Pitching Pr

Today’s podcast is about navigating maternity leave and your PR career and is cohosted by Jordana Wolch from Environics Communications in Toronto. It takes a village to raise a child and it takes a team to launch a PR campaign – so motherhood has a lot in common with PR. But adjusting to your new role as a mother and your role as a PR professional can be a challenge – I’ve heard toddlers are the most demanding clients! So we asked 15 PR Professionals who have had one or multiple maternity leaves to share their stories, wisdom and provide insight on how they navigated their PR careers and maternity leaves. Join us as we read their responses and draw on the experiences from a village of PR moms.   Topics:     Overview of Canadian maternity leave benefits  Jordana’s experience returning to work after maternity leave  Tips for telling your employer about the pregnancy  Dealing with morning sickness and your pregnancy at work  Common concerns about returning to work   Professional development while on m

On today’s episode, I sit down with Emotional Wellness Coach, Barbara Erochina, about creating a compassionate workplace. The issue of compassion has risen to the forefront as new research suggests that compassionate workplaces increase employee satisfaction and loyalty. We discuss ways to be a compassionate leader and how to create an office environment where compassion encourages high performance and innovation.   Barbara combines psychiatric studies with life-coaching techniques to help people using her own approach to emotional well-being. Barbara also created the BeWith Self-Care Cards for her client’s as a tool to help them live a more compassion live towards themselves and others.   Topics:   Why compassion and self-care has been rising to the forefront  Benefits of being a compassionate leader  How compassion encourages risk-taking and innovation  Compassion vs. Sympathy  The rewards of compassionate leadership  Managing the fear of failure at work  How compassion breeds empathy for others 

On today’s episode, my guest Lorna Freeman and I discuss the strategic role music can play in public affairs. Lorna is an Account Director at Environics Communications in Toronto, working in branding strategy and has incorporated music in her campaigns for years. Music and song has been used strategically in US presidential elections since the campaign of John Adams in 1800. Using music effectively can be a great PR tactic, but using it incorrectly can backfire and even cause legal issues. Join us as we discuss the relationship between music and PR, both historically and today.   Topics:   Lorna’s background and love of music  Music as a marketing tool  Pros and cons of original compositions vs. popular music   Best practices of political campaigns using music  Music as political protest  Wrong Notes: Poor song choices in politics  Licensing in US and Canada  Artist endorsement and PR   Resources:    Lorna Freeman   Environics Communications  Pitching PR Mainpage    Pitch Graphic Design on In

The format for today’s minisode is a little different than usual; I have decided to forgo inviting a guest and instead will briefly discuss the 2016 US Presidential Election from a graphic design perspective. It should be noted that this episode contains some explicit content (we are dealing with Trump here) so consider this warning and listen at your own caution!   Today, I get into the current presidential election from the perspective of graphic design; namely, I discuss campaign logos and the strengths weaknesses of their design. It is interesting to dissect something as powerful or off-putting as a campaign logo and I go into detail about the pro’s and con’s contained therein. Listen in as I explain why I’m With Her...logo.   Topics:   The Hilary “H” logo and personal branding  George W. Bush’s branding  Why having a simple logo is wise  Hilary gets social  The functional aspect of the “H” logo  Trump/Pence campaign’s initial, now-defunct logo   This podcast is courtesy of Pitch Graphic Design,

On today’s podcast, I have the opportunity to speak with blogger and social media consultant, Lizzie Benson. Together, we discuss feeling burnt out from work; why it happens, how to prevent it and how to come back after a burn out.   Lizzie is an active blogger and owner of OctoberJune.com and blogs extensively. She is also a freelance social media consultant and understands what it is to be burnt out. As such, she has developed techniques to help avoid the stress and frustration of burnout. Listen in as she shares her insights on how to bounce back after experiences work and career burnout.     Topics:   The definition of burnout  Lizzie’s burnout and how she dealt with it  Scheduling personal time  Putting back-up systems in place when you need a break  Taking breaks and why “Netflix & Chill” isn’t enough  Finding inspiration and avoid comparison  Remaining persistent     Resources:   OctoberJune.com  Lizzie on Pinterest  Lizzie on Twitter  Lizzie on Instagram  Pitching PR on iTun

Today, I welcome back Kamara Toffolo to discuss the cringe-inducing issue of rejection. Rejection is something we all face in both our personal and professional lives. During our conversation, Kamara finds a positive way to spin rejection and how it can be beneficial to creating better work.  As a career coach, Kamara knows the right steps to getting what you want out of your job. Every day, she helps her clients dare to not only work differently, but pursue what they love. With all her experience as a coach, Kamara is the perfect person to discuss rejection.  Topics:  Benefits of facing rejection Spinning rejection Dealing with too much rejection Pushing through fear  This podcast is courtesy of Pitch Graphic Design, a Toronto based firm, whose goal is to provide quality graphic designs for Public Relations. If you would like to get in touch with Pitch, please fill out the contact form.  Links and Resources:  Kamara Toffolo’s Website Kamara Toffolo on LinkedIn Kamara Toffolo on Facebook Kamara Toffolo on T

Today’s episode is a special one for me, as I get to speak with my former boss from P&G Canada, Melissa Karis. The two of us discuss one-to-one meetings and how important they are to creating positive office culture and advancing projects.   Melissa is the Director of Beauty Communications and leads the development and execution of PR programs for P&G’s health and beauty brands. In her time at P&G Melissa has participated in over TWO THOUSAND 1:1 meetings and knows from experience how these can strengthen or weaken a team. We discuss how to set objectives for a one-to-one meetings and how to lead and listen in these meetings to motivate and support your team. Melissa also boils it all down and provides 5 key tips for having effective and productive 1:1 meetings. If you manage a team of any size, this episode should prove particularly helpful.   Today’s Topics:    Objectives of setting up a one-on-one meeting  Prioritizing these meetings  Who should set the meeting agenda and why  Prioritiz

  In this episode of the Pitching PR Podcast, we chat about the five key questions you should be asking all your prospective clients – even before you agree to the first meeting!    My guest today is Rhonda Page, a veteran business developer who now coaches agencies and freelancers on building and growing their business. Through her experience Rhonda understands the frustration and stress that comes with wasting your time on prospective clients who don’t pan and how to spot those that will turn into bankable revenue. Rhonda’s five key questions will help any PR professional decide which clients are genuine, and which should be avoided at all costs.   Today’s Topics   Rhonda Page’s experience in graphic design and business development  Asking for background information and getting the inside scoop on a project  Who’s the boss?  Listening to your intuition: deciding if you want to work on the project  Getting comfortable talking about money and asking about budgets  How to ask if your client is serious

In this episode of the Pitching PR Podcast, we speak with Creative Director Daniel Francavilla and Sales Strategist Ali Hanif of Now Creative Group. The three of us discuss how to use content marketing to promote your PR business, define an Agency’s target audience and how to stay top-of-mind with potential clients.  Now Creative Group was started three years ago by Daniel; he wanted to create a one-stop creative agency that helped businesses and entrepreneurs establish their brands and grow. Ali joined soon after, and leads their business development and creative sales, with a focus on content. In this podcast we explore how they used content marketing at Now Creative Group to generate new business and then re-apply these learnings for Pitching PR listeners and business owners.  Today’s Topics:  Finding the time to produce content  Defining your B2B audience and how to create original content for them  Tracking engagement  4 key steps to produce content  The benefits to repurposing content  Efficient

In this episode of the Pitching PR Podcast, we discuss a topic close to my heart: starting your own Public Relations business. My guest, Lisa Pasquin, and I discuss the challenges of starting our businesses and what we have learned from those experiences.  Lisa Pasquin and I met at Harbinger Communications, and since then she as worked at several large PR firms and founded Craft Public Relations.  In this podcast, we share our experiences of starting our businesses and insights that are helpful to those thinking of taking the plunge and doing freelance PR or starting their own agency.   Today’s Topics:   To write or not to write a business plan  Dealing with the fear of going it alone  Dealing with failures and successes  Finding success without a large team  The desire for flexibility  Time Management  Links and Resources:  Craft PR on Twitter  Read: Craft PR wins the Nintendo Business  Read: Craft PR wins the GE Business    More episodes of the Pitching PR Podcast  on iTunes or onli

  In this episode of the Pitching PR Podcast, we discuss a very hot topic for PR professionals: writing micro-content. Micro-content is concise writing that needs to be immediately clear and inviting to the reader. We write micro-content every day, including headlines, tweets or subject lines.     Our guest, Dawn Morrison, is a copywriter and owner of Toomanywords.ca. Though her background is in traditional marketing and PR, Dawn is now an expert at writing and editing effective micro-content. As the communications manager for a university, Dawn found that the web was becoming the most important recruitment tool; she ultimately became an expert in this kind of marketing and eventually developed her business Too Many Words, which focuses on brand marketing and content development for the web.    Today’s Topics:    Tips for making your content stand out in an oversaturated marketplace  The importance of tone  Considering the channel through which you are communicating when crafting your message 

On today’s episode, I speak with Alex Howard, the event coordinator for The Richmond. The Richmond is an art gallery and event space, where they host over one hundred events per year. The two of us discuss the different ways you can make your event stand out from the crowd. Whether it’s creating decals or “instagrammable vignettes”, Alex has seen and come up with a number of great ideas at the many events hosted at The Richmond. During this episode you will get a chance to hear about her experiences and learn some new and exciting ways to curate unique social and business events. Today’s Topics: About The Richmond Art Gallery and Event Space Different ways clients have transformed the space Using the Step and Repeat to showcase your logo Setting up instagrammable vignettes to showcase your product Is WiFi necessary for events? Selecting a venue that is appropriate for your client’s event Having a contingency plan Insuring your event   This podcast is courtesy of Pitch Graphic Design, a Toronto based firm, w

On today’s show, we speak with special guest Kamara Toffolo about how to get promoted. Specifically, we discuss the most important aspects of the big ask and what you can do to prepare yourself for a successful meeting with your boss.  As a career coach, Kamara knows the right steps to getting what you want out of your job. Asking for a promotion can be a delicate issue and her advice will help you avoid any pitfalls one might encounter. She has further experience as a resume writer and writer for LinkedIn. With all her personal and professional know-how, Kamara is the perfect person to explain the steps for asking for a promotion.  Today’s Topics:  Asking for what you want  Getting your “ammunition” ready to ask for a promotion  Quantifying your accomplishments  How to build a case in your favor  How to actually ask for a promotion  Timing your request  This podcast is hosted by Lesley Luce from Pitch Graphic Design, a Toronto-based firm specializing in the design needs of PR agencies and freelance

Welcome to Pitchin PR, I'm your host Lesley Luce, founder of Pitch Graphic Design.  My goal here is to cut through the jargon and noise that is sometimes present in the PR industry and get to the heart of the matter so I can help you take your PR career to the next level.    Each episode I'll bring on an expert in the Public Relations space who will share their experiences in social media, public relations, and other news industries.  I hope these insights will allow you get the most out of your PR activities.    Pitch Graphic Design is a design firm that specializes in the graphics needs of PR firms all around the world.  We help media firms and agencies get more out of their content through the specialized graphics that create an impact with each new story.    Now a bit about me, I live in Toronto, Canada and am trained in Graphic Design and Public Relations.  With more than 10 years experience in the PR industry I"m fortunate to be one of the few who can say I truly love what I do every day.