Trafcom News Podcast

Trafcom News Podcast 92: Five communication tips for 2010

In this 13-minute podcast, you’ll hear five tactics that may help you to communicate better in the new year. No bold predictions, just practical advice. You can download the MP3 file for this podcast directly by clicking here, or you can subscribe through iTunes. Or you can listen via the Blubrry player on the right side of the Trafcom News Podcast home page.

Here are the show notes:
Comment line: 212-624-0209

00:01 Intro and welcome

02:01 Tip #1: Get social. This is the year to get on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook, if you haven’t already. Refer to the many resources online to help you get started, including:
LinkedIn Guide for New Users
33 Ways to Use LinkedIn for Business
Mashable Guide to Twitter
Mashable Guide to Facebook

04:02 Tip #2: Bookmark smartly. Try using Delicious, which lets you tag, save and share bookmarks. See my own bookmarks at http://delicious.com/trafcom.

06:32 Tip #3: Think mobile. What does your Web presence look like on a smart phone? If your site is on Wordpress, you can try the Mobile Press plug-in. I use this for my PodcastYourConference blog.

More and more people are accessing the Web via mobile devices; this trend will grow in 2010.

07:43 Tip #4: Learn online. Take advantage of the generosity of communication leaders who freely share their knowledge, such as Shel Holtz, Todd Defren, Mitch Joel, BL Ochman, Joe Thornley and others.

09:01 Remember that podcasts are another way to learn. My favourite is For Immediate Release: The Hobson and Holtz Report.

09:45 Tip #5: Keep creating content. Remember multimedia as one way to execute your communication strategy – photos, audio and video in addition to text.

11:05 Upcoming IABC events in Toronto:
January 21, 2010 Engaging Employees panel discussion

January 27, 2010 Secrets of Successful Freelancers (not on the IABC site right now; will be soon at http://toronto.iabc.com/events/default.asp).

12:00 Where to send comments: email to Donna AT Trafcom DOT com, call the comment line at 212-624-0209 or post a message to the Trafcom News Podcast blog.

Look for the Trafcom News Podcast on Blubrry.com. Theme music is "Beneath Your Surface" by the Elisabeth Lohninger Quartet from the Podsafe Music Network.

Trafcom News Podcast 91: Social media and product marketing: A chat with April Dunford

 

In this 15-minute podcast, you’ll hear noted product marketing specialist April Dunford talk about social media and product marketing. The interview took place at ProductCamp Toronto in October 2009.

You can download the MP3 file for this podcast directly by clicking here, or you can subscribe through iTunes. Or you can listen via the Blubrry player on the right side of the Trafcom News Podcast home page.

Here are the show notes:
Comment line: 212-624-0209

00:01 Intro and welcome
00:55 About ProductCamp Toronto
01:22 About  April Dunford
01:52 Interview with April begins
02:28 What’s great about ProductCamp Toronto: facilitated discussions.
03:28 In her session, April shared stories of product management within IBM and Nortel and other organizations.
04:00 Steps to using social media in product marketing; start with monitoring and listening (from Google Alerts to Radian6).
05:30 Next step is putting your toe in the water with broadcasting (one-way communications).
05:51 Now you’re ready to interact and engage, have conversations.
06:15 April’s pet peeve: People on Twitter who don’t converse and who follow you before they’ve even said anything.
07:00 Who should blog about products? Product people or PR people? April’s view on this.
09:55 Strong, effective collaboration between PR and product people would be communication utopia (is that URL taken?).
11:15 Toronto has lots of events, but ProductCamp is the only place for product marketers to confer like this.
12:29 Donna’s comments on the IABC Employee Communication conference in Toronto in October. See the blog post.
14:00 IABC world conference coming to Toronto in June 2010
14:29 Where to send comments: email to Donna AT Trafcom DOT com, call the comment line at 212-624-0209 or post a message to the Trafcom News Podcast blog.

Look for the Trafcom News Podcast on Blubrry.com.
Theme music is "Beneath Your Surface" by the Elisabeth Lohninger Quartet from the Podsafe Music Network.

Photo of April Dunford by Calum Tsang. For more of Calum’s photos from the event go to Flickr.

Trafcom News Podcast 90: An interview with Mitch Joel

Meet the author of Six Pixels of Separation

In this 23-minute podcast, you’ll hear Mitch Joel, president of Twist Image, talk about Six Pixels of Separation, the first book to integrate digital marketing, social media, personal branding and entrepreneurship, all in a very accessible way. You will find Mitch Joel’s Six Pixels of Separation blog here and podcast here.

You can download Trafcom News Podcast 90 right now by clicking here, or you can subscribe through iTunes, or you can listen via the Blubrry player on the right side of this page.

Here are the show notes:
Comment line: 212-624-0209

00:01 Intro and welcome
02:30 Funny that a new media guy is getting a lot of attention with a printed book.
02:55 This is a WHY book, not a HOW book, about new media, social media and personal branding, from a business person’s perspective.
03:20 Mitch Joel wrote this book to focus on WHY; strategy tied to business goals. As the author, he was a business guy, not a marketing guy.
06:00 In praise of slow: a ripple, not a splash.
09:45 What would Mitch say to someone who is looking for a short cut? The answer: When did it not become a business owner’s responsibility to engage with customers?
13:00 Six Pixels of Separation ends with practical advice.
13:45 Start with small steps like setting up alerts in Google Reader.
16:44 Mitch’s next book may be about the great un-tethering; what does freedom from wires really mean?
19:00 Six Pixels of Separation is also a roadmap of how Mitch built his business.
20:00 Mitch thanks Donna for introducing him to podcasting. BONUS: Here is that first interview.
21:27 Comment from Grizzly Smith on Trafcom News Podcast 89.
22:00 Where to send comments: email to Donna AT Trafcom DOT com, call the comment line at 212-624-0209 or post a message to the Trafcom News Podcast blog.

Look for the Trafcom News Podcast on Blubrry.com.Theme music is "Beneath Your Surface" by the Elisabeth Lohninger Quartet from the Podsafe Music Network.

Trafcom News Podcast 89: Managing your career online

This is not your father’s résumé; an interview with Martin Buckland about managing your career online

If you want to really take charge of your career, you need a powerful online presence. In this 23-minute podcast, Master Résumé Writer Martin Buckland talks about how to establish this presence using a variety of tools. Martin, who runs Elite Resume, is one of Canada’s leading authorities on highly effective résumés and cover letters, successful job-search strategies, and interviewing. Martin’s certifications elevate him to a rarefied group of career professionals in North America. Among his designations are: Master Resume Writer, Certified Professional Resume Writer, Co-Pilot Executive Coach, Certified Job & Career Transition Coach, Certified Job Search Trainer, Certified Professional Branding Strategist and Certified Employment Interview Professional.

You can download the MP3 file for this podcast directly by clicking here, or you can subscribe through iTunes. Or you can listen via the Blubrry player on the right side of the Trafcom News Podcast home page.

Here are the show notes:
Comment line: 212-624-0209

00:01 Intro and welcome
03:40 Start with LinkedIn, the most valuable tool in your job search. Be sure to add your LinkedIn link to your résumé. For more information about LinkedIn, see the LinkedIn Blog and  LinkedIn Tips, Tricks and Tweaks from Amit Agarwal.
05:55 Write articles to position you as an expert; experts land jobs.
06:15 Plaxo and Facebook, even for senior executives
06:55 Be careful who you link to.
09:10 Get a Google profile too.
09:40 Twitter as a career management tool
11:10 Do you still need a résumé?
11:41 The new trend: the visual CV
12:55 Question for Martin via Twitter: Can people with more than 20 years’ experience have a résumé of two or three pages?
14:00 Your résumé is a business document; don’t list your hobbies.
15:00 Using a blog to enhance your career and personal brand
17:30 Always monitor your Google presence.
17:55 Find Martin at Elite Resume on the Web and on LinkedIn or Twitter 
19:12 One place to submit articles: Ezinearticles.com
19:40 Comments from Bob Crawshaw  about two recent editions of Trafcom News: the interview with Oakville Mayor Rob Burton; the interview with photographer Peter West
22:38 Where to send comments: email to Donna AT Trafcom DOT com, call the comment line at 212-624-0209 or post a message to Trafcom News Podcast blog.

We are part of the Blubrry network.
Theme music is "Beneath Your Surface" by the Elisabeth Lohninger Quartet from the Podsafe Music Network.

Trafcom News Podcast 88: Oakville Mayor Rob Burton talks Twitter

The microblogging site called Twitter is becoming a popular communications medium. In this 40-minute podcast, Oakville Mayor Rob Burton talks about how and why he uses Twitter and other social media tools. Perhaps his experience with Twitter and Facebook will help him to meet his goal of being the most accessible and engaging mayor in the history of Oakville.

Read the Newbie’s Guide to Twitter to learn more.

Find Rob Burton on Twitter here.

Want to listen? You can download the MP3 file for this podcast directly by clicking here, or you can subscribe through iTunes. Or you can listen via the Blubrry player on the right side of the Trafcom News Podcast home page.

Here are the show notes:

00:01 Intro and welcome; definition of Twitter
01:38 A little about Rob Burton.

Photo of Oakville Harbour courtesy Town of Oakville

02:15 Rob defines Oakville as a city that calls itself a town and acts like a village; population of 175, 000 makes it the second largest town in Canada. 04:30 Rob talks about his own use of Twitter and what it means to him as a leader; found it confusing at first; watched a few people including Mayor of Minneapolis R.T. Rybak  and Donna Papacosta.
06:22 Rob had dinner with Toronto Mayor David Miller last year; discussed Twitter and suggested mayors should be in tune with it. Miller jumped in right away.
07:32 Rob likes to retweet (RT) and pass along interesting information.
09:10 Rob tweets about local activities and events, with photos; easy to send pictures via Blackberry; adds an extra dimension; experimenting with video.
11:19 Twitter is a very plastic tool; Oakville real estate agents are using it like crazy.
13:20 What’s the value for the citizens of Oakville? No single communications medium can ever each everyone. There’s a bit of a media vacuum in Oakville, and we’re the suburb of a very large metropolitan area. Twitter is one more presence point in the communications mix.
15:29 Rob’s goal is to get the message out about what the town is to as many people as possible and to hear from as many people as possible as to what they want the town to do.
16:04 Rob’s bold goal: At the end of his time in office, to be remembered as the most accessible and engaging mayor in the history of Oakville.
16:22 As mayor, you have to listen and hunt for ideas.
17:45 Rob wants to make big changes to the Town of Oakville Web site to increase accessibility to him and the other members of Town Council.
18:02 People will start to expect a high level of accessibility to government leaders.
18:40 Rob works hard at being approachable.
18:48 Oakville is full of people who aim high in life and achieve goals. Sometimes being Mayor of Oakville is like being the concierge in a very high-end private hotel. The patrons are not shy about asking for what they want.
20:20 Rob uses Facebook mostly to communicate with family and friends. Moves at a slower pace than Twitter. Example of Mattamy Homes on Twitter; conflict draws followers.
22:43 Rob can automatically update his Facebook status from Twitter.
23:30 Facebook is the people that you used to know; Twitter is the people that you want to get to know. Twitter can be compared to a cocktail party.
24:00 What would Rob say to someone in government who is not convinced of the value of Twitter? He says the time investment is negligible. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
25:00 Mayor Rybak is now in election mode; he is using Twitter tweets to point people to content on his Web site.
27:00 Email is less formal than a postal letter; a tweet is even less so. And shorter. Twitter lends itself to casual commentary.
29:20 Rob’s most valuable piece of advice: The 140-character limit on Twitter is approximately 25 words. You’re learning to speak in sound bites! A great skill for someone in government.
30:00 Rob and Donna first discussed this podcast interview at the Oakville Midnight Madness festival, then arranged the whole thing on Twitter very simply and quickly.
31:20 Twitter is becoming a very valuable tool. Rob is trying to find other places to embed it. Online visitors like content that is updated frequently.
34:50 Funny story about how one mayor uses her blog to get the attention of local media.
36:00 Town of Oakville site will eventually incorporate social media and more interactivity.
38:30 Town Council has four-year strategic work plan; core value is devotion to continuous improvement. Rob likes to hear about opportunities for improvement.
39:30 Thanks to Rob; he says he is feeling good about Twitter and it has a huge potential.
40:00 Where to send comments: email to Donna AT Trafcom DOT com, call the comment line at 212-624-0209 or post a message to the Trafcom News Podcast blog.
Look for the Trafcom News Podcast on Blubrry.com. Theme music is "Beneath Your Surface" by the Elisabeth Lohninger Quartet from the Podsafe Music Network.

Trafcom News Podcast 87: Capturing better images: Tips for non-pro photographers

When you need a photo for your corporate newsletter, do you hand a camera to the nearest employee? Or maybe you ARE that employee! Increasingly, non-professional photographers are shooting pictures for publications, media kits, Web sites and more. In this 22-minute podcast, you’ll hear some very practical tips for capturing better photographs when you are pressed into service as a shutterbug. Our guest is Peter West, a former journalist and marketer who is also a very skilled photographer and teacher of photography with Henry’s School of Imaging.

Thanks to Peter West for taking the time out to talk about photography and to River 16 owner Rob Lackie and audio engineer Tyler. River 16 is a new recording studio here in Oakville, Ontario, where we recorded this episode. If you’re looking for recording space west of Toronto, check out their Web site. And be sure to visit Peter West’s photography blog.

Speaking of photos, here’s one that Peter West shot of me at River 16.

You can download the MP3 file for this podcast directly by clicking here, or you can subscribe through iTunes. Or you can listen via the Blubrry player on the right side of the Trafcom News Podcast home page.

Here are the show notes:

Comment line: 212-624-0209

00:01 Intro and welcome; about Peter West and the River 16 recording studio; Peter teaches at Henry’s School of Imaging.
03:54 Genesis of this podcast; many employees have become photographers
05:13 Practical tips for someone pressed into photography service
05:43 Tip #1: A dedicated camera is going to shoot better photos than a phone with a camera in it.
06:20 Tip #2: Composition. Most people shoot too far away; step closer; think about the background; don’t shoot into a window; if possible, turn off the flash and use natural light.
07:06 Tip #3: Shoot lots of photos
07:30 Tip #4: What will the photo be used for? You don’t need a 12 MB picture
07:50 Tip #5: Trade magazines love photos
08:20 Tip #6: Almost every story is improved with a photo
09:20 Tip #7: Sometimes, camera automation can get in the way of a good shot.
10:44 Tip #8: One of the joys of digital photography is the ability to look at the back of your camera and see if you got the shot; you can even blow it up.
11:05 Tip #9: Always take a safety shot, then get creative.
11:30 Tip #10: Read the manual!
11:55 Tip #11: Keep in mind that the manual might be terrible. Take a course.
13:00 Tip #12: Hidden issue of digital photography: white balance
13:33 Tip #13: It’s worthwhile practicing; don’t learn on the job
15:30 Tip #14: Practice photographing your cat or your kids; don’t test your camera in the workplace or on vacation. Some companies just hand a camera to an employee. A SlapDrive is a handy tool for transferring photos from camera to computer.
16:00 Tip #15: Upload photos to a Flickr commercial account or to SmugMug; can access photos form anywhere.
17:44 Tip #16: Shoot at the best possible image quality; shoot in JPG.
20:00 Tip #17: Turn off the flash and get people outdoors when you can.
20:55 Tip #18: The best camera is the one you have with you!
21:00 Thanks to Peter West and to River 16
21:50 Where to send comments: email to Donna AT Trafcom DOT com, call the comment line at 212-624-0209 or post a message to the Trafcom News Podcast blog.

Look for the Trafcom News Podcast on Blubrry.com.

Theme music is "Beneath Your Surface" by the Elisabeth Lohninger Quartet from the Podsafe Music Network.

Trafcom News Podcast 86: Social media for the big guys

How are big organizations learning to thrive using social media tools? In this 12-minute podcast, you’ll hear an interview with Bob Pearson, president of the Social Media Business Council, which helps large enterprises to share best practices on social media issues. Bob spoke at Third Tuesday Toronto on July 7, 2009. You’ll see him pictured here in the converted church that is now the Berkeley Heritage Event Venue.
 
You can download the MP3 file for this podcast directly by clicking here, you can subscribe through iTunes, or you can listen via the Blubrry player on the right side of the Trafcom News Podcast home page.

Here are the show notes:
Comment line: 212-624-0209

00:01 Intro and welcome; about Bob Pearson and the Social Media Business Council
02:10 Interview with Bob begins
02:20 Biggest challenge facing large organizations using social media? They have to not only think outside the box, but also create a new box. Are they aware of the conversations out there? Wake-up call!
03:30 Most people realize they are not speaking to customers at all; customers demand that you do things in a way that works for them; build a bridge between customers and organizations.
03:55 Social media skeptics change with time; lots of innovators are making things happen – Ford, Starbucks, Intuit, etc.
04:38 Why would you NOT want to build a better relationship with your customers?
04:53 Social media is very quantitative; you can see traffic, purchases, etc., helping you to understand what’s happening; ratings and reviews help you figure out where the passion is.
05:46 Even silence is a signal; it’s not a viral campaign if it stops when you stop spending money; word of mouth is the goal.
06:33 Great content at Social Media Business Council Web site; take a look.
06:40 Bob is actually in Canada on vacation.
07:12 Lots of info about Bob’s presentation on Twitter and blogs.
My own key takeaways from Bob:
07:39 Customers are shaping our reputations daily. Are you accidentally outsourcing the building of your brand?
07:55 True leaders identify issues before they happen; customers assume you are listening to them in real time; reminded me of the United Breaks Guitars event of this week.
08:20 Realize that the customer doesn’t care where YOU want them to go; they are part of their own liquid network.
08:42 Less than one percent of a customer’s time is spent purchasing; 99 percent is spent browsing and socializing.
08:49 Brands can build trust by being there when they’re needed, not when YOU need the customer.
09:00 Sharing of content is key. You must have content that people need to share. Why else would they come back?
09:19 Any time you’re talking to customers and you tell them the truth, you win.

If you work for a large organization and you’re involved with social media, check out the Social Media Business Council.


09:40 Thanks to Joe Thornley and the organizers and sponsors of Third Tuesday Toronto; in the fall Shel Israel will speak, launching his new book, Twitterville.

10:04 Take a look at the video version of my Webinar, “How to use new media to make the most of your event or conference.”
11:02 Lots of positive comments about my interview with Paul Barton of Hawaiian Airlines. You can find it here.
11:13 Where to send comments: email to Donna AT Trafcom DOT com, call the comment line at 212-624-0209 or post a message to the Trafcom News Podcast blog.

Look for the Trafcom News Podcast on Blubrry.com. Theme music is "Beneath Your Surface" by the Elisabeth Lohninger Quartet from the Podsafe Music Network.

Trafcom News Podcast 85: Internal podcasting at Hawaiian Airlines – An interview with Paul Barton

In this 16-minute podcast, you’ll hear a short commentary about the recent IABC world conference in San Francisco, and an interview with Paul Barton ABC, director of internal communication at Hawaiian Airlines, about their new employee podcast.

You can download the MP3 file for this podcast directly by clicking here, or you can subscribe through iTunes. Or you can listen via the Blubrry player on the right side of the Trafcom News Podcast home page.

Here are the show notes:
Comment line: 212-624-0209

00:01 Intro and welcome
01:15 A few words about the IABC world conference in San Francisco, California, including the FIR dinner, starring Lee Hopkins. Read the blog post about it.
02:47 The interview with Paul Barton, director of internal communication at Hawaiian Airlines
03:22 The audio podcast as a communications tactic
04:12 Getting to a hard-to-reach audience of pilots and flight attendants
05:27 Hawaiian is a rare airline in growth mode
06:00 Employees received iPods as a thank-you gift from the airline; these were preloaded with content
06:16 How the podcast is positioned internally
08:10 Feedback from employees is positive so far; people prefer to listen rather than read
08:30 Minimal investment to start podcasting; cost is easy to justify
09:00 If only 10 people listen and are moved, it’s worth it, according to Paul Barton
09:30 New ways to measure success
10:29 Comments from Sridhar Sathya, Sam Deeks at Mukaumedia, Martin at Bars & Tone, Valente Espinosa at Odaiba Net
014:52 Where to send comments: email to Donna AT Trafcom DOT com, call the comment line at 212-624-0209 or post a message to the Trafcom News Podcast blog

Look for the Trafcom News Podcast on Blubrry.com, Theme music is "Beneath Your Surface" by the Elisabeth Lohninger Quartet from the Podsafe Music Network.

RELATED CONTENT:
Article on podcasting inside the corporation, based on a piece written for the Journal of Employee Communication Management.
Podcast on podcasting inside the corporation (Trafcom News Podcast #53).

Trafcom News Podcast 84: New stats on podcasting, the myth of nonverbal communication

In this seven-minute podcast, you’ll hear about some new stats that show the growth of podcasting, at least in the U.S. I also share some blog posts I’ve come across this week about the “myth” of nonverbal communications.

You can download the MP3 file for this podcast directly by clicking here, or you can subscribe through iTunes. Or you can listen via the Blubrry player on the right side of the Trafcom News Podcast home page.

Here are the show notes:

00:01 Intro and welcome
01:00 New stats about podcasting from Edison Research
02:35 Surprise! What we’ve been hearing about nonverbal communications for 40 years may not be true. Refer to  the blog posts from Olivia Mitchell and Max Atkinson about the Mehrabian myth. Be sure to check out the cartoon that accompanies Max’s blog post.
04:30 What this might mean for podcasters; the value of vocal inflection, tone, etc., in conveying meaning and emotion
05:25 Heading to the IABC World Conference in San Francisco next week.

06:20 Where to send comments: email to Donna AT Trafcom DOT com, call the comment line at 212-624-0209 or post a message to the Trafcom News Podcast blog

Look for the Trafcom News Podcast on Blubrry.com.
Theme music is "Beneath Your Surface" by the Elisabeth Lohninger Quartet from the Podsafe Music Network

Trafcom News Podcast 83: Why does my audio sound so bad? How to make it right!

Because I’ve been a denizen of the podcasting world for a while, people often ask me for audio tips. And the most common question I hear is: “Why does my audio sound so bad?” In this 18-minute podcast, you’ll get the answer!

Please listen and let me know what you think.

You can download the show right here or subscribe through iTunes. You can also listen on the Trafcom News Podcast blog by clicking on the player on the right part of the screen.

Here are the show notes:

Comment line: 212-624-0209

00:01 Intro and welcome; this is a podcast about communications tactics for people who care about communicating in person, in print and online. Next series of podcasts: conference podcasting.
01:33 Your voice is not the problem, even if you’re not Joe Cipriano or Judy Madrin
02:11 Problem #1: Your microphone; built-in mic will not yield good results; headset mic can be ok if you know how to use it; genuine microphone is the best; link to Victoria Fenner’s post about her favourite microphones
04:22 Problem #2: How you’re using your microphone to get the best sound; listen to the podcast about microphone techniques with Joe Cipriano; experiment with your mic
06:22 Problem #3: Where you’re recording; ambient sound, room acoustics and more; using ambient noise to your advantage; Skype and phone recording; double-ender or mix-minus; I love Levelator, although some audio purists do not
09:18 Noise removal if you must; Soundsoap
12:00 Problem #4: The method in which you’re recording; record in an uncompressed format such as WAV
12:48 Recap of four problems and solutions
13:20 Comment on Trafcom News 82 (Five tips for successful podcasts)  from Tom Keefe, who was inspired by Shel Holtz and Neville Hobson on FIR: The Hobson and Holtz Report; blog post on ephemeral nature of Twitter; InsidePR  commitment to each other as podcasters
15:30 Two upcoming events: April 1 AIP event with Lynda Morris and Joan Vinall-Cox; April 16 HPCA event with Dave Fleet; refer to my blog post
16:55 Where to send comments: email to Donna AT Trafcom DOT com, call the comment line at 212-624-0209 or post a message to the Trafcom News Podcast blog
Look for the Trafcom News Podcast on Blubrry.com.
Theme music is "Beneath Your Surface" by the Elisabeth Lohninger Quartet from the Podsafe Music Network