Ten Communicators to Follow

On the 10th day of Christmas, Spin Sucks gave to you… 10 communicators to follow, nine PR blogs to read, eight PR up-and-comers, seven must-listen podcasts, six communicator gifts, five communications trends, four free webinars, three strategy games, two Crazies secrets, and the PR win of 2014.

Only two days left in this series and it won’t be me who finishes it up (though Lindsay and Jess won’t disappoint!).

My last work day of 2014 is tomorrow so I will be digging into the case of wine that arrived last night. Merry Christmas to me!

Today we bring you the 10 communicators you should follow. Though, with the PR blogs to read and the up-and-comers we’ve already covered, you really have a good list of about 30 people who will keep you abreast of industry trends in 2015.

Ten Communicators to Follow

1. Scott Baradell. A few years ago, I learned that Scott lost his wife, who left behind two adorable children, and that endeared him to me for life. Today he is remarried (Maria is awesome!) and they have two more kids. Every time I look at that house full of four kids, I shake my head. As if that’s not enough, he owns a business called Idea Grove that is changing the way organizations approach communications. Their blog is where you can learn about what’s happening in the tech industry, as it relates to PR.
2. Rob Biesenbach. Rob is not only one of the top communicators in the country, he is an actor, author, and speaker (and he wears red pants better than most human beings). He also has hosted a webinar here on the 11 sins every speaker makes, including those who present to clients or prospects as part of their jobs. His blog focuses a lot on how to be a better speaker and communicator.
3. Dorothy Crenshaw. I first discovered Dorothy on PR Daily, where they had syndicated a blog post she wrote about the lies PR firms tell their clients and prospects. Running a blog called Spin Sucks, I was intrigued. Since then, I have enjoyed her wit, sarcasm, and no holding back way of writing. Her blog is almost exclusively PR and it gives you the good, the bad, and the ugly.
4. Abbie Fink. I first met Abbie when I had arrived at Counselors Academy many years ago a couple of days early and found myself alone for dinner. As an introvert, that doesn’t bother me too much, but a mutual friend suggested we meet. Boy am I glad he did! Abbie and I became fast friends (it isn’t hard with her; she’s wonderful) and have been friends long before this social media thing took hold. She is the general manager of HMA PR in Phoenix, where she leads a team on integrating the new with the old. Their blog has a lot of PR and a little bit of personal that humanizes their brand (see “What I’m Grateful For“).
5. Bob LeDrew. Bob LeDrew, or Pepe LePew, as I call him, is most definitely one of the good guys (plus he’s a cyclist so of course I love him). He is a Canadian and runs Translucid Communications, which works with organizations to help them tell their stories. He also works every year to raise money for cancer and this year wrote, produced, and sang songs for those who donated a certain amount (it was quite amazing!). His blog focuses on the rules, regulations, laws, disclosures, and what you can learn from pop culture…all with a PR bent.
6. Paul Roetzer. Paul is the founder of PR 2020 in Cleveland and is the author of two really great books (that every communicator should read). He also was a guest for an Author Q&A just last month. His blog focuses on the intersection between art and science (he speaks my language!), with a little bit of crisis communications and content marketing thrown in.
7. Aly Saxe. I met Aly a few years ago at a Counselors Academy meeting, where she was exhibiting her new product, Iris. It is meant to help put numbers behind media relations efforts, which we all know is part awareness and part getting the right people to the door to buy. Her blog focuses quite a bit on metrics and how to measure the right things that take communicators from an expense to an investment.
8. Joe Thornley. Joe is one third of the Inside PR gang and one of the smartest people I know. Every time we sit down to record our weekly podcast episode, he has a list of articles to consider that never even hit my dashboard. He reads things outside of the norm and his perspective is always extremely interesting. He is co-founder of Thornley Fallis and their blog focuses on the integration of the PESO model.
9. Heather Tweedy. Another Counselors Academy friend, Heather and I bonded a few years ago during a pre-conference session on how to take photos to accompany your content. She was the subject of one of my photos when I captured her boobs Huskers shirt. She lives in Omaha so we bonded over the fact that I went to Creighton University, right down the street. She is content strategist for the Mutual of Omaha and her blog focuses on pop culture and icons, as they relate to PR. She also is the only person I know who thinks Kim Kardashian is kicking butt and taking names and will take you to task when you say anything negative about the woman (which I don’t agree with, but respect a ton).
10. Martin Waxman. I’m kind of glad Martin’s last name starts with a W so we can end with him. He is the second third in the Inside PR gang (I am, of course, the third third), he is a communications whiz, he is an entrepreneur and a trusted colleague, and he is one of the most unassuming, hilarious people I know. His very dry sense of humor has me on the floor at least once every 15 minute episode of our podcast. His blog has a bit of a stand-up comedy bent and you’ll learn about one Canadian’s take on (mostly) American trends.

So there you have it. Of course, I am confined to the 10th day of Christmas so I’m certain there are many I have left off.

Which means it is now your turn. Who else would you add?

photo credit: Shutterstock