FIR Podcast Network

The February installment of The Hobson & Holtz Report includes reports on these stories:

* Can anyone moderate podcasts the way we expect Facebook and Twitter to moderate content?

* How communicators can make a difference when IT introduces new software or systems

* There’s a right way and a wrong way to engage in newsjacking

* Can “branter” build long-term brand value (and what the hell is it, anyway?)

* A deep dive into Clubhouse, the hot new audio social networking app

Our FIR recording sessions are now being streamed live, because why not? We already stream it in order to capture a backup recording on YouTube; we’ve just been making these restricted streams. We have decided to make them public so you can watch and comment. Our next recording is Sunday, March 14 at noon ET. You’ll see our pre-recording conversation as well as seeing how the sausage gets made. Watch live here.

We are hosting an FIR Communicators Coffee Break on Zoom each Thursday during the stay-at-home period at 1 p.m. ET. For credentials needed to participate, contact Shel or Neville directly or request the credentials in our Facebook group or send an email to [email protected]. Spread the word to your communications community.

Special thanks to Jay Moonah for the opening and closing music.

You can find the stories from which Shel’s FIR content is selected at Shel’s Link Blog. Neville’s link blog, Outbox, is available, as well.

Links from This Month’s Episode

* Why wellness at work looks different in 2021 (from the Politemail blog)

* Can anyone moderate podcasts?

* Research: When New IT Systems Shift the Burden onto Employees

* There’s a right way—and a wrong way—to leverage newsjacking

* Does ‘branter’ ever really build long-term brand value?

* The Future of Social Audio: Startups, Roadmap, Business Models, and a Forecast (by Jeremiah Owyang)

* The Problem With Clubhouse

* Is Clubhouse the Next Big Social Media Platform for Brands?

* Clubhouse Is Suggesting Users Invite Their Drug Dealers and Therapists

* Why Is Everyone Talking About Clubhouse?

* How Media Companies Can Capitalize on the Clubhouse App

* Audio Takes Off During the Pandemic

* Mark Cuban is co-founding a podcast app where hosts can talk to fa...

What does it take to be successful as an independent communication consultant? How do you transition from your current corporate role, with all the support and resources that come with it, to working on your own? How do you drum up business, manage multiple clients, and handle all the administrivia (like contracts, invoicing, accounting, and travel booking) that go along with going solo? How do you handle demanding clients?

There are thousands of questions facing anybody considering striking out on their own. A panel of five IABC Fellows — all but one of them independent communication consultants — discussed their own journeys and offered a treasure trove of advice to communicators who may be thinking of striking out on their own.

About the panel

Alice Brink is an internationally recognized communications consultant. Her firm, A Brink & Co., works with businesses and non-profits to clarify their messages and communicate them in ways that change people’s minds. Her clients have included Shell Oil Company, Sysco Foods, and Noble Energy. Prior to launching A Brink & Co. in Houston in 2004, Alice honed her craft both in corporate settings (including The Coca-Cola Company, Conoco, and First Interstate Bank) and in one of Texas’ largest public relations firms, where she led the agency’s energy and financial practices.  Alice has been active in IABC for more than 30 years, including serving as chapter president, district director, and Gold Quill chair. Alice has been active in IABC her entire career and currently serves as vice-chair of the IABC Fellows Selection Committee.

Dr. Amanda Hamilton-Attwell, accredited by both IABC and PRSA. She is Managing Director of Business DNA, based in South Africa, which provides strategic research and consulting, including communication audits, customer service, and women’s leadership topics. She is licensed in Adobe Connect and WebEx, using these to conduct virtual professional learning and education sessions. and other focused research and training in communication skills. Her career has also included a 15-year stint as a research manager for the National Productivity Institute.

Todd Hattori — After 20+ years of leading in-house communication functions within a variety of organizations and industries, Todd “Tosh” Hattori, ABC, IABC Fellow was drawn to the consulting world by PeopleFirm’s core business philosophy: your people = your success. He leads PeopleFirm’s organization design community of practice, engaging and collaborating with cross-functional teams to address business challenges by designing solutions with their people in mind. Outside of his client work, he serves on the volunteer board of directors for the Technology Access Foundation, a national model/leader in providing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education to students of color; and improving teacher diversity and retention of teachers of color in Washington. He currently serves as the IABC Ethics Committee vice-chair.

Mary Ann McCauley is committed to ensuring people communicate more effectively about their organizations’ products and services. With a specialty practice in crisis management, Mary Ann addresses sensitive issues with timeliness, dignity, and minimal backlash. “Managing communication during a crisis requires common sense folded into a structured process,” she says.

Angela Sinickas is the founder of Sinickas Communications, which has worked with companies, organizations, and governments in 32 countries on six continents. Her clients include 25% of the Forbes Top 100 largest global companies. Before starting her own consulting firm, she held positions from editor to vice president in for-profit and government organizations and worked as a senior consultant and practice leader at Hewitt and Mercer. She is the author of a manual,

Civil conversations on social media may seem like an oxymoron on the order of “working vacation” or “jumbo shrimp.” Yet Twitter–the social media platform built on the tenet of total transparency–continues to advocate for civility at all times.

In an attempt to cut through the abuse, harassment, and escalation of toxic threads while preserving free expression for all users, Twitter rolled out a “hide replies” feature in late 2019. It offers users the ability to control the tone of a conversation they started by hiding replies deemed irrelevant or offensive and preventing a few troublemakers from creating drama with inappropriate, rude, or hateful comments.

Now, about 15 months later, it seems like it maybe hasn’t made Twitter more civil (I’m not sure I can say that with a straight face). Has the feature had the effect they expected? Does it truly cut down on abuse for organizations on the social platform?

We’ll talk about that and how to moderate social media in an extremely polarizing world on today’s episode.

Resources Included

* Hide Replies Feature

* Spin Sucks Community

 

Greg Ness has a long track record of helping nurture tech startups to success. Now he’s a “fractional CMO” dividing his time between diverse emerging companies like DigitSec, SmartStory Technologies and NetBeez.

Greg has made startups his speciality over the past 20 years, including full-time rose as VP marketing at Vidder, Cloudneeti, Vantage, Redline Networks and CloudVelox.  The concept of a fractional CMO is an interesting one because it allows startups to purchase just enough marketing resources without having to commit to a full-time position. Ness brings a cadre of domain experts with him in a package he calls “go-to-market-as-a-service.”

Working for several companies concurrently means he can quickly cross-pollinate great ideas and also nip potentially bad marketing decisions in the bud. In this podcast, we discuss why marketing needs for startups differ from those of established companies. You can’t just transplant tactics that work for big firms; you need to rethink your tools and techniques to fit each company’s circumstances.

Greg is more comfortable with technology topics than a lot of tech CMOs that Paul and David have met. His Archimedius blog reflects his insatiable curiosity about all things tech and his 20 years in Silicon Valley. In this interview he talks about how he balances his work load among multiple clients, what tech entrepreneurs most often do wrong and what the best ones have in common.

 

One of EE Voice’s most-played ― and most important ― past episodes featured crisis management expert Andy Gilman discussing communications in the face of COVID-19. Now, Andy joins the podcast to help listeners navigate the latest developments in our current COVID reality, using communications to overcome vaccine hesitancy and compliance. His team recently launched RESTART to help organizations navigate COVID-19 recovery, increase vaccine compliance and support public health.

These are complicated issues. But Andy explains how company leadership can view this challenge as an opportunity to strengthen company culture, improve morale and build trust.

Have a listen to learn more about confronting these challenges, and check out more about Andy’s team and work at CommCore Consulting.

#591: Angelique Rewers and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Showing small businesses how to level the playing field with big companies to have massive impact and massive financial reward. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Angelique Rewers (https://www.linkedin.com/in/angeliquerewers/), she is the founder of the Premier Global Network of Experts serving corporate clients. She is also a Keynote Speaker and Top Media Contributor.

Angelique specialize in helping consultants, executive coaches, diverse suppliers, service providers, corporate trainers, speakers, and self-employed experts to win high-value corporate clients. She leverages her own experience navigating both sides of the corporate buying table over the last two decades to help her clients land corporate clients, boost revenue and stand out from the crowd. Her strategies are built on direct, real-world experience.

If you’re running a small business and you want to land big clients. You want to land the big fish and you’re thinking, “how do I start?” or “where do I go?,” You should reach out to Angelique Rewers by visiting her website at https://thecorporateagent.com/ or https://www.linkedin.com/in/angeliquerewers/

Here are a couple of AHA messages from this episode:

* Small business winning #CorporateClients should reach out to Angelique Rewers by visiting her website at https://thecorporateagent.com/ @CorporateAgent

* When you think about working with #CorporateClients typically one of two things is true either you feel like you’re too small or you’re suffering through a lot of common pain points that have been around for generations. https://www.linkedin.com/in/angeliquerewers/@CorporateAgent

* We showed the small guy, small gal, business wise, how to level the playing field with those big companies. To have massive impact and massive financial reward. #CorporateClients  https://www.linkedin.com/in/angeliquerewers/ @CorporateAgent

* We have helped small business owners and entrepreneurs in 72 countries to land all sorts of #CorporateClients. Everything you can imagine to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars. https://www.linkedin.com/in/angeliquerewers/ @CorporateAgent

* We really have developed a lot of systems, templates, frameworks and things that are both flexible and repeatable. I think that’s the real, the art and science of it. #CorporateClients https://www.linkedin.com/in/angeliquerewers/ @CorporateAgent

To view the video interview click here.

#592: Josephine Bellaccomo and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Ignite engagement for positive change with impact by becoming effective communicators. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Josephine Bellaccomo (https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephinebellaccomo/), leadership coach, trainer, communications consultant, master facilitator, keynote speaker, author, and founder of Move The Message, a social enterprise where she designs and facilitates high-impact, experiential training and workshops to support NGOs and nonprofits.

Josephine continues to partner with her Fortune 500 clients and...

The Content Marketing Institute recently released its B2C content marketing research and the gig is up. We’re not waking up to our old normal this summer or fall—after most of us presumably have had the vaccine.

According to the report, the pandemic simply accelerated the fundamental changes already underway. By some estimates, consumer digital behavior jumped ahead five years in just eight weeks. The events of 2020 hit the warp-speed button on the disruption scale.

For B2C marketers, the imperative to develop direct, digital relationships with customers has become a whole heck of a lot more important.

We’re going to dig more into the findings and what it means for you if you’re into content marketing this year. And, even if you don’t do consumer work, we’ll all know B2B is just a few months behind. This will give you a head start.

Resources Included

* B2C Content Marketing Research

* Consumer Digital Behavior Jumped Ahead Five Years

* Association of National Advertisers March 2020 Survey

* Association of National Advertisers 2018 Survey (as a comparison)

* B2C Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends: Insights for 2021

* Spin Sucks Community

#588: Coylette James and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Build a legacy by igniting influence. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Coylette James (https://www.linkedin.com/in/coylette/), the founder of Kingdom Empowerment Ministries and the co-founder of Covenant Daughters Ministries. Through her Kingdom Empowerment Seminars, she currently speaks to the body of Christ.

Coylette James is the Influence Igniter at Kingdom Influencer and the CEO of the Anointed Presentation. A passionate mensch, she helps business owners create a legacy by coaching them on how to build people.

If you are an executive that has a bottom line that needs assistance, it is best to reach out to Coylette James via her website on https://www.coylettejames.org/ and by visiting her profile on https://www.linkedin.com/in/coylette/.

Here are several AHA messages from this episode:

* Executives with a bottom line in need of assistance should reach out to Coylette James. #BuildALegacy https://www.coylettejames.org/ @MinisterCoylett

* I help executives do that transition, which in turn helps them treat their employees a little differently, and that impacts their bottom line. #BuildALegacy https://www.coylettejames.org/ @MinisterCoylett

* I come from the standpoint that an employee who feels valued is more productive. #BuildALegacy https://www.coylettejames.org/ @MinisterCoylett

* When I’m talking to executives, I’m helping them transition from just that seat of leadership to start to think about legacy. Because if you’re building legacy, then you’re building people. #BuildALegacy https://www.coylettejames.org/ @MinisterCoylett

* Legacy is not in the houses, cars nor money. Legacy is in how you did impact those that you came in contact with. #BuildALegacy https://www.coylettejames.org/ @MinisterCoylett

To view the video interview click here.

#589: Adrean Turner and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Coaching and training towards professional development. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Adrean Turner (https://www.linkedin.com/in/adreanturner/), the “The Career Fulfillment Expert”. She is the founder and CEO of the Turner Coaching, Training and Consulting, LLC.

Adrean Turner is an award-winning certified coach, author, empowerment speaker, professional development trainer, podcast host and business consultant. She is also a finance and economics professor. She is an adjunct professor at Alvernia University and a visiting professor at the Widener University.

If you’re a leader who gets demotivated, disengaged and sometimes enraged, you should reach out to Adrean Turner by visiting her website at https://coachadrean.com/ and her profile on https://www.linkedin.com/in/adreanturner/.

Here are several AHA messages from this episode:

* Demotivated, disengaged and sometimes enraged leaders should reach out to Adrean Turn...

#585: Jory Fisher and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Fulfill your divine calling in business with purpose, passion and faith. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Jory Fisher (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joryfisher/), certified coach, trainer, and speaker, who also served as a founding faculty member of Liberty University School of Law and as its first Associate Dean for Career and Professional Development. She has enjoyed a diverse and purposeful career in government, law, education, and entrepreneurship.

Jory is passionate about helping women of faith build strong, successful businesses and lead joyful, meaningful lives. She has coached, trained, and inspired hundreds of leaders and entrepreneurs since founding her business in 2008.

If you’re an entrepreneurial woman struggling with sales for whatever reason, consider reaching out to Jory Fisher by visiting her websites https://joryfisher.com/ and https://www.linkedin.com/in/joryfisher/.

Here are a couple of AHA messages from this episode:

* Entrepreneurial women of faith who struggle with sales should reach out to Jory Fisher. https://www.linkedin.com/in/joryfisher/

* My role is to help you deepen your faith, grow your business, and expand your influence. #RiseUp https://joryfisher.com/ @JoryFisher

* Do you want to build a purposeful, profitable business? I can guide you in identifying your ideal clients, how to reach them, and how you can actually sell your products and services. #RiseUp https://joryfisher.com/ @JoryFisher

* I can mentor you in creating a joyful and meaningful life as you navigate your way through your entrepreneurial journey in faith, ready with actionable plans and practical know-hows that are personalized to you. #RiseUp https://www.linkedin.com/in/joryfisher/

* Are you eager to make a positive difference in the community? I can help you get connected with meaningful relationships through meaningful communication so you can fulfill your divine purpose in doing business. #RiseUp https://joryfisher.com/ @JoryFisher

To view the video interview click here.

#586: Ted Riter and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Navigate transition and disruptions with trust and exceptional leadership. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Ted Riter (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ted-riter/), leadership strategist, rabbi, storyteller, trainer, coach, and founder of Empowered Leadership Training. He is also the host of the podcast called “starTEDover” with inspiring stories of falling and standing back up, getting knocked over and rebuilding, healing, growing, and persevering.

Ted has over 25 years of experience in servant leadership and in helping small and large organizations through redesigns, staff transitions, and strategic plans. His unique gift is the ability to blend modern thinking with ancient wisdom, to meet people where they are in life without judgment and to light a path for others to see their own greatness.

To learn more about leadership through transitions, changes, and crisis management, consider reaching out to Ted Riter by visiting his websites https://www.tedriter.

Communicators don’t tend to be the most strategic bunch of people. We like to jump right to tactics and forget about the research and plan phase of what we do. That’s a generalization, of course, but it happens enough that it’s become a generalization. And, while research and planning—and, gasp!, measurement aren’t nearly as exciting or interesting as tactics, it should drive everything we do.

Just like a communications plan, every business must also have a roadmap for where you are going. If you don’t own an agency or business or are never planning to, listen to this episode with your communications plan in mind. Though I’ll speak to it from an agency owner’s perspective, the structure and bones are the same. 

Listen on as we discuss the 13 things every agency should include in their plan that will drive all marketing, business development, and growth.

Resources Included In Episode

* Why you should post pricing on your website

SMART goals

Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business

* Winmo

* Orbit Media blogger survey

* Spin Sucks Community