Why PR is the last budget line you should cut (and what happens if you do)

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In this episode, Heidi Howell joins host Jason Mudd to discuss why organizations should think twice before cutting PR during economic uncertainty. They explore the connection between reputation, recruiting, employer branding, visibility, trust, and revenue growth.

Tune in to learn more!

Meet our guest:

Our guest is Heidi Howell, she is a marketing executive who leads efforts to transform marketing into a revenue-driving function within healthcare staffing and human resources technology. She partners with executive teams to align marketing, sales, and operations through scalable systems, data-driven strategy, and growth-focused demand generation.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. Why public relations is often cut first and why that can be a costly mistake
2. How reputation directly impacts recruiting outcomes and talent acquisition
3. Why you should view recruiting as a revenue-driving function
4. How PR keeps you visible to top clients
5. Questions leaders should ask before reducing PR investments

Quotables

“PR is not just about visibility; it's about trust, reputation, and staying known to the people who are ultimately going to be buying your services.” — Heidi Howell

“Recruiting is our revenue. That's how we make money. We make money by placing great candidates at great jobs with great clients.” — Heidi Howell

“When companies cut PR, they're cutting the very thing that keeps them visible.” — Heidi Howell

"When budgets are being cut, trust becomes more valuable, not less." — Heidi Howell

“In a down economy, trust becomes more valuable, not less. PR is one of the few functions built specifically to protect it.” — Jason Mudd

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

• Heidi Howell on LinkedIn
• How PR influences recruiting, retention, and workforce quality
• ratethispodcast.com/ontopofpr

Additional Resources:

• Reputation management for AI search: Monitoring and response framework
• Warning signs your online reputation management is failing
• Axia’s reputation management service
• Listen to more episodes of the On Top of PR with Jason Mudd podcast.
• Find out more about Axia Public Relations.

If you like this episode, you're going to love this:

• Job search and hiring tips with Nicole Balsam
• Navigating PR and communications hiring with Brooke Kruger

Support the show

• On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
• On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.