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 Rumble.Studio 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 Voice Tech Podcast is here: https://voicetechpodcast.com/. And you can find him on LinkedIn and Twitter. Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/communicateinfluence)

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 storeKey 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 taskTrack all referral traffic, including traffic from social media and or affiliatesUse tools to identify competitor trafficReally 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 SEOIf 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 Snippetshttps://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!Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/communicateinfluence)

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 systemAge of existing website technologyWhich ecommerce platform to selectPros and cons of ecommerce platforms, including ongoing costsPositioning of product and services in the new ecommerce storeMarketplace or destination storeStrategy to respond to competitionSearch engine optimizationKevin 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!Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/communicateinfluence)

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 transcriptThis 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 techThe 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 audioIn 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 sponsorThis episode is sponsored by Podmotion.co, a new podcast creation and promotion agency launching soon! Go to Podmotion.co for more details!Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/communicateinfluence)

A diversified agency with the ability to pivotLinda 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 arrivedLinda 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 agenciesLinda 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. Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/communicateinfluence)

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.comSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/communicateinfluence)

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.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/communicateinfluence)

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 firstYou 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 marketingPaul 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 marketingPaul 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. Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/communicateinfluence)

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.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/communicateinfluence)

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 PodcastMeditation apps: Calm, Headspace, Insight TimerBooks recommended by Dena:The Yogi Code - Yogi CameronThe Power of Now - Eckart TollePracticing the Power of Now – Eckart Tolle10 Secrets of Success - Wayne DyerRecovery – Russell BrandThe Shadow Effect - Deepak Chopra, Debbie Ford, Marianne WilliamsonThe Universe has Your Back - Gabrielle bersteinSuper Attractor – Gabrielle Bernstein Books recommended by Sheelagh:The Art of Meditation - Matthieu RicardMeditation for Beginners - Jack KornfieldReal Happiness: The Power of Meditation - Sharon SalzbergMeditation is Not What You Think - Jon Kabat-ZinnReal Happiness At Work: Meditations for Accomplishment, Achievement, and Peace - Sharon SalzbergThe Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction To The Practice of Meditation - Thich Nhat HanhWhen Things Fall Apart - Pema ChodronLike 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.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/communicateinfluence)

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 CEOBen 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 improveSays 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 engagementBen 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.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/communicateinfluence)

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 shareLachlan 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 TikTokLacklan 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 sponsorThis 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.comTech management consultantDo 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.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/communicateinfluence)

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.comIf you enjoy our podcast show, consider buying us a coffee at Buymeacoffee.com. Thank you!Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/communicateinfluence)

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 fearBased 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 PRA 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 crisisBob 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.comVurbl - episode and show notes sponsorThis 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.comSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/communicateinfluence)

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 yourself2. Do a skills audit and identify forgotten skills3. Reach out to your clients and ask what they need4. Don't compare yourself to othersYou 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!Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/communicateinfluence)

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 TeamsEpisode 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.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/communicateinfluence)

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.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/communicateinfluence)

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 ConsultingKevin 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.FundraisingThank you to my fundraising supporters on Patreon and at Buymeacoffee.com. If you enjoy this episode, consider supporting us at Buymeacoffee.com. Thank you!  Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/communicateinfluence)

Self-care during Covid-19There'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 BakerLiza is a health coach focused on reducing burnout, stewarding human resources, growing sustainable mission-driven organizations through personal health.Show Sponsor - Kef ConsultingKevin 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.FundraisingThank you to my fundraising supporters on Patreon and at Buymeacoffee.com. If you enjoy this episode, consider supporting us at Buymeacoffee.com. Thank you! Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/communicateinfluence)

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 preparedLarger 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 technologyHe 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 depressedIn 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 NotesFind Ben at Your Brand Marketing or LinkedIn.Show SponsorKevin 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.FundraisingThank you to my fundraising supporters on Patreon and at Buymeacoffee.comIf you enjoy this episode, consider supporting us at Buymeacoffee.com. Thank you! Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/communicateinfluence)