Building and Protecting your Reputation |
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Hi John,
Yes, it's Friday again. It's getting harder and harder to tell, with little to distinguish one day from another. As ever, I hope you're keeping well and staying safe.
I know that there are thousands of bereaved families, and I feel for them all. However, when someone that you know succumbs to the virus, it really brings it home. A few days ago, one of my fellow volunteers in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Clive Myers, sadly passed away in hospital. Like most of us volunteers, he worked at many events, and always had a twinkle in his eye and used his dry wit to make us laugh. He will be much missed. I send my sincere condolences to his family and friends.
There are plenty of initiatives cropping up to keep us entertained during this tough time. There's something for everyone.
For example:
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And if you've got time for a chat, and especially if you'd like to be interviewed on my web radio show, just get in touch.
Have a great Easter! |
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Dan Flanigan is a novelist, poet, and playwright, as well as a practicing lawyer in Kansas City and New York. His recently published novel, Mink Eyes, is set in 1986 and explores the “greed is good” dynamic and the cultural tensions and gender complexities of that era. It is a modern hero’s quest in mystery-detective form. He's also written a book of poetry and a collection of short stories. Interesting man...
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The MediaMaestro is another victim of this cursed virus, the brilliant American singer-songwriter John Prine.
He was admired by Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson, and others, known for his ability to mine seemingly ordinary experiences — he wrote many of his classics as a mailman in Maywood, Illinois — for insightful songs that covered the full spectrum of the human experience.
His music was covered by Bonnie Raitt (who popularized “Angel From Montgomery,” his soulful ballad about a woman stuck in a hopeless marriage), George Strait, Carly Simon, Johnny Cash, Don Williams, Maura O’Connell, the Everly Brothers, Joan Baez, Todd Snider, Carl Perkins, Bette Midler, Gail Davies, and dozens of others.
Last year, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Onstage, he summed up why he chose a life as a songwriter: “I gotta say, there’s no better feeling than having a killer song in your pocket, and you’re the only one in the world who’s heard it.” |
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The MediaMug is David Icke. The man who sees conspiracies everywhere. He gave an interview to the TV station London Live this week, during which he suggested that the virus either "didn't exist" or had some connection with 5G networks.
Of course, anyone who has been aware of Mr Icke for some years will know that he is a serial conspiracy theorist who has put forward the most outlandish claims about the UK Royal Family, senior politicians, and almost anyone who is in power anywhere.
I've seen the interview in question and I consider it utterly appalling. Even worse, some of the people I am connected to on social media asked me to write a piece praising Mr Icke and supporting his ideas. They are no longer connected to me on Facebook.
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Speaking Tip - This is so funny |
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If there is one phrase you hear that guarantees you won't laugh at a joke, it is "I've got this really funny joke, I think you'll fall about laughing." For some reason the laugh muscles in your face tighten up, guaranteeing barely a snigger when the punch line is delivered by your hapless colleague. Alas, many people think that they have to tell a joke to "break the ice" at the start of a speech. Not many people can tell a joke well. Even experts find that a quip that seemed hilarious in the dressing room falls flat on stage. However, they usually know how to recover. If you put a joke in your speech, and it bombs, you may have nowhere to go. So, here are my suggestions about putting jokes in speeches:
- Don't
- See suggestion 1
It's better to start with a humourous story from your personal experience. When you share an ordinary, but funny, real-life episode, it makes it very easy for your audience to relate to you. Besides, it's much easier to tell your own story than to tell a joke. It's easier to remember, and you can embellish it as you re-tell it, by finding the parts that are really funny.
Just be sure your story is relevant and brief. If it's too long or it's not obvious how your story relates to your topic, the audience will be left scratching their heads. That's not a great way to start your speech. |
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Media Tip - The Core of Core Messages |
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Your core message is the phrase or idea that you want people to remember after your interview. It is key to your success. Here are three characteristics every core message should have.
1) Keep it simple It is almost impossible to convey a complex idea in a short interview, and almost all interviews are short. You therefore need to find a way to simplify your message (unless it is already simple). A trick here is to imagine that you are speaking to an 11-year-old child. Think how you would explain the idea to them using words that they would instantly understand. Don't use jargon, or industry-specific terms. Concentrate on the essence of the message
2) Make it memorable We are besieged with messages every day, through radio and TV, adverts, conversations and the like. Your job, when delivering your message on the media, is to make it something that people will remember. Try to think of words and phrases that are a little unusual, or conjure up an image. If your message is "seen" as a picture, even if you are on the radio, it will be much more memorable. Groucho Marx used to tell a story about the value of words. He asked a little boy whether he preferred radio or TV. "Radio" replied the boy at once "because the pictures are better".
3) Make it relevant Understanding the audience is the key to good communication. The great communicators know this, and always start any consideration of a speech or media comment by thinking how the audience will react to it. You have to put yourself in the shoes of your potential audience and think what they will find engaging, That's the hard part. All you have to do then is to deliver what they want to see or hear. For example, if you are due to appear on a morning TV show, at around 11am, what sort of audience do you think might be watching? You have to be careful of stereotyping, but it is likely that the viewers will be a mixture of retired people, students and stay-at-home parents with small children. However, if you are on a late-night radio chat show, the listeners may well be insomniacs and stressed-out workers who have just arrived home after a very long day. Your message to these audiences will probably be very different, even if you are talking about the same product or service. |
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Social Media Tip - Are you regular? |
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No, it's not a medical question, it's about your social media behaviour. Alas, when it comes to posting content online, some people fall prey to the "company newsletter syndrome". The first posting is good, and lengthy. The second posting is even better, and even longer. The third is long-delayed and brief. There is no fourth.
That's no way to sustain an audience. You don't have to go to extremes, like me (this ezine is approaching its 850th weekly edition), but you do need to keep at it. Building a following takes time and patience, and once you make a commitment to serve an audience, you owe it to them to keep delivering. That may be daily tweets, weekly blogs or monthly newsletters. It doesn't matter as long as you keep turning up. Of course, your stuff has to be interesting and/or useful, or the audience will drift away (as Dobie Gray used to sing). Imagine that your message is being read on an smartphone by someone travelling on a swaying train. You need to be brief and engaging. If you are reading this on a smartphone on a train, I'm stopping now. Otherwise, I'm continuing for another sentence, but luckily you aren't missing any advice. |
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If you don't eat chocolate eggs, there's another form of Easter egg you may enjoy. Easter eggs are also features in software packages that are hidden by the designers, only to be revealed if you know the secret. They also feature in TV shows, films and books too. The secrets are here at http://www.eeggs.com/ |
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Need some remote speaking tips ? |
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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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