Sheelagh Caygill and Mariya Delano, CEO of Kalyna Marketing, explore the evolving role of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in marketing and creativity.

Mariya discusses how she integrates AI into workflows. Kalyna Marketing uses AI for streamlining admin tasks, automating repetitive processes, and enhancing efficiency in areas such as data analysis, scheduling, and customer segmentation.

But Mariya warns that marketers and content creators who rely too heavily on AI for content creation are taking huge risks with their own or a client's business.

Mariya uses the Greek framework of the types of persuasionin her analysis of the current state of gen AI: logos and pathos. Logos was logic, facts, and information while pathos was emotion and feeling.

Mariya sees so many marketers missing the value of the pathos, which makes content worthwhile. Gen AI can make content look and feel good, but nobody remembers it. It feels empty.

AI content, she says, is missing the heart, the pathos, and the feeling.

AI is never going to get the best results or deliver the things that truly make an impact. You can't have brand recognition, brand authority, or long-term brand trust with AI, because it's regurgitating information from everybody else,  whether it be a Nabokov novel in the 50s or Joe Smith writing a blog post three months ago in your competitor's blog.

Mariya explains that gen AI lacks cohesive emotion driving the creative process. With a human heart is behind creation, the creative process is tied together through the emotion of the writer, the artist, or the editor.

Resources & links from Mariya:

From Alex Birkett on the business and SEO impacts of AI use and what will matter in content going forward.

By Julie Angwin, breaking down hype around AI and common myths promoted by AI vendors.

MIT Tech Review article by Scott J Mulligan about how AI output quality reduces when it's trained on poor quality materials, and that as time goes on and more of the internet becomes AI generated, the quality of AI tools will likely go down .

Research from Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR). DAIR looks at AI a lot more critically and holistically in terms of harms to marginalized populations, impact on human lives, and imagining more ethical, alternative frameworks for AI. 

ThreatLabs AI Security report with good stats about the amount of cybersecurity issues from common AI tools, and the second section detailing how AI use can be security threats is extremely interesting for any marketer.

Mariya sees this trend playing out over and over - namely the ways that authenticity on the internet (specifically on YouTube) got commodified and emulated to the point of losing the initial spark and connection with creators that made this kind of content effective to begin with. This video is an older essay on the subject.

"No One Makes Good Video Essays Anymore" - a video about commodification of educational content, the point of an essay, and how artistic sensibilities and taste can get harmed while chasing algorithms.

A masterful short YouTube video on a conservative Twitter cartoon and DOGE, but it actually makes one of the most profound points about AI - as the video goes on, the creator strips more and more parts of it that are "inefficient", stripping it down to the laziest, simplest to produce version by the end. Mariya got chills seeing how much the quality dropped and how much the magic disappeared. "When we automate things because they don't seem essential, this is the kind of appeal our work loses," she observes.

A LinkedIn article from Mark Stouse, noting how our current AI technology reflects what is easiest to make, not what might be most helpful and that trying to make computers approximate human intelligence is limiting, thinking about what we can get computers to do to COMPLEMENT humans instead is much more interesting and valuable.

The AI Quality Coup - by Julie Zhuo asks what constitutes quality work in the age of AI.

In the first full episode of season two of the Communicate Influence podcast, I have an engaging conversation with Bob Pickard, public relations counsel to names in the news and leadership communication authority, on the transformative role of artificial intelligence (AI) in PR and communications.

Bob, a seasoned PR professional, shares insights from his lecture late last year at Boston University, emphasizing that while AI is revolutionizing PR practices with tools like ChatGPT, the core principles of the profession remain unchanged.

Bob highlights how AI enhances PR work by enabling faster and more strategic decision-making. For instance, he uses ChatGPT as a "PR muse" to generate ideas, refine strategies, and assist in crisis management by providing actionable insights. However, he stresses that AI should not replace human judgment. He advises against relying on AI for final edits or public-facing content, as it lacks the nuanced understanding of tone, ethics, and human connection essential in PR.

We delve into the dichotomy between AI’s potential and its limitations. Bob notes that while AI can amplify creativity and efficiency—helping PR professionals craft smarter campaigns—it cannot replicate the depth of human relationships or the experience accumulated over decades. He underscores the importance of maintaining a "human voice" in corporate communications and ensuring rigorous fact-checking to avoid errors or "hallucinations" in AI-generated content.

Bob also explores the ethical challenges posed by AI. They express concerns about the misuse of generative AI for spreading misinformation or propaganda, particularly by malicious actors. Bob calls for stronger ethical governance to address these risks, warning that technology is advancing faster than the frameworks needed to regulate it.

We touch on how AI is reshaping industry dynamics. Bob predicts that commoditized PR services will diminish as organizations increasingly use AI internally for routine tasks. However, agencies and professionals who prioritize relationship-building and deliver bespoke, high-value services will thrive. He emphasizes that human connections remain irreplaceable in PR, as they foster trust and understanding that technology cannot replicate.

Finally, Bob reflects on the evolving media landscape, likening AI’s integration into search engines and social media to previous media revolutions like television and radio. He concludes with a hopeful message: while AI is a powerful tool, the essence of PR lies in human creativity, ethical practice, and meaningful relationships—qualities that technology cannot replace.

In this week's episode, we have an incredibly valuable conversation with Kim Scaravelli, about how to manage your Twitter account in just 30 minutes a day.

Kim, a communications pro and owner of trust communications in Halifax, Canada, is an expert when it comes to social media. She shares tremendous value in this episode. In fact, it's almost like a free Twitter management class!

If you're new to social media, or feeling overwhelmed, and spending too much time on Twitter, you'll definitely get a lot out of this episode.

Key points from Kim:

• If your ideal audience isn't on Twitter, you don't need to be there
• Twitter has a voracious appetite. So there's really no point in taking your brand onto Twitter, if you are going to tweet once or twice a week
• Understand your brand voice before tweeting
• Use a content calendar, such as Buffer
• Tweet at least eight times a day
• Offer your followers value, don't keep tweeting ads for your product or service
• At least four times a day, retweet something by someone else, and don't just retweet, comment on it so your followers understand why your retweeting the content
• Timeless tweets often give more value.

Kim also covers other points about doing impactful shoutouts, and be sure to interact with those who have interacted with you.

Says Kim: "At the end of the day, it's social media, it's not torture media. If this is the most stressful part of your day, you spend, you know, two hours a day doing social media and six hours a day complaining about it, stop!

"Once you actually get that hang of it, and you're actually talking to people, you're having conversations with people, then it's fun," she explains. "It's just like a coffee date. Or it's just like saying 'Hi' to somebody in the bank lineup. Relaxing is one of the keys to success on any kind of social media."

You can find Kim on Twitter at twitter.com/KimScaravelli, and at Trust Communications.

This episode is sponsored by the Published Author Podcast. If you're an entrepreneur who wants to publish a nonfiction book to grow your business, then this is the podcast you've been waiting for. The Published Author Podcast will help you become an author and show you how to build a thought leadership system around your book. With this, you can grow your business land speaking gigs, grow your tribe, and lots more. Go to Published Author for more details!

Despite the pandemic, the podcasting industry had a good year in 2021, with lots of new content, and a record in advertising spend.

Podcasting and radio industry expert James Cridland is today's guest on this episode of The Communicate Influence Podcast. He takes a look at some of the emerging trends already visible in the first few weeks of this new year, and looks at what may lie ahead. 

He foresees a robust year, with more exciting and diverse content on the horizon.  Key areas of focus in this episode:

• The impact of Amazon's purchase of Wondery 
• Amazon will make more acquisitions in 2021
• Spotify's growth, and competitor attempts to keep pace
• Why privacy will be a growing issue in the coming year
• Podcast advertising revenue's continued growth
• Growth of other revenue streams, such as pod merch
• The types of shows people will probably want to listen to in coming months
• QR codes have had a resurgence in that they are a simple way of letting people subscribe to a podcast show
• Why podcasts that are no longer updated aren't a concern. Known as 'podfade', this can be due to the fact that it's a limited series.

Be sure to check out James' newsletter/podcast Podnews, and his new podcast show Podland.news , hosted by James and Sam Sethi.

It's hard to believe that not every leader is a good communicator.

Our guest Nick Meir explains that this is because we think of communication as mostly spoken. But in Nick's view, communication is essentially the "movement of information" and so body language and micro-expressions are part of that movement of information.

With this definition, it's easy to see how a leader's body language can impact a workplace culture and even subjugate people.

Leaders have to be aware of their blind spots and micro-expressions. Employees will notice everything about a leader, because they are always looking for information. And if there is an absence of information or a vacuum, employees will fill in the gaps.

"Leadership is about great communication, that movement of information, and that always has to be positive," explains Nick. "That doesn't mean it always has to be good news, but it should be a positive exchange, regardless of the message."

Nick explains that this is partly due to the way the brain is wired. Humans are wired to detect subtle clues, especially from first impressions.

The second important takeaway from this episode is that leaders must be aware of their audience. Everyone who has achieved success in the world has understood their audience, what makes them tick, and how to engage them. That's what successful businesses and leaders do as well. They then talk about what their audience cares about.

Nick believes leaders should always ask themselves "Why should they care?" before they speak, and if they can answer that question, they will be successful. As well, be who you are, be yourself, and be pragmatic, be honest and be open.

Leaders who are autocratic tend to create a culture of fear. So becoming self-aware is a process that leaders have to want to be. If leaders put on a persona when they arrive in the office, or behave differently in different situations, then employees will detect this.

Blame culture is one of the worst manifestations of a dysfunctional workplace culture. "When you see hundreds of people being copied in on an email, you know that there is a real problem of fear and blame in that work environment."

Being a leader is a very lonely job, Nick adds. There are only a few people who a leader will trust, and that's just part of the job. So in that sense there is a distance between the leader and their team.

Communication is all about sitting back and relaxing, and delivering information in your way, in your words, and in your style. Good leaders also have to be great listeners, because again, listening is communication as it is moving information from one place to another. Bill Clinton is a memorable example of great listening, because people always remember how attentive he was when he listened.

If comms people try to map a leadership style onto a leader, it often doesn't work. Leaders have to establish their own voice.

About Nick Meir:

Nick moved from being a journalist at the BBC into communications. He held various roles before launching his own agency, A House Called Alice, based in London, UK. Nick delivers executive coaching, training, and corporate journalism for several high-profile global clients.

You can find Nick on LinkedIn.

This episode is sponsored by the Digital Assistant Academy - Setting the Standard in Voice Technology Learning

Every year across the world, hundreds of journalists move from the newsroom or the classroom into the world of PR, communications, or marketing.

The good ones possess great storytelling skills, and know how to get information out of people.

However, communications and marketing are very different worlds form journalism, and journalists must develop a whole new set of traits to succeed in these industries. For example, patience, diplomacy, likability, and teamwork are highly valued in comms and marketing.

If you're a journalist thinking about making the move, Nick Meir has a lot of guidance and pointers for you in this episode.

He also discusses current issues in communications, working with the c-suite, and employee engagement.

Nick moved from being a journalist at the BBC into communications. He held various roles before launching his own agency, A House Called Alice, based in London, UK. Nick delivers executive coaching, training, and corporate journalism for several high-profile global clients.

You can find Nick on LinkedIn.

Influencer marketing is fast replacing many marketing tactics. It's such a flexible option that can be used on many levels. Small and large agencies can employ it, as can businesses and individuals.

In fact, the chances are that you've already used influencer marketing and don't realize it. For example, having a contact share your content with their Twitter following of thousands, or receiving a LinkedIn recommendation from someone with a greater profile than yours, are both forms of influencer marketing; in effect, you're using someone's influence to lift your profile.

Neal Schaffer explores the depth and breadth of influencer marketing in his new book, The Age of Influence. Neal is a social media marketer, corporate trainer, educator, keynote speaker, and author of three other books.

The Communicate Influence Podcast show connected with Neal last week to discuss his impressive new book. 

This is a meaty episode, running for 52 minutes. But not a word is wasted! Neal discusses so much of value in this episode, including:

• The role of social media in influencer marketing
• The power of word of mouth
• Employees as influencers
• Email marketing
• Influencer marketing and SEO
• Why influencer marketing works.

Connect with Neal at nealschaffer.com or on LinkedIn. 

Podcasting is significantly changing journalism, which has been affected a great deal by lack of investment and a declining audience in recent years.

In this episode we speak with Toronto podcast producer and journalist Kathleen Goldhar on the impact podcasting continues to have on journalism

"I don't think you can do anything without a podcast anymore," Kathleen observes. "Every news organization has one, CBC has one . . . whether it's an original podcast where they do a lot of an amazing work or all the shows are sent out on a podcasting format.

"So podcasting is as much a part of journalism has print, as digital storytelling, and as TV news is like, there's just no separating it now."

She adds that a lot of people don't read a lot online, and so this makes podcasting an essential part of journalism.

Kathleen says that there is no one thing that makes a journalistic podcast stand out.

But the intimacy that a podcast allows for between host and listener is a key aspect of a good podcast.

"What podcasting and what audio does is it just goes straight into your brain because it's so intimate. So it's a chance to hear the people, it's a chance to hear them interact with the journalists a lot of times, which is really nice."

Kathleen says that it's essential to pay attention to your audience and think their information needs.

"Most people are listening to podcasts while they are doing something else. If you make me stop and ask who's that character? or What did he do again, or Who's this person, then you've lost me. And if that happens too many times, I'm going to turn off the podcast.

"So, as complicated as podcast stories can be, and nuanced and smart, they also have to be quite straightforward and simple. We're not reading, so we can't go back. We're not having the extra advantage of a visual reminder like you do in television," Kathleen explains. "I'm not going to make notes while I'm listening to a podcast. So I need the story itself to unfold in a very practical and a very simple way."

She adds that this doesn't mean that a podcast has to be dumbed-down. Instead, podcasters have to really think about the listener and how prepared they are to be joining you on the story.

"This is a big part of the quality for me, that's when I know that it's produced well . . . when I never have that problem (of losing the thread of the story), and the podcaster is always helping me if I do need to go back in my mind to a character that was introduced a few episodes ago," she adds.

Kathleen recommends that if you want to be a podcaster or podcast producer, the best thing you can do is listen to as many podcasts as possible.

"You should listen to a lot. I think there's a lot of people who don't listen to podcasts and then say they want to make a podcast," she notes. "And then when you're listening, spend some time thinking to yourself, why did that work for me? Why didn't it work for me? What are the pleat places that I can find inspiration? What do I want to stay away from? Is that kind of thing?"

You can find Kathleen on LinkedIn and Twitter. 

This episode sees host Sheelagh Caygill talk to branding pro Jack Fussell. He's worked with hundreds of businesses on brand strategy, and knows what makes a brand great.

Branding is so much bigger than a logo, website, or business card. Jack says at the end of the day, the most simple version of understanding what a brand is, is what your customers feel about you.

"When they, when you say the name of your company, or you say the name of your brand, or you say the name of, you know, if your individual, you say your own name, what do people think?

"Are they like, 'Oh my gosh. Yes. That's amazing!'."

The work of brand building, the work of branding in and of itself is really just building up all of that.

"Visual identity is a part of that. I mean, you, there, you know, if your, if your logo looks outdated or, you know, it looks, you know, you're some cool like motorcycle company, but if you're logo looks like a tech logo from the 1990s then it changes the way people perceive you.," says Jack. 

Branding is very much a feeling thing. We develop our feelings about a brand based on our experiences with an organization. It's not a rational thing.  

Jack says that a brand strategy session is different with every organization. He says the first thing is to understand the customers, whey they are thinking, their views, and preferences. 

"When that customer is sitting there looking for something online or they're searching through an app or whatever, what are they thinking? What are they feeling? What do they experience amazing?"

The secret of a brand is understanding what makes the company unique and understanding what the biggest needs and values of the customers are.

For companies with reputation issues, a new logo, new website, new letterhead is not going to fix this problem.

Jack says empathy is actually the heart of branding. Brands that do really well - it is all about empathy. It's all about putting yourself in the place of the other person. It's understanding how they feel.  Empathy is actually like wearing someone else's emotions.  

"If they're excited, we become excited. Like we really do! We really do put ourselves in the place of that customer.

"And, you know, one of our favorite brands is Disney. We love to go to the parks. It's just, I get to be a kid again.

"You can tell that they've built their entire brand around empathy, that they understand when someone, you know, Well, just every part of it from the moment you call in to the way that they, um, you know, they just explain everything so carefully."

Jack Fussell is a brand strategist with Campfire Social. Find him on Linkedin. Listen to his podcast, Onward Creatives. 

Many podcast transcripts are uploaded to podcast websites with the belief that they benefit search engine optimization.
But is this true? Carl Robinson, founder of Tizz Tech and host of the Voice Tech podcast, has used and then removed transcripts, and saw no difference in traffic figures. I had a similar experience.
The issue could come down to the quality of transcriptions generated by platforms such as Otter and Descript. They need improvement - a human has to remove errors while adding speaker names, subheads, and pull-out quotes.
Paying someone to do the work adds a cost for independent podcasters, who often podcast without a budget.
However, there is a reason to add transcripts or closed captions to episodes - for the hard of hearing. A recent class action lawsuit against Gimlet Media has brought this issue back into focus.
In the complaint, filed last week in New York, plaintiff Kahlimah Jones argues that Gimlet violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by failing to provide closed captioning on various podcasts.
In this episode we explore the use of transcripts, and whether every podcaster should include them with their episodes.
Carl Robinson's agency is Tizz Tech, and his Voice Tech Podcast is here: https://voicetechpodcast.com/. And you can find him on LinkedIn and Twitter. 

Fernando Angulo is Fernando is Head of Communications with SEMRush. In this episode, Fernando gives an in-depth discussion about how to market an e-commerce website. 

He takes listeners through all the essentials, including SEO, advertising, Google Tools, paid-for options, and social media. This is the second and final part of our series on e-commerce platforms and marketing. You can find episode one with Kevin McCall here.

How to market your e-commerce store

Key takeaways from this episode include:

• Research your niche and what's happening in your industry before beginning any marketing. Use available analytical tools to help with this task
• Track all referral traffic, including traffic from social media and or affiliates
• Use tools to identify competitor traffic
• Really good content is essential. Hire a writer if you don't a stellar writer in-house. Web content is your online salesperson!
• Use your blog to create targeted content marketing, although this can take time to boost SEO
• If your website is new and you need leads set a budget for online advertising.

Show notes:

You can find Fernando on LinkedIn. Here's his recommended reading for this episode:

Large study about Featured Snippets
https://www.semrush.com/blog/large-scale-study-how-to-rank-for-featured-snippets-in-2018/

E-commerce Study free Ebook
https://www.semrush.com/ebooks/ecommercetrends/

Listen to part one with Kevin McCall on selecting e-commerce platforms.

This episode is sponsored by Podmotion.co, a new podcast creation and promotion agency launching soon! Go to Podmotion.co for more details!

COVID-19 impacted thousands of businesses globally, and a lot of smaller businesses had never made the jump to an online presence.

Suddenly, they were without sales, and had to scramble to get online. Some businesses are still dealing with the transition to ecommerce, especially smaller businesses and bricks and mortar stores. 

In this episode, Kevin McCall, founder and technology lead with Podmotion.co, discusses the best solutions and what to look at when integrating ecommerce.

Key consdierations include:

• Integration with an existing inventory management system
• Age of existing website technology
• Which ecommerce platform to select
• Pros and cons of ecommerce platforms, including ongoing costs
• Positioning of product and services in the new ecommerce store
• Marketplace or destination store
• Strategy to respond to competition
• Search engine optimization

Kevin also talks about how to present your goods online, along with returns, exchanges, and the overall customer journey. Does your selected solution work with your ecommerce stratecy?

Finally, when your ecommerce store is up and running, how will you advertise it? Kevin gives a brief overview of this. He also looks at how to select a developer for your ecommerce project.

This episode is sponsored by Podmotion.co, a new podcast creation and promotion agency launching soon! Go to Podmotion.co for more details!

Hi, we're excited to announce that after a long break, the Communicate Influence podcast returns. The first five or so episodes of season two will focus on artificial intelligence from all angles. Be sure to listen and sign-up for our newsletter to avoid missed a guest who matters in your industry.

Transcript: Welcome to the Communicate Influence podcast. It's been about two or three years since I released the last episode of this podcast show. And I know it's never a good idea to start a podcast and then drop it without notice.

But sometimes life gets in the way and you just can't find the energy or the time to produce a good episode. I'm happy to say that the podcast is relaunching. And in the next five or six episodes, I'm going to be focusing on artificial intelligence and speaking to some people who really know how AI is impacting public relations, marketing, communications, and writing. My first guest is Bob Picard, a seasoned communications pro who provides counsel and issues management advice to CEOs around the world.

Next up will be an in-depth conversation with Mariya Delano of Kalyna Marketing in New York. She studied computing and physics before completing a degree in literature and creative writing. And so she offers a unique perspective on what AI can bring and cannot bring to marketing. If you'd like to hear about the additional guests I have lined up to speak about AI, sign up for the Communicate Influence newsletter at CommunicateInfluence.com.

That's Communicate Influence written as one word and then.com. And the next episode with Bob Pickard will be dropping in a few days. Thanks so much.

Voice technology is set to have a significant impact on the podcasting work flow in the coming months. 

This episode is actually created with voice technology in the form of a new mobile and web app call Rumble Studio. 

Developed by Carl Robinson, Rumble Studio lets any organization create and publish audio content for a number of uses, including interviews, content marketing, and audio content projects. 

Episode transcript

This is Sheelagh with Communicate Influence. This episode has a flavour of the future to it. It points to what podcasting could be in coming months. This is because it's created with a new mobile app called Rumble Studio.

Rumble studio is a web and mobile application that lets anyone or any organization record and publish audio for content marketing. It's easy and makes dropping episodes super fast.

For this episode, I did a quick interview with Carl Robinson, who is actually CEO of Rumble Studio. To do this asynchronous interview, I pre-recorded my questions into the web app, and Carl, who's based in Paris, recorded his answers in the app the next day.

In fact, this is Carl's first ever interview with Rumble Studio.

For the next stages, Rumble Studio let me upload our intro music and record this intro within the app. To use Rumble Studio, you don't need equipment or special skills.

There's no scheduling involved. You simply record your questions and let an interviewee know when it's ready for their answers. You do this by inserting their email address and Rumble Studio sends the interviewee an invite. 

Potential uses of voice tech

The potential uses for Rumble Studio are really exciting. It's going to open up audio creation to many more people. And it's going to be great for hard-to-reach guests or people in different time zones who simply can't connect.

Rumble studio isn't just confined to question and answer interviews only. A creator can use Rumbel for solo podcasts or simply to create some audio

In my view, rumble studio won't replace real, live human interviewers, or podcast editors. Butut it will definitely enhance a podcasters or content creator's work. I'm think journalists will find this tool incredibly useful, too.

I've had fun using Rumble Studio and it was great to connect with Carl on this.

The only thing I think needs a bit of improvement is the interface and the instructions. I can see how some guests may find it challenging or daunting at first glance. Carl assures me that this is something his team is working on.

In a few weeks I'll have a full human, interview with the CEO himself - Carl Robinson of Rumble Studio.

You can connect with Carl on LinkedIn.

Podmotion.co - episode sponsor

This episode is sponsored by Podmotion.co, a new podcast creation and promotion agency launching soon! Go to Podmotion.co for more details!

A diversified agency with the ability to pivot

Linda Andross and Ken Evans, partners at APEX Public Relations and Ruckus Digital in Toronto, discuss the impact of the global pandemic on PR and marketing agencies.

APEX is a fairly diversified agency, and Ken and Linda observe that agencies that are diversified and can pivot quickly have done reasonably well, while specialist boutique agencies, such as event mangement consultancies, have struggled. 

Preparing to leave the office when the pandemic arrived

Linda and Ken discuss the last week or so at the office as they kept up to speed with fast-moving developments. They prepared to send staff home to remote work, while communicating with, and supporting, clients, and staying in touch with other partners, such as IT, suppliers, and building management. 

During this time, Apex PR was preparing to launch a media trainign program. This was shifted to online training, to which clients responded well. They were also introducing a new client acquisition model - so there was a lot going on in the weeks before the pandemic hit.

The future of PR and marketing agencies

Linda and Ken also discuss:

• The work they did with clients following the brutal murder of George Floyd 
• Their advice to public relations and marketing agencies hit badly by the pandemic.
• How to move conventional services online.
• The use of media sensibilities to develop an ability to anticipate challenges from different perspectives.
• Their views on whether remote working is here to stay.
• How to best support staff during this kind of situation.
• Why public relations is better positioned to whether the current global crisis compared to advertising agencies, and lots more.

You can find Linda Andross and Ken Evans at APEX Public Relations.

This episode is brought to you by Podmotion.co - a new podcast creation and marketing agency base in Toronto. Visit Podmotion.co for more details.

Like what you read and hear? Consider supporting our podcast development at buymeacoffee.com. Thanks to our latest supporters, Cleidi Hearn from Ireland, Aaron Sherle from Arizona, U.S. 

We all face procrastination at some point in our lives. That conscious and perhaps deliberate process employed to bring about failure - according to psychologists.

Procrastination is employed for various reasons - we don't like the task at hand, there's something better on offer, or we're not sure how to proceed.

Some people say they procrastinate because they're tired - although other's aren't convinced that's a case of procrastination. More just a case that someone needs a break or even a good night's sleep.

In this episode, we change formats and have a discussion rather than an interview. Host Sheelagh Caygill and screenwriter Daanish Ahamed discuss why they procrastinate and methods they've used to successfully end this behaviour.

Daanish details a special method he has developed to break cycles of procrastination. Briefly, it is using a friend to offer a reward if the task is completed on deadline. The reward is unrelated to the task and therefore diverts attention from all the distractions and excuses the procrastinator creates, and makes it easier to focus on what needs to be done.

If the procrastinator fails to meet their deadline, they must provide a reward to their motivating friend.

Daanish is offering to put this method into practive with five listeners. Find out what Daanish's offer is and how to take advantage of it in this episode!

You can find Daanish Ahamed at LinkedIn and on Twitter.

If you enjoy our podcast and would like to help us grow and reach more people, consider a tiny bit of support via Buymeacoffee.com

Rapidly changing public and employee expectations mean CEOs must start using social media to ensure they express the right sentiment at the right moment. 

The West has gone from a situation whre most executives were afraid of using social media for fear they might make some kind of mistake. 

"In recent times, especially since Trump and particularly since COVID-19, we've reached the point where fear of being absent from social media -especially if something goes wrong with their company - that fear of being absent is greater than the fear of being there and making a mistake, which was part of their initial reluctance," explains <strong>Bob Pickard</strong>, author of a chapter in a new book about CEOs and social media.

The book, The Social CEO: How Social Media Can Make You a Stronger Leader, has been written by Damian Corbet. Bob's chapter is How PR Disasters are Driving CEOs to Embrace Social Media. 

"The embrace has been fully informed by the current tides of opinion in the marketplace," adds Bob. 

When something goes wrong with a company or a complex organization, like a government or a non-profit organization, all eyes go online looking for the leader, and that's why the leader has to be on social media. They have to orchestrate, communicate, and relate to people right from the start of any incident. "To most executives, this is a relatively new area of endeavor. Many executives, particularly the more experienced ones, were brought up in a world of control, a world of hierarchy, a world of defference," explains Bob.

"It's not like we could wave a magic wand and change the way that they've been thinking for their entire career about how it is that they should communicate with people," he adds. 

Some (CEOs) expect that they're going to be sitting on top of the commanding heights of information, broadcasting their views to an appreciative audience of people who will just passively consume whatever they say. 

"All of a sudden, rewiring your mind to deal with peer-to-peer horizontal communication where people expect to be listened to and demand have their voices heard, that's not for everybody," says Bob. "That's not the career experience of many executives. It's something they've got to wrap their heads around and deal with.

"We've done some research here in Canada . . . the public now expects the chief executive to communicate about the activities of the company which they lead, especially if something goes wrong, such as a crisis. It's not really optional anymore. This is going to become mandatory for executives to signal their leadership online through social media."

Donald Trump's use of social media in 2016 was a digital disruption that broke through earlier resistance. A lot of executives looked at how Trump was elected President of the United States, basically, by running and emoting his campaign through a Twitter feed.

"They didn't want in most cases to be like Trump. In fact, I think the majority would be horrified to be like that," notes Bob. "They did watch the case study of his undeniable and unexpected success, feel the power of social media for the very first time in terms of driving real incomes."

A lot of CEOs regarded social media as a waste of time, assuming it was frivolous, where they would tweet about what they had for breakfast that morning. But the power of social through the Trump case study really galvanized people to go out there and give it a try.

Go to Communicate Influence to read the full article with this podcast.

Fine Bob Pickard on LinkedIn and Twitter.

There are two ways to find new clients - building an audience and prospecting. And to do the first, you need to know who your clients are and where you can find them. 

That's what marketing consultant Paul Davis always tells his clients. Of course, most clients have plenty of choice when it comes to suppliers. So if a customer is going to select you, you need to differentiate yourself and highlight what makes you different and better than your competitor.

Find your clients first

You have to figure out where people are, and initiate a conversation with them. Being able to listen is a huge part of prospecting and in the digital space.

Paul does note that prospecting in the digital space can take time and can seem overwhelming. "You feel overwhelmed when you see someone's posts that says, 'Hey, I've got this', and they've got 85 comments. Everyone's saying, oh, pick me pick me. If you see that, you're probably in the wrong group."

The key thing is being able to build relationships with an interested audience and strike up conversations with people, so that you can listen to what they want or need. 

When engagement happens, it's possible to to build trust. And if you're building trust, and that's huge, he adds. With a website, you can increase people's trust in your business, your social media, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Pinterest. 

Organic marketing

Paul is drawn toward towards the type of marketing that feels organic and in the moment, as well as the fundamentals. He encourages his clients to invest in strong websites that speak naturally and authentically to clients. 

"When clients get on a website that reads like they speak, they're going to actually engage with that more. And so finding that voice is a key thing and your planning has to look at that," he says. 

With my clients, the key thing I need from them is that they continue to engage with their customers and hear them and and give me the feedback that you can't get from digital information.

"What I want from my clients is real-time feedback from customers. For example, not long ago one client told me they had a client come into their office who said it was closed on their map app. 

"So I had to look on and figure out which I was able to do very quickly. And that provided value in me seeing the process of clients are now using maps that are pulling their data from MapQuest," Paul expalins. "And that's the kind of stuff I want from them. 

"As far as the marketing goes, I want my clients to really engage their their customers, because it's their business and if they have happy customers than I have happy customers," he adds.

The importance of content marketing

Paul is occasionally asked why he focuses on written content when so much now is video? He explains that the ability to find a business is still based off the text on a website or on the front of your store if you have a brick and mortar location. 

"People drive by and if they can't see dentist, they aren't going to know there's a dentist there. The same thing goes for online. 

Continuing reading the rest of this article at

You can find Paul at Paul Davis Solutions and here on LinkedIn.

Like what you read and hear? Consider supporting our podcast development at buymeacoffee.com. Thanks to our latest supporters, Cleidi Hearn from Ireland, Aaron Sherle from Arizona, U.S. 

There are some secrets to writing great email newsletters. Well, they're not secrets anymore. Even so, more newsletter writers could take note of them and then we'd have way better newsletters to read!

Tyler McCune, a copywriter who specializes in email newsletter writing, is this week's guest. Tyler has studied email newsletter writing closely, and follows all the masters, such as Marcella Allison, Matt Furey, and Ben Settle. Tyler shares email newsletter tactics to massively improve engagement and open rates.

Successful email newsletter writers focus on developing a relationship with a reader, and recognize that a newsletter is actually a very intimate medium . . . similar to the way people wrote to penpals years ago, explains Tyler.

"If you think about it that way, like you're just writing to your pen pal, and you're trying to entertain them and say, 'Hey, maybe you want to buy this thing'. You'll you'll stand out in the inbox over everyone else who's just pitching," says Tyler.

A big part of the art of newsletter email writing is combining the entertainment and the valuable information in with a sales pitch.

"This is like copywriting 101. It actually comes from the world of direct mail, which most people call junk mail. And you've probably gotten this where it looks like a magazine and you flip it open and on page three, they're trying to sell you. And if you read those, I mean it's really amazing because they'll just have pieces of information there that doesn't have anything to do with buying the product, but they're just trying to demonstrate that they're knowledgeable and that they're going to give you valuable information."

If you've succeeded at copywriting 101, the next step is knowing your your audience, what they desire, how the action you want them to take ties into that desire, and then making the link very clear for them.

Go to Communicate Influence for a special offer from Tyler McCune, the full show notes, and extensive resources.

Find Tyler McCune online: Copy By McCune, LinkedIn.

We’ve all heard about people who’ve left successful careers to pursue work that imbues their life with much deeper meaning. 

Dena Jackson is one of those people. Dena moved from public relations to become a comedian, a speaker, and a teacher of yoga. It wasn’t until something tragic happened in my life that I felt I needed meditation

“When my dad got sick and passed away that was the first time someone very close to me died. At that time I got into meditation because I realized how important it was,” continues Dena. “For me it’s about being able to come into the moment and not get lost in the past or worry about the future.

Continue reading the full intro to this episode here. 

Resources:

Dena's TED Talk: 90 % Of Yoga is Off The Mat.
Dena's meditation talk on Youtube.
Dena's podcast: The Ego Podcast

Meditation apps: Calm, Headspace, Insight Timer

Books recommended by Dena:
The Yogi Code - Yogi Cameron
The Power of Now - Eckart Tolle
Practicing the Power of Now – Eckart Tolle
10 Secrets of Success - Wayne Dyer
Recovery – Russell Brand
The Shadow Effect - Deepak Chopra, Debbie Ford, Marianne Williamson
The Universe has Your Back - Gabrielle berstein
Super Attractor – Gabrielle Bernstein 

Books recommended by Sheelagh:
The Art of Meditation - Matthieu Ricard
Meditation for Beginners - Jack Kornfield
Real Happiness: The Power of Meditation - Sharon Salzberg
Meditation is Not What You Think - Jon Kabat-Zinn
Real Happiness At Work: Meditations for Accomplishment, Achievement, and Peace - Sharon Salzberg
The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction To The Practice of Meditation - Thich Nhat Hanh
When Things Fall Apart - Pema Chodron

Like what you read and hear? Consider supporting our podcast development at buymeacoffee.com. Thanks to our latest supporter, Aaron Sherle, and to my supporters on Patreon.

The role of an internal communications team varies greatly from business to business. 

But Ben Baker, an employee engagement specialist based near Vancouver, believes that every internal communications team hashares one important task -  disseminating an organization's narrative, and making sure that employees understand it.

Says Ben: “This is everyone’s job. Is not a job title. It really needs to start with how the culture of the organization evolves.”

Role of internal comms

“For me, internal communication is getting everybody to understand who you are as a company, what you do, why you do it, where you came from, who do you serve, what are the things that make you different from your competitors, and where are you going as a company. 

“In most organizations there is a huge disconnect between what the CEO wants to achieve and what the organization understands,” he states.

“You need to ask a lot of questions to get this in place - Who are you? Who are your customers? What do you understand?” says Ben. “Every department tells a different story, and that’s the first place we see where everyone has a different story about where you’re at and where you are going.”

Need for a visionary CEO

Ben says that his goal when he works with an organization is to ensure that there is a visionary CEO. If you have a visionary CEO who realizes where they want to take the company and what they want to achieve, it’s much easier getting their message out there. Included in the messaging should be where they see pitfalls, challenges, along with the next generation of customers.

Working with the c-suite, internal communications needs to use its skills to make the message human, giving it a personal factor. They then plan effective distribution of the story. And internal comms should ensure that it’s part of the onboarding for every new employee. 

Onboarding needs to improve

Says Ben: “The most underdeveloped part of any organization is onboarding. Onboarding can be as horrible as filling out a few forms and getting new business cards and then it’s ‘We’ll see you later’.

“You are doing your employees nothing but a disservice. Here’s a scary number. Every employee that you lose costs you $100,000 to replace,” notes Ben.

“We collectively spend millions of dollars in recruitment and hiring, but nothing in terms of onboarding employees, training, or bringing them into the culture and training, making sure that they have mentors, or having great managers,” he says. “This is where internal comms needs to be. In fact, I’m a big believer in getting rid of the word manager and calling them frontline leaders.”

Employee engagement

Ben explains that frontline leaders need to be the keepers of the brand story in their department. When everyone understands the story, they can ask why when an organization does things that aren’t related to the brand story. Is it just shiny object syndrome? If a new initiative isn/t aligned with a company’s narrative, people should be able to raise questions and get the focus back onto the organization’s purpose.

“If it is truly happening, then that’s when the story becomes propagated and everybody remembers and retells the story.”

Find Ben Baker at Your Brand Marketing or Linkedin.

Lachlan Kirkwood is a digital marketing pro with half a decade in the online world. He works with tech companies, start-ups, and agencies - helping them use digital marketing to have a powerful impact on the bottom line. 

In this week's episode, he talks to Communicate Influence about this work, how to create a brand online, and the growth of TikTok.

Use this model and share

Lachlan says his journey as a digital marketer began with him documenting his experiences in the industry. Any business can use this model and document their experiences and share them online, creating a following.

"I created a blog and shared stories and the audience grew. With that, I was able to build a personal brand and make a transition into the freelance industry," he explains. "It's a really good way to source inbound work for myself. And I'm always learning, which is something I love doing." 

Digital marketing requires you to be data savvy, and there is some overlap with data sciences. You also have to understand how to visualize and think about storytelling, and how how you can alleviate bottlenecks. 

Why you should be on TikTok

Lacklan is loving TikTok at the moment. "Brands until now have relied on Facebook and Instagram predominantly," he explains. But Facebook is now a paying platform, and organic reach is really limited. With Facebook ads, a lot of companies are trying to leverage them, so they are becoming more expensive."

The beauty of TikTok is that the content is so raw and authentic; it's a really impressive opportunity to build an organic presence on that platform. Initially not a lot of brands were using the platform, but we are starting to see more and more brands using it.

I think TikTok is really only In its infancy and I think that has a lot more to come from Tik Tok in terms of how brands can utilize the platform.

Can established brands or older people use TikTok?

The Social Media Examiner noted someone in a keynote share that over 60 per cent of TikTok's audience in the US is over 40. 

You can fine Lachlan Kirkwood at clickthrough.marketing or on LinkedIn.

If you enjoy our podcast show, consider buying us a coffee at Buymeacoffee.com. Thank you!

Vurbl - episode and show notes sponsor

This episode is brought to you by Vurbl. Vurbl is launching new technology for audio creators like me, so our message is broadcast loud and clear. Join the beta at Vurbl.com

Tech management consultant

Do you need a technology management consultant? Kevin McCall has extensive hands-on and leadership experience across diverse industries and organizations. Kevin can be reached at Kef.ca. He's also one of this week's episode sponsors. 

Like what you read and hear? Consider supporting our podcast development at buymeacoffee.com. Thanks to our latest supporter, Aaron Sherle, and to my supporters on Patreon.

It's time for something much lighter during these challenging days. This week, This Communicate Influence Podcast episode has nothing to do with communications or marketing. Instead, we release our blooper episode!

You'll get to hear how Sheelagh's co-host interrupted interviews with Josh Stimelie, Bob Pickard, and Fiona Fenwick. And you'll also get a look into the challenges some independent podcasters face when they have a full-time job and various other projects on the go.

Enjoy this episode, and if you have your own bloopers, be sure to share them with us!

Thanks to Liam Morrison for narrating this episode.

This episode is brought to you by Vurbl. Vurbl is launching new technology for audio creators like me, so our message is broadcast loud and clear. Join the beta at Vurbl.com

If you enjoy our podcast show, consider buying us a coffee at Buymeacoffee.com. Thank you!

Even though the podcasting landscape is getting increasingly more crowded, the amount of people listening continues to grow too, which means that podcasts are still one of the most effective ways to get your message out there. 

If you’re looking to create and launch an independent podcast of your own, or even if you’re just an animal lover, today’s episode is a must-listen! Tuning in, you’ll hear from the creator and host of The Animal Guide for Curious Humans Podcast, Maureen Armstrong, as she shares invaluable insights into what it’s like to plan, create, and launch an independent podcast show. 

Maureen is very  busy, but she still managed to fit in creation of a podcast show. A lawyer, Maureen is also York University Ombudsperson, Toronto, and Chair of the Board of Directors of world Animal Protection Canada. 

We discuss what motivated her to begin podcasting, how she approaches episode planning, and her passion for connecting with guests, as well as the value of finding technical support, tips for growing an audience, and so much more! We hope you’ll join us for this fascinating conversation with animal advocate and podcast host, Maureen Armstrong.

Key Points From This Episode:

• Insight into her inherent passion for animals and her decision to become a lawyer.
• Learn more about World Animal Protection Canada and Maureen’s role there.
• Maureen comments on animal welfare during the crisis in Ukraine.
• Why she chose podcasting as a platform to share practical information about animal welfare.
• Finding your niche; the value of researching other podcasts in the space you’re interested in.
• What you can expect from The Animal Guide for Curious Humans Podcast.
• The story behind the name of Maureen’s podcast and tips for deciding on a unique name.
• Maureen’s advice for artwork selection and deciding on the look and feel of your brand.
• More on the goals and objectives of her podcast and her vision for the future.
• The importance of viewing audience feedback as a learning experience.
• Insight into episode planning, which Maureen believes is the most difficult part of podcasting.
• Why she says that connecting with guests is the most rewarding part of podcasting.
• Advice for budding independent podcasters: find technical support and pivot as necessary.
• Some of the podcasts that Maureen loves to listen to herself.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Maureen Armstrong on LinkedIn

Maureen Armstrong on Twitter

Maureen Armstrong on Instagram

The Animal Guide for Curious Humans Podcast

World Animal Protection Canada

‘Animal welfare during the Ukraine crisis’

Freakonomics Podcasts

Animal Law Podcast

Ten Percent Happier Podcast

Communicate Influence

This week's episode is a must-listen for leadership and corporate communications staff working with leaders.

Bob Pickard, a globally recogized PR consultant, discusses the importance of leaders tuning into the emotion of stakeholders, especially during a crisis, and they must lead and communicate in response to those emotions.

You can't lead without strong communication skills

"The emotion of the moment has become far more important than the logic, or the word of text," explains Bob.

"If you were to ask me 'What is the one thing I would say about trends in leadership communication that everybody should remember?' it would be this: State of the art in corporate communications is having your leader take the organization forward with communication that’s authentic, empathetic, and convincing, striking the right real-time emotional cord.

"I recommend to my clients who are leaders that they begin almost anything they say with an acknowledgement of some sort of shortcoming, or some problem they are trying to overcome, and that immediately not only commands the attention of the audience, it establishes the credibility of the leader tackling a tough one authentically."

The emotion of the moment is fear

Based in Toronto, Bob recently commissioned Signal to research the use of the terms communication, leadership, and crisis. Those three words, as well as the word "fear” appeared together in more than 30,000 articles in March. That number had more than tripled compared to the previous three months.

"The global level of fear had gone through the roof," notes Bob. "And leadership and communication were intimately connected. This fear was driving a need for leadership that offers clear and open communication.

"People feel fear about job loss, loss of home, or loss of family, or loss of a loved one. This is evidence of increased salience of the whole concept of leadership communication. That’s what people want at a moment of crisis. Leadership is synonymous with communication.

Understanding the strategic value of PR

A CEO has to understand the power of PR and the strategic value of corporate communications as a strategic asset . . .Today, leadership and communications are almost seen as synonymous. You can't be a good leader unless you're a fluid and convincing communicator.

Speaking about the 2020 pandemic, Bob says the focus for leaders must be on the emotion of fear that many are feeling. "Leaders need to respond well to this and give a sense of direction.

"This is evidence of increased salience of the whole concept of leadership communication. That’s what people want at a moment of crisis. Leadership is synonymous with communication.

Prepare for the next crisis

Bob strongly advises leaders and communicators to prepare for next crisis. "After COVID-19 it is no longer optional to tune in to the wavelength of public sentiment at that moment. The communicator advising should provide the right guidance about how to communicate as a real-time leader, and to constantly be aware of where public sentiment is at. Leaders must calibrate and adjust tonality accordingly.

Find Bob Pickard on LinkedIn and at Bobpickard.com

Vurbl - episode and show notes sponsor

This episode is brought to you by Vurbl. Vurbl is launching new technology for audio creators like me, so our message is broadcast loud and clear. Join the beta at Vurbl.com

If you're any kind of creative professional, this episode is for you. I interview Helen Campbell, a coach for creatives based in Wales.

Helen works with creative professionals across all fields, such as writing, marketing, public relations, film, video, artists and more.

Most of Helen's clients are freelance and she has observed a number of changes or new behaviours in her clients since the pandemic outbreak. In this episodes she presents solutions to the way creatives may be thinking or behaving.

She notes that instead of hanging back and asking themselves if they should be contacting clients, her clients should be reaching out to find out what their clients need. Most of them are communicators, and communication skills are important at the moment, Helen notes.

She encourages freelancers to do a skills audit and find out what neglected skills they have and how they can use them during this crisis.

Other clients are asking if they should be charging for their work right now. And of course if freelancers have to support themselves or their families then yes, they should be charging for work.

Meanwhile, a lot of freelance creatives have fallen into the trap of comparing themselves to others - which is never good in any kind of situation. Helen encourages people to let go of this and tune into themselves rather than looking at or following others. Instead, identify one or two people who inspire us, and simply look at what they do and be inspired.

In summary, Helen's for key pieces of advice for creatives are:

1. Tune in and listen to yourself
2. Do a skills audit and identify forgotten skills
3. Reach out to your clients and ask what they need
4. Don't compare yourself to others

You can find Helen Campbell at https://www.coachingbyhelen.com and on LinkedIn.

If you enjoy the podcast, please let your friends know and consider supporting our fundraising efforts at Buy me a Coffee. Thank you!

Some small and medium-sized businesses may struggle to maintain basic business processes during the pandemic.

If employees have never worked remotely before, a business won't have given any consideration to setting up platforms for file management, business processes, customer service, payroll, or even email. This situation can seriously impair a business and place its future in jeopardy.

Keven McCall is an entrepreneur and technology management consultant based in Toronto. He has decade of consulting and leadership experience across a diverse range of organizations and advises many business owners on how to maintain efficiency, even in adverse conditions.

Join me as I talk to Kevin about how smaller agencies and business can manage all aspects of their business remotely. His own start-up was set up and run completely remotely and he has deep experience in remote working and the remote culture.

In this episode he recommends approaches and platforms that will benefit many small businesses and solopreneurs. He discusses cloud solutions, meeting solutions, collaborative tools, chat-service solutions, and more.

You can find Kevin at Kef.ca and on LinkedIn.

Platforms mentioned in this episode:

Airtable, Xero, G-Suit, Intercom, Microsoft Teams

Episode sponsors:

Do you need a technology management consultant? Kevin McCall has extensive hands-on and leadership experience across diverse industries and organizations. Kevin can be reached at Kef.ca. He's also this week's episode sponsor. Thanks, Kevin!

Like what you read and hear? Consider supporting our podcast development at buymeacoffee.com. Thanks to also to my supporters on Patreon.

There's a switch happening here at the Communicate Influence podcast.

For the next few weeks we're producing some super short episodes designed to give immediate support  communicators, marketers, and writers so they can better manage their work and time during Covid-19. Times are tough, so we hope these episodes will help.

The first episode interview with Lachlan Kirkwood, a digital marketing strategist based in Brisbane, Australia.

Lachlan addresses best practices for social media messaging during Covid-19. He gives three tips on how you can message during the crisis. This episode can help refocus your social media activity in the coming weeks, and reconsider some of your messaging and business activities.

You can reach Lachlan at clickthrough.marketing or via LinkedIn.
__

Do you need a technology management consultant? Kevin McCall has extensive hands-on and leadership experience across diverse industries and organizations. Kevin can be reached at Kef.ca. He's also this week's episode sponsor. Thanks, Kevin!
_

Like what you read and hear? Consider supporting our podcast development at buymeacoffee.com. Thanks to our latest supporter, Aaron Sherle.

Podcast interviewing can be tricky, especially if you're new to it and haven't had any journalism training or interviewing experience.

If you want deeper interviews with your podcast guests, join me, host Sheelagh Caygill, as I talk expert podcast host Ronsley Vaz. Ronsley has conducted more than 900 interviews and says he gets better with each one.

Ronsley is an author, entrepreneur, and host of Should I Start A Podcast, The Psychology of Entrepreneurship, and Bond Appetite.

The interview was intended to focus on Ronsley's agency, Amplify Media, in Australia. But the conversation veered off into something more meaningful as we explored impostor syndrome, how Ronsley overcame it, entrepreneurship, reaching goals, and Ronsley's approach to interviewing and growth as an interviewer.

Ronsley's discussion is deep, and it offers listeners lots of insights into overcoming personal challenges, grabbing opportunities, and becoming a successful podcaster and interviewer.

Show Sponsor - Kef Consulting

Kevin McCall, a technology management consultant at Kef Consulting is this week's sponsor. Thanks Kevin! Kevin is a full-service web and technology consultant, specializing in end-to-end web and e-commerce solutions. He is currently available for new clients. Contact Kevin at Kevn @ Kef. ca or find him on LinkedIn.

Fundraising

Thank you to my fundraising supporters on Patreon and at Buymeacoffee.com. If you enjoy this episode, consider supporting us at Buymeacoffee.com. Thank you! 

Self-care during Covid-19

There's no doubt that we're living in times stranger than strange. Self-care is more important than ever. 

So in this week's podcast episode we veer away from a focus on communications and marketing, and present an episode on self-care and connecting within.

How to take care of ourselves 

Integrated nutrition health coach Liza Baker gives a comprehensive discussion on how to practice self-care and reduce stress or a preoccupation with Covid-19. 

The range of choices we have to deal with everything from concern to distress are many, including the obvious ones - exercise, a good night's sleep, and taking part in activities we enjoy. 

Not so obvious aspects of self-care during Covid-19 are inward reflection, carefully selecting foods, understanding how our circumstances affect our food choices, journaling, and other options discussed by Liza. 

Feeling stuck creatively?

For some people, working at home is a new experience and it can stymie creativity. If that sounds like you, then you'll appreciate some of the ideas Liza shares about sparking creativity and focusing on work.

Integrative nutrition health coach Liza Baker

Liza is a health coach focused on reducing burnout, stewarding human resources, growing sustainable mission-driven organizations through personal health.

Show Sponsor - Kef Consulting

Kevin McCall, a technology management consultant at Kef Consulting is this week's sponsor. Thanks Kevin! Kevin is a full-service web and technology consultant, specializing in end-to-end web and e-commerce solutions. He is currently available for new clients. Contact Kevin at Kevn @ Kef. ca or find him on LinkedIn.

Fundraising

Thank you to my fundraising supporters on Patreon and at Buymeacoffee.com. If you enjoy this episode, consider supporting us at Buymeacoffee.com. Thank you! 

The last seven days have seen rapid change around the world, as governments, businesses, and organizations reacted to contain the spread of Covid-19.

In this episode, host Sheelagh Caygill talks to Ben Baker, an internal communications and brand consultant based in Vancouver, Canada.

Ben points out that simply telling employees to work from home isn't enough. Organizations need to be proactive in supporting their employees to ensure that employees remain connected, are productive, and feel valued.

Larger organizations are prepared

Larger organizations are the ones that will cope best during this time of disruption, while smaller businesses will struggle and may not have contingency plans in place.

Make the best use of technology

He emphasizes the importance of using technology to fulfil the need for connection, and recommends daily check-ins - a minimum of two a day, one at the beginning and one at the end of the shift. Using Zoom or Skype with video can accomplish this.

Remote working will be difficult for some employees, who may be sharing their home with a partner or family and may not even have high-speed internet. Companies need to be aware of this and have leaders who understand this and reach out to their teams to resolve these issues.

People may feel isolated or even depressed

In some instances employees may even need equipment, such as printers or desks, and businesses should be willing to supply these things. For some, it will be an isolating or even depressing experience. All the more need for managers to stay in touch and check in.

Show Notes

Find Ben at Your Brand Marketing or LinkedIn.

Show Sponsor

Kevin McCall, a technology management consultant at Kef Consulting. Kevin is a full-service web and technology consultant, specializing in end-to-end web and e-commerce solutions. Kevin is currently available for new clients. Contact Kevin at Kevn @ Kef. ca or via LinkedIn.

Fundraising

Thank you to my fundraising supporters on Patreon and at Buymeacoffee.com
If you enjoy this episode, consider supporting us at Buymeacoffee.com. Thank you! 

This week's episode of The Communicate Influence Podcast explores some of the of the pressing questions in public relations today.

We connect with one of the UK's leading PR practitioner's, Sarah Waddington. Sarah is founder of Astute.Work, a management and PR consultancy in Newcastle, England. She is also past-president of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR).

Sarah explores the perceptions management teams have of PR professionals, PR becoming part of the strategy development process, pay inequality, the impact of Brexit on the UK and beyond, and more.

Future proofing PR

Sarah also discusses her creation called #FuturePRoof. It began as a book and is now four books and a living, breathing community looking at all the issues facing public relations practitioners. It also has a with a view to the horizon and shares regular thought pieces through the #FuturePRoof blog, Facebook group, and Twitter feed.

Its purpose is to underline PR’s role as a management discipline and motivate practitioners to secure the skillset they need to deliver at boardroom level. #FuturePRoof looks at the threats and opportunities for public relations so we are well placed to capitalize.

Show notes

Sarah Waddington at astute.work, on LinkedIn and Twitter.

#FuturePRoof

Global PR Alliance

Thank you to my supporters on Patreon and at Buymeacoffee.com

If you enjoy this episode, consider supporting us at Buymeacoffee.com. Thank you! 

Artificial intelligence (AI) is impacting the work of public relations practitioners and marketing pros in many ways - and that impact is set to increase. But only for those people who embrace the technology. 

People who are at the forefront of using AI proficiently will have a strong advantage. They are the ones who can differentiate between AI and automation, and understand how AI can benefit communications and marketing. 

Unfortunately, those individuals are in the minority at the moment; PR lags behind when it comes to taking advantage of AI, and in particular machine learning.

This week I talk to Jean Valin, a Canadian PR pro who has been active in researching and discussing AI in the fields for quite some time. 

Jean and many practitioners around the world have been involved in AI in PR, a panel to start the conversation. The panel tracks how much AI exists. It also looks at the amount of hype, because a lot of companies are hyping their products. AI in PR demystifies, and focuses on upskilling by helping PRs and marketers learn about AI's applications.

Jean discusses: 

• Automation and AI
• Machine learning and replicating human intelligence
• The five levels of AI - starting with basic tools, such as listening and monitoring tools, to the top level, structured and unstructured data
• The urgent need for PRs to upskill and embrace AI
• The issue of jobs in PR - AI will gradually and increasingly assist humans, but it cannot replace humans
• Humans will still be required for empathy, decision making, contextualization, emotional intelligence, and ethics
• Within five years tasks that could be assisted or replaced are between 38 to 40 percent. 

Show notes:

The Global Alliance

CIPR AI Panel

CIPR on PR 'sleepwalking' into AI

The Montreal Declaration for Responsible Development of Artificial Intelligence

Jean Valin on LinkedIn

Wordsmith - https://automatedinsights.com/wordsmith/

Thank you to my supporters on Patreon and at Buymeacoffee.com

If you enjoy this episode, consider supporting us at Buymeacoffee.com. Thank you!

Starting a podcast, with guest Marc Guberti

Starting a podcast isn't difficult, but it does take some preparation. Marc Guberti shares his knowledge with listeners. He hosts three podcast shows and has been a guest on plenty, so he has lots of experience!

The episode follows on from last week's conversation with Marc about ageism young people face, as well as his work ethic and tremendous drive. 

Tips on starting a podcast

Wanting to get into podcasting can be overwhelming. Begin by thinking about your why - what do you want to accomplish with your podcast, even if it's a hobby. Plan out some episodes, and then consider a podcasting host, equipment, a set-up for long-distance interviews, but don't spend too much money to begin. 

Podcasting is a long game

Many new podcasters post on Facebook or Reddit about their disappointment with download numbers. But it's important to realize that when you launch a podcast show, it takes time. You're not going to see results for at least a year or two. Marc's advice: Be prepared to ask yourself if you can produce episodes for a year. If yes, you're setting yourself up for success.

What show format works best? 

Marc's view is that interviews work best for podcasting. Also known as the chat cast, this format can include one or more guests who discuss a topic. A great goal for a chat cast is giving listeners actionable tips.

He believes this format is best for business because it introduces new business relationships, which can benefit your venture in the long term. If you aim to produce solo content, Marc recommends Youtube for this format. 

Lots of hopeful podcasters are deterred by fear. If this is holding you back, Marc recommends simply jumping in. Yes, listen to a few of your favourite podcasts first, but don't put off starting your podcast for too long. And stay focused on the fact that you'll get better as time goes on. By episode seven or eight, you'll hear a marked improvement in your interview and presentation skills. 

How to market a podcast

A key to podcast marketing is to use as many social media platforms as possible to promote your show. Use visuals to engage people, and ask guests to promote their episodes, too. 

Producing great content is vital. Select guests who really add value to your episodes, and work on your questions and delivery for continual improvement.

Marc says that for podcast hosts, one of the eventual challenges is removing "ums" or any other speech space filler. Don't worry about this initially, but it's certainly something to work towards as you make progress. Serious podcasters might even want to work with a speech coach - especially if a longer-term goal is to get into public speaking.

Connect with Marc: Marcguberti.com Marc's podcasts: Breakthrough Success, Profitable Public Speaking, and Ditch the Job. Find Marc on LinkedIn and Twitter.

It's still early days in the world of voice tech, but already PR and marketing professionals are exploring what it can do for brands and audiences.

Carl Robinson, a podcast consultant and voice tech pro based in France. He owns a podcast consulting agency called Tizz Tech. Carl explains that lots of brands are experimenting with voice technologies in different ways to determine what works, and to discover, define best practices, and share that information. 

Rumble Studio

Carl explains that there are various movements, such as the Open Voice Network, which is sharing and defining standards for voice tech across many industries. 

Content discovery

In the comms and marketing world, one of the most obvious examples is content and content discovery through voice search.

"More and more content is being found through voice search as users ask their smart speakers or phones for whatever they are looking for," explains Carl.

"Companies are optimizing their web content for Google Assistant and the other smart speakers so that it's surfaced as a voice search."

Content can include pages created and optimized for voice which are then synthesized by the text-to-speech engine, and then read out through a smart speaker. It can also be actual audio content that a brand creates, such as a podcast or micro-cast, which is then returned by Google. 

There are now interactive voice response systems (IDR) with natural language understanding, and also call analysis. New technology is even able to transform heavy accents so that they are more easily understandable to customers.

Smart speakers are also being used by marketers for branding campaigns. Carl cites the example of Skilled Creative in the US, which is working with Meredith Corporation to produce custom voice tech apps for branding campaigns. 

Proceed with caution

Carl says that agencies wanting to get into voice tech should do a lot of research first, because developing voice tech is not like building a website. Consider working with an agency.

You can also use free tools like Voice Flow but don't underestimate the amount of work voice tech creation can take because it's complex and time-consuming.

Carl says that, at a minimum, comms and marketing pros should educate themselves about voice tech, and that means reading, listening to podcasts, and asking questions. Use the hashtag #voicefirst on Twitter for questions and conversations. 
Voice tech isn't a flash in the pan and it isn't going away. It's going to change the way we interact with all the devices around us. It behooves you to know what's coming up.

You can find Carl on Twitter and LinkedIn, and be sure to listen to his Voice Tech podcast!

Marc Guberti is in his early 20s, but this young entrepreneur is already a business consultant and the author of more than two dozen books on publishing, marketing, and investing.

Marc began writing at the age of 11, when, as a New Yorker, he created a Boxton Red Sox blog, and the momentum he established then has only progressed. But it hasn't all been a piece of cake. He's encountered ageism, with people questioning his knowledge and experience.

In this week's episode of The Communicate Influence Podcast, Marc challenges the ugly assumptions of ageism and explains why it's incorrect and illogical. Today, Marc is committed to empowering teens and adults so that they can achieve success in business and in life.

Marc also discusses where his enthusiasm comes from, his work ethic, and how he manage to accomplish so much.

If you enjoy this episode, consider buying The Communicate Influence Podcast a coffee at buymeacoffee.com!

Show notes:

Marcguberti.com

Marc's podcasts: Breakthrough Success, Profitable Public Speaking, and Ditch the Job.

Find Marc on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Hi! This is a special edition of The Communicate Influence Podcast! We have new show music from Herne Ford-Elliott, who's based in the U.K. But what makes it really special is the wide range of recommended podcasts from fans and listeners. Check them out! And get in touch if you'd like to be a part of another recommend episode in the summer!

If you like the show, please consider buying us a coffee at Buy Me A Coffee. It's an inexpensive and fun way of showing us your support! Thank you so much!

These are the people who've made recommendations, and their current favourite shows. Let us know on social media what you think of these recommendations, and what you're listening to, as well!

Ceyhun Yakup Özkardes-Cheung, Content Manager at fisherAppelt in Hamburg, Germany.

Yakup recommends: 

1. The GaryVee Audio Experience https://www.garyvaynerchuk.com/podcast/
2. Frank Kern, Your Next Million https://frankkern.com/podcast/
3. Jeff Walker, Launch Life https://jeffwalker.com/podcast/

Josh Steimle, creator of The 7 Systems of Influence, Boston, U.S.

1. The Tom Woods Show https://tomwoods.com/podcasts/
2. ChinesePod https://www.chinesepod.com/
3. Amy Porterfield Podcast https://www.amyporterfield.com/amy-porterfield-podcast/

Liza Baker, integrated nutritian health coach, Michigan, U.S.

1. The Good Life Project https://www.goodlifeproject.com/podcast/
2. Christine Hassler Over it & On With It https://christinehassler.com/podcast/
3. Jennifer Harrington Menopause Natural Solutions https://www.menopausenaturalsolutions.com/podcast

Dena Jackson, comedian, speaker, and podcaster, Canada

1. Awakening with JP Sears https://awakenwithjp.com/podcast
2. Under the Skin with Russell Brand https://www.russellbrand.com/podcasts/
3. You Made It Wierd with Pete Holmes https://youmadeitweird.libsyn.com/
4. Spooked https://spookedpodcast.org/

Sidwyn Koh, founder, Kyrie.fm

1. How I Built This, with Guy Raz https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this
2. Robin Hood Snacks https://snacks.robinhood.com/
3. https://www.faithdrivenentrepreneur.org/podcast-inventory-1

Paul Padmore, My Perfect Failure podcast, UK

1. David Rubenstein Show https://www.bloomberg.com/peer-to-peer

Amanda Cupido, podcst producer and author, Let’s Talk Podcasting: The Essential Guide to Doing It Right, Toronto, Canada

1. Grammer Girl Podcast 

The secrets behind brand ambassadorship

This week's episode of The Communicate Influence Podcast focuses on Peter Barron, a journalist and author based in the North of England. Pete was Editor of The Northern Echo, a regional newspaper with an impressive history, for 17 years. He then set up his own media relations firm four years ago.

[Consider giving a small tip: If you enjoy this podcast, please consider leaving a tip at Buymeacoffee.com or Patreon. Thank you!]

More recently, Pete has become a brand ambassador for a local financial institution called the Darlington Building Society. Pete discusses his role as editor of the prestigious newspaper, how he focuses on connected with the community while an editor, and his work as an ambassador. He explains how he performs his role as ambassador, how to set up an ambassador program, and what to look for in an ambassador.

Pete is also a children's author and has written The Dad At Large books, based on his column, and, more recently, The Monstrous Morals series, available on Amazon. His work as a writer has played a role in his ambassador role, as you'll hear in this episode.

Who makes a good brand ambassador?

This episode is a bit longer than average, and that's because we wanted to explore the kind of career, qualities, and reputation a brand ambassador needs to be successful.

And, an admission from the host, Sheelagh: "It was great to catch up with Pete because I reported to him for about six years in the early days of the internet. Back then, my title was New Media Editor - and it was that job that got me switched on to the excitement and potential of all things online."

You can find Peter Barron at Peter Barron Media, or on LinkedIn.

In this age of influencers many in communications and marketing aspire to be just that. But few connect becoming a successful influencer with reputation management. And this is the case not just for individuals working in communications and marketing, but in all careers and all areas of life.

In this episode of The Communicate Influence Podcast, reputation management expert Fiona Fenwick discusses exactly what it takes to become an influential player at the table. Her book Stand Out and Step Up: A Reputation Toolkit For Life focuses on how essential it is to be trustworthy, and to behave in an authentic way so that people draw positive conclusions about you and your reputation. Today, it doesn't work if you say you're good at this or can do that. People want to draw their own conclusions and they do this by watching your behaviour.

Stand Out and Step Up also emphasizes that a large part of authenticity grows from discovering your authentic self instead of following someone else’s path, which may not align with your values. For young people, some of this can be learned, but a lot can come from being mentored and watching others. A big part of authenticity is self-responsibility owning your behaviour.

By understanding these essentials and setting them in place, individuals are positioned to use their influence to be successful in their careers and in life. 

You can find Fiona's book at Amazon.ca.

Connect with Fiona on LinkedIn and go to her website fifteenminutes.co.nz

Managing your reputation isn't a message that only career starters should hear. It's something we all need repeating to us throughout our lives, says reputation management expert Fiona Fenwick. She has worked with hundreds of individuals, brands, and organizations and says she's always surprised at the lack of attention most people pay to their reputation.

Author of the reputation management book Stand Out and Step Up: A Reputation Toolkit for Life, Fiona defines some of the fundamentals of reputation management. She explains how individuals and brands can manage their reputations and how to communicate a good reputation to all who matter.

Fiona also explores the importance of being proactive with reputation management, the need to understand how others see us, developing self-awareness, and reputation management and mental health.

You can find Fiona at fifteenminutes.co.nz and LinkedIn.

Like this episode and want to give feedback or discuss it with the host? Join our exclusive community at Kyrie.fm:

https://kyrie.fm/p/communicateinfluence

Episode 13 of The Communicate Influence Podcast sees host Sheelagh Caygill and guest James Cridland continue their conversation about podcasting. (Listen to episode 12 on podcasting trends for 2020). This time, we look at James' work, his newsletter Podnews.net, the rise of podcasting and its fast growth, and the investment in podcasting content.

Consider giving a small tip: If you enjoy this podcast, please consider leaving a tip at Buymeacoffee.com or Patreon. Thank you!

James also touches on the fact that podcasting is filling a space that media hasn't grasped (but let go of decades ago) - spoken radio. When it comes to radio, spoken radio is listened to by an older audience. Podcasting is listened to by younger audiences.

We discuss the fact that many people don't know why they should listen to podcasts, or how they are different from other media. It was actually Dr Phil with his podcast show Phil In The Blanks who helped created a new segment of older podcast listeners. These new listeners are loyal to Dr Phil and and want to hear what he has to say, so they dove in to podcasting for the first time. James notes that this is an example of how good content is driving new listeners, and how it's different from the content existing on radio or TV.

Podcasts are also leading a renaissance in scripted audio (audio dramas in the U.K.) which radio gave up on years ago, and which many younger people haven't listened to ever before.

James stresses that word of mouth is one of the best ways of discovering new podcasts, and how important it is for producers and host to encourage word of mouth.

Finally we touch on what makes a good podcast show and a podcast episode. James believes that this is one that is well-edited and well-crafted, and also one that features audience participation.

Resources:

Find James on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Mentioned in this episode: Dr Phil's podcast Phil In The Blanks, James' newsletter Podnews.net, BBC's The Missing Cryptoqueen

Our guest for this episode is James Cridland, who lots of podcasters will know. James and I discuss podcast trends in 2020. James is a podcast industry thought leader, and a podcast and radio strategist. James possess a phenomenal amount of information about the industry, both from a technical and trends standpoint.

Consider giving a small tip: If you enjoy this podcast, please consider leaving a tip at Buymeacoffee.com or Patreon. Thank you!

James also produces the daily news briefing Podnews.net. All this makes James the perfect guest to talk about podcast trends in 2020.

We cover the growth of podcasting, in terms of technology and content production. James also focuses on podcasts are being listened to on more platforms, Apple losing ground to Spotify in some countries, and the renewed focus on analytics and alignment with the IAB standards. We also discuss advertising in podcasting, ad skipping, methods of earning money with podcasting, and more.

Finally James answers two important questions: Will independent podcasters be overshadowed by large media production companies, and what makes a great podcast episode.

Find James on Twitter and LinkedIn.

In episode 10 of the Communicate Influence podcast we talked to Gaetano DiNardi about his fascinating journey as a marketer, from the accidental discovery of the keys SEO, through tough grind of agency work, all the way to Director of Demand Generation with Nextiva, a business VoIP phone system & customer management software company based in Phoenix, Arizona.

Consider giving a small tip: If you enjoy this podcast, please consider leaving a tip at Buymeacoffee.com or Patreon. Thank you!

This time we explore remote working, how Gaetano manages his team and stays on top of issues, and the benefit of remote life when it comes to productivity. In the second part of this episode we explore content writing, why writers won't be displaced by video, and what Gaetano looks for when he hires writers. The thoughts Gaetano shares will help all writers when they apply for a position as a creative or content writer.

Like the show so far? Please let your friends know and add a review to Apple Podcasts! Thank you.

You can find Gatano on LinkedIn and Twitter.

For a podcast host, there is nothing more exciting and fulfilling than interviewing someone who is accomplished and truly engaging. My interview with marketer Gaetano DiNardi was just that. He is Director of Demand Generation for Nextiva, a business VoIP phone system & customer management software company based in Phoenix, Arizona.

In this episode, Gaetano explains how he studied marketing but left college feeling lost, not knowing what to do. A passionate musician, he entered the music industry and, with his writing, accidentally taught himself SEO. From there, he got his first job in marketing, eventually making his way to Nextiva. We also discuss demand generation and its best practices.

In my next episode, Gaetano and I continue the conversation, discussing remote working - he's based in Florida - and the skills and talents he looks for when hiring content writers.

Like the show so far? Please let your friends know and add a review to Apple Podcasts! Thank you.

You can find Gaetano DiNardi on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Linda Andross is a managing partner of one of Toronto's top PR and digital agencies, APEX PR. She's worked with a lot of junior staff over the years, mentoring them and encouraging them in their work and career development.

Linda knows that it's a big step for junior staff member to lead even an internal meeting. But jumping into the role of being wing-man on a client pitch, or even leading that meeting, is a whole new level.

In this episode of The Communicate Influence Podcast Linda and host Sheelagh Caygill discuss how to identify when a junior is ready to lead a meeting or pitch, and the skills required for that position.

Resources:

Linda Andross on Linkedin

Twitter

APEX PR

Ruckus Digital.

Eli Schwartz is an SEO expert and the author of the new book, Product-Led SEO. Eli has more than a decade of experience driving successful SEO and growth programs for leading B2B and B2C companies. 

He helps clients like WordPress, Shutterstock, BlueNile, Quora, Getaround, Mixpanel, and Zendesk build and execute Global SEO strategies that dramatically increase their organic visibility at scale.

In this interview with Communicate Influence, we discuss SEO from a content writer's perspective, as well as some of the important questions around SEO.

Eli wrote his book to create a conversation around SEO for for executives and leaders on how to understand SEO, how to fund SEO, how to plan for SEO and how to strategize SEO. It's also for the SEO managers and the content managers in terms of how to think about SEO from a strategic and holistic standpoint, rather than just from a tactical standpoint.

Eli addresses of issue of high expectations with SEO and also it's lack of business visibility.

"The problem—and something I've been hoping to address with my — book, is that SEO doesn't have enough business visibility. 

"They're focused sometimes on these myopic metrics around here's my ranking or here's the traffic I've gotten, instead of this perspective of I'm here operating a channel to grow more business or to grow more revenue in total for this business."

The question businesses need to answer when it comes to SEO is: What can I do to help grow business, rather than what can I do immediately to create just traffic on this page. 

"It's important to have that perspective and do your best within that environment," explains Eli, encouraging SEO professionals to be a part of the holistic view in the holistic strategy of the entire business, rather than just this is what I'm going to do that's good for SEO, and that's it.

What is product-led SEO? 

To understand product-led SEO, you really need to understand what product-led SEO is not, says Eli.

"Product-led SEO is not content-led SEO," says Eli. "The way most people are going to do SEO is they're going to look at their core business product, and core business, and go to a keyword search tool to discover what the keyword is that they should put around for their core product offering. The next step most businesses take is to write some content that will be their SEO."

However, for Eli, product-led SEO is much more holistic than content-based SEO. With product-led SEO, a business creates a product—or an asset—for the search users. And when you're creating that asset for the search user, it's not just a blog post that you intend to rank on one keyword.

Eli explains that product-led SEO involves the creation of an online product or asset that a business uses to rank according to the needs of prospective clients or audience. 

"I'm now thinking of who is the user, because when you create products, you want to think about who the user is, and the roadmap to launch that product."

Examples of products include directories with content, or proprietary content. For some organizations such as consultancies, key issues that require questions and answers can serve as the product around which to build SEO. 

The next questions to ask are what resources are required to launch the product. "It's no longer just needing content because that is SEO. It's: 'Will I need a designer? An engineer to help launch that product? A content writer to write the right amount of content for that. Maybe I need some digital and visual assets'."

Full show notes at Communicateinfluence.com https://communicateinfluence.com/

Do you want to know how PR and marketing agencies achieve success? A lot of it is in the preparation ahead of internal and client meetings. In this episode, Linda Andross, managing partner of the successful Toronto PR agency APEX Public Relations, shares her meticulous approach to meetings. She talks to host Sheelagh Caygill about:

• How to prepare for client meetings, including research
• Thinking ahead about what information you want from the meeting
• What kinds of questions to ask during meetings
• Pinpointing a client's needs
• How can a meeting be rescued if it goes off-track or if the client appears to be unhappy with a presentation or update?

Linda is also managing partner of Ruckus Digital, an Integrated content marketing agency in Toronto, Canada. Ruckus specializes in design, content development, influencer marketing, and social media buying.

Linda is a long-time board member of IABC and in 2018 was awarded the prestigious Master Communicator award.

Resources:

Linda Andross on Linkedin

Twitter

APEX PR

Ruckus Digital.

Prince Andrew and the Epstein scandal

The damage Prince Andrew has inflicted on his own reputation with his Newsnight interview is a story that will play out for some time. Reputation management expert Fiona Fenwick discusses the fall-out from the prince's interview with journalist Emily Maitlis, and what could have been done to produce very different results.

This short episode is from a long interview Fiona had with host Sheelagh Caygill about reputation management, crisis communications, and her book, Stand Out and Step Up, A Reputation Toolkit For Life. The full episode will be released in coming weeks.

Resources:

Fiona's website: Fifteenminutes.co.nz

Fiona's LinkedIn profile

Prince Andrew's Newsnight Interview.

Focus on content and quality to become a better podcaster

Award-winning podcaster and author Amanda Cupido believes almost everyone can podcast! And she thinks that everyone who wants to should get into podcasting.

In this info-packed interview, Amanda breaks down the self-imposed barriers people set in place to stop themselves from podcasting. She talks about:

• How new podcasters can use smartphone mics to experiment
• Podcast formats
• What makes a good podcast
• How experienced podcasters can revamp their shows
• Planning and sustaining your podcast - scheduling and podcast seasons
• Branded podcasting
• The beauty of podcasting, storytelling, and data
• The future of podcasting in the coming year

Amanda is author of Let's Talk Podcasting: The Essential Guide to Doing it Right. She is a producer and audio storytelling instructor at Seneca College's School of Media in Ontario, Canada. Previously, she worked as a major market radio producer, reporter, and news anchor.

Resources:

Letstalkpodcasting.com

http://www.amandacupido.com/

https://twitter.com/acupido

https://rememberthispodcast.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandacupido/

Sharing the climate change message with employees

James Murphy is a Climate Reality Leader who studied under Al Gore in 2019. Based in London, England, James now delivers the climate reality message to businesses and organizations that are committed to sustainability or implementing sustainability programs. He meets with communicators, marketers, sustainability teams, or risk management teams to discuss ideas, messaging, channels, follow-up, and evaluation.

James moved into the climate reality field after being in rehab in 2017. That was a difficult time in James' life, but he realized he was being given a second chance, and while in rehab, he discovered his love for nature and became determined to work in sustainability.

If your organization wants to implement a sustainability program or refocus an existing program, this podcast will give you lots of information and resources about where to start. And for marketers and communications, James provides suggestions for strategies and winning employee buy-in. He also sounds a note of caution regarding people with lower incomes. He also discusses actions that really make a change and those that don't.

In this podcast episode:

02:20 - James Murphy on transitioning his business from employee engagement to becoming a climate reality leader

04:05 - Studying with Al Gore

05:09 - Using storytelling to deliver the climate reality message

05:35 - How James' deeply personal experience of going into rehab led him to realize he'd been given a second change; he developed a love of nature and decided to refocus his business on climate reality and sustainability

07:45 - How to deliver a message that some people don't believe or can be viewed as controversial

09:40 - Using simple, easy-to-implement examples to deliver the sustainability message

09:58 - How to handle a disinterested or uncaring audience

12:00 - Start-ups with a vibrant, young culture and generally more receptive to climate reality and sustainability messages

12:30 - More established organizations may require a slower start, with smaller steps forward as ideas

15:35 - James' first points of contact in an organization ahead of delivering a message

16:05 - Tools, strategies, and tools

17:30 - Project Drawdown: the science behind climate change and transitioning to being carbon neutral by 2050.