Less Chatter, More Matter: The Communications Podcast

This is the 50th episode of the Less Chatter, More Matter podcast and we are so stoked to reach this important milestone!So stoked, in fact, that we chose this week to tackle a highly controversial topic in the comms world: how to talk about the value of comms to non-comms people. Also known as, how to tell people what you do when they're fairly sure your role is solely making PowerPoints. In this episode, we share some tips for those of you who work in comms or who need to get comms support for your business or team, alongside talking about the differences we can draw between roles to showcase value across the board. We touch on the big topics for value, including employee attraction and retention, reputation management, engagement and awareness - but we also touch on how to show the value of these seemingly intangible outcomes in ways that the C-Suite can understand.So, join us this week for a how-to on talking comms!Links mentioned in this episode:Episode 48: New year, new job - How to land that comms job you want in 2024Episode 14: What’s the difference between a strategy and a plan?Join the 1,000+ other pros who hear from me every fortnight, and sign up to my mailing list here.Say hi!Follow me on LinkedInFind out what I'm up to InstagramCheck out my websiteAsk a question

If you've ever run a workshop, or are preparing to run one in the future, one of the most daunting things isn't necessarily the preparation for the workshop. Rather, it's the execution and the public speaking to ensure engagement parts that concern the majority of us delivering the workshop. That's why we're excited to welcome the incredible workshop pro, Leanne Hughes, to this week's episode of the Less Chatter, More Matter podcast, to run us through her top tips on workshop facilitation - alongside how to ensure you're not boring as you run it.Leanne has over 240 podcast episodes, and a book, all of which go through the ins and outs of making sure your workshops are as successful as possible. You can check her out in the links below.Otherwise, listen in to get ready for your next workshop or public speaking event!Links mentioned in this episode:Connect with Leanne Hughes on LinkedIn hereLeanne Hughes' work websiteNotion Say hi!Follow me on LinkedInFind out what I'm up to InstagramCheck out my websiteAsk a question

Welcome to 2024, folks... and to another episode of your favourite, the Less Chatter, More Matter podcast.With the beginning of a new year kicking off in style, plenty of us are thinking about what our careers look like, what our year will encompass and where we want to take our roles in the next twelve months.Whether it's your first ever comms role, a new comms role, you're freelancing or you're even just wanting to refresh your knowledge - this episode is dedicated to some top tips on how to get the comms job you want this year, based on real-life experiences.So... are you ready to make 2024 your best career move yet? Let's get into it!Links mentioned in this episode:Create your plan for your freelancing/consulting business: join the next cohort of my Fresh 2 Freelancing program, kicking off 7 February -  Find out more here.Kickstart your new career in communications with my Communication Career Fundamentals course, an online, self-paced workshop with a pack of templates and a resource guide - Find out more here.Develop your personal brand! Use it to help update your social media profiles and get clear on what you want to be known for - Use my free mini workbook here to get started.Say hi!Follow me on LinkedInFind out what I'm up to InstagramCheck out my websiteAsk a question

Hello, friend, and welcome to the last episode of Less Chatter, More Matter for 2023.This episode is jam-packed full with all of the most important recaps of the year that was, and what the communications world had to say about  2023. We go over the ins and outs of the year, what was big, what went terribly and how we anticipate the impacts and learnings from 2023 will cross into next year.We’ve got a bunch of predictions for 2024, and we've looked into every nook and cranny for what could be a year of change.So, without delay - let’s take a look at the recap of 2023!Links mentioned in this episode:Episode 41: Crisis communication and the lessons we can learn from OptusSay hi!Follow me on LinkedInFind out what I'm up to InstagramCheck out my websiteAsk a question

The second last podcast for 2023 has landed, and with it, your very own checklist for communications planning in 2024!This episode runs you through four big steps that will help you prepare your communication strategy for the year ahead, alongside a criteria of questions you'll need to answer in order to make sure you're set for 2024.Not to mention, we've done the hard yards for you and put it all into a template - a FREE template - that you can grab at the end of the episode.So, let's get into it!Links mentioned in this episode:Help raise money for the Smith Family for my 40th birthday!Get the planner template hereSay hi!Follow me on LinkedInFind out what I'm up to InstagramCheck out my websiteAsk a question

It's getting close to the end of the year, and with it comes the ultimate responsibility: crafting an end of year message.Whether that message is for your people or your clients, it's important to create a thoughtful message that not only resonates with your audience, but provides guidance on how the year went, what could've been better and how you anticipate the year ahead's trajectory.So, with that in mind, how exactly do you come up with this all encompassing message? Well, we've got some helpful tips to get you started - plus an incredibly useful messaging tool freebie that you can get your hands on at the end of the podcast!With that, let's get crafting!Links mentioned in this episode:Blog: How to write a great end-of-year message Mel's new book - 'Change isn't hard'Public workshops for 2024Say hi!Follow me on LinkedInFind out what I'm up to InstagramCheck out my websiteAsk a question

Welcome to December friends, and with it, another episode of the Less Chatter, More Matter podcast!This week, we finish off the change comms topic with the people side of change comms and why it matters. We share a model that explains how people respond to change and some of the techniques you can use to respond in kind (plus, you can use the linked quiz below to find out how you repsond to change!).This model goes into the ins and outs of four different change personalities, and why they are crucial to consider in your change and comms plans.We also use the model to explain processing times and risk aversion and how these key factors will shape your communications during any change.So, join us this week and finalise your change comms knowledge!Links mentioned in this episode:Find out how YOU respond to change!Episode 42: 5 behavioural science hacks you can use in your change commsEpisode 43: How to write a change communication planMel's new book - 'Change isn't hard'Say hi!Follow me on LinkedInFind out what I'm up to InstagramCheck out my websiteAsk a question

If you're involved in communications, you're most likely involved in change work in some way, shape or form. Which is why this week's episode of the Less Chatter, More Matter podcast is going to give you the 101 on how to write a change communication plan.This may seem like a basic skill for those who dive into comms plans every day, but your typical, day-to-day communications plan is significantly different to a change communication plan. The biggest difference is the granular level that change impact needs to be assessed and addressed for different audience groups. Plus to add to that complexity, that granularity means you'll have very specific outcomes for each audience group, all of which will need specific messaging and strategies. Sounds complex, right? Don't stress because we run you through the ins and outs of it all in this episode. So let's jump in!Links mentioned in this episode:Find out how YOU respond to change!Episode 42: 5 behavioural science hacks you can use in your change commsMel's new book - 'Change isn't hard'Public workshops for 2024Say hi!Follow me on LinkedInFind out what I'm up to InstagramCheck out my websiteAsk a question

When the words 'behavioural science' get brought up, you wouldn't be alone in immediately thinking about any CSI or Bones show you could fathom. However, behavioural science is not simply used in characterising serial skillers, but rather, characterising people and the way they act, and interact, across a plethora of topics.For example, behavioural science can become a key player in how you manage your comms overall, but specifically in a change heavy role. And change communication in itself is about really, deeply understanding human behavior and then using your comms to drive a desired response. So then, how do we use this behavioural science to back up our change comms? Well, you're about to find out in this week's episode!Links mentioned in this episode:My book! Get on the mailing list to be the first to know when pre-sales open Quiz: Change friend or foe: how do you respond to change?Episode 24: Change vs internal communication: What's the difference?Say hi!Follow me on LinkedInFind out what I'm up to InstagramCheck out my websiteAsk a question

Another week, another episode full of knowledge on the Less Chatter, More Matter podcast. However, this week is a special one as we bring to you the perfect case study itself in crisis communications: the Optus outage of 2023.Last week, the hot crisis comms news came in the form of the colossal bin fire that was the national Optus outage (a.k.a the second largest telecommunications company in Australia) which left over 10 million customers without mobile, their phone, or internet services for over 12 hours. Now, over a week later and the mop up continues with what could be deemed the golden case study in what NOT to do for your communications in a crisis. So, we thought we’d dive right in and deliver some hot tips on crisis comms with some real-time examples.Plus, we'll talk you through some of the things they did right, a lot of the things they did wrong, and why we all need to be prepared for a crisis and what that can look like.So, let's get into it!Links mentioned in this episode:3rd Birthday training discount HMC workshops and trainingSay hi!Follow me on LinkedInFind out what I'm up to InstagramCheck out my websiteAsk a question