Be a Bigger Fish

What does it mean to “Comms it up”?

If you work in communications and you’re often asked to “Work your comms magic”, this podcast episode is essential listening.

Martin Flegg, the original Comms Citizen, tells us about the reaction he has to requests to “Comms it up” and why his recent blog about it sparked so much debate on social media.

Martin is joined by Matt Batten and Sue Palfrey, who tell us how they react to these requests and how they are educating their stakeholders and internal clients about what they do.

We discuss how the way we speak about communications can change the way others see us. We also talk about how we can reduce the amount of anxiety inside the profession, by focusing on the basics of what we’re here to achieve.

Read more about this on https://peppermintfish.com

Welcome to Be a Bigger Fish, the podcast that explores the power of podcasting.

In this, the final episode in our second season, we get the chance to listen to Organisational Development Consultant and Executive Coach, Ali Herdman.

Ali has experience of working with leaders during times of crisis, helping them to rediscover their own authentic voice, so they can make a more effective connection with their people.

Ali tells us how important a good communication strategy, and creative communications professionals are, during times of change and challenge.

She also talks about the power of audio and the role it can play in re-establishing a more human approach to internal communication.

Huge thanks to Ali for some excellent words of advice. You can contact Ali through her website - aliherdman.co.uk

You can also find more detailed show notes on our website at beabiggerfish.com

Thank you so much for supporting our second season - we really appreciate your comments and listenership.

Welcome to Be a Bigger Fish. This is the podcast that explores the power of podcasting.

This episode stars accomplished communications professional, Jen Phelps.

Jen has a fascinating story to tell about a podcast that didn't live up to its expectations. She tells us candidly how a series that had lots of potential: it was well planned, generously funded and highly produced, failed to attract its target audience. 

We compare this with other, more successful podcast experiences Jen has had, to tease out the lessons learned from this experience.

If you're planning to create a podcast series, whether in-house or for a more general listenership, this episode will help you to avoid making some of the mistakes that can derail your efforts.

With huge thanks to Jen for her courage and candour in sharing this learning so generously.

If you want to get in touch with Jen, she's available on Twitter and LinkedIn - links in our show notes available at beabiggerfish.net

Thank you for listening

Welcome to Be a Bigger Fish, the podcast that explores the power of podcasting.

The star of this episode is podcasting expert, Paul Gisby.

Paul has been creating in-house audio content since 2010, when he discovered the potential podcasts could have in enhancing large-scale change communications. He now runs an award-winning podcast production company, creating audio content for connected  leaders.

Listen in to hear Paul tell us why it's so important to have a good strategy for your podcast and how to get the feedback you need to help build your business case for budget. He also shares some excellent tips for handling nervous interviewees and shares his vision for the future of audio.

Paul views podcasting as a craft and speaks with great conviction about how rewarding it is to hone that craft. His passion is to help other people get their voice heard more effectively.

You can find full show notes for this episode on our website at beabiggerfish.net

You can also find out more about Paul by visiting his website - www.voquinexus.com

Welcome to Be a Bigger Fish, the podcast that explores the power of podcasting.

We're currently in Season 2, which is dedicated to in-house podcasting for companies or institutions.

The star of this episode is writer and podcaster, John Bonoff. 

John works at GuideSpark, a company that provides internal communications solutions to global enterprise clients. This means John's in the fortunate position to see internal communications challenges and successes from the outside, as well as from his role inside his company.

Collaborating with a team of colleagues, John has been producing an in-house podcast for a year. He tells us how the podcast got started; what its initial mission statement was and how it's grown through experience and feedback.

John makes skilful use of music in his productions and we talk about how to carefully select music that amplifies, rather than muddles, the tone of your podcast. We also discuss how to distribute an in-house podcast and how to evaluate its effectiveness.

I'm so grateful to John for sharing the experience of his first year with us. If you're a communications professional thinking about launching a podcast, this is ideal listening for you!

Check out BeaBiggerFish.net for more information, links and show notes to accompany this episode.

Welcome to Be a Bigger Fish, the podcast that explores the power of podcasting.

We're in Season 2 of Be a Bigger FIsh, which is dedicated to exploring in-house podcasts for companies, brands and institutions.

The star of this episode is Zane Ewton, a multi-talented internal communications consultant.

Zane is currently working for Arizona Public Service, the state's largest electric facility. In collaboration with his colleague Michelle, they launched an in-house podcast with a view to giving a voice to the unsung heroes of APS, while helping the whole company raise the bar on business acumen.

The podcast has become something the workforce of APS loves and, as Zane points out, who ever said they love your newsletters?

Listen in for some amazing advice on how to get your podcast off to a great start; how to harness your individuality to create something that challenges the norms and how to make a podcast your people will love.

Welcome to Be a Bigger Fish, the podcast that explores the power of podcasting.

Season 2 of Be a Bigger Fish is dedicated to in-house podcasts, designed for companies or communities. We're speaking with people who make in-house podcasts and people who'd like to find out more about them.

I'm delighted to be speaking with Advita Patel in this episode. Experienced internal communicator and Director of Comms Rebel, Advita is currently the chair of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations Inside sector - the part of the CIPR dedicated to internal communications practitioners.

Advita talks her passion for podcasts and her belief that they are a great way to share learning and build trust. She shares her top tips for starting an in-house podcast based on her own recent experience.

You can also find out more about the Comms Hives - informal meetings where comms professionals can chat over dinner - plus the 2019 conference for internal communicators, CIPR Inside's #ChangingTheConvo conference.

If you'd like to find out more about Advita, follow her on Twitter @Advita_p

You can read the full show notes; get links to the conference and find out more about the CIPR by visiting beabiggerfish.net

Thank you for listening 

Welcome to Be a Bigger Fish. This is the podcast that explores the power of podcasting.

We're in Season 2, which is dedicated to in-house or corporate podcasts and the professionals who are making them.

I'm delighted to share this episode which features JP Gooderham. JP is the founder of Storyboard, a platform that allows companies to launch secure, internal podcasts.

A podcaster himself, JP brings a wealth of personal insight and passion to his work. He has some great ideas for the best use cases of in-house podcasts including some fascinating case studies involving 'micro-level' content.

If you are thinking about launching a corporate podcast, listen in for some excellent advice and motivation from JP. 

You can find out more about Storyboard at TryStoryboard.com and you can read more detailed show notes on our website, beabiggerfish.net

Thank you for listening

Welcome to Be a Bigger Fish, the podcast that explores the power of podcasting.

This is our Season 2, in which we're taking a closer look at the world of in-house podcasting. 

The star of this episode is Keith Lewis, Social Media Manager for Zurich Insurance in the UK and the podcaster behind the Advantage Over Podcast. 

Keith combines his experience as a podcaster with his professional expertise. This gives him unique insight into the power and potential of audio content to engage and motivate an audience of employees.

Listen in to find out how Keith identifies niche audiences inside his large organisation to test the effectiveness of a new comms channel. He also shares some top tips for new or aspiring in-house podcasters and talks about the challenges he's facing with distributing audio content effectively.

Check out Keith's latest thoughts by following him on Twitter or Instagram @KeithLewisComms

You can find links to the resources mentioned in the episode, including the discount code to the CIPR Inside Conference on 8 October 2019, by visiting our website, www.beabiggerfish.net

Thank you for listening!

Be a Bigger Fish is back!

Welcome to Season 2 which has a special focus on the power of in-house podcasts. 

We're taking a closer look at the role and effective use of audio content inside organisations and institutions.

This first episode of the season features award-winning communicator, Harriet Small.

Harriet shares her enthusiasm for podcasts and suggests some brilliant applications of them, for an in-house communicator. She also suggests some great ideas for measuring the impact of a podcast, in order to assess its success.

At the time of recording, Harriet was working at Sky, where video is by far the more popular medium. Despite this, Harriet sees the advantages of audio for certain types of content and to solve specific internal communications issues. 

We talk about the fact there is currently limited best practice guidance for in-house podcasting. Greater sharing of experience and case studies would be welcome in order to help in-house professionals to make good choices as they include audio in their communications strategies. Extending awards categories to include in-house podcasts would also help to establish standards and guidance.

This is the call to action Be a Bigger Fish season 2 is aiming to address and I'm grateful to Harriet for helping to get the season off to such a good start.

You can find more detailed show notes, with time stamps to guide your listening, at beabiggerfish.net

Harriet's blog is available at commsovercoffee.com