Welcome back to IT'S A PR THING, where we help you build relationships that build business. In today's episode we challenge the idea that public relations is about telling your story. Instead, the stories that matter most come from the people you serve. Today you’ll learn how to shift focus from pushing messages and content to creating experiences that develop and maintain relationships across your organization's stakeholder spectrum. We’ll walk through how to ask better questions, listen with purpose, and design interactions that reflect what your stakeholders actually need. You’ll also learn how to treat relationships as hard assets—the real proof of value that can stand up to crisis, change, and public scrutiny. Whether you’re leading a small business or a large organization, this episode gives you practical tools to help others tell the story of how your work made a difference. Because the most powerful PR isn’t authored—it’s cultivated through the stakeholder experience. OUR CASE STUDY ORGANIZATION Plahaus Tourist Home HOST BIO https://www.audible.com/author/Stephanie-McFarland/B00YNFH16E

NOTE: THIS RECORDING WAS PREVIOUSLY RELEASED ON OCT. 13, 2025.    THE ISRAEL / GAZA DEAL: A MASTER CLASS IN GLOBAL RELATIONSHIP CAPITAL The peace deal between Israel and Gaza isn’t just a diplomatic headline—it’s a global master-class in relationship capital. As the remaining 20 living hostages are now released and reuniting with their families, we break down the five ways this moment proves that building relationships is not a soft skill. It’s power – power through people and connection. Whether in the PR industry, politics, or any space where outcomes depend on people, the Israel/Gaza deal is a glaring reminder that developing, accessing and leveraging relationship capital can move mountains in geopolitical circles – and in our own communities and organizations. HOST BIO https://www.audible.com/author/Stephanie-McFarland/B00YNFH16E

For those of us in public relations, Charlie Kirk’s death should ring our bell. Without freedom of speech, there is no PR profession. That’s a fact. Today’s episode breaks down this point into four key areas where freedom of speech is vital to the existence of our profession – and in how PR is effectively practiced. We’ll also cover insights from international students studying PR in the United States, and tackle the question about recent employee firings and what they signal for anyone representing an employer’s brand or responsibility to the community. Finally, we'll wrap up with a relevant book recommendation that anyone in PR leadership should read. There’s a lot to unpack in this episode, so get ready to take some notes.

So how much does it cost you when your logo flops? And is it the what or the how that brings on the flop? And did our reigning grand champion of logo flops – Cracker Barrel – miss a real opportunity to leverage a branding change? Join me today as we learn what a logo flop can cost you in hard dollars and cents, the lessons from Cracker Barrel’s recent experience, and most importantly, an alternative approach that could have involved customers in the change – and let everyone own the new brand look together. Let’s all dive into some PR learning love, and explore why this great Cracker Barrel controversy is a glaring demonstration of why we must seek first to understand, to know our stakeholders, and to strive to build that all-important relationship capital. HOST BIO https://www.audible.com/author/Stephanie-McFarland/B00YNFH16E

Poor customer experience is driving poor mental health -- and that's a PR thing and a brand destroyer.  Join me today as we hear what studies and experts have to say, and how a U.S. culture of poor customer service and experiences is damaging the public's mental health in several ways.  As we wave our banners about being compassionate, empathetic, kind and caring -- we as a U.S. business culture across all industries are missing the opportunities to show these behaviors in our customer interactions every day.  Are you ready for this kind of truth?  Of course you are -- you're a PR pro! Let's dive in for some more PR learning love!    GILES CROUCH: "HOW TECHNOLOGY FAILED CUSTOMER SERVICE"    HOST BIO https://www.audible.com/author/Stephanie-McFarland/B00YNFH16E  

My First PR Teacher -- Thank you, Mamma. Today we celebrate the upcoming Mother's Day weekend with a tribute to Franny J, the OG relationship builder. Franny J came from northern Alabama, knew no one of influence in Indianapolis, but her relationship-building skills earned her a client list that included some of the most prominent names in Central Indiana. And she's my mom. The start-up queen before start ups were a thing! She started two businesses, grew them exponentially, and never advertised. But she has some old-school relationship-building skills that our flash and splash today can't match. In today's episode you'll learn the backstory about Franny J, and the Franny J four rules of relationship building. Enjoy!   HOST BIO https://www.audible.com/author/Stephanie-McFarland/B00YNFH16E    

The news isn't good. CEOs and C-suite members have low confidence in their PR departments. In fact, the confidence rating for Congress at this moment is higher -- almost double -- compared to how C-suite members rate their PR teams. YIKES! Houston, we have a problem! And waking up to it is our first step to resolving it. Today IT'S A PR THING looks at some of the data points on what C-suite leaders think about their PR divisions and what they deem of value from the PR team. And we give you five tips on how to inspire confidence from your CEO and the C-suite team, deliver value back to the organization, and help your company masterfully manage your public relationships.  You'll definitely want to grab a pen and paper to take notes today. PR field, we've got work to do. STUDY MENTIONED IN TODAY'S EPISODE   NEED HELP IMPLEMENTING A STAKEHOLDER AUDIT?  We can advise you, implement the process, or help your comms team facilitate the process across your organization. We'll help you create a relationship-capital dashboard, and map out a plan to improve, maintain and grow your relationship capital. Visit us at MCFARLANDPR.COM HOST BIO https://www.audible.com/author/Stephanie-McFarland/B00YNFH16E      

Just like your financials need to be regularly reviewed and audited, so do your stakeholder relationships. In fact, not having a finger on the pulse of your relationship capital can impact your organization's financial health. This is another next level PR management practice that helps you know the relationship landscape across your organization, know what your relationship radar system is signalling, and help you to advise your C-suite leaders -- so they can decide how to invest time, energy, resources in building relationship capital. And it can be instrumental in helping your C-suite to pivot and swerve to avoid trouble before it takes root. Interestingly, it's the CEO who most often gets this need to have a pulse on the company's stakeholder relationships. And when trouble raises its ugly head, it's the often comms team that is pulled into question as to how the company could have avoided the threat. Follow today's five steps to become the trusted advisor who is managing the organization's relationship capital actively and effectively. And avoid being the "fixer" that's expected to manage the mischief and clean up the mess. NEED HELP IMPLEMENTING A STAKEHOLDER AUDIT?  We can advise you, implement the process, or help your comms team facilitate the process across your organization. We'll help you create a relationship-capital dashboard, and map out a plan to improve, maintain and grow your relationship capital. Visit us at MCFARLANDPR.COM HOST BIO https://www.audible.com/author/Stephanie-McFarland/B00YNFH16E  

NEWS ALERTFeedSpot named IT'S A PR THING among its top 70 PR podcasts "on the planet" you must follow in 2025. Read more. EPISODE 33 - SUMMARYToday we dive into the five practices that can take your PR efforts from a content-creating, output-producing function to a value-creating, outcome-delivering operation. This episode hits the high notes of which practices separate the tactical from the strategic, and the outputs from results.  From the CEO to the new professional, this episode plays up and down the corporate scale -- and tells you exactly how to transform your PR work into Next Level PR. Get ready to take some notes, because this episode packs a lot into a small space of time! HOST BIO https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00YNFH16E/about

Don't 'Stay on Message' Yes, you read today's title right. Don't "stay on message". We hear it a lot in our field, the directive to "stay on message". And, for the most part, it's bad advice.  Today you'll hear for yourself what it actually sounds like put into practice. And we talk about what those receiving the "message" think about its delivery. Of course, we don't leave you with a "do not" without also giving you a new "do". Make sure you listen to the end for a special message that will stay with you all day long! ******************************************* SOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW Clip 1: Minnesota DFL - A Simple  Question: Yes or No? https://youtu.be/VySnpLoaUrI Clip 2: Tuesday Tip 2: Audience vs. Stakeholder: It's not Tomato Tomahto https://itsaprthing.podbean.com/e/audience-vs-stakeholder-it-s-not-tomato-tomahto/ Clip 3: Walmart is Closing - @cowboy_fred_425 (TikTok) https://www.tiktok.com/@cowboy_fred_425/video/7189098351571340586?lang=en ********************************************************************** HOST BIO: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00YNFH16E/about

Don't just take our word for it, learn what this new study has revealed about where organizations are taking their DEI programs. This new survey published recently by the Littler Mendelson firm (labor- and employment-law experts) adds some new quantitative data to the ongoing conversation on whether DEI is ending or evolving. SPOILER ALERT: This new survey confirms our own briefing whitepaper titled The State of DEI: A Reflection Point. HOST BIO: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00YNFH16E/about

DOES DEI HAVE A FUTURE? Today I share the highlights from our latest market-voice briefing whitepaper on the current state of DEI in the United States. Have DEI programs in the workplace come to the end of the road, or will DEI evolve and endure? Tune in today to catch the highlights of what we found in our briefing whitepaper titled The State of DEI: A Reflection Point. This briefing whitepaper is a compilation of information, facts, market voices and resources to help businesses understand the current state and future of DEI. This publication compiles a wide range of input and perspectives from business leaders, legal analysts, HR professionals, and DEI consultants and managers, whose collective input makes it clear that DEI is at a reflection point, rather than an inflection point. Following the insights, advice and suggestions from these sources, corporations and entities throughout the U.S. can help organizations reflect on their DEI programs, ensuring legal compliance, good management practices and clear communication. To get a copy of The State of DEI:  A Reflection Point, click here. HOST BACKGROUND Check out the host's bio @ https://www.amazon.com/author/stephaniemcfarland  

Why is Gen X battling a beat down online currently? Join me today as we explore what's happening through the practice of stakeholder analysis. You'll learn how to "seek first to understand" about the smallest of the adult living generations, and you'll get to "know thy stakeholder" through the lens of historical, social and cultural shaping, and the insights lived experience provides. This exercise in stakeholder analysis is not only somewhat entertaining, but it's a best practice that will encourage respect for diversity and help your organization build relationships that build business. Come on! Let's dive in for some more PR learning love!

PR Mail Bag Q&A (with Bonus Recipes!) After that heavy helping of trust problems we've dished out over the past three weeks, today's episode is going light and a bit random with our mail-bag format.  Today we dive into a cornucopia of common questions we get from clients, podcast listeners, new professionals, students and sometimes business leaders with no PR experience.  We'll dig into which branch of PR is the Big Wheel of them all, what hiring leaders need to consider when scouting new PR talent, why PR pros leave organizations, and what do those letters "APR" mean.  No notepad needed today. Just kick back, languish in your Thanksgiving Day foodie hangover and ponder the philosophies of public relations.    RECIPES AS PROMISED: Roasted Butternut Squash with Sausage and Spinach https://www.crazyblondelife.com/blog/61sq2ztcdhdumwox53ea780xh7ui5b?rq=BUTTERNUT%20SAUSAGE%20 Easy Garlic and Rosemary Focaccia Muffins https://biteswithbri.com/garlic-rosemary-focaccia-muffins/ Cranberry Brie Bites https://www.wellplated.com/brie-bites/    

THE NATIONAL TRUST DEFICIT - PART III The U.S. trust deficit is permeating across all of our most-influential American institutions, from government to big business to public health to education and the news media. And there are some valuable lessons to learn in studying this wide-spread deficit. But throwing more storytelling, more messaging and more content creation at the problem is fruitless. In fact, following that advice may only dig the hole deeper. All of the above tactics add up to nothing more than a new verbal varnish on the same old mind set that got us where we are today. But there is a road to redemption. And while the strategy to get there may not qualify as rocket science, it apparently isn't common sense either. Join us today for the final episode in our National Trust Deficit series -- and learn what important steps lie ahead in restoring trust in our American institutions.

Welcome to this episode of IT'S A PR THING, where we tackle Part II of our series on the U.S. National Trust Deficit. In Part I, we learned the data that's defining the national trust deficit, but this week we dive into the reasons why -- straight from the public -- and how their lack of trust is impacting and reshaping American life.  And it boils down to one simple concept that appears to be missing in the public's relationship with all of these institutions. But the road to redemption is still in sight, yet the first step on that journey requires us to understand and act. And every organization that represents these U.S. institutions of influence can help to carry that banner. So hit that button and let's dive into some PR learning tough love.  

Join us for this first in a series on The National Trust Deficit. In this episode, we look at polls from Gallup, Pew and others and piece together a data-driven U.S. trust ”landscape” -- which is creating mental health issues, division and consumer uprisings. Every business leader and PR professional needs to be awake and aware of how this trust deficit is affecting U.S. society.

The Anheuser-Busch recent marketing campaign stirred up a lot of conversation and action from consumers -- on both sides of the issue. Now company marketing executives are on "leave," consumers across the board are angry, a boycott is in progress, sales and stocks are down, and other Anheuser brands are feeling the impact as well. All of this begs the question: Should PR pros be pushing corporate activism? Today we play the game of Survey Says to get some insights on what consumers actually think about corporate engagement in political and social issues. Every PR pro should be in tune with this data. Grab a pen and paper, and take some notes today as we dig in to some more PR learning love.  

Tanner tackles the tougher side of being a new PR professional Leading without authority, imposter syndrome, and more Tanner Sizemore hosts today's episode of IT'S A PR THING and tackles the hurdles and quandaries inherent in being a new PR pro who's working to grow personally and professionally. Today Tanner is asking the questions, and he's digging into how to lead without authority, how to handle that nagging feeling of imposter syndrome, how to survive micromanagement and how to work into more responsibility. Being a new professional in the PR field is no easy road. There are big expectations and high pressures. But, as Tanner draws out in today's interview, those honing experiences can help you become a sharp professional over time. Learn more about Tanner. Send Tanner an encouraging message about his debut in hosting the podcast: tanner@mcfarlandpr.com

EAST PALESTINE DERAILMENT How to host an arrest-free news briefing.  On February 8, a NewsNation reporter was arrested at a news briefing in East Palestine, Ohio, where a train derailment had occurred, resulting in the burning of toxic chemicals that created havoc for the small Ohio community.  What led to this arrest, and how could  frustrations and irritation on the ground escalate into something that went so wrong, so fast and in such a big way? Professionals who work crisis management often have to deal with tense media situations. So how can you keep that tension from escalating into confrontation? Today we’ll walk through five practices that can help to build relationships with reporters on site at a crisis news briefing, reduce tension, and create cooperation and even opportunity for collaboration.  Lots to unpack here today, so grab a pen and your note pad — and let’s dive in for some more PR learning love.