Building and Protecting your Reputation |
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Hi John,
It's frustrating when the outcome of a national vote goes against your wishes. But we just have to suck it up. Obviously the option I preferred just didn't get enough support. We just have to pick ourselves up and get on with it.
But it still leaves me disappointed and confused. I can't understand it. How on earth did Mrs Brown's Boys beat Fleabag and Afterlife in the comedy category at the National Television Awards? |
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I'm very pleased to announce the publication of a new book that I have co-written with my great friends Celia Delaney and Guy Clapperton.
We put our heads together last year and decided to write a book about the pro tips we have all learned over years of hosting events, acting as MCs, and facilitating conferences.
We found out that there were very few books on the topic, and none written by a group of people with such wide and deep expereince. So we wrote it!
The Exceptional MC is currently available as a Kindle version, and will be out in paperback in a couple of week's time (don't worry, I'll tell you about it).
Grab a copy now at a ridiculously low price. |
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Derek Cheshire is a specialist in the fields of Business Creativity and Innovation. He transfers his know-how in a no-nonsense and clear manner, demystifying the often ambiguous world of creativity in a business context.
I spoke to him this week about "better performance through alternative thinking". He told a wonderful story and gave some superb advice.
There's also a great song from East London troubadour Mick Terry. |
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The MediaMaestro was a very easy call this week. Nicholas Parsons passed away after being one of the most witty and professional broadcasters for over half a century.
He was the presenter of one of BBC Radio 4's longest-running programmes, Just A Minute. For more than 50 years, he asked his guests to speak without hesitation, repetition or deviation on topics as diverse as burglars, Birmingham and biscuits in bed.
He was also successful away from the microphone. He set up his own production company that made short films for cinema, wrote two volumes of autobiography and made it into the Guinness Book of Records in 1978 for the longest ever after-dinner speech, more than 11 hours.
What a wonderful man he was. |
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The MediaMug goes to the rugby league club Catalan Dragons, who announced the signing of controversial former rugby union player Israel Folau.
Folau had his contract with Rugby Australia and the Waratahs terminated last May for homophobic comments posted online. They are still on his Instagram feed.
The Perpignan-based club are understood to have an agreement that Folau will not breathe a word of his devout Christian beliefs which caused him to miss the 2019 Rugby World Cup.“We want to give Israel a new opportunity to shine on the pitch,” Catalans Dragons chairman Bernard Guasch said.
“We do not believe that those views should be publicly expressed, especially by a high-profile sports person. We have a signed agreement with the RFL. Any transgression will trigger an immediate termination of Israel’s contract and a substantial fine for the club.”
I think it is an error. He has expressed no remorse, nor apology. It will be interesting to see how he reacts to actions like that of Wigan Warriors, who have declared the day when Catalan Dragons visit their ground as Pride Day.
I will be very surprised if Israel Folau completes his season with the Dragons. |
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Speaking Tip - As so-and-so once said |
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It is often a good idea to use a pithy quote to illustrate a point in a speech or article. However, if you do, there are certain guidelines that you should observe. Firstly, you should always attribute the quote to the original source. In most cases, you can find this out from a dictionary of quotations, or possibly the internet (if you can trust the website). If you can't find a name to go with the quote, simply say "Who was it that said?" or "As it was expressed far better than I could"
Never, under any circumstances, claim a quote as your own, or attribute it to a source you know to be false. I once heard a story about a professional speaker who committed the latter sin. He claimed to have heard a quote from a builder "a couple of weeks ago". In fact, the quote was well-known to many of his audience, and probably pre-dated the speaker himself.
I would also advise that you never quote yourself, even if it is something that you once said. The sight of a quote on a large screen behind you, with your name attached to it, looks self-serving in the extreme. A little research will find another quote, from another source.
And unless you are a talented mimic, please don't try to deliver the quote in the original accent. Just use the words, and give credit where it is due. |
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Media Tip - Dealing with interview tricks |
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As politicians often find, media interviews don't always run smoothly. Sometimes they will come up against an interviewer that tries to unsettle them, or throw them out of their stride. They shouldn't let it happen. Here are some responses to the tricks of interviewers, and how you can use them yourself.
The long pause. After you have answered, the interviewer may simply look at you and nod. You may be tempted to say something else, and start to lose control. Don't let it happen. Either stay silent, or say something like "I don't think I have anything to add on that topic, but what is really interesting is...." Now you are back in control.
The loaded question. This may also take the form of a misleading introduction. Always listen very carefully to your introduction, and the details of every question. Take a moment to deny any accusation if you believe it is important to do so.
The incomprehensible question. Simply take from the question what you will, and respond with your core message.
The question after the last question. Don't ever fall for this one. You may be asked a "final" question, answer it and then relax. Suddenly, another question is fired at you, often by the other interviewer in a two-handed show. The interview is never over until it is over. You can relax on the way home. |
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Social Media Tip - Five tips for shareable content |
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One of the most essential features in creating social "buzz" is ensuring that your content is shareable. Social networking is all about sharing. You will build and maintain a following if you share great content, and also if you produce great content that others enjoy reading. Here are a few tips to make your content ready-to-share:
1) Address a common need. For example, a piece titled "How to win more business" is almost guaranteed to get people clicking and reading. Think about the things that you wanted to know as your business began and grew. Those are the same things that everyone thinks about, so offer advice based on your experience.
2) Give it a re-tweetable title. That means less than 240 characters, not the Twitter limit of 280. Remember that you need to leave people room to add their recommendation to your title, even if it's 'This is great".
3) Alert opinion-formers. Send links to people who already have large followings. It can take only one comment from a well-followed expert to generate a huge audience reading your material.
4) Mention a celebrity e.g. "Five business lessons from Richard Branson". This needs a bit of care. You need to pick the right celebrity for the topic you're writing about. No-one would be likely to read "Lady Gaga's guide to accounting software for small businesses" On second thoughts, maybe they would.
5) Encourage people to share. Include a call to action in the content - "Why not share this?" It sounds almost too obvious, but it works. |
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Sometimes, words and phrases can be over-used, to the extent that they lose their meaning. The nice people at Lake Superior State University have maintained a list of such words every year for the last 45 years. The latest are here. How many do you use? |
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Need to deal with a social media crisis? |
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Get in touch and we'll chat.
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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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