Kristina Monllos

It's prediction time! I'll be putting up a series of LinkedIn posts asking for predictions on specific topics. Please do not email me responses -- posting on LinkedIn lets me keep everything in one place. Answers may be used in PR Daily articles. First up: What are your predictions for AI in communications in 2025?

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Take this 5-second PR test Before sending that press release, ask yourself: "Would I care about this if it wasn't my client?" If the answer is no, don't send it. Instead: 1. Find a unique angle. 2. Link to a trending topic. 3. Offer real value to journalists. Remember: Your reputation is on the line with every pitch. Quality over quantity. Always. What's your litmus test for newsworthy content? #PublicRelations #PRTips #MediaRelations #CommunicationStrategy

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Some of the best PR material comes from random comments people make during meetings or in Slack channels. Your Comms team can’t pick up on those things if they’re not there. Don’t just bring them in at the end. Make sure they’re part of the entire conversation.

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How to get your email deleted by journalists or really anyone else… 1. Misspell the person’s name or address them by an entirely different name. 2. Keep [First Name] and all the areas that you left highlighted. 3. Fail to tailor your message to the recipient. 4. Neglect to research and become familiar with their work or needs. 5. Pitch them irrelevant topics or services. 6. Send them a poorly worded, grammatically incorrect email. 7. Don't get to the point quickly. 8. Avoid pitching them anything original or a unique value proposition. 9. Copy everyone and their mother! 10. Send them a book-long email. 11. Include a lengthy document or press release without context. 12. Forget to provide necessary resources like links to high-resolution photos and b-roll. 13. Attach huge files that clog their inbox. 14. Be annoyingly persistent with your follow-ups. 💡 Pro tip: Want your email to actually get read? Avoid these common pitfalls like the plague. P.S. What are your biggest email pet peeves? Share your tips in the comments below. 📧 #MediaRelations #PitchingTips #JournalistStruggles #EmailEtiquette

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All of this! Communications is more than just your earned media hits and digital platforms. If you are including comms at the end of an initiative or rollout, it may be already too late.

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Too true... Delivering creative and persuasive PR is so much easier to do when you´re also able to be a fly on the wall in strategic meetings and at events... active listening pays dividends. One example of this is coming up for me at our quarterly Global Advisory Board meeting - a fantastic chance to be part of some great conversations and debates about issues that will impact on our students´ learning and futures. #globeducate #globaladvisoryboard #shapingtheworld

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We are off to the races with day 2 of the #DEI Bootcamp for Communicators series. Today’s topic addresses unconscious bias and microaggressions. These silent message disruptors can cause harm as death by a thousand cuts. #diversityequityandinclusion #bias #microaggressions #prejudice #communications #publicrelations #media #training #webinar #government #nonprofit #associations #foundation #business #socialjustice

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T-minus...not very many hours until Election Day. Are you ready? ***Those in the PR/Comms industries: How are you handling Election Day for your brand/org, your employees, and most of all...yourself?*** [Me: We have the editorial calendar planned this week with flexibility for important election-related pieces if they come in. I'm working on several election-unrelated pieces. Taking time out to vote on Tuesday. Taking walk breaks/cat cuddling breaks Tuesday and Wednesday. Buying MORE candy. Already decided on ordering out for dinner Tuesday night with husband. ] Take care. Be gentle with yourself and others. Eat as much candy as you want.

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Are you setting up your PR team for failure? Approving a press release hours before it needs to go out is communications malpractice, especially for transactions. I think executives are hesitant to give the "green light" to the comms team cause they fear a leak. The reality is you're annoying reporters by not giving them time to write an article and reducing your media results. Your hired PR team is not the one leaking the news. Bring your PR team into the deal early, approve the press release at least 48 hours before it's live. I promise everyone will be happier with the coverage.

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In today’s Substack, I address an elephant in the room: the growing disconnect between in-house marketing managers and PR agencies. Are we seeing more under-experienced marketing managers who don’t fully understand today’s comms landscape? Is the hiring process broken? I’d love to hear your thoughts. x

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🛑 DON’T: hire a PR agency if you can’t (or won’t) devote *internal resources* to the effort. DO: hire a PR agency when your exec team *prioritizes comms* as a key biz driver 📈 That’s it. That’s the whole post. This is the way ✊ #publicrelations

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The PR agency has positioned you as a thought leader, and a journalist would like to speak with you to hear your industry insights. How can you win this opportunity? 1) Use the first two minutes of the interview to quickly introduce yourself and your company. 2) After your background comments, focus on industry trends and forward-looking insights that position you as an expert. 3) Showing knowledge demonstrates to a journalist that you’re not just good for one single story but that you can become a dependable source for numerous stories. Thought leadership interviews are as much about building trust for tomorrow as they are about being quoted today.

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I’ve heard from several companies lately that their PR agencies are not working. Why? “They are good when we have news, but they’re never getting us anything else” OR “They haven’t gotten any coverage in months” OR “They keep asking us for more, but never deliver when we give it” I am *shocked* when I hear how long companies have stayed with a partner who is not acting like one. If that sounds familiar, it’s OK to have an honest conversation with the agency team to re-set. - Make sure YOU have been a good partner and given them access to the right people internally. If not, how can this be improved? - Confirm your target audiences AND where those audiences get their information/news (e.g., what are the top 5 outlets in which coverage would be important to the business?)   - Ensure the agency knows how your brand should be positioned (i.e., what kinds of stories you should be part of and what ones you should not) - Establish goals and let the agency know [how] those goals are going to be measured over the next 6 months - Meet regularly to check in and get updates on progress and those goals - In 6 months if progress doesn’t meet your expectations, you should consider whether that is the right partner There are many reasons why a client/agency partnership doesn't work out, and it's often not one-sided. But when something is not working, it should not be swept under the rug. Rather, it's important to talk about your concerns, identify ways to address them and come up with how you will measure improvement. Many times, once there's a re-set, everyone will feel much better and the partnership can move forward with much success. #PRagency #PR #earnedmedia

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Wait... what? A PR is an announcement right? Or is it a press release? Do you mean you 'do' press releases? Is that like using a newswire? What do you mean embargo?.. hmm.. and that's a.. deadline? PR terminology is a pain, like all industry jargon it makes it look more complicated than it is and you think "I really need someone who understands this stuff".. 12 years of working as a comms expert and I have conversations with companies all the time that follow the script above. So I wrote a simple breakdown of PR terminology, starting with content formats - for all the other founders and CMOs out there who are sitting on calls with their PR agencies, wondering what the *🤔🤔😑😑😬 they are talking about, but don’t ask because it will take another 30 minutes of precious billable time. In a new article, I’m covering: 🐥 What content formats to use to communicate company information 🐿 When to use them 🐫 How to structure them 🐢 Best ways to share them Read it all here: https://lnkd.in/eDCxvG9C This will be part of a broader series about all the things that cause confusion in PR (and there are many more), so let me know what PR terms you struggle with in the comments. P.s. hope you enjoyed the emojis.

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🔍 Is It OK to Say "I Don't Know" in Media Interviews? 🔍 In this week’s Association Insights, I tackle a common question: Is it ever acceptable to say "I don’t know" to a reporter? The answer is yes, but it's all about how you handle it. 👉 𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐊𝐞𝐲: Admitting you don't know can enhance your credibility, showing you value accuracy over speculation.  👉 𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐔𝐩: Always pair "I don’t know" with a commitment to find out the information, demonstrating your diligence and responsiveness.  👉 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰: Use this moment to steer the conversation towards areas you are knowledgeable about, keeping the interview on track with your key messages. Saying "I don’t know" isn't a sign of weakness; it's an honest approach that can build trust and respect with the media. 💬 Have you ever faced a situation where you had to say "I don’t know" in an interview? How did you handle it? Share your experiences in the comments! #MediaTraining #PublicRelations #AssociationInsights #OnWrdUpWrd #CommunicationSkills #HonestyInPR

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No journalist will tell you WHY they’re blocking you, before they do. Acc. to Cision's State of the Media ‘24 report: ❌ 77% of journalists dislike irrelevant pitches. ❌ 62% avoid PR pros due to inaccurate info received. ❌ 55% dislike pitches that sound like brochures. If you’re doing any of the above, STOP immediately. Do this instead: ✅ Tailor your pitches to their coverage. ✅ Double-check sources. ✅ Focus on telling a good story. That’s how you stay on the good side of media. [Share] this with someone getting blocked! #PRTips

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Dear PR Client, I'm sorry, but I cannot call my reporter friend at the WSJ and ask her to cover your company as a favor. That's not how PR works, and it's not how the newsroom operates. A friendly reminder: PR is challenging and involves a process. It's important to invest in it. #PR #publicrelations #presscoverage #mediarelations

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Want media coverage? 📰 📺 Do these things: 1️⃣ Craft a Compelling Story ▶ Focus on Newsworthiness: Make sure your story is timely, relevant, and has a unique angle. Journalists look for stories that are engaging, impactful, or have human interest. ▶ Hook with a Strong Headline: Your pitch should start with a headline that grabs attention immediately. It should be concise and compelling. 2️⃣ Build Relationships with Journalists ▶ Research and Target: Identify journalists who cover your industry or topic. Follow them on social media, engage with their content, and understand what kind of stories they write. ▶ Personalize Your Pitch: Avoid sending generic press releases to a big list. Tailor your pitch to align with the journalist’s interests and previous work. 3️⃣ Leverage Social Media ▶ Create Buzz: Use platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram to generate excitement around your story or event. Tag journalists and media outlets to catch their attention. ▶ Engage and Share: Regularly share valuable content and engage with your audience. This builds a community that can amplify your message, making it more attractive to the media. 4️⃣ Offer Exclusive Content ▶ Provide Unique Access: Give one media outlet an exclusive interview, early access to your product, or a behind-the-scenes look. Exclusivity can make your story more appealing. ▶ Be a Resource: Position yourself or your company as a go-to expert in your field. Offer insights, data, or expert opinions that journalists can use in their stories. 5️⃣ Timing and Follow-Up ▶ Pitch at the Right Time: Consider the news cycle and the journalist’s schedule. Avoid pitching during busy news periods unless your story is highly relevant. ▶ Follow Up Strategically: If you don’t get a response, follow up politely after a few days. Respect their time, but make it clear why your story is worth their attention. #PR #PublicRelations

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