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Episodes
- Report for FIR #336
(9mb)
Tue, 15 Apr 2008 02:30:00 GMT Author: lee@leehopkins.net (Lee Hopkins)In this weekâs report:
A rather futuristic thought piece on Second Life or other 3D Collaborative Virtual Worlds and our existing 2D web properties such as our traditional website, Facebook, Plaxo, MySpace, Twitter, et al.
Plus a request to the community at large to help me with an academic paper. Iâm looking for your âa-haâ moments when you âgot itâ about Web2.0, and when your colleagues, your clients, your managers, etc., âgot itâ â what were the circumstances around that âa-haâ moment? Email to SL@LeeHopkins.net
Eight minutes and 53 seconds of â well, I was going to say âaudio geniusâ but let us just say, âaudioâ
- Report for FIR #332 (8mb)
Tue, 1 Apr 2008 01:08:00 GMT Author: lee@leehopkins.net (Lee Hopkins)
The Hitwise Social Networks report and latest newsletter - the implications for social network evolution. - Report for FIR #326 (4mb)
Tue, 1 Apr 2008 01:07:00 GMT Author: lee@leehopkins.net (Lee Hopkins)- Interview with a few Social Media 101 Workshop attendees
- On being able to put into words and share with others what Social Media is all about - a tip
- Report for FIR #324 (4mb)
Tue, 1 Apr 2008 01:06:00 GMT Author: lee@leehopkins.net (Lee Hopkins)- The BetterComms Empire takes on a new staff member - Sandy, my new assistant
- The release of the Better Social Media Communication Results newsletter (and a special rate for listeners)
- Report for FIR #322 (8mb)
Tue, 1 Apr 2008 01:05:00 GMT Author: lee@leehopkins.net (Lee Hopkins)- The 'Back' button Vs opening up a new browser window/tab - what does the community think we should standardise on?
- Seth Godin, Web2.0 Vs Web3.0 - are we ready for Web3.0 yet?
- Report for FIR #316 (6mb)
Tue, 1 Apr 2008 00:47:00 GMT Author: lee@leehopkins.net (Lee Hopkins)- CarCast from the BetterComms Maserati - will Corporate Australia launch social media initiatives behind the firewall before it engages with the publics outside the firewall?
- On being a B-list bloglebrity
- Do dog doors come in microwaved flavours?
- Report for FIR #314 (5mb)
Mon, 28 Jan 2008 22:48:00 GMT Author: lee@leehopkins.net (Lee Hopkins)
And in this weekâs report:
- On a new portable digital recorder for podcasters,
- Dave Fleet's Social Media Training wiki and
- the REAL meaning of 'Twitter' (and a tip of the fez to Luke Armour for uncovering a cracker of a Twitter profile)
All in all, five minutes and 16 seconds of audio enlightenment [4.3mb].
- Report for FIR #310 (4mb)
Mon, 14 Jan 2008 05:18:00 GMT Author: lee@leehopkins.net (Lee Hopkins)
This week:
On Janitor2.0, testing an online business building system, and fear and anger as keys to persuasion.
Links:
Janitor2.0 [http://www.mguerilla.com/media_guerrilla/2008/01/janitor-20-the.html]
Online business building system blog [http://www.leehopkins.net/nitro]
www.LeeHopkins.net
Music by Flopsy (http://podsafeaudio.com/jamroom/bands/546/) - Report for FIR #308 (6mb)
Tue, 8 Jan 2008 19:16:00 GMT Author: lee@leehopkins.net (Lee Hopkins) - Report for FIR #306 (3mb)
Tue, 8 Jan 2008 19:15:00 GMT Author: lee@leehopkins.net (Lee Hopkins) - Report for FIR #304 (6mb)
Tue, 8 Jan 2008 19:14:00 GMT Author: lee@leehopkins.net (Lee Hopkins) - Report for FIR #302 (6mb)
Tue, 18 Dec 2007 01:39:00 GMT Author: lee@leehopkins.net (Lee Hopkins)On Second Life now that the goldrush is over, on the Australian Federal Police and pedophiles, and on why I disagree with Chip Griffin
- Report for FIR #300 (3mb)
Tue, 11 Dec 2007 01:49:00 GMT Author: lee@leehopkins.net (Lee Hopkins)
Report for FIR#300:
On Gerry McCusker's 'best PR gaffes of 2007' list - BCRV - a test of a new vidcast (7mb)
Fri, 30 Nov 2007 07:57:00 GMT Author: lee@leehopkins.net (Lee Hopkins)Itâs only a test of the software, but Iâve popped a video test run of a possible new-look Better Communication Results Video up on YouTube.
Iâd appreciate your comments.
- My report for FIR #296 (6mb)
Thu, 29 Nov 2007 06:15:00 GMT Author: lee@leehopkins.net (Lee Hopkins)And in this weekâs report:
- the election is over â now what will happen about Australiaâs atrocious broadband?
- Australian financial institutions not ready for Web2.0, but realise that consumers are demanding it
- Australian Federal Police (AFP) acknowledge their lack of skills within virtual worlds, so will set up island in SL and recruit savvy teens and web consultants to create one of the largest units within the AFP
- Report for FIR #294 (5mb)
Wed, 21 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT Author: lee@leehopkins.net (Lee Hopkins)
âProfessorâ Hopkins rises from his deathbed to encourage Australian corporations to follow in the footsteps of ABC (thatâs the Australian Broadcast Corporation, to you Yanks) and Telstra and venture into social media, and to welcome the reappearance of Meryl Davidâa reminder that blogs can be a good way to stay in touch with friends and family, as well as a business communications tool. - BCR #36 - Rod Quinn from ABC Local Radio grills me (7mb)
Thu, 6 Sep 2007 01:02:00 GMT Author: lee@leehopkins.net (Lee Hopkins)
Recorded a few weeks ago, Rod Quinn from ABC Local Radio interviewed me about Facebook, MySpace and web stuff in general.In all, 14 minutes and 55 seconds of audio entertainment and enlightenment.
- Chatt #26: On crap communicators and micro-Web2.0 (10mb)
Thu, 30 Aug 2007 14:07:00 GMT Author: lee@leehopkins.net (Lee Hopkins)
The first podcast in over six months!
In this action-packed explosion of erudition Lee shares his experiences on a half-day workshop on Social Media, especially his view that business communicators suck at communicating.
Allan agrees, noting that the two best ways to prepare for a presentation are to:
1. Don't work out and shape your presentation in Powerpoint; only turn on Powerpoint when you already HAVE your story.
2. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse.
Lee praises David Grossman for his superb presentation that obviously met both of the above criteria, and agrees that he is the 'one born every minute' as PT Barnum would say.
Allan goes into depth about how to use headline titles in PowerPoint correctly.
Allan confesses that he doesn't read blogs these days, preferring to read Twitter, Jaiku and Facebook. Lee is really concerned at the possible death of blogging at the hands of micro-blogging and wonders whether the 'attention deficit economy' means that we are witnesses to the end of long-form creativity.
But then again, 'they' all said that children were only interested in multi-colour, fast-paced, interactive blip-style media, and Harry Potter completely blew 'their' opinions out of the water. As Nassim Taleb says, a 'black swan' moment (a 'black swan' because scientific reason held that swans were only available in 'white', because hundreds of thousands of observations had shown only white swans. When black swans were discovered in Western Australia they completely and instantaneously made a mockery of 'scientific experts' and destroyed several 'truths' about swans that the scientific community held dear to their hearts.
The differences in blog usage between Lee and Allan reflect their different perspectives. Allan uses his social media tools to engage with a small group of practitioners, to swap ideas and so on. Lee uses his tools as branding and marketing outreach channels. Both of their perspectives are equally valid.
Like the 'old fart' that he is, Lee laments over the 'walled gardens' of Facebook, CommunicatorsNetwork, MyRagan, Second Life, MySpace and so on, arguing that these walled gardens are the opposite of the ethos of social media and the internet in general. Allan, quite naturally, sees these as complementary not antagonistic to the ethos, allowing small, like-minded groups of individuals to coalesce and share the conversations they would probably share around the water cooler, coffee urn or friendly pint down at the Queen's Bum & Icepack.
Allan points out that there are stylistic differences that the limitations of micro-blogging can actually work to enhance, recounting that one well-known blogger is incredibly stilted and annoying on their blog posts, but warm, friendly and very funny in their micro-posts. Allan even briefly mentions Danah Boyd's post about the socio-economic differences between the residents of MySpace and Facebook.
Agree with them? Disagree? Let them have it - both barrels! Drop your comments on the show blog, or even better send a Waxmail to their Gmail account: commscafe at gmail dot com.
All in all, 30 minutes of caffeine-fuelled hyperbole and satire.
Until next time (paying clients must always take priority) take it easy, take some risks, take your children to the park. - BCR #35 - an interview with pro photographer Steve McCawley (12mb)
Mon, 6 Aug 2007 06:21:00 GMT Author: lee@leehopkins.net (Lee Hopkins)
I recently interviewed long-time friend and ace photographer Steve McCawley.Steve is half of the award-winning Slingshot Studios here in Adelaide, two photographers (Jim is the other chap) who are as passionate about their photography as I am about business communication.
In this interview I ask Steve about digital rights photography, in particular whether âstockâ photography is a good or bad thing. Steve has unsurprising views, but what he also reveals is fascinating!
In all, 24 minutes and 20 seconds of audio entertainment and enlightenment. - BCR #34: an interview with Bill Sweetman (14mb)
Fri, 13 Jul 2007 06:26:00 GMT Author: lee@leehopkins.net (Lee Hopkins)WOW! What a day!
Not only do I finally get a vlog up and 'live', but I also get to interview online marketing legend and all-round good guy (aka 'white hat' not 'black hat') Bill Sweetman.
Based in Toronto, Canada, Bill is the power behind the 'must-listen-to' podcast 'Marketing Martini'. Like Donna PepsiCola, Bill's podcasts are short, sweet and very 'to the point', with no waffle or fluff. I cannot recommend them highly enough!
Bill graciously agreed to be interviewed by me and we discussed why blogs are so powerful and loved so much by search engines, why Social Media in general (including Facebook) is so powerful a business tool for 'connection', and Bill shared some fabulous tips for getting the most out of your search engine optimisation tactics.
All in all, 29 minutes and 37 seconds of insight, wisdom and 'stuff' you absolutely need to know. As he says on his Marketing Martini site, Bill is officially 'on holiday' at the moment so I am especially grateful that he took the time to answer my questions and give of his wisdom.
Subscribe to my audio podcast feed and receive my audio podcast every time I publish one [hint: there's another great interview coming out next week!].
- Report for FIR #256 (3mb)
Mon, 9 Jul 2007 14:26:00 GMT Author: lee@leehopkins.net (Lee Hopkins)On LiveWriter, burning the email bridges and a thought of the day.
Links:
Dan York: http://www.disruptiveconversations.com/2007/07/windows-live-wr.html
LiveWriter download: http://windowslivewriter.spaces.live.com/
Zoundry: http://zoundry.com/
Crackbook: http://facebook.com/
Twitku: http://twitku.com/
MyRagan: http://myragan.com/
Communicators Network: http:/communicatorsnetwork.com/
GreatNews: http://curiostudio.com/ - BCR #32: 28Jun2007 (27mb)
Fri, 29 Jun 2007 00:32:00 GMT Author: lee@leehopkins.net (Lee Hopkins)And in today's vlog I look at the clutter and confusion that is the social media world at the moment - and what I intend to do about it.
- My FIR report for June 5th, 2007 (3mb)
Mon, 4 Jun 2007 17:33:00 GMT Author: lee@leehopkins.net (Lee Hopkins) - Chat #24: on pimping, podcasting and professionalism (23mb)
Tue, 13 Feb 2007 05:54:00 GMT Author: lee@leehopkins.net (Lee Hopkins)
Welcome from the global eruption of erudition
00:39
A word from our sponsors - GoToMeeting.com
01:58
Your two intrepid intellects come clean that Allan & I are only into podcasting for the money. From the advertising revenue we receive we will be renting ajoining penthouse suites at a swanky hotel in New Orleans. Yes, we disclose exactly how much we have received...
02:56
Ted Demopoulos' new book "What no one ever tells you about blogging and podcasting: real-life advice from 101 people who successfully leverage the power of the blogosphere" is fabulous, but Allan wants the 2nd Edition out pronto! That's because he's not in it. Lee assures Allan that the reason he's not in it, unlike Lee who IS in it [page 25], is because Allan is not worth talking about, unlike Lee. Allan doesn't like the title, but Lee is happy with it because it draws you in, just as good Direct Marketing titles should do. Lee loves Ted's writing style, and also comments favourably on 'Promoting your podcast: the ultimate guide to building an audience of raving fans" by Jason Van Orden.
07:35
Allan is jealous of Lee's new Edirol R-09 digital recorder. Lee explains why he received it and again thanks Ross Monaghan at Deakin University for the opportunity.
08:28
Lee has been called many things over the years, but is he a "professional?" The question has been keeping Allan up late at night (much to Mrs Coffee's disgust). Jay Rosen and Shel Holtz raised the question a little while ago, Lee blogged about it over at the Marcom blog with interesting answers from Robert French's PR students. Allan thinks that the question for being recognised as a 'professional'; Lee recalls his Sociology studies and attempts to sound authoritative by talking about the 'Professional Project'. Both toss the ideas around about formal, legal accountability versus informal self-accreditation (including the IABC & PRSA), plus the difference between respect for the positional title and respect for the person. Allan suggests that accredited professionals have to go for re-examination or accreditation every, say, 5 years, in order to show that they are undergoing self-development and keeping their skills up to date.
Agree with us? Disagree? Let us have it - both barrels! Drop your comments on the show blog, or even better send a Waxmail to our new Gmail account: commscafe at gmail dot com.
All in all, 23 minutes of caffeine-fuelled hyperbole and satire, which you can either download and listen to right away, or else subscribe to via your rss podcatcher. And if you are an iTunes user, you can find our podcast in the iTunes Music Store (for free, of course!) Beware, though: iTunes has a funny habit of not picking up all of our chats; you are better off copying our rss feed and then, in your copy of iTunes, go to âAdvancedâ in the top menu bar, âSubscribe to Podcastââ and paste in our rss feed there.
Until next time (paying clients must always take priority) take it easy, take some risks, take the garbage out when your wife asks you to. - Audio of BCR #29 - employee communications (7mb)
Tue, 30 Jan 2007 07:34:00 GMT Author: lee@leehopkins.net (Lee Hopkins)
G'day and welcome to a special edition of Better Communication Results.
So what's in today's show?
Employee Communications -- why they are so important!
This edition is being published as both an audio podcast AND a video podcast -- and in two 'flavours' of that, no less!
Firstly, the audio -- you can download or subscribe to my audio podcast feed and receive my audio podcast.
Video -- you can subscribe to my video feed (for playing in iTunes or your video iPod, for example) or you can download the iPod friendly version OR the PocketPC-friendly version.
Cool, huh?
If the demand is there I might even set up a separate subscribe feed for each type, iPod and PocketPC.
Whichever way you want it (audio only, iPod or PocketPC) the edition is only 16 minutes long and worksafe -- what a bargain!
- BCR #29 - special edition on employee communication (57mb)
Tue, 30 Jan 2007 07:33:00 GMT Author: lee@leehopkins.net (Lee Hopkins)
G'day and welcome to a special edition of Better Communication Results.
So what's in today's show?
Employee Communications -- why they are so important!
This edition is being published as both an audio podcast AND a video podcast -- and in two 'flavours' of that, no less!
Firstly, the audio -- you can download or subscribe to my audio podcast feed and receive my audio podcast.
Video -- you can subscribe to my video feed (for playing in iTunes or your video iPod, for example) or you can download the iPod friendly version OR the PocketPC-friendly version.
Cool, huh?
If the demand is there I might even set up a separate subscribe feed for each type, iPod and PocketPC.
Whichever way you want it (audio only, iPod or PocketPC) the edition is only 16 minutes long and worksafe -- what a bargain!
- Chat #23: On how Web2.0 is now 'normal' and consultancy ethics (27mb)
Fri, 26 Jan 2007 13:11:00 GMT Author: lee@leehopkins.net (Lee Hopkins)Welcome :-)
It's been a while -- and we knew you missed us so we came back!
In this cheeky chat we:
- Craftily reference a YouTube video of Aussie satire show CNNNN
- Let you know that GoToMeeting.com are our sponsors (and we think their product is great, too!)
- Chat about Allan's recent 'off the grid' experience over the Dec-Jan period -- he loved it, we missed him, and he only thought of Lee twice but was blown away by how 'matter of fact' some folks in his travels consider podcasting and blogging
- Talk about the time it takes to create a podcast versus a vidcast versus a blogpost, and Allan has a superb strategy for dealing with the whole 'time it takes' issue for SMEs (Small-Medium Enterprises) -- plus he explains why he rarely listens to podcasts and explains why Auburn University takes a day off to celebrate Robert French once making the 'Coffee Stain at the Bottom of the Cup' section of Allan's blogroll.
- Link to such luminaries as Mitch Joel, Bryper, Josh Hallett, Robert French, C.C. Chapman, The Divine Miss M (nice new image for your Diary of a Shameless Self-Promoter podcast, Heidi!), Donna PepsiCola, Steve Crescenzo, Stuart Bruce, Shel, Neville and FIR, and the IABC Conference in New Orleans
- And talk about LibraryThing.com and the wonderful scanning mouse you can buy for $15-20 -- well worth it!
Along the way we rip the p*ss out of each other (as usual), disagree with each other (as usual) and shed more light on business communication than you will see at an Aerosmith concert.
Agree with us? Disagree? Let us have it - both barrels! Drop your comments on the show blog, or even better send a Waxmail to our new Gmail account: commscafe at gmail dot com.
All in all, 36 minutes of caffeine-fuelled hyperbole and satire
- Interview with Brad Bellaver (26mb)
Fri, 5 Jan 2007 06:58:00 GMT Author: lee@leehopkins.net (Lee Hopkins)As part of a series of interviews with great internal communicators that I conducted for Deakin University, Brad Bellaver, currently the Internal Comms Supremo for Wells Fargo's Technology Information Group, was kind enough to run the gauntlet of my ferocious interrogative style (hah!).
I'm not sure why this particular interview fell through a gap, but Deakin forgot to publish it -- so I have instead!
Brad's views on the importance of employee communications is STUNNING!
He has so many diamonds within his head that the man is a walking jewellery store!
What does he do?
"I'm the little sheep dog you see running around cattle, trying to keep them all heading in the same direction."
So he explains how he helps 40,000 employees put all their left feet down in front of their right at the same time, including saying 'No' to those who would try to hijack the strategic communication goals.
"We need to move from 'message deliverer' to 'meaning maker'"
If you're thinking that the easiest way to communicate with 'the troops' is via the intranet, you are in for a rude and powerful wake-up!
I cannot recommend this 55 minute interview enough -- even listening to it again now I find myself getting buzzed all over again from the amount of passion and energy that Brad has; he's contagious!
- BCR #28: Pen and paper can still thrive in a digital world (2mb)
Thu, 4 Jan 2007 04:57:00 GMT Author: lee@leehopkins.net (Lee Hopkins)Edition 28 of Better Communication Results the podcast is now live and ready for your audio entertainment.
Yes, it has been AGES since I published a podcast without my colleague in arms and good friend Allan Jenkins, but as he's not back on deck from his exceedingly well-earned break until next week I figured there was no harm in releasing one of my own.
In this edition I argue that there are still times when paper and pencil beats digital -- but not many!
Links: OneNote, MindManager, Moleskines, D*I*Y Planner
At just 4 minutes and 45 seconds long, and worksafe friendly, it's a bargain!
- Videoblog: 15th December 2006 (69mb)
Sat, 16 Dec 2006 01:36:00 GMT Author: lee@leehopkins.net (Lee Hopkins)
Show notes for Friday 15 December 2006
Drinking from the wonderful CommsCafe mug!
A beautiful day today, as usual, and we have lovely rain yesterday
Mark Fletcher is back from the schemozzle that was LeWeb3 and has come up with a brilliant idea: a bumper sticker. You can download this one and edit it to your heart's content -- let me know what you come up with!
My vidcast Pick of the Week: Don't Be That Guy! [courtesy of the Rumor Girls]
Tom Bunzel has a video on the business features of Office2007 & Vista. It's 69 minutes long and there is a zip file you can download (but I had no luck - perhaps Microsoft have pulled it due to heavy downloading)
Today's video clip reminds me of one of the many joys of marriage, and should help propel those thinking of 'tying the knot' to race down the aisle.
Until next time take care, take some business risks, and take your hands out of your trousers when you talk to me, boy!
tags: Top Bunzel,Mark Fletcher,bumper stickers,marriage,don't be that guy,rumour girls - Vidblog: 30 November 2006 (86mb)
Thu, 30 Nov 2006 07:02:00 GMT Author: lee@leehopkins.net (Lee Hopkins)
Goodness, what do we call it: a vidblog? a vodcast? a vlog? Write your ideas on a sheet of paper, wrap them around a large brick and send them flying in my general direction...It's boiling hot outside, hence an interior shot today, with the blinds drawn to keep the heat out.
Today's soup de jour:
- Anshe Chung projects revenues from Second Life will hit around US$2.6m for 2006. Not bad; she even intends to double her employee numbers to 50. Mind you, we still don't know how the 'Donald Trump' of Second Life feels about having more realistic hair...
- My new 'best blog of the week', CleverClogs by Marjolein Hoekstra, not only gives me a fantastic new way of organising my RSS feeds, but also points me to a free 5gb online hard drive and personalised filing system. Cool!
- Tool tip: Password Master 4.0 for Windows PocketPC
- Today's brilliant vid clip comes from the 'What Women Really Don't Want For Christmas' category
- Thanks to Donna P for her lovely card
Enjoy!
- Podcast: Interview with Catriona Byrne (7mb)
Sat, 23 Sep 2006 10:05:00 GMT Author: lee@leehopkins.net (Lee Hopkins)
Interview with Catriona Byrne - Podcast: Interview with Amy Gooen (13mb)
Fri, 22 Sep 2006 01:57:00 GMT Author: lee@leehopkins.net (Lee Hopkins)
Interview with Amy Gooen at Verisign - Podcast: Interview with Meryl David (6mb)
Tue, 19 Sep 2006 11:24:00 GMT Author: lee@leehopkins.net (Lee Hopkins)
An interview with Meryl David, IABC Supremo and Internal Communications Manager at Zurich Financial Services, Australia.
