The Media Coach

Hi John,

I love a great speaker and a great speech. There's a lot we can learn from watching the best, and in my view that includes Barack Obama. He delivered a powerful speech to the Democratic National Convention In Chicago on Tuesday.

It contained the classic elements of logos, ethos and pathos. It contained great storytelling. It contained at least a dozen classic rhetorical devices. And most of all, it delivered a clear simple message that resonated with the audience.



OK, it was a political speech, and not everyone will agree with his views. But I think it's important to separate technique from opinion, and take lessons we can use in our own speeches.

The busy time for volunteering is coming to an end, and it's been a lot of fun.

I've been in various teams delivering advice, and one of the most enjoyable has been a spell in Parliament Square. On one shift, we answered over 200 questions from tourists.

We had a chat at the end about the questions asked - the strangest one was a couple who wanted to know where the ruins of Parliament were.

They explained that they knew the story of Guy Fawkes and wanted to see what remained of the buildings he blew up (I'm not making this up). We told them that Guy Fawkes had failed, and the buildings weren't destroyed, but simply replaced in Victorian times by the gothic buildings across the road.

They were delighted.

My guest in the radio show this week is Steve Postell. He's a singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer who I was pleased to welcome back.

In addition to his solo work, he features in several bands, including The Immediate Family, a group of top-class session musicians who have appeared on many albums, as well as touring with the likes of Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt and Stevie Nicks.

He also tours with another of my recent guests, Iain Matthews. Yes, I know - it's a bit like they are all family.

Hear our fascinating chat in the in the radio show

Go to the MediaCoach Show

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And there's a great song by The Immediate Family

The MediaMug of the week goes to Brian Niccol, the new CEO of Starbucks.

He has come under fire after it was revealed he will commute almost 1,000 miles (1,600km) from his family home in Newport Beach, California, to the firm's headquarters in Seattle on a corporate jet.

Critics on social media have noted what they see as a discrepancy between the company's public stance on green issues and the lifestyles of its top executives.

He's been brought in to boost the company's falling sales. Instead of paying for a private jet, perhaps they should make the coffee better.

I'm sure that by now you know the speaker's "rule of three", or as it's known in classic rhetoric, a Tricolon. Whenever you are giving a list of items, always try to make it a list of three. It's easy on the ear, and is also easy for both you and the audience to remember. The "speaker's triplet" is also often used to trigger applause (known as a "claptrap") in political speeches, since the audience recognises that the list is complete as the third item is spoken.

Why does it work? I don't know, and don't really care (though I'm sure that I will receive some explanations as a result of this article). The thing is, it does work, so you should use it. You can use the same word ("education, education, education"), three different words ("faith, hope and charity"), or three phrases ("Government of the people, by the people, for the people") You can even use three complete sentences ("The time for the healing of the wounds has come. The moment to bridge the chasms that divide us has come. The time to build is upon us" - Nelson Mandela)

Even in debates, if you are unsure about how to deliver a list, just give the first two that you can think of. Other listeners, aware that the list cannot be complete, will wait for several seconds before speaking, giving you time to gather your thoughts.

Finally, consider making the last item longer than the others ("life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness").This gives an implicit emphasis on the importance of the last in the list, and allows you to finish with a flourish (or maybe three flourishes)



Excellent. That's it. Very well done you.

If you are called to do an interview on a breakfast show, don't leave your preparations until the morning. You will probably be nervous and rushed, so you need to prepare the night before. Take an hour to sit somewhere quietly to get your thoughts in order. Write down your core message and memorise it. Practice saying it out loud several times.

Plan your outfit, and set it out ready. Some early morning interviews may require a pickup at some unearthly hour (I speak from experience here). If you want to stay friends with your partner, put your clothes and accessories in a spare room, and sneak out quietly. The alternative (and here I speak from experience again) is to stumble around and try to get dressed in the dark. This is not a good idea for many reasons. Set aside a bottle of water - you sometimes don't get any at the studio, and the journey may be long and dry too.

On the way to the studio, simply practice your core message. Don't try to think of every eventuality, but instead, focus on what you want to say. On arrival, make sure that you visit the toilet and sort out your appearance, since you may be called in for the interview at any time - maybe half an hour earlier than you expected.

During the interview, smile, even if you're feeling weary. The breakfast presenters will seem unusually cheery for such an early hour, but that's their job. When the interview is over, comfort yourself with the knowledge that you have already done a great job while most of your colleagues are still getting ready for work. Go and enjoy a good breakfast.

There have been some recent court cases here in the UK where people have been sent to prison for comments made on social media.

This has led to some concern about what is safe to post, and whether simply expressing a view could lead to you ending up in court.

So here's some advice.

If you are thinking of posting something online that would get you into trouble if you said it in public, don't post it. The law applies equally to comments made online and offline. That includes incitement to violence or causing harm, or promoting hatred against a particular group or individual.

Remember that we all leave a digital footprint that can be accessed and analysed years later. Even if what you say is legal, it could give you problems at some point in the future.

Don't be offensive, don't be racist or sexist and don't be insulting. The passing of time is not going to be an excuse to people, so just don't say it in the first place.

One-liners are the hardest comedy routines to create - but Gary Delaney has no problem..

You know I can help. Just get in touch. 07986 852621

The information in this ezine may be freely re-used in any online or offline publication, provided it is accompanied by the following credit line - "This information was written by Alan Stevens, and originally appeared in "The MediaCoach", his free weekly ezine, available at www.mediacoach.co.uk."