| Building and Protecting your Reputation |
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I have news this week of a couple of exciting online events.
We seem to be getting to the stage now where people are getting used to a new way of working, which may be a huge change to their way of life. There are an increasing number of resources offering help to people who are struggling to adjust.
One such is the Lockdown Leadership Conference put together by Clare Josa.
I'm honoured to be speaking alongside some real experts on Friday 22nd May, in a computer, tablet or phone near you.
You can sign up for your free ticket at http://www.clarejosa.com/lockdown-leadership-conference/ |
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Podcasting has been booming recently. There are now over one million active podcasts, but how do you get discovered, how do you grow your audience and how do you make money from podcasting?
My own podcast, The Media Coach Radio Show, has been airing weekly since 2005, so I have a pretty good idea how podcasts work, but I will be listening in to an event co-curated by my good friend Minter Dial.
It's called The Future of Podcasting, and has some very high-profile speakers. I will definitely be listening in, and if you want to join me, here's the link. |
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Gary Bailey is a former Manchester United and England goalkeeper who had a marvellous career as a professional speaker. He's also a sports commentator and was an ambassador for the World Cup in South Africa.
I first met him many years ago in South Africa, and it was a pleasure to catch up with him again and hear his insights into how sport might restart after the lock down, as you can hear in The Media Coach Radio Show.
There's also a great song from the 1957 Tail-Fin Fiasco. |
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The MediaMaestro is BBC4, a channel which broadcasts a range of documentaries and films, and has come under threat as the BBC has to cut costs following a decision not to end free TV licences for over-75s.
BBC4 presenters Lucy Worsley, Waldemar Januszczak and Oxford historian Dr Janina Ramirez have urged viewers to rally around the channel. Dr Ramirez called it "the most amazing channel, unlike any other.”
BBC4 Controller Cassian Harrison has moved to another role in the BBC and the channel is now under the stewardship of Patrick Holland, the head of BBC2.
A BBC spokesman said: “There are no plans to close BBC4.” However insiders said the TV channel could be closed by the end of the year, with the name surviving as an online presence.
If you spot a petition to save this wonderful channel, please give it your support. Ta. |
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The MediaMug is Eric Trump, son of the US President.
He proved he is a chip off the old block after he confused his cliches while attacking Democrats on Twitter.
“The chips are starting to crumble,” he perplexingly tweeted on Tuesday.
Dozens of Twitter users keenly pointed out that there appears to be no such saying. Others slapped Trump with botched idioms of their own, such as:
"You know what they say, the bigger they are, the more the eggs in the basket flock together"
"Yeah, well people will do crazy things when the cookies are down"
“Eric speaks near fluent Donald”, said another Twitter user.
How very true. |
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| Speaking Tip - Who said that? |
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A pithy quote can give a presentation real impact. But over-use of quotations can make it sound as though you are just recycling the wisdom of other people. There are no absolute rules about using quotations in speeches, so I've made some up. You can use them or ignore them as you wish, but they work for me.
So here are the MediaCoach Seven Rules for quotations:
Always credit the source of a quotation. If you aren't sure, or don't know, you can say "who was it that said?" Never, ever, quote yourself. Allow others to do that Use quotes sparingly through a speech. The audience has come to listen to you Do not try to mimic the accent of the originator Make sure you quote correctly. Write the quote down if necessary Keep it short - a sentence or two at most Make sure that is is relevant to your theme
As Joseph Roux once said "A fine quotation is a diamond on the finger of a man of wit, and a pebble in the hand of a fool." |
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| Media Tip - Current, Credible, Concise |
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You need to prepare well to make an impression when you are interviewed on radio or TV. Here are some essential things to remember when preparing, and more importantly, when you go live.
Be current. If you can, make a reference to something that was in the news earlier in the day (It's easy to guess right now what the topic was), or ideally in the news bulletin at the top of the hour. Make the reference in your opening answer, and use a touch of humour if you can. Use phrases like "Well we aren't dancing in the streets two metres apart yet.." or "As we just heard, things are picking up, and customers are returning, and we've seen the same thing in our business..."
Be credible. Quote statistics and testimonials to give your case more strength. If you can position yourself highly within your market niche, it's a great way to preface an answer. For example, you could say "We're currently the number two supplier in our industry, and we're aiming to be number one.." Whatever you say, make sure that if people check, your statement will ring true.
Be concise. This is one of the most important things to remember. Media interviews are very short, and you don't have time to develop an argument. You need to be clear and concise with every answer you give, so that there is no ambiguity. Practice delivering your answers in short, sharp sentences. Like that. |
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| Social Media Tip - It's all in the delivery |
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When I order a takeaway meal from one of our local curry restaurants (The Lane in Wanstead or The Jaipur in South Woodford), I have simple demands. There are only a few things that concern me. Is it hot and on time? Is it what I ordered? Does it taste good? So far, I haven't been disappointed.
It's the same with "bleeding edge" technologies. I was reminded of this following a phone call from a developer of webinar software (she obviously doesn't read this ezine), telling me about a great new piece of software to "enhance my customers' social media experience". I asked how many companies were using it. She told me "Some have it in beta test". I asked whether it had actually improved their experience. She said "It's designed to do that". I asked for another client I could speak to. She said "We keep our client details confidential".
In short, she couldn't prove that it could deliver. That was the end of the conversation.
My view is that my customers don't care what technology you use, as long as it tastes good. I'm not against using a different feature - I'm a great advocate of social media software systems for example - but if you use them, make sure that they deliver. Otherwise your visitors will call another restaurant next time. |
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It's a huge shame that live shows have had to stop for a while, not least comedy shows. My favourite is the Comedy Store Players, who are unsurpassed in their improv skill and talent. When we are able to go out again, please head down to the Comedy Store on Wednesday or Sunday and see them. It will make you cry with laughter. Here's a sample of them, featuring Richard Vranch, Andy Smart, Neil Mullarkey and Lee Simpson.
And you can see support them and see some of their shows online here. Let's make sure they keep going. |
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| Need some remote speaking tips ? |
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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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