RepMan

RepChatter #65

Most organizations would kill for a loyal customer base. Yet, many customers aren't worth having. Listen to Steve and Ted's conversation with Professor Lerzan Aksoy of Fordham Business School to find out why.

Download RepChatter - #65

Sorry, dawg, but you just don't have what it takes

We're holding 'American Idol' type auditions for the new voiceover introduction of our Repchatter podcast. How cool is that? To select just the right voice, we've asked interested employees to 'perform' in front of four judges.

They'll read a prepared script (or, one of their own choosing if they prefer) and we'll evaluate them on originality, performance and, naturally, their voice. Oh, and the winner will receive a $100 gift certificate.

I never could have done this at my previous workplaces. They simply wouldn't have permitted it. Nor could I see it being done at many workplaces I've come into contact with recently. Most take themselves way, way too seriously. Peppercom, on the other hand, has always espoused a 'work hard, play hard' ethic and the auditions are a pure play hard example.

So, the next time our vast listening audience of four downloads Repchatter, they'll hear a brand, new intro delivered by an employee who just pocketed a cool $100 for muttering a few sentences. It's good work if you can get it. And, it's good to be in an environment where this stuff happens.

RepChatter show #42 posted

 

Michael Vick, Barry Bonds, and a corrupt NBA referee. What is the world of professional sports coming to? In the most recent RepChatter podcast Steve and Ted discuss how the actions of today’s athletes are diminishing the integrity of professional sports.

MakTalk / Repchatter Pt. 2 posted

Back in June, Ken Makovsky and I did a podcast on the subject of business blogging. For our second  show in this series, we decided to get the perspective of someone who heads up a successful corporate blogging initiative. So, we looked no further than GM, which publishes several very well-known and respected blogs. Bill Betts, GM's Communications Web Services Manager, spoke with us recently about the role of blogging at GM and what the corporate communications team is doing to make it a success. Listen to it here.

Repchatter show #25 posted

Ted and I are joined by our special guest, Dawn Lauer, for a discussion on the Pope's recent remarks  on Islam, in which he quoted a 14th century Christian emperor as referring to elements of the Muslim faith as "evil and inhuman." Some say it has proven to be a major PR blunder that risks undermining dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Muslim world for years to come.

Repchatter # 24 posted

Ted and I revisit earlier discussions about Katie Couric's new role as anchor of the CBS Evening News. You know my views on this topic, and for those of you who disagree, you'll appreciate Ted's strong opinions to the contrary (even though he is dead-wrong).

RepChatter show #23 posted

Ted and I have a discussion with Matthew Schwartz, a reporter with BtoB and BtoB's Media Business, about the image and reputation of the journalism and PR professions as they are portrayed in Hollywood. Woody Allen’s new movie, "Scoop;" Bravo’s reality series, "Tabloid Wars;" and Lizzie Grubman's "PoweR Girls" all portray professionals in these fields as "drunks and tarts," according to a recent article by David Carr in the NYT (subscription required). Why is it happening and how are these inaccurate and superficial portrayals affecting the fields of journalism and PR?

RepChatter #22 posted

As Floyd Landis defends his Tour de France title, the sport of cycling faces some major image and reputation challenges. I discuss the issue with Jonathan Vaughters, a former number one ranked U.S. cyclist, CEO of Slipstream Sports, and director of Team TIAA-CREF.

RepChatter #21 posted

Ted and I discuss Bush’s candid conversations with Putin, Blair and other world leaders at the recent G-8 Summit. How does this impact Bush’s already tarnished reputation? More importantly, how does this effect the reputation of the U.S.?

RepChatter Show #20 posted

Ted and I discuss the new Reader's Digest Poll that rates New York as the most courteous city. What does this mean for the image of New York?  With input from some true Midwesterner's, we debate the reputation of NYC compared to other major cities in the U.S. that may need a reputation revamp.