within a company. Bold Type's focus is very specific and they provide formalized training on workplace writing skills.In this episode of MsInterPReted, CEO Kelly Fletcher talks with Casey about a variety of topics pertaining to effective professional writing including:  ·       Email etiquette·       Using plain language effectively·       Overexplaining·       The importance of a professional pauseFollow Casey Mank:Casey's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/casey-mank/Bold Type Website: https://www.boldtype.usBold Type LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/boldtype/Bold Type Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bold__type/Plain Language Info: https://www.plainlanguage.govFollow Fletcher Marketing PR:On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fletcherpr/ On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FletchermarketingprOn Twitter:  @fletcherprOn Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/fletcher.pr/Follow Kelly on Twitter: @KDFletcher

Fletcher Marketing PR Senior Strategist, Mary Beth West commissioned new worldwide ethics code research through her work on the PRCA Global Ethics Council.The new London-based Institute of Business Ethics (IBE) research was released in the white paper entitled “The State of Ethics Codes in the Public Relations Industry: A Global Analysis” (available for free download). It documents that among 24 PR industry ethics codes in nearly as many nations worldwide, there is little unified consensus about how ethics codes should be employed as “living documents” in the everyday work of industry leaders and practitioners.Some PR associations heavily promote simply having an ethics code as a crowning achievement.But precisely how much dust a long-ago published code has gathered while sitting on a virtual shelf, unrevised for years – perhaps decades – may underscore how seriously its parent PR association authentically engages on the topic of ethics.In this episode of MsInterPReted, Mary Beth discusses her findings with CEO Kelly Fletcher.Discussion covers: AI Disclosing Paid Media Disinformation Giving/Receiving Gifts Whistleblower protection Privacy And other industry related ethics codes This #PRethics Month, PR organizations are urged to take a fresh look at their ethics codes, compare them with best-practices documented in this white paper, and undertake a deep-dive effort to make codes more current, relevant, useful, and prominent.DOWNLOAD THE ETHICS CODE WHITE PAPER: https://www.marybethwest.com/white-paper/ Mary Beth West, APR, FPRCA, is a long-time advocate of stronger ethical practices in PR, in balanced service to employers, clients, stakeholders, and also the public good. She can be followed on LinkedIn, at @marybethwest, and at marybethwest.com.

On this episode of MsinterPReted, we discuss hyperlocal journalism. This form of journalism focuses on reporting news and information at a very local level, typically targeting specific neighborhoods and communities. It emphasizes coverage of local events, issues, and stories that directly impact the immediate vicinity, including topics like local government, community events, business updates, neighborhood developments, and other hyper-specific news that may not receive attention from larger media outletsJesse Mayshark and Scott Barker are both former journalists who also worked on the public relations side and started a hyper-local news media outlet for the city of Knoxville, called Compass. Jesse worked as a reporter and editor at the local and national level for 20 years before going into communication for Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero in 2011.Scott was hired as a reporter at the Knoxville News Sentinel in 1999 and has won numerous national, state and regional journalism awards as a reporter and editorial page editor.On this episode, Jesse and Scott discuss: The need for local journalism Why they started Compass The business model for making this type of journalism successful PR blunders How PR pros and journalists can better work together The changing face of journalism Follow Fletcher Marketing PR on:Website:  https://www.fletchermarketingpr.com/On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FletchermarketingprOn Twitter:  @fletcherprOn Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/fletcher.pr/On LinkedIn: Fletcher Marketing PRFollow Kelly on Twitter: @KDFletcher

In this episode of MsInterPReted, Fletcher Marketing PR Vice President, Sarah Merrell, and Director of Media Relations, Allison Lester discuss PR trends that we want to leave in the dust.As 2023 winds down, we are looking ahead to the new year and new strategies. These are some of the common strategies and trends that are outdated or unnecessary.We discuss: Overuse of buzzwords/industry jargon An overemphasis on media placement quotas without attention to the quality of placements Overly complicated metrics Vanity metrics Vanity awards/paid awards Hiding/Burying negative news Reactive crisis management vs. proactive strategies Mass/impersonalized pitching Overly complicated press releases We address these outdated trends as well as the better way to approach metrics, media relations and crisis management. 

As we head into 2024, Fletcher Marketing PR Vice President, Sarah Merrell and Director of Media Relations, Allison Lester discuss the PR obstacles we foresee clients and firms facing in the year ahead and tactics to overcome these hurdles.Obstacles include:AI - The rise of artificial intelligence raises ethical concerns and requires us helping our clients to understand the benefits and limitations of new technologies.GA4 - With Google Analytics launching its new analytics platform in 2023, many businesses still don't have their GA4 and/or aren't yet using it to its fullest potential.Other new technologies - as new platforms and software emerge, it requires education for our teams and clients to institute these new toolsOver-reliance on digital marketing - many businesses see digital marketing as a fast-fix for marketing goals, when it should really be viewed as one tool to pair with myriad of other strategies. It requires educating our clients on the benefits, but also limitations of digital marketing to keep them from making the mistake of relying too heavily on this strategy alone.Media fragmentation - There are more media outlets today than ever before. This provides both an opportunity for media relations efforts, but also an obstacle. Media relations pros have to take the extra time to weed through the options to find the best fit and help clients understand the quality matters more than ever. Content overload - With so much content being pumped out into the world today, it's more important than ever to make your content standout. This requires creativity, strategy and research.The prevalence of paid media - As there are more pieces of the pie, each individual outlet has fewer readers/viewers. This has led to a rise in paid media as media outlets are forced to find new revenue streams. This means clients will need to consider options such as advertorials, affiliate marketing and paid placements in addition to earned media efforts.Integrated marketing - we know integrated marketing is 300% more effective than silo-ing your marketing efforts, but helping our clients understand the benefits of having one party handle all of the tactics still proves to be an obstacle.Reputation management - In the day and age of 'cancel culture' it is imperative to give careful extra thought to all messaging - this includes, not only the content you produce, but also responses on social media. It's important to have diverse voices at the table to ensure you are using sensitivity and not overlooking biases. Rising labor costs and inflation - both firms and our clients are facing the biggest obstacle of 2024 that all Americans are facing with inflation and rising prices. It costs more to do business, which means many companies will be looking for ways to save. We encourage business owners and CEOs to consider the ROI you get from marketing, and to never save money but cutting good people.

Sara Davenport is an award-winning journalist who followed her dreams and became an anchor in a top-10 market. But after winning all the awards, and covering all the stories, she need a plan B - something that gave her not just a fantastic lifestyle, but also a life.She has created a life as a media mentor working with others looking to break the breaking news cycle. She wanted to work from home or just work from phone/wifi She wanted to travel and vacation for more than 8 weeks/year She wanted to make 6-figures, from one or multiple businesses She wanted to be a storyteller, content creator, and still remain  on-camera She wanted to coach others to success On this episode of MsInterPReted she discusses how she made a plan and went after it.Davenport provides valuable insight into writing a resume to highlight transferrable skills, using LinkedIn as a true marketing platform to market and creating multiple revenue streams for profitability and stability.Through her former and current career, Davenport has collected a plethora of stories about the good, the bad and the ugly of working in broadcast news. She shares the moment that she knew she had to make a change and what she sees as driving the mass exodus from TV News today.

On this episode of MsInterPReted, Fletcher's director of media relations, Allison Lester, talks about travel writing, pitching and hosting media tours. We welcome two travel writers to talk about their experiences in travel writing. They provide advice and talk about the trends in the travel journalism industry.Susan Barnes has more than 20 years of journalism experience and writes for multiple outlets including USA Today, Food and Wine, Garden and Gun, Travel + Leisure - just to name a few. She writes about travel, lifestyle, food and beverage. Ashlee Fechino is the founder of the Happiness Function, which is a travel outlet she started to inspire happiness through travel and outdoor recreation in the U. S. She's also a nationally syndicated travel writer.On this episode, we discuss multiple topics:·       How our guests got into travel writing and what it's like as a career.·       The dos and don'ts of pitching travel journalists.·       What qualities make for a great press trip.·       How to get coverage in some of the travel industry's biggest outlets.·       Trends in the rise of wellness travel.

In this episode of MsInterPReted, we're talking about tourism in Tennessee. Tennessee tourism generated $29 billion in direct visitor spending and saw 141 million visitors to the state in 2022, Tennessee ranks 11th in the nation for travel spending, the highest rank ever for our state. Tennessee has approximately 13, 372 restaurants in the state, which is roughly one restaurant per every 500 people if you look at our population numbers and over 1600 hotels. Sarah Beth is the CEO and president of the Tennessee Hospitality & Tourism Association. Her experience includes being Executive Director of the Tennessee Whiskey Trail and before that was also a part of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development as the Middle Tennessee Division Manager. HospitalityTN represents the interests of Tennessee's lodging, dining, and tourism establishments and the related businesses involved in the hospitality & tourism industry. Kim Mitchell joined the Blount Partnership in July 2014 after serving the past 2 ½ years as the special events coordinator for the Helen Ross McNabb Center where she contributed to the successful planning, management and execution of many Blount County special events with specific responsibility for achieving all fundraising goals and community awareness objectives. Her position with the Blount Partnership consists of recruiting events in the areas of leisure, business and group travel to the county for overnight stays.   A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Mitchell has worn many hats in a variety of industries during her career ranging from being director of catering for a national hotel chain to serving as a marketing and public relations specialist for a local marketing group. Topics Discussed:·        What brought these two professionals to the tourism industry·        They describe the tourism boom they see in their respective geographic locations·        How the Tennessee Hospitality & Tourism Association partners with tourism businesses·        The tactics most effective in getting the word out to travelers about all that Tennessee has to offer·        The rise of outdoor adventure and leisure travel ·        The influence of the Tennessee Whiskey Trail on tourism·        What's on the horizon for Tennessee tourism

Tiffany Carpenter started her career in the public relations agency world and went on to manage communications for the athletics department at the University of Tennessee, including managing the reins of Mike Hamilton, Joan Cronin, Pat Summitt, Phillip Fulmer, Buzz Peterson, Bruce Pearl the infamous Lane Kiffin and Derek Dooley.She went from there to the University of Tennessee Foundation as Assistant Vice President for Communications and Marketing and she managed communication with 355,000 alumni across four campuses. She has gone to serve the University of Tennessee system-wide as Vice President of Communications and Marketing; Associate Vice President of Communications and Marketing; and Assistant Vice President of Marketing where she works directly with Randy Boyd, the President of the University of Tennessee System.She recently launched a successful public relations campaign - the "Everywhere UT" campaign statewide. She was named Public Relations Alumnus of the Year in 2016 by the UT College of Communications and Information Sciences and was included on Knoxville Business Journal's 40 Under 40 list.In this episode, we discuss:Tiffany's career in communicationsStories of working such a high-stress job as a momGrowth plans for the University of Tennessee SystemCrisis managementPublic Relations and Marketing tactics to reach students

In this episode of Ms. InterPReted, we're discussing the importance of trust. It is one of the most important things you can focus on as a brand. Think of it as the currency that fuels revenue and can make or break your business. 71% of people are more likely to buy from brands they trust - those numbers are even higher among Gen Z.Quick, slick sales pitches don't work for a lasting impact anymore - today's consumers want authenticity, transparency and a genuine connection.Fletcher Vice President, Sarah Merrell and our director of media relations, Allison Lester offer advice on how to build trust with your customers.Tactics discussed:Media RelationsInfluencer MarketingThought LeadershipConsistent BrandingProactive Solicitation of Testimonials

On this episode of MisInterPReted Fletcher Director of Media Relations, Allison Lester talks with two newsroom managers about the state of the U.S. media.Martha Jennings, WRAL's Managing Editor, coordinates assignments and staffing for Raleigh, NC's #1 news station. She was the News Director for WBIR, in Knoxville, TN. an executive producer for WFLA, in Tampa, FL. and a producer for WRAL and WCBD. She's a graduate of the University of South Carolina. With over 25 years of media experience, Jeremy Campbell is Managing Director at Spectrum News in New York City, where he oversees coverage and staff within two 24-hour newsrooms: NY1 and NY1 Noticias.His work has reached millions of viewers through TV, digital, and non-traditional platforms - and has been used as an educational tool by the U.S. State Department to train international journalists.He believes “one story can make a difference, and a team of journalists can change the world.”Both have won *numerous media awards from Edward R. Murrow awards to Emmy's - just to name a few.As PR professionals, we are always interested in the ever-evolving state of the U.S. media. We have looked over the annual surveys conducted by both Cision and Muckrack - two large PR/Communications platforms. They conduct these surveys every year polling and interviewing thousands of journalists across the country - and found similar findings.Topics Discussed:Biggest changes in the industry in the past five yearsMaintaining credibility as a trusted news sourceThe Muckrack survey says 70% of journalists say PR pros are either important or very important to the success of their jobs, but fewer than half actually respond to PR pitches - Why?Tips for pitching journalists?What not to do when pitching a local journalistPredictions for the future of journalism

In this episode of MsInterPReted: Public Relations Demystified, we introduce you to two social media influencers we've had the pleasure of working with at Fletcher Marketing Communications: Chelsea Davis and Jensen Savannah.We'd love to help your brand connect with influencers who could expand your reach. Contact us to learn how we can help you up your influencer game.Chelsea Davis is a freelance journalist and content creator based in San Francisco. With a passion for exploring new places, Chelsea covers everything from food and drink to travel adventures. Her Instagram, @cheycheyfromthebay, and her blog, Chey Chey From The Bay, are filled with vibrant stories and recommendations. Chelsea's background as a social media specialist for several prominent San Francisco Bay Area restaurants and organizations enhances her ability to craft engaging content. Through her collaborations with tourism boards, restaurants, and lifestyle brands, she shares memorable experiences that inspire her followers.Jensen Savannah brings the charm of the Carolinas to the forefront through her content creation. She highlights the best restaurants, destinations, events, and local businesses in the Carolinas, aiming to connect her audience with new and exciting experiences. Her work not only showcases the region's unique offerings but also fosters a deeper connection between her followers and the local culture.RELATED:  Maximizing Brand Visibility: Media Relations vs. Influencer MarketingBoth Chelsea and Jensen demonstrate the incredible impact that social media influencers can have on brand visibility and consumer engagement. Their dedicated work in their respective niches helps bridge the gap between businesses and audiences, proving that a well-crafted social media presence can be a game-changer.Topics Discussed on this episode:How has the influencer marketing industry changed in the past five years?The dos and don'ts of contacting influencers.Tik Tok and the ongoing ban battle.Helping brands understand how much time goes into creating content.Obstacles in the future.

As we head into 2025, the Fletcher team predicts the public relations trends the industry will see in the next year and how brands and PR firms should adjust for the oncoming changes.Trends include:An emphasis on authenticity in storytellingMedia layoffs and cutbacks resulting in hubbed coverage in local markets and more pay-to-play options and opportunities in national outletsProactive crisis communications planning after "black swan" events over the past several yearsNiche PR needs specific to specialization in B2B industriesA more divisive, polarized and political social media landscape causing fragmentationThe continued growth of reliance on micro-influencersInflation impacts on public relations firms as hard costs continue to rise but clients are resistant to pay higher feesThe Fletcher team dives into these trends, what they mean for brands and industry professionals and how to navigate the changing landscape in 2025.

In this exciting episode of the Ms. InterPReted podcast, Fletcher Marketing Communications pulls back the curtain on a major new venture that's set to shake up the world of Public Relations and Marketing for financial services brands. Allison Lester and Vice President, Sarah Merrell introduce Fletcher Financial Communications and dive into the inspiration behind this passion project, why this sector has long been underserved in PR, and how Fletcher's expert team is uniquely positioned to bridge that gap. Whether you're a B2B brand or just curious about where PR is headed in 2025, this is a can't-miss conversation full of insight—and one big reveal.