Less Chatter, More Matter: The Communications Podcast

Mel Loy
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Communications expert, business owner, group fitness instructor...that's your podcast host, Mel Loy! In the Less Chatter, More Matter podcast, Mel shares tips on how to improve your communication skills, and interviews with the experts.In 2020, after almost 20 years in corporate communications, Mel (happily) took a redundancy from her full-time, executive corporate job and went out on her own, founding her communications agency, Cuttlefish Communications.These days, she's a sought-after speaker, workshop facilitator, and consultant, working for some of the biggest brands in Australia and popping up on speaker line-ups at conferences world wide. Expect short, entertaining episodes packed with valuable tips that will inspire you to try new things. Communication tips to improve your relationships at work, navigate crises, internal communication, and deliver change are top of the agenda.

  1. 4h ago

    #194 Synthetic reputation and how your brand shows up to AI (ft. Amrita Sidhu)

    What happens when AI starts telling people about your organisation, and you have little control over the story it tells? In this episode of the Less Chatter, More Matter podcast, we speak with Amrita Sidhu, Managing Director of MediaNet, board director of AMEC and director of AsiaNet, about synthetic reputation: the version of your brand's reputation that AI models assemble from information across the internet and repeat to anyone who asks. Not to mention AI-generated answers differ from traditional search results and historical website content, old blog posts and regulatory penalties can continue influencing how a brand is represented... long after they were relevant. So, we're giving you some practical ways to improve your organisation's visibility in AI-generated answers, while measuring synthetic reputation without creating another vanity metric. Tune in to discover why understanding your synthetic reputation is becoming an important part of managing your organisation's reputation in an AI-driven world, plus how you can start managing yours! Links mentioned in this episode: Amrita’s LinkedInMediaNet - Black Box ResearchAMEC - Integrated Evaluation Framework90 minute Strategy Power SessionPublic workshops and trainingLess Chatter, More Matter - Mel’s bookTemplate packsChange Isn't Hard! - Mel's bookSign up here to the fortnightly mail out of free resources!Say hi! Follow me on LinkedIn Find out what I'm up to Instagram Check out my website Ask a question

    #194 Synthetic reputation and how your brand shows up to AI (ft. Amrita Sidhu)

  2. Oct 28

    #193 What we can learn from the comms trends impacting Asia-Pacific right now

    Fresh from emceeing the IABC APAC Fusion 2026 conference in Brisbane, Mel Loy is here to share five key trends that emerged across two days and 34 speakers, exploring what they mean for communicators across the Asia-Pacific region. In this episode of the Less Chatter, More Matter podcast, we unpack why data-driven decision making is becoming essential, how communicators can move beyond delivering tactics to become influential strategic advisors, and why building trust before you need it is critical to protecting relationships and reputation. Yes, of course, we address the elephant in every room - the growing role of AI in communications, the skills we'll need to navigate what's coming, and why human judgement, empathy, cultural intelligence and genuine relationships will continue to set great communicators apart. The tools are changing fast. The question is whether we're changing with them... so, find out how to in this episode. Links mentioned in this episode: 90 minute Strategy Power SessionPublic workshops and trainingLess Chatter, More Matter - Mel’s bookTemplate packsChange Isn't Hard! - Mel's bookSign up here to the fortnightly mail out of free resources!Say hi! Follow me on LinkedIn Find out what I'm up to Instagram Check out my website Ask a question

    #193 What we can learn from the comms trends impacting Asia-Pacific right now

  3. Oct 21

    #192: The do's and don'ts of using AI in comms

    Are we comfortable using AI because it's useful, but are our audiences actually comfortable with it too? AI is making it easier than ever to create content, develop strategies and automate everyday tasks. But convenience doesn't automatically translate into audience trust. In this episode of the Less Chatter, More Matter podcast, we're diving head first into the findings from our research into people's comfort levels with AI, drawing on a survey of 124 respondents across 15 countries, alongside existing research into AI adoption and use. You'll discover four key findings: why people are more comfortable with AI supporting lower-risk tasks than handling personal processes such as recruitment and performance management; why age isn't necessarily a barrier to AI adoption; how AI tools could support people with disability and neurodivergence; and why identifying AI-generated content may be harder than we think. We also explore what these findings mean for professional communicators, and how to make sure it doesn't undermine the trust of your audience. Listen in for practical, research-informed insights to help you use AI thoughtfully, without losing sight of the people you're communicating with. Links mentioned in this episode: The Cuttlefish research90 minute Strategy Power SessionPublic workshops and trainingLess Chatter, More Matter - Mel’s bookTemplate packsChange Isn't Hard! - Mel's bookSign up here to the fortnightly mail out of free resources!Say hi! Follow me on LinkedIn Find out what I'm up to Instagram Check out my website Ask a question

    #192: The do's and don'ts of using AI in comms

  4. Oct 14

    #191 How to build a better workplace culture through communication (ft. Shane Michael Hatton)

    Everyone talks about workplace culture, but what does it actually mean, and how do you make it better? In this episode of the Less Chatter, More Matter podcast, we chat with Shane Michael Hatton, keynote speaker and best-selling author of Let's Talk Culture, about what workplace culture really is, why organisations often try to fix it at the wrong level, and how leaders can build a healthier culture by design. Drawing on research involving more than 1,000 Australian people leaders, Shane explains why culture is about more than values statements and engagement surveys. We explore the importance of psychological safety, the unspoken expectations that influence how people behave, and why trying to train your way out of a culture problem doesn't always work. Shane also explains why communication professionals have a critical role to play in bringing culture to life through shared language, storytelling and the everyday phrases that help teams understand what good looks like. So, listen in now! Links mentioned in this episode: Shane's websiteShane's LinkedIn90 minute Strategy Power SessionPublic workshops and trainingLess Chatter, More Matter - Mel’s bookTemplate packsChange Isn't Hard! - Mel's bookSign up here to the fortnightly mail out of free resources!Say hi! Follow me on LinkedIn Find out what I'm up to Instagram Check out my website Ask a question

    #191 How to build a better workplace culture through communication (ft. Shane Michael Hatton)

  5. Oct 7

    #190 How to moderate social media trolls, bots and backlash while managing your reputation (ft. Felicity Cull)

    Social media can be a brilliant way to build trust, connect with communities and manage your reputation. It can also become a very public mess very quickly. In this episode of the Less Chatter, More Matter podcast, we chat with social media and online community strategist Felicity Cull about what happens when trolls, bots, backlash and angry commenters turn up in your comments. Felicity has experienced online crises first-hand. On her second day at Foxtel, a streaming glitch meant a new season of Game of Thrones didn’t air and she walked into 16,000 negative comments. She later led social media response to COVID-19 for the Victorian Health Department. Together, Mel and Felicity unpack what social media teams actually need to know about moderation, including why ignoring negative comments can create legal and reputational risk, how to use the free moderation tools already available on platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, when to ban someone and when to turn off comments, and how to recognise potential bot activity. Plus, Felicity shares her three practical tips for protecting your brand, your reputation and your own sanity when the keyboard warriors arrive... as social media is no longer just a marketing problem, but a comms, PR and reputational management issue. Listen in to hear more! Links mentioned in this episode: Pesel & Carr - FelicityFelicity’s LinkedIn90 minute Strategy Power SessionPublic workshops and trainingLess Chatter, More Matter - Mel’s bookTemplate packsChange Isn't Hard! - Mel's bookSign up here to the fortnightly mail out of free resources! Say hi! Follow me on LinkedIn Find out what I'm up to Instagram Check out my website Ask a question

    #190 How to moderate social media trolls, bots and backlash while managing your reputation (ft. Felicity Cull)

  6. Sep 30

    #189 How communications professionals can prove their value in a performance review

    Performance reviews and goal-setting can feel like a box-ticking exercise, but they can also be a valuable opportunity for communications professionals to demonstrate the impact they have on the business.  In this episode of the Less Chatter, More Matter podcast, we give you six practical ways to approach your performance review so it works harder for you, your team and your organisation. We'll start with connecting your goals to strategic business priorities and measuring impact rather than outputs (very important), to identifying capability gaps, building your reputation with senior leaders and thinking about the bigger career goal you're working towards.  More simply: this episode is about making the value of communications much easier to see. More often than not, it feels like the bane of our existence attempting to quantify exactly what it is we do when KPIs aren't a real measure of communicating... so, how do we set realistic performance measures and goals? Find out and listen in! Links mentioned in this episode: 90 minute Strategy Power SessionPublic workshops and trainingLess Chatter, More Matter - Mel’s bookTemplate packsChange Isn't Hard! - Mel's bookSign up here to the fortnightly mail out of free resources!Say hi! Follow me on LinkedIn Find out what I'm up to Instagram Check out my website Ask a question

    #189 How communications professionals can prove their value in a performance review

  7. Sep 23

    #188 AI, marketing, comms and the human skills that still matter (ft. Kate Toon)

    AI might be changing how we work, but it hasn’t made human expertise redundant. In this episode of the Less Chatter, More Matter podcast, we chat with Kate Toon, award-winning business mentor, digital marketing coach, author, speaker and owner of Umina Beach Book Nook, about AI, marketing, communications, selling and the things that remain distinctly human. Kate shares her perspective on how generative AI is changing the marketing and copywriting landscape, why she believes professionals need to embrace the technology rather than fight it, and why having access to a powerful tool doesn’t automatically mean you know how to use it well. Together, they explore the value of experience, judgement, discernment and relationships, along with some practical advice for getting started with AI without becoming completely reliant on it.  ...and, because this is Less Chatter, More Matter, there’s also a discussion about bookshops, writing books without AI, crime novels, communication lessons learned from having a dry sense of humour, and why Kate would happily ban most meetings with more than three people. A practical and very human conversation about AI, expertise and what happens when the tools get better at doing the work. So, get listening now!  Links mentioned in this episode: Kate's websiteKate's LinkedIn90 minute Strategy Power SessionPublic workshops and trainingLess Chatter, More Matter - Mel’s bookTemplate packsChange Isn't Hard! - Mel's bookSign up here to the fortnightly mail out of free resources!Say hi! Follow me on LinkedIn Find out what I'm up to Instagram Check out my website Ask a question

    #188 AI, marketing, comms and the human skills that still matter (ft. Kate Toon)

  8. Sep 16

    #187 How to have better workplace conversations (even if they’re difficult) (ft. Noa Rein)

    What makes a really good conversation? Not one where everyone agrees, or one where nobody feels uncomfortable, and definitely not one where everyone politely nods and moves on. In this episode of Less Chatter, More Matter, we're joined by organisational psychologist, people geek and conversation expert Noa Rein to explore why having good conversations at work is becoming harder and why it's becoming more important. They unpack what happens when fear, uncertainty, polarisation and pressure cause people to self-censor or avoid disagreement altogether. They also explore the relationship between difficult conversations and psychological safety, and why curiosity is such an important antidote to certainty. Then, we give you practical advice for leaders and teams, including why we need to practise these conversations before we need them, how to create the right “containers” for difficult discussions, why leaders need to listen without immediately jumping to action, and Noa's simple rule: get back in the room because our inability to have a constructive conversation about a disagreement is the problem. This episode is a practical and thought-provoking conversation about workplace communication, leadership, psychological safety, curiosity and what it takes to create teams where people can genuinely hear each other. Plus, how polarisation in this day and age can come about simply from external forces causing generational misunderstandings!  Links mentioned in this episode: Noa’s LinkedInNoa’s website90 minute Strategy Power SessionPublic workshops and trainingLess Chatter, More Matter - Mel’s bookTemplate packsChange Isn't Hard! - Mel's bookSign up here to the fortnightly mail out of free resources!Say hi! Follow me on LinkedIn Find out what I'm up to Instagram Check out my website Ask a question

    #187 How to have better workplace conversations (even if they’re difficult) (ft. Noa Rein)
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About

Communications expert, business owner, group fitness instructor...that's your podcast host, Mel Loy! In the Less Chatter, More Matter podcast, Mel shares tips on how to improve your communication skills, and interviews with the experts.In 2020, after almost 20 years in corporate communications, Mel (happily) took a redundancy from her full-time, executive corporate job and went out on her own, founding her communications agency, Cuttlefish Communications.These days, she's a sought-after speaker, workshop facilitator, and consultant, working for some of the biggest brands in Australia and popping up on speaker line-ups at conferences world wide. Expect short, entertaining episodes packed with valuable tips that will inspire you to try new things. Communication tips to improve your relationships at work, navigate crises, internal communication, and deliver change are top of the agenda.

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