Strategic Strikes - by Patrick Riccards (Paperback)

About the Book

Strategic Strikes is not for the faint-hearted communicator. Patrick Riccards offers a blunt, battle-tested guide to mastering communications when the stakes are high and the plan's gone to hell.

Book Synopsis

Strategic Strikes is not for the faint-hearted communicator. Patrick Riccards--a veteran strategist with decades in political warfare, crisis PR, and nonprofit leadership--offers a blunt, battle-tested guide to mastering communications when the stakes are high and the plan's gone to hell.

Drawing parallels between strategic communications and mixed martial arts, Riccards shows that survival isn't about polish--it's about instinct, precision, and pressure-tested strategy. From corporate disasters to campaign collapses, his stories reveal what really works when you're backed into a corner and the cameras are rolling.

You'll learn how to:

• Spot and counteract bias in media and public perception
• Strike first with messaging that hits--and sticks
• Read your audience like a fighter reads an opponent

No buzzwords. No fluff. Just the hard truths about how to lead communications under pressure, drawn from real-world experience. If you're tired of stale PR tactics and ready to dominate the narrative, this is your book.

Public opinion is a cage match. Stop dancing. Start striking.

Review Quotes

"Political communications really can be a contact sport, particularly these days. Patrick Riccards is experienced in both worlds, and Strategic Strikes offers leaders a results-focused, common-sense approach to strategic communications that helps organizations and society win the day."
-- The Honorable Jane Swift
Former Governor of Massachusetts

"Forget dry theory--Strategic Strikes is packed with the author's own front-row experiences in high-stakes communications battles. With the grit and insight of a seasoned strategist, Riccards tears down the myth that communications is merely a transactional dance of press releases and talking points, showing you how to stay sharp, pivot fast, and win the fights that matter most."
-- Mark Nagurski
Founder & CEO, Makematic

"Strategic Strikes shows that if you rigidly stick to a plan, you'll lose sight of the moment--and the people you need to reach. Riccards doesn't throw every punch--he throws the right one, at the right time, for the right situation. This book isn't a blueprint--it's a mindset. One that replaces scripted messaging with strategic agility, and surface-level spin with genuine connection. If you're stepping into the ring of public discourse, this is the corner coach you've been waiting for. And it pulls no punches."
-- Kelly Stuart
President & CEO, Center for the Collaborative Classroom

"This is the best book I've ever read on strategic marketing. That's not surprising. Patrick Riccards wrote it."
-- Arthur Levine
President, Brandeis University

About the Author

Dr. PATRICK RICCARDS is a veteran strategic communications expert and award-winning author with three decades of experience advising Fortune 500 firms, federal agencies, and nonprofit organizations. He has worked across three presidential administrations and helped shape communications for key departments including Education, Treasury, and Defense.

A frequent speaker and media commentator, Patrick is the CEO of the Driving Force Institute for Public Engagement. His accolades include honors from PR News, Bulldog Reporter, and IATOP, recognizing his leadership in both public affairs and nonprofit advocacy.