Welcome back to IT'S A PR THING, where we help you build relationships that build business.

In today's episode we challenge the idea that public relations is about telling your story. Instead, the stories that matter most come from the people you serve.

Today you’ll learn how to shift focus from pushing messages and content to creating experiences that develop and maintain relationships across your organization's stakeholder spectrum. We’ll walk through how to ask better questions, listen with purpose, and design interactions that reflect what your stakeholders actually need. You’ll also learn how to treat relationships as hard assets—the real proof of value that can stand up to crisis, change, and public scrutiny. Whether you’re leading a small business or a large organization, this episode gives you practical tools to help others tell the story of how your work made a difference. Because the most powerful PR isn’t authored—it’s cultivated through the stakeholder experience.

OUR CASE STUDY ORGANIZATION Plahaus Tourist Home

HOST BIO https://www.audible.com/author/Stephanie-McFarland/B00YNFH16E

NOTE: THIS RECORDING WAS PREVIOUSLY RELEASED ON OCT. 13, 2025.

THE ISRAEL / GAZA DEAL: A MASTER CLASS IN GLOBAL RELATIONSHIP CAPITAL

The peace deal between Israel and Gaza isn’t just a diplomatic headline—it’s a global master-class in relationship capital. As the remaining 20 living hostages are now released and reuniting with their families, we break down the five ways this moment proves that building relationships is not a soft skill. It’s power – power through people and connection.

Whether in the PR industry, politics, or any space where outcomes depend on people, the Israel/Gaza deal is a glaring reminder that developing, accessing and leveraging relationship capital can move mountains in geopolitical circles – and in our own communities and organizations.

HOST BIO https://www.audible.com/author/Stephanie-McFarland/B00YNFH16E

For those of us in public relations, Charlie Kirk’s death should ring our bell. Without freedom of speech, there is no PR profession. That’s a fact.

Today’s episode breaks down this point into four key areas where freedom of speech is vital to the existence of our profession – and in how PR is effectively practiced.

We’ll also cover insights from international students studying PR in the United States, and tackle the question about recent employee firings and what they signal for anyone representing an employer’s brand or responsibility to the community.

Finally, we'll wrap up with a relevant book recommendation that anyone in PR leadership should read.

There’s a lot to unpack in this episode, so get ready to take some notes.

So how much does it cost you when your logo flops? And is it the what or the how that brings on the flop? And did our reigning grand champion of logo flops – Cracker Barrel – miss a real opportunity to leverage a branding change?

Join me today as we learn what a logo flop can cost you in hard dollars and cents, the lessons from Cracker Barrel’s recent experience, and most importantly, an alternative approach that could have involved customers in the change – and let everyone own the new brand look together.

Let’s all dive into some PR learning love, and explore why this great Cracker Barrel controversy is a glaring demonstration of why we must seek first to understand, to know our stakeholders, and to strive to build that all-important relationship capital.

HOST BIO https://www.audible.com/author/Stephanie-McFarland/B00YNFH16E

Poor customer experience is driving poor mental health -- and that's a PR thing and a brand destroyer.

Join me today as we hear what studies and experts have to say, and how a U.S. culture of poor customer service and experiences is damaging the public's mental health in several ways.

As we wave our banners about being compassionate, empathetic, kind and caring -- we as a U.S. business culture across all industries are missing the opportunities to show these behaviors in our customer interactions every day.

Are you ready for this kind of truth?

Of course you are -- you're a PR pro! Let's dive in for some more PR learning love!

GILES CROUCH: "HOW TECHNOLOGY FAILED CUSTOMER SERVICE"

HOST BIO https://www.audible.com/author/Stephanie-McFarland/B00YNFH16E

My First PR Teacher -- Thank you, Mamma.

Today we celebrate the upcoming Mother's Day weekend with a tribute to Franny J, the OG relationship builder.

Franny J came from northern Alabama, knew no one of influence in Indianapolis, but her relationship-building skills earned her a client list that included some of the most prominent names in Central Indiana.

And she's my mom. The start-up queen before start ups were a thing!

She started two businesses, grew them exponentially, and never advertised. But she has some old-school relationship-building skills that our flash and splash today can't match.

In today's episode you'll learn the backstory about Franny J, and the Franny J four rules of relationship building.

Enjoy!

HOST BIO https://www.audible.com/author/Stephanie-McFarland/B00YNFH16E

The news isn't good. CEOs and C-suite members have low confidence in their PR departments. In fact, the confidence rating for Congress at this moment is higher -- almost double -- compared to how C-suite members rate their PR teams. YIKES!

Houston, we have a problem! And waking up to it is our first step to resolving it.

Today IT'S A PR THING looks at some of the data points on what C-suite leaders think about their PR divisions and what they deem of value from the PR team.

And we give you five tips on how to inspire confidence from your CEO and the C-suite team, deliver value back to the organization, and help your company masterfully manage your public relationships.

You'll definitely want to grab a pen and paper to take notes today. PR field, we've got work to do.

STUDY MENTIONED IN TODAY'S EPISODE

NEED HELP IMPLEMENTING A STAKEHOLDER AUDIT?

We can advise you, implement the process, or help your comms team facilitate the process across your organization. We'll help you create a relationship-capital dashboard, and map out a plan to improve, maintain and grow your relationship capital.

Visit us at MCFARLANDPR.COM

HOST BIO https://www.audible.com/author/Stephanie-McFarland/B00YNFH16E

Just like your financials need to be regularly reviewed and audited, so do your stakeholder relationships. In fact, not having a finger on the pulse of your relationship capital can impact your organization's financial health.

This is another next level PR management practice that helps you know the relationship landscape across your organization, know what your relationship radar system is signalling, and help you to advise your C-suite leaders -- so they can decide how to invest time, energy, resources in building relationship capital. And it can be instrumental in helping your C-suite to pivot and swerve to avoid trouble before it takes root.

Interestingly, it's the CEO who most often gets this need to have a pulse on the company's stakeholder relationships. And when trouble raises its ugly head, it's the often comms team that is pulled into question as to how the company could have avoided the threat.

Follow today's five steps to become the trusted advisor who is managing the organization's relationship capital actively and effectively.

And avoid being the "fixer" that's expected to manage the mischief and clean up the mess.

NEED HELP IMPLEMENTING A STAKEHOLDER AUDIT?

We can advise you, implement the process, or help your comms team facilitate the process across your organization. We'll help you create a relationship-capital dashboard, and map out a plan to improve, maintain and grow your relationship capital.

Visit us at MCFARLANDPR.COM

HOST BIO https://www.audible.com/author/Stephanie-McFarland/B00YNFH16E