PR Explored: The Podcast for Public Relations and Communications Pros

PR Explored, my PR podcast, where I interview those I trust and respect about topics related to public relations and communications. We take a deeper dive into public relations topics with some of the brightest folks in the business. The show is my opportunity to discuss the questions on our minds about the work of PR pros today, as well as industry trends.

PR Explored: The Podcast for Public Relations and Communications Pros is a business podcast hosted by Michelle Garrett, with 46 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Michelle Garrett hosts PR Explored: The Podcast for Public Relations and Communications Pros, a business show with 46 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #16

  The Most Expensive B2B Marketing Strategy Is Waiting

  Aug 6, 202650 minS2

  In this episode of PR Explored, host Michelle Garrett, a PR consultant, author, and writer interviews her guest B2B growth strategist Gina Tobasso about why manufacturers and other B2B companies should treat marketing as a continuous process, especially amid ongoing uncertainty (COVID, supply chain disruptions, tariffs, reshoring). Tobasso says many B2B companies underinvest in marketing, recommending 3–5% of revenue, and warns that cutting spend dries up the funnel, slows sales, and triggers panic “lead gen” efforts that ignore long sales cycles (often 18 months) and the need to nurture the 97% not ready to buy. They discuss foundational priorities like updating websites, implementing an affordable CRM to track ROI, and focusing on organic tactics (content, SEO/AEO/GEO, PR backlinks, reviews, YouTube) over ineffective low-budget ads. Tobasso also explains buyer-journey stages including loyalty/advocacy, shares a customer-feedback/NPS example, and describes her holistic approach aligning sales, marketing, and operations and bringing in trusted partners for sales coaching, strategic planning, or M&A. 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 00:57 Gina's Career Journey 03:08 Why Manufacturers Delay Marketing 04:47 Uncertainty Is the New Normal 07:15 Budgets and Funnel Basics 10:44 B2B Reality and Marketing Ops 14:44 Lean Six Sigma for Marketers 18:42 Buyer Journey and Loyalty Loop 22:58 How Much to Spend on Marketing 26:17 When to Adjust the Budget 27:15 Invest Through Downturns 29:07 Price Versus Value 30:43 When Marketing Stops 33:41 Consistency Beats Cycles 36:13 Organic Budget Priorities 41:43 Sales Assessment And VOC 43:51 Strategic Partners For Growth 47:41 Networking And Wrap Up Show notes: Gina Tabasso’s LinkedIn newsletter that this episode is based on: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/most-expensive-customer-acquisition-strategy-waiting-gina-tabasso-ugzyc/?trackingId=gZ900l9q2nGXZCr481cA5Q%3D%3D Gina Tabasso on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginatabasso/ Gina’s company, Barracuda B2B Marketing: https://barracudab2b.com/ Manufacturing Resource Group: https://mfgresourcegroup.com/ Barracuda B2B Marketing on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@barracudab2b The Manufacturers’ Efficiency Webinar Series: https://webinar.barracudab2b.com/manufacturers-efficiency-webinar-series Follow the host: Website: www.michellegarrett.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prstrategist/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PRisUs X/Twitter: https://x.com/PRisUs Threads: https://www.threads.com/@prwritergal Michelle's book - B2B PR That Gets Results - is available now Book a no-obligation call to talk about your needs here . About the host: Michelle Garrett is a B2B PR consultant, media relations consultant, writer and author of B2B PR That Gets Results , an Amazon Best Seller. She helps companies create content, earn media coverage, and position themselves as thought leaders in their industry. Michelle’s articles have been featured by Entrepreneur, Content Marketing Institute, Muck Rack, and Ragan’s PR Daily, among others. She’s a frequent speaker and podcast guest on public relations and content. Michelle has been repeatedly ranked among the top ten most influential PR professionals .

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  Episode #15

  B2B PR & Marketing Studies, Surveys & Stats

  Jul 24, 20261h 10mS2

  In this episode of PR Explored, host Michelle Garrett, a PR consultant, author, and writer interviews her guest Sword and Script founder Frank Strong about trends and 2026 research. They discuss pricing reputation via balance-sheet “goodwill,” the limits of click-based optimization versus long-term brand value, and why in-person trade shows are resurging, with PR pros better used networking, creating content, and meeting media than sitting in booths. A study finding 62 touches and about 192 days to close B2B deals underscores sustained visibility and differentiation amid a “sea of sameness.” They cover AI’s mixed impact—82% of B2B marketers say AI skills haven’t boosted pay, AI content tends to average out and underperform, and many AI customer-service replacements are being rolled back—while emphasizing AI for research, brainstorming, and critique. Strong argues thought leadership is highly trusted and requires access to real experts, notes declining B2B marketing budget share versus four years ago, highlights hidden buyer influence from finance/legal/procurement, and explains why selling to existing customers is rising but warns against overusing in-app upsell prompts. 00:00 Welcome and Introductions 01:00 Frank Strong Background 01:55 Military Service and Pets 02:58 Data Driven PR Mindset 04:25 2026 Stats Overview 05:06 Pricing Reputation Value 08:08 Measuring Beyond Clicks 10:53 Events Comeback Strategy 13:17 Trade Show PR Hustle 17:35 Human Connection Craving 18:57 62 Touches to Close 23:20 Sea of Sameness 24:39 Budget for Experiments 26:04 AI Skills and Reality 29:19 AI Content Pitfalls 30:46 Using AI the Right Way 32:21 Dotcom Parallels 34:20 Thought Leadership Trust 35:05 Why Thought Leadership Works 36:50 Ghostwriting and Long Game 38:10 Access Makes It Real 41:08 Interviews Beat Email 43:52 Journalism vs Click Culture 46:08 Budgets and Compounding Returns 52:10 Educating Executives 55:30 Authority and Failing Fast 56:43 Hidden Buyers in Deals 59:46 Marketing to Existing Customers 01:03:49 Newsletter and Staying Sharp 01:07:13 AI Monitoring and Humility 01:09:30 Wrap Up and Goodbye Show notes: The Sword and the Script blog post this episode is based on: https://www.swordandthescript.com/2026/07/pr-and-b2b-marketing-statistics-2026/ Learn more about Frank's agency, the Sword and the Script: https://www.swordandthescript.com/ Frank's newsletter on Substack: https://monthlymarcom.substack.com/ Read Frank's blog or contact Frank: https://www.swordandthescript.com/contact/ Follow Frank Strong on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankstrong/ Follow the host: Website: www.michellegarrett.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prstrategist/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PRisUs X/Twitter: https://x.com/PRisUs Threads: https://www.threads.com/@prwritergal Michelle's book - B2B PR That Gets Results - is available now Book a no-obligation call to talk about your needs here . About the host: Michelle Garrett is a B2B PR consultant, media relations consultant, writer and author of B2B PR That Gets Results , an Amazon Best Seller. She helps companies create content, earn media coverage, and position themselves as thought leaders in their industry. Michelle’s articles have been featured by Entrepreneur, Content Marketing Institute, Muck Rack, and Ragan’s PR Daily, among others. She’s a frequent speaker and podcast guest on public relations and content. Michelle has been repeatedly ranked among the top ten most influential PR professionals .

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  Episode #13

  Staying on Top of Current Trends in Public Relations

  Jun 25, 20261 hourS2

  In this episode of PR Explored, host Michelle Garrett, a PR consultant, author, and writer, interviews her guest, Nicole Schuman, managing editor of PRNews, who describes her role planning editorial content, newsletters (including Friday Five and her weekly PR Roundup), podcasts, events, and social strategy. They discuss industry trends, including major agency mergers and acquisitions leading to layoffs, while smaller independent and specialized agencies benefit from available talent and strong profits, and consultants help lean marketing teams. Schuman notes PRNews readership increasingly includes marketers as comms responsibilities expand, prompting new e-learning modules. They note that Schuman is receiving fewer AI-written pitches but that there remains a sameness in AI-driven contributed content, emphasizing the importance of specificity, relationships, and unique storytelling. They review Morning Consult’s 2026 Most Trusted Brands report (Dawn, Band-Aid, Google) and note that trust gains are driven by nostalgia, including Mr. Pibb’s campaign, and that Tylenol remains the most trusted in medicine despite controversy. They also discuss World Cup and Toy Story 5 brand tie-ins and using LinkedIn for sourcing and visibility. 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 01:06 Nicole Schumann Background 04:51 Life in DC and New York 08:10 Setting Up PR Trends 09:17 Agency Mergers and Talent Shifts 13:58 Going Independent and Niching Down 16:53 PR and Marketing Converge 22:04 AI Pitches and Inbox Fatigue 25:23 Thought Leadership Needs Specifics 28:39 Writing Voice Over Automation 30:51 AI Tool Overload and Reality Check 31:48 AI Jobs Rebound 32:45 Hiring Struggles Today 33:36 Brand Newsroom Boom 36:32 Trust Brands Report 38:58 Nostalgia Trust Wins 39:55 Tylenol Trust Case 44:02 Comfort Brand Consistency 45:35 World Cup Brand Plays 47:54 Lego Breakthrough Campaign 51:32 Toy Story Tie Ins 54:10 Long Game Marketing 56:11 LinkedIn Sourcing Tips 59:11 Wrap Up And Links Show notes: Follow Nicole Schuman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleschuman/ Visit PRNEWS online: https://www.prnewsonline.com/ Sign up for PRNEWS newsletters, including the Friday 5: https://www.prnewsonline.com/subscribe-newsletters/ Articles we discussed: https://www.prnewsonline.com/pr-roundup-tylenol-tops-trust-rankings-local-journalism-hits-a-new-low-and-allbirds-becomes-smartbird https://www.prnewsonline.com/pr-roundup-when-culture-moves-brands-follow-lessons-from-kalshi-the-world-cup-and-toy-story-5 Follow the host: Website: www.michellegarrett.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prstrategist/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PRisUs X/Twitter: https://x.com/PRisUs Threads: https://www.threads.com/@prwritergal Michelle's book - B2B PR That Gets Results - is available now Book a no-obligation call to talk about your needs here . About the host: Michelle Garrett is a B2B PR consultant, media relations consultant, writer and author of B2B PR That Gets Results , an Amazon Best Seller. She helps companies create content, earn media coverage, and position themselves as thought leaders in their industry. Michelle’s articles have been featured by Entrepreneur, Content Marketing Institute, Muck Rack, and Ragan’s PR Daily, among others. She’s a frequent speaker and podcast guest on public relations and content. Michelle has been repeatedly ranked among the top ten most influential PR professionals .

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  Episode #12

  Trade Media 101: How to Pitch and Build Relationships in B2B PR

  Jun 12, 20261h 1mS2

  In this episode of PR Explored, host Michelle Garrett, a PR consultant, author, and writer, interviews her guest, Kelly Rodriguez, editor-in-chief of Refrigerated & Frozen Foods (BNP Media), to explain what trade media is and why it matters for B2B PR. Rodriguez contrasts trade and mainstream coverage, emphasizing trade media’s highly engaged niche audiences, subject-matter expertise, and industry-specific language, using food and beverage examples. She advises PR pros to know each publication’s coverage area, tailor pitches, include the basics (who/what/when/where/why/how), and offer strong hooks, timeliness, and access (plant tours, trade-show meetings, and knowledgeable spokespeople like C-suite and R&D). They discuss relationship-building, noting it shouldn’t determine coverage but can improve relevance and responsiveness. Rodriguez also addresses editorial independence versus paid opportunities, and highlights growing importance of being cited in AI-driven search (GEO/AEO). Both stress providing high-quality, permissioned visuals and captions. 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 02:35 What Trade Media Is 03:36 Trade Media vs Mainstream 07:32 Why Niche Coverage Matters 12:56 Inside the Cold Chain World 16:28 Pitching Trade Editors 20:06 Passing Pitches to Peers 22:43 What Makes Pitches Pop 27:06 Trade Shows and Relationships 30:39 Long Timelines in B2B 31:18 PR Editor Partnerships 32:16 Offer Real Experts 33:15 Does Relationship Matter 36:33 Fairness And Fit 37:44 Editorial Versus Paid 43:08 Ads Influence Coverage 48:46 GEO AEO Trade Media 54:19 Visuals That Get Used 56:41 Photo Delivery Rights 59:01 Wrap Up And Thanks Show notes: Follow Kelley Rodriguez on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelleyrodriguez/ Visit Refrigerated & Frozen Foods online: https://www.refrigeratedfrozenfood.com/ Follow Refrigerated & Frozen Foods on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/refrigerated-frozen-foods-magazine/posts/?feedView=all Follow the host: Website: www.michellegarrett.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prstrategist/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PRisUs X/Twitter: https://x.com/PRisUs Threads: https://www.threads.com/@prwritergal Michelle's book - B2B PR That Gets Results - is available now Book a no-obligation call to talk about your needs here . About the host: Michelle Garrett is a B2B PR consultant, media relations consultant, writer and author of B2B PR That Gets Results , an Amazon Best Seller. She helps companies create content, earn media coverage, and position themselves as thought leaders in their industry. Michelle’s articles have been featured by Entrepreneur, Content Marketing Institute, Muck Rack, and Ragan’s PR Daily, among others. She’s a frequent speaker and podcast guest on public relations and content. Michelle has been repeatedly ranked among the top ten most influential PR professionals .

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  Episode #11

  A Quiet Shift - How Polarization Is Reshaping Corporate Speech

  May 29, 202636 minS2

  <p>In this episode of PR Explored, host Michelle Garrett, a PR consultant, author, and writer, interviews her guest, Fred Cook, director of the Annenberg Center for Public Relations at USC and chair emeritus of Golin, about USC’s 2026 Global Communication Report, “A Quiet Shift,” on how political and social polarization is reshaping communications. </p><p>Based on a survey of about 800 PR professionals worldwide and CCO interviews, the report finds polarization is seen as harmful to the country and mental health yet beneficial to PR’s value; corporate advocacy support has dropped 38% since 2023 as companies say less about DEI, sustainab...

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