Building and Protecting your Reputation |
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Hi John,
One tough interview follows another, eh? After the disastrous performance by Prince Andrew, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn put up a dreadful showing this week when quizzed by Andrew Neill. I'm not making a political point here, by the way. I'm using both interviews as an example of how badly things can go when the basic rules of crisis communication are ignored.
Whenever a crisis occurs, rule one is to offer sympathy and understanding to anyone who has been affected. This is not the same as accepting blame or responsibility (though that may be required too). It's a basic human reaction to people who have suffered. In Prince Andrew's case, the first words from his mouth, regardless of the question, should have been to express sympathy with the victims of Jeffrey Epstein. In Jeremy Corbyn's case, he should have taken the first opportunity to apologise for the hurt and distress that Jewish members of his party are feeling.
In both cases, the men failed to understand that you need to show your basic humanity before getting into the facts. It's rule one for life, really. |
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I'm in Dublin right now, checking out a fabulous venue for a conference in three years time that I am chairing.
I will let you know more in due course, but it gives me not only the chance to review a wonderful conference centre, but also to visit my greatest pal, Sean Weafer, as well as spending a day with top Irish professional speakers. A few adult beverages may be consumed! |
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Just one two-hours-a month place is still available on my speaker coaching programme for 2020, so if you'd like to discuss how you can increase your fees, boost your bookings and create killer keynotes, just reply to this email and we'll have a chat. |
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There's also a wonderful song from Dublin Troubadour Rob Corcoran, which has just been included by Irish legend Christy Moore on his new album (see the sleeve note below). Good one, Rob! |
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The MediaMaestro is a writer and critic I have long admired.. Only last week I was in a second-hand bookshop unearthing a first edition of one of his volumes of prose that I have been seeking for years. Clive James was a genius.
An Australian who made his home in London, while travelling widely and producing the most wonderful turn of phrase and the most brilliant insights. He had the gift of always being able to see the wry humour in everything, and I re-read his books every year.
United Agents said: “Clive died almost 10 years after his first terminal diagnosis, and one month after he laid down his pen for the last time. He endured his ever-multiplying illnesses with patience and good humour, knowing until the last moment that he had experienced more than his fair share of this ‘great, good world’.”
Allow me to share one of my favourite vignettes of his. He was writing about the BBC program Ski Sunday, hosted by David Vine. Here is his review:
The activities in Ski Sunday (BBC2) were likewise blessed with the redeeming presence of David Vine. The venue was Finland, the event was the seventy-metre ski jump, and David had equipped himself with yet another new line in priapic dialogue. ˜Got good hang" David would intone, as a jumper standing horizontally to attention with a ski-tip in each nostril went sailing down the valley. The really important thing for a jumper was to have good hang. There was no point having the explosion if you did not have good hang.
"There's the explosion!" David would cry as the jumper launched himself into the void. ˜Hang, hang, hang . . . and that is long!" Kokkonen had extremely good hang and exploded enormously, but the man I liked was the one who lost a ski on the way down and had to choose between landing on the leg with the ski or the leg without. He chose the leg without - a huge error. |
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The MediaMug, (or in fact MediaMugs) are the Russian developers of a VR headset for cows, which they claim is increasing milk yields by fooling cows into thinking they are in a beautiful field rather than on a small, rather dull farm (I am not making this up).
VR systems adapted for the "structural features of cow heads" and were shown a "unique summer field simulation program". Moscow's Ministry of Agriculture and Food cited research which they say has shown a link between a cow's emotional experience and its milk yield. Initial tests reportedly boosted "the overall emotional mood of the herd".
However, I smell a rat. The press release says the experiment wasn’t conducted by a university but by Milknews.ru, a news site for the Russian dairy industry. It also encourages readers to sign up for the upcoming “VI International Agro-Industrial Dairy Forum” where they can learn more about technology in agriculture. This suggests the VR cows might just be a good way to get attention for an otherwise run-of-the-mill conference. If so: job done.
Perhaps the story is just Fake Moos. |
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Speaking Tip - The danger of "winging it" |
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Many experienced speakers appear to be able to deliver a speech without any preparation at all. They are seen as "natural" speakers, able to turn a sharp phrase with no apparent effort. The truth is, in most cases, their preparation is even more detailed than speakers who work from a script. It's very hard to deliver a speech with no planning at all.
The danger is particularly acute when you are delivering a speech that you are very familiar with. It's possible to forget a link, mis-place a phrase, or repeat a section. I'm not suggesting you are absent-minded, but simply that familiarity with a speech can lead to a lack of concentration.
I believe that it's important to prepare thoroughly for every speech, including the apparent "off the cuff" remarks (they need the most preparation). You can still respond to something that happens "in the moment", but you always have a structure to return to. Most importantly, I always advise learning (and sticking to) your opening and closing lines. There's nothing worse than a mumbled opening, unless it's a mumbled closing.
And remember the words of the great opera singer and speech coach, Dorothy Sarnoff "Remember to stop speaking before the audience has stopped listening". |
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Media Tip - They didn't ask the right questions |
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Q. What do you do when faced with a media interviewer who keeps asking the wrong questions?
A. Nothing, since it can never happen.
There is never a "wrong question", a "silly question" or an "unnecessary question", provided you approach the interview in the appropriate frame of mind. One of the most frequent mistakes made by interviewees is to attempt to answer every question in detail. That can lead you into areas that you are not confident about, or simply don't want to discuss. Instead, you should use the tried and tested media technique of bridging.
It works like this. Whatever the question, acknowledge it, and then bridge to the point you wish to make. Skilled interviewees also bridge back at the end of their answer, but that's not essential. In short, you know the answers before hearing the questions. That may sound very odd, but it works. Here are a few bridging statements:
- Exactly, and I also recommend -
- Let me re-emphasise a point -
- That's why it is important to -
- Yes, and the deeper issue here is -
Yes, there can be tough questions, impertinent questions and leading questions, but everything the interviewer says is an opportunity for you to make a point. Stay calm and state your case. That's what you are there for. |
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Social Media Tip - Take it up a notch |
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Great service is about over-delivering. When my wife and I were in New York a while ago, we were constantly surprised and delighted by the level of service (and I'm not convinced that it's just working for tips, it's an attitude of mind). So it is with social media. If you deliver a higher level of content or interaction than people expect, you will stand out from the crowd.
These days, everyone is on Facebook, and most people seem to be on Twitter and LinkedIn. It's no longer good enough to simply be there. You need to over-deliver. For example, if you're a web designer, try posting a blog about the "21 most common website problems - and how to fix them" or if you are a golf coach, upload a video showing how to play a shot from a difficult lie. In other words give people something really valuable, which exceeds their expectations.
As soon as people realise that you are a provider of incredibly useful content, your material will be passed on, and you will find that traffic to your site and blog increases. You don't have to give away everything you know, but the more you provide, the more people will promote your business for you. What could you put online that amazes your customers? |
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Not so much a fun fling as an extra tribute this week. One of Scotland's best musicians and songwriters died this week. Iain Sutherland was half of The Sutherland Brothers, who wrote the massive Rod Stewart hit "Sailing" and had a fine pop career themselves. Here they are with Iain's wonderful song "Arms of Mary". Yes, we really did dress like that in the 1970s. |
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Having a bit of a media crisis? |
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Whether you're a prince or a party leader, talk to me first...
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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." |
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