| Building and Protecting your Reputation |
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So the restrictions have been eased a little more in England, and we can now go to outdoor concerts, pools and gyms. I assume that's to work off the half price meals we can have in August.
It's all welcome as we return to... well we aren't returning to anything really. It's all a bit different. I'm very excited that after three months, I can finally get a haircut next week. I reckon I will lose a few pounds in weight as a result, so no need to rush back to the gym.
A reminder that in August I will be launching a web show that will feature interviews with and performances from musicians. By keeping the spotlight on music, I hope to encourage people to get back to live indoor gigs as soon as it is ruled safe.
So if you know of any singers or bands that are looking for some free publicity, drop me a line (and yes, Tom, I will be in touch!).
Thanks. |
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Saray Khumalo is the first Black African woman to reach the South Pole and summit Everest. She is also a motivational speaker, award-winning mountaineer, Mandela libraries ambassador, entrepreneur and business executive.
She founded "Summits with a Purpose" 2013, with the aim of taking Ubuntu to the top of the world through her 7 summits challenge, while making a difference in her community through education. The initiative raised over ZAR 1.3 Million within the first five years towards literacy and education.
Hear my chat with Saray in The Media Coach Radio Show. |
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The MediaMaestro is the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, who is considering introducing a "Barbados Welcome Stamp" which would allow international arrivals to live on the island while working remotely for up to a year.
Ms Mottley said in a statement: "You don't need to work in Europe, or the US or Latin America if you can come here and work for a couple months at a time; go back and come back.
"But in order for those things to truly resonate, what does it mean? It means that what we offer has to be world class and what we continue to offer is world class."
Tourism makes up 40% of Barbados' GDP and 30% of its workforce is employed in the sector, according to Travel Market Report.
But the industry has been badly affected as the pandemic has grounded airlines and berthed cruise ships. Ms Mottley proposed offering the option of a year-long stay as Barbados is set to open its borders to international visitors again on 12 July.
Where do I apply? |
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The MediaMug is Kanye West, who has announced that he may stand as a candidate in the US Presidential election in November.
He said he would model his White House operation on Wakanda, the fictional kingdom from Black Panther. (I'm not making this up)
If he does stand , it would be under the banner of The Birthday Party. "Because when we win, it's everybody's birthday," he explained.
He says he would take a radical approach to governing. "I don't know if I would use the word 'policy' for the way I would approach things," he said, adding "I [didn't] have a policy when I went to Nike and designed Yeezy and went to Louis and designed a Louis Vuitton at the same time. It wasn't a policy, it was a design. We need to innovate the design to be able to free the mind at this time I'm gonna use the framework of Wakanda right now because it's the best explanation of what our design group is going to feel like in the White House."
He also denied that it was a publicity stunt for is new album, which is to be released about the time of the election. Just a co-incidence, apparently. |
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| Speaking Tip - Just the facts, please |
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Back in the 1950s, Jack Webb created a character called Sgt Joe Friday of the LAPD, in the TV series Dragnet. All TV detectives have a catchphrase, and Joe was no exception. Ever since the show aired, the phrase "Just the facts, Ma'am" has been repeated and parodied thousands of times. However, Jack Webb's character never uttered the phrase. The closest he came was in one episode when he said "All we know are the facts, Ma'am", yet many people (including some who saw the show) still believe they heard him say "Just the facts". Similarly, Humphrey Bogart never said "Play it again, Sam" in the classic film Casablanca, and Darth Vader never said "Luke, I am your father" in Star Wars. What's the point of this? It's that if speakers tell audiences something, it's their responsibility to check that (at least to the best of their ability) that they're telling the truth. Here are a few widely-used misconceptions:
1) 'We only use 10% of our brains". Untrue. This is often mis-attributed to Albert Einstein, though there's no evidence he ever said it, let alone believed it. Neurologists have long known that we use most of our brains, most of the time.
2) "Lemmings commit mass suicide by jumping off cliffs". Untrue. The phenomenon has never been seen in nature. The idea comes from the Disney film White Wilderness, when cameramen pushed lemmings over a cliff.
3) "The Vauxhall Nova sold poorly in Spain because it means 'doesn't go' in Spanish". Untrue. Thousands of Spanish speakers worked on the project, and would obviously have noticed any problem. In fact it sold well in Spain, and many other Spanish-speaking countries.
4) "NASA spent millions developing a pen that would write in space, while the Russians used a pencil" Untrue. Both the US and Russian astronauts used pencils on early missions, then both used pens designed by the Fischer company at no cost to the space programs.
I've heard all these points, and many more, used by speakers to get a message across. If they have the desired impact, does it matter if they are false? I believe it does. If an element of a speech is untrue, what is the veracity of the remainder? In years past, I have used a couple of the statements above myself, until I took the time and trouble to check them out. Now I try to verify everything I say, unless it's my opinion, when I make that clear. So let's please try to stick to just the facts. |
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| Media Tip - I'm not here to discuss that |
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Sometimes, an interview will not go in the direction you expected. Though you've done your homework, prepared your key message, and thought of all the tough questions you may be asked, you can still be "ambushed". It often happens to politicians, prefaced by the phrase "While you are here, can we ask you about something else?" Of course, it's hard to refuse such a request live on air, though some interviewees will mutter "I'm not here to discuss that'. It's not a good defence, and simply makes you sound evasive. Instead, here's what you can do:
Offer a brief response, and return to your original point Be proactive, and steer the debate back to where you feel comfortable Use phrases like "That's important too, but the critical thing today is" Don't keep quiet Stay calm and relaxed Keep an eye on the time. A long answer may save you. Offer to return later to discuss the new issue in more detail Finish by making your key point again
In short, be helpful and polite, and stick to your message. That's what people watching will remember.
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| Social Media Tip - Be unique, be invaluable |
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There are millions of blogs around. Many of them repeat the same old stuff, often about how to write blogs or "do" social networking. Some of them are very good, but most of them are not. The ones that I read and enjoy most are those that stand out from the crowd by having a unique, personal point of view. I may not always agree with the blogger, but I'm always interested to read what they say.
Many bloggers seem to want to be someone else. They copy styles, ideas, and sometimes even chunks of content from experts they admire. Alas, no-one is going to be interested in recycled ideas. They want the real thing. To be a successful blogger, I suggest you focus on your uniqueness (and don't tell me you aren't unique, because there is obviously no-one else like you).
In short, express your views, even if they are out of line with the mainstream (especially if they are out of line). Try to back up your views with evidence, otherwise they can just become a rant (a statement for which I have no evidence at all). Be controversial. Be yourself. Be unique.
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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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