Don’t sugarcoat it when writing up a job description or interviewing potential new hires – painting a rosy picture that doesn’t match reality will only cause you headaches down the road. Co...
PRovoke Media broke a story about at least 11 fake profiles of people who listed a PR recruitment firm as their employers. LinkedIn removed them as fakes—an action with which the business-centr...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-410-whos-behind-all-those-fake-linkedin-profiles/
Despite the excitement over the possibilities generative AI provides, it was easy to predict that doubters would insist it's just a fad -- the same naysaying we heard about email, the web, social...
Gen Z employees tend to have a different (not worse!) approach to their jobs than the older generations do. Which means that as an owner, you need to evolve the way you communicate with and manag...
PwC has released a detailed report analyzing over half a billion job ads from 15 companies representing over 30 percent of global GDP. The goal: unearth empirical evidence of AI's impact on jobs....
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-108-ais-impact-on-jobs-quantified/
Many agency employees complain that clients pay so much more than they are making, so the owner must be reaping a huge profit. Continue Reading → The post ALP 230: Should you start your own ...
The need to promote ethical behavior in communications has never been greater as the volumes of misinformation and disinformation continue to rise with the growing use of AI fueling the spee...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/circle-of-fellows-104-communication-ethics/
White-collar employees everywhere are embracing AI, even if they're using their own accounts and not telling their colleagues or bosses. This widespread adoption of AI among workers is already cr...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-407-ai-is-changing-how-managers-manage/
Chip and Gini discuss recent updates from the federal government affecting agency owners, including a ban on non-compete agreements and changes to salary thresholds for overtime exempt employees....
Among a flood of AI announcements in the last week -- including remarkable advances in ChatGPT -- Google's move to produce narrative results called "overviews" instead of web links caused the mos...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-406-alas-seo-we-knew-you-well/
Felicity Barber, founder of Thoughtful Communications , has penned speeches and spearheaded executive communications for some of the world's most prominent financial institutions, including Black...
Patrick Rogan of Ignition HR joins Chip to discuss the FTC’s new ruling on non-compete agreements and expected adjustments to overtime pay regulations. Continue Reading → The post CWC 1...
In this episode, Chip and Gini discuss the importance of balancing senior and junior hires in agencies, highlighting the pros and cons of primarily staffing with senior level talent. Continue Rea...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/alp-228-should-your-small-agency-hire-senior-level-pros/
Just how much influence do online influencers wield? According to a Sprout Social report, nearly half of all consumers make purchases based on influencer recommendations, and influencers appear t...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-405-gen-zs-connection-with-influencers/
In this episode, Chip and Brad Farris of Anchor Advisors discuss the importance of effective leadership and meetings in agencies, emphasizing the owner's unique role in providing vision and direc...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/cwc-99-modernizing-leadership-in-meetings-featuring-brad-farris/
For several years, bolstered by research showing the public trusts business more than any other institution to address societal issues, companies have taken positions on everything from the envir...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-404-purpose-without-the-peril/
Chip and Gini discuss the importance of agency owners letting go of micromanaging, trusting their team, and focusing on building a scalable business. Continue Reading → The post ALP 227: B...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/alp-227-building-trust-and-letting-your-team-shine/
The author of an AI-focused newsletter suggests that companies need to establish discrete ethics policies for using Artificial Intelligence (AI). With all the codes of ethics out there designed t...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-403-does-marketing-need-a-separate-ethics-standard-for-ai/
Four distinguished IABC Fellows discussed the myriad benefits of earning the Communication Management Professional (CMP) or Strategic Communication Management Professional (SCMP) certification of...
Let’s debunk a myth today: managing up isn't about sucking up. In our second installment of “In Your Corner,” our career coaching segment, Sharon and I dive deep into what it really means t...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/episode-77-in-your-corner-mastering-managing-up/
It has been five years since Google Plus closed down. While it never amassed the number of users of some of its rivals, many called it home and were cast adrift after its demise, unable to find a...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-402-your-favorite-social-network-just-shut-down-now-what/
While public corporations employ (or contract with agencies that provide) media relations professionals, government agencies are likelier to have Public Information Officers (PIOs). Agencies, how...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-401-the-battle-between-pios-and-journalists/
In a LinkedIn post, Techcrunch Sr. Enterprise Editor Frederic Lardinois lamented the ineffectiveness of an event-related press release he received. To date, 42 comments have agreed, many coneming...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/love-them-or-hate-them-press-releases-can-still-deliver-value/
Google is ending third-party tracking cookies on Chrome, the last of the major browsers to take this privacy-enhancing action. Without these cookies, advertisers could see as much as a 70-percent...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-399-no-more-cookies-for-you/
Chip and Gini discuss the intricacies of fractional leadership roles within clients. Continue Reading → The post ALP 226: Should your agency sell itself as a fractional CxO to clients? appe...
Artificial intelligence (AI) is making significant strides in various domains, and voice technology is no exception. OpenAI, a prominent player in the AI industry, has recently announced Voice En...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-398-the-ai-version-of-your-or-anybodys-voice/
"Thought leadership" is a term that gets bandied about a lot. (A Google search for the term produced over 100 million results.) You have to question whether everything labeled thought leadership ...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-397-some-thought-leadership-on-thought-leadership/
AI-powered tools like Perplexity are replacing Google as the go-to search resource for a growing number of people. Even AI tools that are not focused on searching the web, like Microsoft's Copilo...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-396-will-ai-end-googles-search-dominance/
In this episode, Kristian shares insights about his agency, Threadline, and the art of crafting a narrative that is relevant, meaningful, and inspiring to the audience. Continue Reading → ...
In this episode, Chip and Gini discuss the potential pitfalls of receiving equity as payment for service. Continue Reading → The post ALP 225: Accepting equity as payment for agency services...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/alp-225-accepting-equity-as-payment-for-agency-services/
We have expectations from our use of social media, but in two recent studies, there is evidence that the outcomes we expect aren't necessarily what we get. Also in this episode, we look at Gini D...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-395-extra-extra-read-all-about-it-in-print/
Maintain a flexible approach to professional growth by joining IABC Fellows as they explore key topics essential for communication professionals at any career stage. Delve into important areas li...
Companies whose boards include a member with marketing experience deliver higher investor returns than those whose boards lack marketing expertise. That higher return increases among companies lo...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-394-marketers-boards-and-ai/
In this episode, Chip and Gini discuss the fear of hiring employees, the implications of using contractors, the financial considerations, and the benefits of having employees. Continue Reading �...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/alp-224-get-over-your-fear-of-hiring-employees/
A new type of influencer, known as "Jinfluencers," is emerging in the media landscape. These influencers, who combine the roles of journalists and influencers, are gaining attention and challengi...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-393-will-jinfluencers-eclipse-traditional-journalism/
In this episode, Chip and Nick discuss digital agency salaries and the findings of a recent research report on the topic. Continue Reading → The post CWC 97: Agency salary and compensation...
Unsavory and nefarious things happen on the Dark Web. But the Dark Web and Dark Social Media are not exclusively a place for ne'er-do-wells, criminals, and extremists. Dark Social includes messag...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-392-going-below-the-surface-into-dark-social-media/
In this episode, Chip and Gini discuss the challenges and frustrations of owning an agency, emphasizing the importance of seeking accountability and support, and reflecting on one’s own role in...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/alp-223-handling-frustration-as-an-agency-owner/
Match Group wanted the world to know it had secured 1,000 business licenses from OpenAI. In a press release, the company claimed that giving employees access to the full suite of ChatGPT tools ha...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-391-match-group-swipes-right-on-ai-generated-press-release/
Google searches link to Wikipedia more than any other website. It is the largest and most-read reference work in history. It is consistently ranked as one of the 10 most popular websites in the w...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-interview-william-beutler-on-pr-and-wikipedia/
Based on the plunge in the value of NFTs last year and the evaporation of business on NFT exchanges, it would be easy to think these tokens were just a passing fad, like Pet Rocks and Beanie Babi...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-390-the-fall-and-rise-of-nfts/
In this episode, Chip and Gini discuss the importance of setting clear expectations from the start and being proactive in following up on overdue invoices. Continue Reading → The post ALP 22...
The list of CXO titles is proliferating. The addition of chief culture officers, chief AI officers, chief data officers, chief wellness officers, chief diversity officers, chief learning officers...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-389-bloated-c-suites-and-some-alternatives/
GenZers are recording their firings and layoffs, and the videos are going viral on TikTok and elsewhere. This is shining a harsh spotlight on organizations' approach to letting people go, and it'...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-388-watch-me-get-fired/
A long list of A-list companies from across the spectrum of industries have embraced Artificial Intelligence in a way that is raising eyebrows: monitoring employee emails and posts to messaging a...
Let's face it: The world of internal communications is anything but boring. If you're anything like us, the thrill of navigating through ever-changing landscapes -- like hybrid work, AI and chann...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/episode-76-poppulo-webinar-replay-unlocking-2024-ic-trends/
In this episode, Chip and Gini discuss how to get your agency's time under control and offer advice on managing business development and project management to avoid the unnecessary and focus on...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/alp-221-avoiding-time-wasting-in-your-agency/
In the 100th episode of “Circle of Fellows,” Brad Whitworth and Shel Holtz presented short video and narrative contributions from many Fellows of the International Association of Business Com...
In a LinkedIn post, internal communications thought leader Monique Zytnik wonders if there is not enough specificity in the "AI" label. "It's like trying to have a conversation about different an...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-386-is-ai-too-generic-a-label/
In this episode, Chip and Gini discuss the recent wave of layoffs in the media industry and its implications for PR agencies. Continue Reading → The post ALP 220: What recent media layoffs...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/alp-220-what-recent-media-layoffs-mean-for-pr-agencies/
Artificial Intelligence is revolutionizing all manner of things. It should be no surprise, then, that it is bound to revolutionize online searching, which has been dominated by Google. A new sear...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-385-amazing-search-results-that-drive-little-traffic/
People are spending less time on the big open public social networks, opting instead for closed communities, hidden away from public scrutiny. In this short midweek episode, Neville and Shel exam...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-384-social-networks-shift-away-from-the-public-commons/
In this episode, Chip and Gini share their perspectives about 2023 — along with things that positioned some agencies for success in what many experienced as a down year. Continue Reading → ...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/alp-219-did-your-agency-have-a-rough-2023/
Back in 2012, business executives thought the most important traits to exhibit when interacting with stakeholders included things like forcefulness, a blue-chip pedigree, and physical attractiven...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-383-leadership-traits-arent-what-they-used-to-be/
Elon Musk's company, Neuralink, claims it has successfully implanted a device in the brain of a human subject who is recovering well. These devices are designed to enable severely disabled indivi...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-382-brain-implants-are-a-thing-now/
When Gini shared in a recent episode that her success has come from doing the same thing for 15 years, a listener pointed out that she has continued to evolve. Continue Reading → The post AL...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/alp-218-agencies-succeed-through-consistency-and-evolution/
It happens every year, as surely as the Tiffany ball will drop in Times Square on New Year's Eve: Edelman has released its annual Trust Barometer with a focus on the public's views on innovation ...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-381-the-state-of-trust-in-2024/
When the word came down from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that investment companies could offer Bitcoin ETFs, Vanguard shrugged off the opportunity -- but didn't make an effort to ...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-380-vanguard-leaves-investors-twisting-in-the-wind/
It's hard to believe, but this is the 100th "Circle of Fellows." To celebrate, we opted to try something new. (Don't worry, we'll return to our panel discussion format in March.) We asked our Fel...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/circle-of-fellows-100-insights-and-advice-from-iabc-fellows/
When blogs first got hot, every December, it was the rare PR agency and independent communicator that didn't feel compelled to post their predictions and assessments of trends for the new year. T...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-397-top-communication-trends-for-2024/
In this episode, Chip and Gini talk about the need for agencies to find a sustainable focus and be cautious of riding the wave of the latest type of "hot" agency — including digital, social med...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/alp-217-are-digital-agencies-dead/
Deepfakes! Volumes of disinformation generated at scale! Hallucinated information shared as fact! Inherent bias underlying official communication! The number of crises people can imagine AI creat...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-378-ai-for-crisis-communications/
“Let’s be careful out there.” The line made famous by Hill Street Blues’ Sgt. Phil Esterhaus holds up 40 years later – just ask crisis expert Andy Gilman. In addition to his forma...
It's not uncommon to hear agency owners talk about wanting to target small businesses because there are so many of them and you can talk with the decision-maker more easily. Continue Reading → ...
While this is officially episode #377 of "For Immediate Release," the fact is that we reset the episode numbers back in 2015 when we retired the show name, "The Hobson and Holtz Report," at episo...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-377-two-decades-of-podcasting/
"We are about to see the biggest reshuffling of power on the internet in 25 years," writes Anil Dash, "in a way that most of the internet’s current users have never seen before." That power, ...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-376-is-the-internet-pendulum-swinging-back-to-weirdness/
Volumes have been written in the last year about how to apply ChatGPT and other generative AI tools to the practice of public relations and organizational communication. In this midweek episode, ...
Volumes have been written in the last year about how to apply ChatGPT and other generative AI tools to the practice of public relations and organizational communication. In this midweek episode, ...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-375-chatgpt-speaks-for-itself-about-its-pr-capabilities/
German publisher Alex Springer -- which owns Politico, among other media properties -- has inked a deal with OpenAI, which means ChatGPT will be able to include news in its responses to prompts. ...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-374-getting-your-news-from-ai/
The past year has been — to put it mildly — consequential. If nothing else, the rise of Generative Artificial Intelligence has dramatically altered the communication landscape. But AI isn’t...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/circle-of-fellows-99-a-look-back-at-2023-in-communications/
Our work as communicators is always evolving – there’s no finish line to cross or book to close. And, because of that, many of us are guilty of forgetting to take time to reflect on lessons l...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/episode-74-our-best-expert-advice-from-2023/
The speed with which media companies are announcing moves into the fediverse is accelerating, with Flipboard and Mozilla among the latest to signal their plans to support federation protocols. Wh...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-373-has-the-fediverse-reached-a-tipping-point/
It seems so alluring to be able to put a Fortune 500 logo on your agency's website. Many of us dream of the creative things that we can do for these household names. Continue Reading → The p...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/alp-215-small-agencies-should-beware-the-big-brands/
The rise of "non-credible publications" and the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence have fueled a surge in disinformation attacks aimed at businesses. Knowing where to look for this potenti...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-372-more-disinformation-targets-companies/
How much should a company's employees know about AI? Some companies are now looking for employees who can bring a range of AI skills with them for virtually any job the company has to offer. In t...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-371-employee-ai-competencies/
In this episode, Chip and Gini take a question from the SAGA Community on Slack about ways to motivate freelancers just as you do with employees. Continue Reading → The post ALP 214: How to ...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/alp-214-how-to-motivate-your-agencys-freelancers/
A year ago, many communicators were unsure if generative artificial intelligence was going to have staying power in our industry. There have been supporters, detractors and plenty of folks who si...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/episode-73-a-mix-of-utility-and-fear-mark-dollins-on-ai-in-comms/
Most organizations have remained silent about the Israel-Hamas conflict. Leaders don't see how any reference to the war is relevant to their companies' operations, purpose, or values, and they ca...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-370-war-managers-and-empathy/
In this episode, Chip and Gini talk about why it is important for agency owners to have someone outside of the business — a mentor, consultant, coach, friend, or even another agency owner — w...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/alp-213-the-value-of-outside-perspective-to-agency-owners/
In Paris, commercial murals on walls are permitted only without logos or product images. Oatly, the non-dairy milk company, was entering the French market and planned and out-of-home (OOH) campai...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-369-outdoor-guerilla-marketing-campaign-goes-viral/
PRSA has released as set of guidelines to govern the use of Artificial Intelligence by public relations professionals. The association has used its Code of Ethics as a roadmap. In this short midw...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-368-ai-and-pr-codes-of-ethics/
Individual employees can reap a clear benefit from participating in online social networks. The companies for which they work also benefit from smarter employees who can reach out for help that c...
If you're anything like Chip and Gini, you have discovered employees doing work for clients that is outside of the scope of work you have agreed to. Continue Reading → The post ALP 212: Hidd...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/alp-212-hidden-overservicing-by-agency-employees/
Pundits are proclaiming social media dead (or dying), and they have data to back up their beliefs. If it's true, what does it mean -- for society, for networking, and for business? Neville and Sh...
With the holiday season upon us, it is appropriate to talk about a gift communicators can give: the gift of communication. For several years, the day before the IABC World Conference begins, comm...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/circle-of-fellows-98-the-gift-of-communication/
RyanAir has a reputation: For the lowest airfares in Europe, you'll get where you're going with the bare minimum of service. The airline's social media accounts -- notably TikTok -- have done a b...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-365-ryanairs-social-media-chief-doesnt-leave-quietly/
INTRODUCING “IN YOUR CORNER” In boxing, competitors head to their stools in the fighter’s corner for one-minute respites between rounds. They try to catch their breath, have cuts tended t...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/72-introducing-in-your-corner-imposter-syndrome/
Most small agencies at some point experience the sinking feeling of losing a whale client or seeing a sudden sharp reduction in revenue. Continue Reading → The post ALP 211: What to do when ...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/alp-211-what-to-do-when-your-agency-needs-new-revenue-now/
The latest research report out of communication agency Edelman is rich with takeaways. The 2023 Corporate Communications Study follows a 2021 edition that explored the implications of the pandemi...
Xana Winans says that resiliency may be her supowerpower, and that's a characteristic many agency owners needed to tap into as the pandemic upset existing business structures. Continue Reading �...
In this episode, Chip and Gini talk about what matters — and what doesn't — when it comes to your website design and content. Continue Reading → The post ALP 210: Real talk about agency ...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/alp-210-real-talk-about-agency-websites/
Internal communicators have long known how important employees' immediate supervisors are to the communication process. Based on the results of a new study, communicators need to shift their focu...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-364-managers-most-important-communication-role/
Chaos is the sign of a problem that needs to be solved, not an acceptable condition that leaders and their teams should adapt to. Continue Reading → The post ALP 209: Chaos is not a virtue f...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/alp-209-chaos-is-not-a-virtue-for-agencies/
A review of the trove of articles about how brands have addressed the conflict in the Middle East suggests that there is no way to satisfy everybody, even for brands that opt to say nothing at al...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-363-is-the-israel-hamas-war-a-communications-no-win-situation/
T2 rebranded as Pebble because when tossed in water, pebbles create ripples (except in the song "Ripple," in which "there is no pebble tossed, nor wind to blow"). The microblogging social network...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-362-why-did-pebble-sink/
A new study from Edelman polled hundreds of Fortune 500 Chief Communication Officers about the future of corporate communications. The results include some surprises, including the scope of the C...
In this episode, Chip and Gini talk about why salary expectations are on the rise and what agencies can — and should — do about it. Continue Reading → The post ALP 208: The rising sala...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/alp-208-the-rising-salary-demands-of-agency-employees/
In an increasingly interconnected world, the role of effective communication has never been more critical to organizational success. This month’s panel of IABC Fellows will delve into the nu...
At a school in southern England, a headmaster worked with an AI developer to create an AI "robot" named Abigail Bailey to serve as his "headteacher," giving him advice and helping with planning. ...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-360-your-ai-chatbot-confidant/
In this episode, Chip talks with Jason Swenk of Agency Mastery 360 about the intricate dynamics of agency growth, operations, and sales. Continue Reading → The post CWC 95: Evolving as y...
https://www.firpodcastnetwork.com/cwc-95-evolving-as-your-agency-grows-featuring-jason-swenk/