Within a few days of launching the IC Podcast, it reached number nine in the iTunes business podcast charts. The show’s host, Katie Macaulay, reflects on its success.
On Wednesday 16 January this year we hit ‘publish’ on iTunes and Spotify and held our breath. In truth, we had done very little market research or promotional activity. There had been no early pilot to test the water. We were relying on one thing – a passionate belief in the growing importance of internal communications (IC).
As an agency, AB has spent 54 years helping large, complex, changing organisations communicate more effectively with their people. In that time, we have seen IC rise steadily up the boardroom agenda. The link between a well-informed, engaged workforce and organisational success has never been better understood.
So, it felt time to shine a light on a discipline which, for too long, has been considered the poor relations in the communications family tree. And, The Internal Comms Podcast was born.
This fortnightly show will run for two seasons each year, with 10 shows in per season. The format is deceptively simple. I conduct in-depth, face-to-face interviews with leading lights in communications. Guests will vary from practitioners and business leaders, to consultants, commentators and authors. I hope the audience will play their part too by suggesting who should appear on the show.
The reaction to episode one far exceeded our expectations. The show received more than 30 five-star reviews on iTunes and episode one was shared widely on social media and played worldwide.
The consultant and trainer, Rachel Miller, proved to be an excellent choice for the launch episode. Listeners called the show “honest”, “warm” and “authentic”.
Episode two features one of the most senior communicators across Government, Russell Grossman and is now available to download.
This season I also chat to Jennifer Sproul, Chief Executive of the Institute of Internal Communication; the consultant and president elect of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, Jenni Field; and Mark Davies, Group Communications, Brand and Corporate Affairs Director for the Post Office – the UK’s largest retail network and largest financial services network.
I’m looking forward to seeing how each guest imparts their personality and experience on the show – taking the conversation into new territory each time. By delving deeper into people’s approach and insights, I hope to create a rewarding listen for curious communicators who want both information and inspiration.
There is a new and important discussion happening across the communications profession about the importance of IC in today’s rapidly changing workplace. It is both an honour and privilege to help lead that conversation.
We’d love to get your comments on the podcast, so do share on Twitter and Linkedin or drop us a line with your interviewee suggestions.
