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Mr. Biz Radio: Who, What, When, Where & How of Public Relations

Unedited transcription of the show is included below:

(00:02):

Welcome to Mr. Biz Radio! Biz Talk for Biz Owners. During the next half hour, Mr. Biz, Ken Wentworth, a leading business advisor, and two-time best-selling author will cover topics that'll help business owners run their companies more profitably and more efficiently. If you're ready to stop faking the funk and take your business onward and upward. This show is for you. And now here's Mr. Biz, Ken Wentworth.

(00:28):

All right. Welcome to another episode of Mr. Biz Radio with me Mr. Biz, Ken Wentworth. And today we're gonna talk about a topic that I know I've mentioned,ua handful of times over the five plus years, we've been doing the show, but here's the importance of this. So you guys have heard me mention,uGrant Cardone before, and if you don't follow him, I would suggest you do. You're not gonna agree with everything he says and does, but he does have some really good points. And one of the things he talks about that is so critically important and has been important for him to build his business into what he's built into,uis one of the things his famous/infamous quotes is that best known product or best known service beats the best product. And he doesn't mean to have a crappy product.

(01:12):

Of course he doesn't mean to have a crappy service, but what he's saying is, you know, think about it and the example why I like to give which is maybe a little bit unfair, but maybe not is McDonald's right. Is McDonald's are they popular? Because their hamburgers are like, you know, Kobe burgers and they're like the best thing ever. No, they're the best known. Where do you go anywhere that you can't find McDonald's frankly, everywhere in the world. And so they're the best known. So how do you make that happen? Right. As small business owners, we're trying to get media, you you're trying to get attention. How do you get attention? Well, one of the ways to get attention is through the media. And so that's why we have this week's guest and you guys are gonna love hearing from Michelle. So Michelle is, is an award-winning writer and storyteller to the media. That's gonna be key for us. Okay. Michelle Tennant Nicholson and her 30 plus years in the field with, I can't believe you must have started when you were like five years old, Michelle. She has seen PR transition from typewriters to Twitter. She's here today to talk about the difference between paid, earned and owned media. So we're gonna learn all about it. So Michelle, welcome to the show.

(02:18):

I am so glad to be here and I am one of those rare females who I don't really I'll tell you my age. I did start PR when I was 20 years old. I'm now 52. So I've been, they like to say that I've been doing PR since typewriter to Twitter. I've actually seen it transition between those two tools. Believe it or not. Yeah. Stoked to be here.

(02:42):

Yeah. Well, I'm, I'm, I'm really glad to have you. And it's funny you say typewriter, I'm sure. I'm sure there's a lot of folks that are, are listening or watching right now. And they're like, typewriter, what the heck is a typewriter like?

(02:52):

Right. And I, the one have like two or three cover letters on it. And like, remember, like we

(02:59):

Forget we, I remember Michelle. I remember I, you probably did too. So I'm 50. I just turned 51. So we're, we're writing the same ballpark. I I remember in high school we had to take a typing class. So even, even as a, as a, as a male, as a dude, I had to take a, a typing class. And I remember having the goal, I wanted to be the fastest, best male typer in the room. And then being the fastest male typer in the room. Cause I've always been very competitive. You know, I was better than a lot of the females, so I really was starting to feel pretty good about my typing skills. I probably shouldn't admit that I that's. Okay. I'm securing my manhood. I'm okay with it. You

(03:38):

Should be securing your manhood. And actually just for fun fact, if you're coupled up one night I will prom it's, it's surprising. I know, but my husband and I were talking about who's the fastest type. And so after dinner we actually got on the computer and we looked up typing test, and then we like competed against each other. I was quicker, I was over a hundred words a a minute. And he was like, wow. So just a fun little thing you all can do tonight with your lover.

(04:05):

You know, Mrs. Biz, I think I think I would, oh man, I maybe I shouldn't say this. She might kick my butt. I think I would beat her. She's a, she's a two finger. She's a nurse. So she has to input stuff. Oh

(04:18):

Yeah. You'll definitely beat that.

(04:19):

But I do, I do a lot more typing, I think nowadays than, than she does. She's she's way better at like 90% of everything else. But I think I'd probably get her at the typing, but no, you let me,

(04:29):

You take the test and then you let me know.

(04:31):

Yeah, yeah. I'll have to do that. And by the way I back I'm, I'm a, probably a four finger typer. I, I'm definitely not like a real, a real typist anymore, but I, I use, I just two fingers. I'll probably use four, maybe slide in a fifth or six here and there. But but anyway, I don't wanna talk about that. So let's let Michelle, let's talk about your, let's talk about, I guess let's start with your entrepreneurial journey. What, what sort of from typewriter to Twitter, what's that journey been like?

(04:57):

Well, it's really interesting. I started a PR learning PR in Chicago when in theater school. That's how I put myself through college. I was working for a WGN producer and she was working in 1989 out of her condo. So before virtual, like really before virtual homes, right? Yeah. Like businesses. And I learned the ropes of how to just call into the room, pitch a story that's for the good of the public and get it placed. And one of the things that we did was expand franchise markets for franchisors, and we would go to a new city and say, Hey so, and so is expanding their business in this market. And they're looking for franchisees. Wouldn't you like to be the one, you know, the best way to describe it today is like your reality shows where they come to a city and then they audition people the same similar thing, but it was fun for the press and then they would cover it. And then it would get that business owner press fast forward. After I get a I get my theater degree, I got a master's degree in human development could have been a therapist if I wanted to, but instead I chose PR and my master's degree, believe it or not. Mr. Biz is actually covered the original father of PR. Do you know who that is?

(06:19):

I do not.

(06:20):

So the granddaddy of public relations is the nephew of Sigman Freud, and his name is Edward Bernays. And so the connection between our psyche and what motivates us as human beings and marketing has been set forth for over a hundred years. And that's what we're all playing in today as capitalists, right? We're just really inside what Edward Bernays taught us after he read his uncle's book about the intrinsic desire that we have as human beings and what motivates us. So at the end of the day, what I'm out to do today is actually impact a positive news cycle. I know that we're always, so like what do we do? How do we get into the news cycle? And it's so negative anyway, why would I want to it's because as human beings, we're storytellers. And so that's why I call myself a storyteller to the media and why I don't burn out as a publicist is because I'm just really telling stories I'm and the business owners who come to me and they tell me their backstory or what they, how they actually created the wonderful products that they're selling that makes for great reading and for great cover stories.

(07:31):

And, you know, whether you're a radio producer, a TV producer, or a magazine editor, a daily newspaper journalist they're are looking for everyday business people and how they're actually getting business done and what motivates them, you know?

(07:46):

Absolutely. That's it. And Michelle, one of the things I find is that, especially with, you know, we've been doing Mr. Biz Radio now for, you know, five, five plus years, is that when I talk to people and I go, oh my gosh, I gotta have you on my, like, that's great. And they go, no one wants to hear about that. I'm like, no people do.

(08:04):

Yes, They Do.

(08:04):

People want to hear that story. They want to hear how you, you know, were down to your last $10 and you, you know, you did this and you did that. And now look at this, you know, what you built and things like that. And people want to hear those stories absolutely. A hundred percent. So you being, and, and actually I would, I would think that you're master's degree probably helps you in doing what you do because you understand a little bit more of, of, of human development and, and how to speak to people and how to, how to move them and, and how to tell stories to 'em obviously,

(08:32):

Indeed. That's true.

(08:33):

Yeah, absolutely. Well, good stuff here, Michelle. So we're gonna hit a break here. So again, this week we're talking with Michelle Tennant Nicholson. You can find out more at wasabipublicity.com and we're gonna come back after the break. We're going to get Mr. Biz tip of the week as we always do at the top of the second segment. And we're gonna talk to her a little bit more and we're gonna learn more about the difference between earned, paid and owned needed, because there's a difference and it's very important.

(09:00):

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(09:31):

Thank you for listening to Mr. Biz radio. Did you know our show airs seven days a week for more than 30 hours. Now, if you are in the B2B space and we'd like to reach thousands of business owners every week, including our more than 250,000 social media followers are thousands of daily internet radio listeners, our email list fans and Mr. Biz solutions members email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to become a sponsor. Tap into Mr. Biz nation to help grow your business.

(10:01):

Check out both of Mr. Biz national bestselling books, "Pathway to Profits" and “How to be a Cashflow Pro" on Amazon. Now, once again, here's Mr. Biz.

(10:16):

Is

(10:17):

All right. Welcome back To the show. It's time for Mr. Biz tip the week. This week A quote. This is a new one. I know I share quotes on the show quite a bit. When I find something that kind of moves me or resonates with me, I like to share it with you guys. And this one is by a guy. If you have not heard of him and you may not have, please do me a favor. If you do nothing else for, for this show, please go out out and look up. First of all, wasabipublicity.com Michelle's company, and go check out this, the guy who's this week's tip the quote. Dan Pena is his name. He calls himself the billionaire maker. Now imagine someone who has the ego to call themselves the billionaire maker. Okay. I'm not sure how old Dan is, but I'm, I I'm guessing he's probably late sixties. He might even be 70 years old.

(11:03):

This guy is a trip. I mean, he is he's over the top, but he, he, he's very interesting though. He's very entertaining and his, and the tip I love though. And it's rare you, if you go out and watching him as YouTube videos, you'll see if, if profanity bothers you scratch what I said, don't look him up. He's very profane. But the tip doesn't have any profanity yet. His tip is, show me your friends and I'll show you your future. And it's really a takeoff of Jim. Ron said this long ago, the rule of five, the five people you spend the most time with really determines a lot about what you do, what you, what, how successful you are, how unsuccessful you might be. If you're hanging out with people who maybe aren't as ambitious and things like that.

(11:47):

So it is very important. And I'm telling you, I, I, I, when I was, you know, 15 years old, I probably thought it was crazy. If someone told me that when I was 20, 25, I'm like, eh, maybe now that I'm older, I'm like, oh my gosh. I tell my kids all the time to biz kids like holy crap, like this is so important. So important. And even looking back to my teenage years and, and younger years, and some of the people that I saw, you know, that I hung out with in endorse. Some of my friends that hung out with people that maybe they shouldn't have been hanging out with good families and they're hanging out with the wrong crowd, as they say. And it just, it just completely makes a massive impact on you. So that's the quote the tip and the quote, show me your friends and I'll show you your future. So keep that in mind with your, your rule of five, your inner circle of five people you spend the most time with. It's super, super important on for you, not just your business career, but your personal development, everything super, super important. All right, let's get back into talking with Michelle Tennant, Nicholson, wasabipublicity.com. You can find out more there. So Michelle let's find out, let's talk to us about the difference between earned, paid and owned, earned, paid, and owned media. What, what are the difference between those three?

(12:54):

Well, it sure. And, and I just wanna say about your tip. That is so absolutely true. You know one of the things that you can think about in terms of PR too, is you show me the five media people who know you and I can show you your future.

(13:12):

Good point.

(13:13):

Yeah. Think about paid, earned, and owned. We wanna think about it in terms of marketing. So let's just step back marketing 1 0 1 really basic stuff. Okay. So there's an old saying in PR that says you pay for advertising. You pray for PR,

(13:32):

Okay. Okay. I like it.

(13:34):

So that the first one paid paid media, you pay a venue to get your message out. You have control over it and you pay them to distribute it on their network, pay it's advertising today. It looks like lots of different internet websites and whatnot, social media, and so forth lots of different ways to advertise today. Now, if we look at owned, owned media, now these, again, you have control over because you own everything, including your business card. Like that's a piece that you're giving you control the message on that card. You're giving it to somebody else. And these are your social media, your website, your intellectual property, your books, your radio show. These are all things that you own and control now earned media or otherwise earned editorial media. You don't have control. An editor has control. The art of earned media is in rolling another person to put you in their paid and owned assets. You get it?

(14:43):

Yeah. Makes perfect sense.

(14:44):

Yeah. And you don't have a whole lot of control because it's a, it's a, you're influencing them, trying to get them to cover you. And so that's the differences between, and that's really all the marketing that we talk about today. They usually fall in one of those areas I have yet to come across a marketing strategy that can't be placed in one of those areas.

(15:05):

Well, Michelle, so that all makes perfect sense. And I, I love how you broke it down. So, so tell me in your experience as a, what is the best for, so as a, let's say a business owner and entrepreneur, when I'm trying to build my brand, what of those three, what are the most, what resonates the most? What has the most ooph what's gives you the most juice?

(15:30):

Well, let's talk about what, what each one will actually do for you. Okay. So first your own assets are what converts your people to a sale, right? And your paid is really all about traffic, getting people to something. And then your earned media is really credibility knowing about you. So if we look at, you know, most people have heard on the radio, when they're driving in a car, they've heard a concert be advertised, right. Oh, so and so rock musician or so. And so comedians coming to town and you're like, oh, good. I wanna do that. Do you purchase this right then? And there, no, you're gonna be wait until you get out of the car and then you're gonna be like, talk to your friends. And then you're gonna go to a website or you're gonna call, or you're gonna visit the venue and purchase tickets right now.

(16:29):

But you are also able to hear about that concert or that show for are in interview because Hey, today in our drive time show, we've got this comedian who's coming to town and blah, blah, blah. Right. That's the sort of the cycle that you want also for everything that you are doing with your business. You know, if you've got a business that's E whether you're a doctor, you know, you've got public information that everybody wants to know tips about health. If you are dealing with real estate or a home, we all have to live somewhere. So we want your best tips on how to prepare our house for the next season or how to save money when we're purchasing something. Does that make sense?

(17:11):

Yeah. Makes perfect sense. Yeah.

(17:13):

Yeah. So we wanna just make sure that your own assets, the things that you have control over or buttoned down. So your website, your social media, things of that nature, that they have, the messages that you actually want out there. And then when you're advertising, you also wanna make sure it's the messages that coincide with your own assets. And then when you're in interviews, cuz at the only time that you actually have is when you're in an interview. So right now I have control over what I say about earn paid. And, but I have no control over what you're gonna ask me next. What are you gonna ask me next?

(17:51):

That's a, Hey, that's a good question. That's a good question. So so I, I guess I'll go back. So in your experience, I mean, I, all three of those seem like they'd be very valuable, but, and I guess it's probably a difficult question to answer now. I think about it because it probably depends a lot on your business, but which one and you think is the most important or gives you, as I said before, the most juice when building your brand.

(18:13):

Okay. I'm gonna answer that when we come after the break. Cause I want everybody to think about that. Cause that depends on your goal.

(18:20):

Okay. Right.

(18:21):

That's fair. It changes. Of course I'm gonna stay earned, but right. I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm gonna have my caveat for when we come after the break. And I think we'll talk a little more about people's goals and relationship to what they choose.

(18:34):

Yeah. Yeah. All right. So, so you guys gotta come back and hear the answer to that. First of all, second of all, we are also gonna continue to pick Michelle's brain and we're gonna talk a little bit more about the who, what, when, where and how a public relation. So now that you know the difference between the three, now we're gonna talk a little it more of, of some of the juicy details, little behind the scenes on that and how we might be able to get ourselves in the mix on those. Some of those things, especially the earn side,

(19:01):

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(19:30):

If you find listening to Mr. Biz radio is helpful. Imagine having live access to not only Mr Biz, but also five other trusted business experts. It's true. You can have live access to your very own CFO plus a business attorney at website and digital marketing expert, a sales and growth guru, a financing professional, and a customer experience master visit mrbizsolutions.com to learn more. Join Mr. Biz nation at mrbizsolutions.com

(20:01):

To submit questions to the show, email them to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Now once again, here's Mr. Biz.

(20:11):

All right. Welcome back to the show and we, we teased it a little bit

(20:14):

Before

(20:14):

We get to that, I'm gonna tease it a little further make sure you go out to find out more about what Michelle and her company can do. And especially on the earn side, we're talking about how important that is. We're gonna get her answer on, on some of that as well, but go out to wasabipublicity.com, Um she actually, if you go to the website, she has a complimentary PR workbook that you can check out that it will help you with, through some of this stuff. And it gives you a way to also get in contact with her, for consultation, see how she might be able to help you et cetera. So definitely could check out wasabipublicity.com. All right, Michelle. So what do you got talk to me.

(20:51):

Yeah. So let's talk about your goals because I think that every entrepreneur is in a different stage with their business, you know, they might be if you're listening right now, you might be beginning your business or you might be very seasoned and at the ready to retire. So the answer to Ken's questioned originally, which is more important, really relates to where you are in that journey. So if you are brand new, you want to make sure that your, you focus on your owned assets. So your owned media, these are your messages around your website, your what you're saying on social media, what your business card says, how you're introducing yourself. And the biggest thing that people miss with that is when you're in cocktail parties or in social networking events, your elevator pitch, your elevator pitch should really Z you win on what you do. So I, people always ask me like when I go to networking events, well, what do you do? And it's very hard for people to understand PR so I make it really simple. I just say, oh, I put people on the front page of the wall street journal.

(22:01):

Boom, perfect. That's perfect. Oh,

(22:04):

I want that. You want something that crystal, right.

(22:07):

And you want, and, and by the way again, here, I I'm, I'm telling the master here, but I, I agree. And, but I think the key for an elevator pitch, especially, it's gotta be short, right? I've been to these things too. And people would, they wanna tell you three minutes and you're standing in a circle of you're there for networking, right? There's a circle of eight or 10 people. And it's like, bro, you don't have three minutes to tell me your story. Like this, an elevator pitch, you've got 30 seconds or less. Like, let's be more concise. Number one, number two, you want that lean in moment. You wanna be, you know, that your elevator pitch is rock solid. When you say it and people go really, or they lean in in some way or they ask a question, that's why I'll, I've always looked at it is I wanna be able to tell someone that tells them concisely what I do and makes them ask a second question. If I tell them what I do and they go, oh, okay. What about you, Bob? It it's a failure. It didn't do well.

(23:00):

Do you like to fish?

(23:02):

I do. I do.

(23:03):

So I like to think of it like fishing and you're putting a bait out there. And then how do you bring people to you? Right. And how do you bring potential customers, potential fish, your way you wanna eat? Do you wanna put food on the table? So how do you do that? Right. And that's how I actually do PR too. We look at the target audience, if you will, like who you're trying to reach the mess, get the message to, and then we put pitches out. So I like to think of the whole ocean of, of target people, whether they're producers or journalists or whatnot, that they're the potential ocean. And then your pitch is your bait. Okay. And then you're reeling it in, right? So it's the same thing. Like an elevator pitch. When you're at a cocktail party, it's gotta have people kind of lean and go, well, I wanna learn more about that.

(23:52):

That's what we do with our paid, earned and owned. So new business people, you really wanna focus on your own assets and then get into, well, what are you doing for advertising? And then when you know what your message is, and you're actually like, okay, I'm gonna sell this. I'm gonna make money this way. Then bring in earned editorial so that you can actually look at, okay, I wanna get the message out by educating the populace at large and how you do, how, you know, you have a PR or potential PR campaign or a potential hook. That's what the news people call it. They call it a hook. Is, are you teaching the public something for good? Like, do you have good tips for somebody? If you've got a tool tip or you wanna set the alarm, like there's a, you're doing something wrong.

(24:43):

And I wanna tell you how to write that these are, are great stories that all TV, producers and magazine people want, right? Cause they're in the business of selling magazines or selling radio shows or selling TV shows. So you become the content that they can highlight. So if you're new, you definitely wanna focus on, on owned assets. And then your paid is next. All about the same time as you do your earned editorial. So they can work in tandem. And if you're a seasoned person, most of people are doing a legacy type of work. Then they wanna make sure that they're giving whatever they've done and their entrepreneurial journey on, on to the younger generations. That's also something that's, you then wanna really focus on your earned editorial. Does that make sense? Gotcha.

(25:35):

Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Well, and I look at it as you're speaking through it Michelle is, is that, you know, some of the paid and some of the owned, hopefully what that does is as you mentioned before, it brings traffic. Yeah. And so let's say for example, that someone goes to your website and then when they get to your website and they go, holy crap, Michelle has been on the, on the front page of the wall street journal. Yeah. Wow. Oh my gosh. Like, you know, it's instant street cred, right? So they heard of you, which drew them to you. And now they see some of the earned things that you've, you've earned and you've been in this magazine or that magazine or this publication, or you know, whatever it may be and instantly, right. They don't know you from Adam or Eve. And all of a sudden they're like, wait a minute. Who is this? Right. And again, it's another lean in moment. The way I look at it.

(26:25):

Well, we also, we're in a, a cold where we really value celebrity influencers in name dropping, you know, whether you like to admit it or not, it's it makes us feel, oh, I know them just like your McDonald's reference earlier, right? If we know something and we trust it, then that's gonna make us more likely to do business with you. So that's why it's important to show that if the press can trust you, you know, if you're getting coverage from the local TV station or the local influencer that's inside your industry is really talking well about you, you then your customers are gonna really trust you. And that's really what the earned editorial piece is about. So, you know, how do you do this? One of the things that you can do is think about your story and the thing that you say that you might say to a, your nephew or a son, right? Your biz kids, right? Ken. So what are you gonna teach them about business? Or what are you gonna teach them about what you're selling or like a plumber or a doctor they're gonna be like, oh, you know, this is a mistake that most people make. Don't you do that? That is your pitch. That is what you wanna tell your press, whether it's your industry or geographic region, that's what they'll cover.

(27:51):

It makes perfect sense. And I'll tell you the, the real quick example I can give is way back when we first started Mr. Biz radio. I mean, we had been doing the show I don't know, maybe six months. And I had perspective client come to me. They had heard the show. And I remember we were three minutes into talking, just having a conversation. And the, the business owner said to me, he said, you know, I need a CFO, blah, blah, blah. And I said, well, lemme tell you a little bit about, you know, kind of my approach. And he said, well, you got a radio show, so you must know what you're talking about.

(28:22):

Awesome.

(28:25):

And Michelle, we, we both know there are a bunch of people who are on the radio or on TV that are not so smart. Maybe they're kind of, I don't know, I'm just gonna throw it out. My

(28:34):

Uncle, listen to this, my uncle in Ohio, right outside of Columbus in Beville Ohio said, Michelle, you know how you're an expert. You drive 20 minutes from home and declare you expert and boom, you're an expert.

(28:49):

I lot

(28:50):

Dream to that,

(28:51):

But it's so, I mean, it, it gives you that instant streak and right away, I was like, holy crap. That's, that's how powerful this is. That people just automatically assume when I wrote my first book, people are like, oh my gosh, you're, you're a bestselling author. And then that's in a whole, a whole nother thing. I can't believe we run out of time already. You're gonna have to come back on the show. Michelle, would you be willing to come back please?

(29:12):

Of course, absolutely.

(29:13):

Well, I really appreciate you coming on. I, I can't believe we ran outta time so quickly go out to wasabipublicity.com. Find out more about Michelle 10 Nicholson, Michelle. Thank you so much for being on the show.

(29:23):

My pleasure.

(29:25):

Thanks for watching. Thanks for listening guys. And don't forget as always to cash flow is king.

(29:34):

This has been Mr. Biz radio to learn how to become part of Mr. Biz nation. Visit mrbizsolutions.com for access to free weekly content. Subscribe to the Mr. Biz, YouTube channel and follow him on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter, to listen to archive shows. You can find them on the Mr. Biz solutions website.