Molly Montag

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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Does your PR team know how to explain the work we do? In too many instances, asking different members of your team how to explain public relations may bring many different answers. The obvious problem with that is that it creates confusion. As we all already know, too many people already don't get what we do. It is less about saying the exact words but more about general cohesion of the story. If your agency hasn't gone through this exercise with your team, it is something to think about.

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Alright, fellow PR professionals and strategic comms experts—let’s get one thing straight. We’re not just here to draft press releases or craft social media magic. We’re business advisors—just like those management consultants, who charge top dollars to tell their clients what not to do. We should be taking a cue from that. Our expertise goes far beyond writing catchy headlines or spinning stories. Sometimes, that means delivering the uncomfortable truths—like when a CMO believes every marketing campaign is PR gold. I’ve worked with CMOs who have ROI down to an art, but they might not always see the nuances that a balanced communications strategy requires. It’s our job to steer them, to remind them that while numbers matter, so does narrative—and not everything is fit for a PR push. And then there are the CEOs—brilliant at steering the business but occasionally convinced they’ve cracked the secret to media relations after one networking event. I’ve had to remind more than one that while they may be industry experts, it’s my job to manage the brand’s reputation and ensure our messaging hits the right notes. It’s about balancing their passion with the practicality of effective communication. - You’re the guardian of the audience. - The keeper of the brand’s credibility. - The translator of business goals into action. Yes, relationships are crucial. But do you want a balanced, respectful relationship or one where you’re stuck as the ‘yes-person’? That’s not partnership; it’s PR servitude—complete with eye rolls and headaches ! Also, saying ‘yes’ when you really mean ‘no’ is a one-way ticket to burnout. Stand your ground—respectfully. Whether it’s a CMO or a CEO, remember you’re peers. They lead their function, but you lead Communications. And frankly, no one knows your craft better than you. Remember, management consultants are paid handsomely to say ‘no’ strategically. We’re just as valuable and deserve the same respect. And here’s the kicker: sometimes, the kindest thing you can say is ‘no’. (Yes, truly!) Master it, and you’ll find ways to make ‘no’ feel like a team decision. Engage them in the process, and they’ll walk away thinking, ‘What a brilliant idea we had together!’ Teach people how to treat you—as the strategic advisor you truly are. You deserve it. Your colleagues deserve it. And let’s face it, the profession itself deserves it. We’re not just here to nod politely; we’re here to drive the strategy. #pr #strategiccomms

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A reminder to the U.S. PR folks out there who are getting ready to get cozy with a beach read next week...holiday weeks can be RIPE with PR opportunities if you are willing to make yourself available. 🍌 I'm not saying you shouldn't unplug a bit and take some well-deserved time off to enjoy summer festivities. (I plan on it!) 💃 🍉😎 And I don't think it is a great week to send out fresh pitches or news announcements. (Although, never say never!) BUT....there will be writers with story deadlines next week. And they often needs sources, which will be particularly hard to come by next week. So, if you are willing to spend a little time online scanning for opportunities in the usual places (X/Twitter, this here platform, your email inbox, etc.) you might not only land a great media placement, but you'll be the new best friend of a writer in need. (And give your clients a heads up to see if they can make themselves available as well.) Regardless of how you spend next week, make it a good one and happy 4th! 🇺🇸 #pr #mediarelations

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In the follow-up to my last two posts 👇 Clients hire PR agencies to be guided by their communications expertise. However, from the pitching process onward, the agencies are guided by clients' ideas about communications. Here's what the usual client-agency conversations look like: 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 1 Client: We want to issue a press release. Agency: Yes ma'am. 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 2 Client: We want to organise a press conference. Agency: When do you want it, sir? 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 3 Client: Our global MD is here. Organise a few interviews with the likes of The Economic Times. Agency: Sure. We'll organise 5-6 interviews right away. Agencies take all necessary actions to fulfil the clients' demands but this approach is mechanical. If the client is to be truly guided toward results, the following steps are more suitable: 1. Seek the news value on offer. 2. Guide the client on what media activity suits the given news value. 3. Identify the right media for the activity. 4. Connect the right journalists in those publications. 5. If the client's own media assets suit the needs better, arrange for broadcast there. 6. Track the outcome and share it with the client proactively. The client may not understand/agree to these steps in the first go but, in my experience, they can be brought on board through reasoning. I would love to know your experience if you tried this approach. ⏬ If you have a different playbook, feel free to share that too. ⏬⏬ #PublicRelations #Marketing #StrategyVerse

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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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Today I witnessed a business nail public relations, advertising, content marketing, current events, logic (logos), emotion (pathos), authority (ethos) and call to action … all in about a one-minute, casual, in-person announcement. The woman at Miller Swim School in Tulsa, OK, gets it. She introduced herself to parents and went through what to expect during our kids’ two-week swim camp. And then she made a clear ask and a clear reason that positions the audience as “the hero.” “I’m asking each of you to purchase one of our towels that says Miller Swim School on it, and I want you to use it every time you go out. This is why … .” She made the ask personal. I wanted to help HER. Then, she connected current events to the branded towel using emotion, logic and authority. — She said five Oklahomans drowned over the Fourth of July weekend. (One was just in the next cove over from us at the lake!) — She said all children and adults need to know how to swim because we are surrounded by water. — She said it is everyone’s responsibility to prevent drowning deaths. — She said the more people who see “Miller Swim School” on a towel, the more likely they are to enroll in swimming lessons. — She said by purchasing this towel and using it, I can save lives of Oklahomans. Guess who bought a towel? #PublicRelations #Marketing #ContentMarketing #Advertising #CurrentEvents #AudienceAsHero #PublicSpeaking #CallToAction #Logos #Pathos #Ethos

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Communicators often struggle with adapting and repurposing content effectively, often leading to diluted messages or mismatched formats. This can confuse audiences and reduce engagement. Adapting and repurposing content isn’t just about recycling old material; it’s about strategically reshaping it to fit different formats and audiences while maintaining its core message. Failing to do this correctly can result in missed opportunities for deeper engagement and brand consistency. Start by evaluating your existing content to identify pieces that have performed well or address ongoing audience interests. Then, consider how these can be adapted for various platforms—turn a popular blog post into an infographic for social media or create a video series from a comprehensive guide. Ensure that each adaptation retains the original message while being tailored to the new format and audience. Use engaging visuals, clear calls to action, and platform-specific best practices to enhance effectiveness. Always monitor audience response and be ready to iterate based on feedback. Need more help? Elevate your craft with the Guild of Communicators (GOC) at https://buff.ly/3XpOTTY . As a professional community for communicators, GOC offers access to best-in-class resources, comprehensive training programmes, and a supportive network to help you achieve excellence. By joining, you’ll connect with fellow communicators, gain valuable insights, and enhance your ability to drive measurable outcomes within your organisation, solidifying your role as a key business partner across critical functions like sales, marketing, product, and strategy. Follow me on LinkedIn to receive my weekly newsletter where I share my learnings and opinions from a communicator’s perspective. #strategiccommunications #strtgcommsgrp #levelup #training #upskilling #lifelonglearning #publicrelations #PR #prstrategy #communications #storytelling #narrative #branding #brandstrategy #stakeholderengagement #projectmanagement #marketing #marketingstrategy #leadership #marketingtips #prtips #SMEtips #audiencesegmentation

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Most of us agree that the only way forward is for your PR team to be much better at using data to track results. We see many PR thought leaders comment on this subject, and there are new tech platforms that offer PR teams much better metrics. Yet still, PR metrics need to leave room for understanding what the data may not show.

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Kudos to Eleanor Hawkins and the Axios Communicators team for their "1 big thing" visual of the day. Yes, it's reductive guidance on when to speak out and when not to, and yes, you should think through it with more nuance and specificity to a situation at hand, but these are great questions to start with when you're wondering how to communicate through murky or uncomfortable events. Some other questions to consider: ▶ Do we know enough about this situation? If not, do we have a sense of timing for more information to come through? ▶ Can we meaningfully influence the situation by speaking out? ▶ If we are communicating about this, who is the right person to serve as our voice?

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If you’re debating whether to hire a #PR specialist, here are 3️⃣ reasons that I hope will convince you!  Ready to jumpstart an effective PR campaign? Send me a chat to get started.  #PR #PublicRelations #Marketing

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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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Friendly reminder to clients who manage their communications agency partners: Let us in. Into your meetings. Into your planning sessions. Into your conversations with the C-suite, and the commercial team, and Investor Relations, and functional workstream leaders. Let us in, because a large part of what we do is see where we can help enhance your infrastructure to execute great communications programs. Let us in because we get many of our ideas from listening and observing, and the more we do that, the more relevant and impactful those ideas become. But mostly, let us in because we are more than your vendors. We’re your partners, and we are as vested in your organization’s success as you. #Communications #Strategy #Agency #Client #PublicRelations #Marketing

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Question for the communications pros out there: Do you think the job market is finally improving? The past 24 months have been 𝘣𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘢𝘭 for comms professionals, and now I’m hearing mixed signals about where things stand. Here’s the general vibe I’m getting: 🙂 More roles are popping up for specific comms roles, especially internal comms and analyst relations. 🫠 PR, social media, and content are still facing cuts across the board (and the open roles are few and far between). 🫠  Senior-level comms positions are seriously scarce or non-existent. Is this matching what you’re seeing out there?

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Check out this month’s PR Industry Insights tip: ✨ Finding Ways to Manage Work Stressors During Mental Health Awareness Month ✨ PR professionals are no strangers to the stress of completing deadlines, fire drills and managing crises. We often hear PR pros recite the mantra, “It’s PR, not ER,” as a reminder to place perspective on their workloads. PR can be a demanding job, but it’s also a rewarding one. Taking the time to prioritize your mental health is necessary to build positive life experiences and achieve personal and professional goals. 🧠 Check out this link to learn more: https://lnkd.in/e5J4pFFm. #PRInsights #ManagingWorkStressors #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth

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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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💥 I have *60 thousand* reasons to be grateful this a.m. — and one of them is you 🫵 Wow. Thank you. 🤗 I’m pumped you’re in my feed! Turns out PR pros (+ the marketers who hire us) enjoy following along as I spill all the tea about the PR industry. You know, inside baseball stuff. The nitty gritty. The good, the bad, and especially the ugly 👹 And I told you guys on day one that I’m going to build Crackle PR in public. In the cold hard light of day. Meaning I don’t shy away from sharing *my own* failings. My own losses. My own mistakes. My position is that for far too long the PR agency world has been shrouded in secrecy. And as a result a frightening number of business leaders have no clue WHAT. WE. ACTUALLY. DO. I hope to change that, one post at a time. So thank you for supporting me. You may not agree with everything I say on this platform, but I can promise you this: You will always know where I stand. This is the way ✊ #publicrelations #communications

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Are you a communications leader that has guided executives and c-suite members with their messaging, narrative and thought leadership? ✋ Are you a communications leader looking for a new role, possibly stuck in interview land? ✋ If so, think of all the questions and approaches you've used to get into leaders' heads to find the right distinct and memorable messages. Write them down. Then have another communications pro ask you those questions. In other words, become the CEO of your career and your colleague is the Chief Communications Officer. See where you can find the things that make you unique and distinct. Then challenge yourself to make those messages sticky and shareable, just like you'd coach a CEO or leader for a media interview, panel or speech. Use and lead with those messages, and back them up with results or anecdotes. When done well, they should cover a lot of questions. This is better than trying to think of every question a recruiter or hiring manager will ask and have four pages of answers sitting on your keyboard or screen. That will just freak you out. Happy to share more on how I do this with a quick call (link in calendar).

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You’re skilled in “storytelling?” 🤨 I hear this and think of a grandma sitting in her rocking chair for story time. Anyone else in the mood for milk and cookies? 🥛 🍪 And yet, storytelling is a vital part of the PR practitioner’s playbook. If you can’t tell a good story, there’s no way you’ll pique the interest of a busy journalist, let alone your target audience. So listen closely when journalists offer tips on how to tell a story that will actually get their attention… Here’s a great example, shared by Greg Angel, anchor extraordinaire at Spectrum News 13 Orlando: “The best pitches are those that open the ability to tell compelling stories, with real and authentic people, that’s of impact and/or interest. This is where the great PR pros realize the work does not begin with the pitch, in fact the pitch is essentially the report put together after extensive work. Defining the story/purpose, who will be involved, what are the visuals and access, timing, etc. all important factors. Then, how and who to pitch to. Not all media outlets and bloggers are the same. Not everyone covers gators three times in a week. Your court reporter may not be best for a theme park, etc., and reporters have bosses, and if a PR pro wants a real advocate for their pitch in the editorial meeting, they need to have a relationship with the reporter – something more than just a name in a regular pitch email.” Great wisdom! Follow Greg Angel for more smart PR and journalism tips.

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