The MediaCoach

Hi John,

At the time of writing this, I've cast my vote, and the polling station next door is still open, with last-minute voters rushing in to put a cross next to their preferred candidate. It's good to see people keen to make sure their voice is heard. As for the result, well, you'll probably know that by now. Whatever it is, we will have to live with it for the next five years, or maybe less. Like it or lump it, we just have to get on with things.

So let's do just that, especially in the aftermath of yet another vile attack in my home town. These incidents always show us the worst and best in people. I prefer the latter, and I've been impressed in particular by two individuals. Romanian Florin Morariu got 20 people into his bakery and squared up to terrorists, throwing wooden crates at them. He then ran directly at one of the killers and battered him around the head, stunning him until the police arrived. Millwall fan Brian Larmer yelled "F**k you, I'm Millwall" as he single-handedly took on the three knife-wielding attackers armed with nothing more than his fists. His actions allowed other diners in the restaurant to escape. His mates visited him in hospital and presented him with a magazine emblazoned "Learn to run". That's brilliant. Well done to those heroes.

My friend Sierra Modro looks at the future of technology in a very practical way. She's set up the Technology Happy Hour to offer advice, and she'd like to invite you along. Why not watch and listen on June 28th - it's free!

My friend and co-author Paul du Toit is an expert on speaking. Hear his sage advice in the Media Coach Radio Show. There's also a a superb tune from Emma Stevens (no relation - OK well maybe a bit)
Go to the iTunes Archive of the MediaCoach Show
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The MediaMaster of the week is Arianne Grande. She helped to put together and performed at the Manchester concert to honour and remember the victims of the dreadful attack that marred the aftermath of her concert only a couple of weeks ago. She was clearly and understandably badly affected by the tragedy, but delivered an emotional tribute in remarkable style. Great credit should go to her and I wish her well for the future. She is an impressive young woman.

This week's MediaMug had to win the award at some point. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer has said that Donald Trump's tweets should be "considered official statements" by the US President. Mr Trump's tweets, even deleted ones, are saved as part of the country's official record that goes to the National Archives and Records Administration. Mr Spicer said in a news briefing that Mr Trump is his own "most effective representative of his agenda." Twitter "gives him the opportunity to speak to the American people...the same people critiquing him now," did so during the election, Mr Spicer noted. Mr Spicer said it turned out to be "a very effective tool". What an apt phrase.

THERE'S TOO MANY OF THEM!

Some great speakers are happy to talk to small groups, but go to pieces when faced with an audience of several hundreds, or even thousands. There's no need to worry. In fact, having once spoken to an audience of several thousand, I can tell you that it's easy, since you can't see them in the darkness beyond the footlights anyway.

But let's assume you can actually see the audience. What's the best way to cope with a much larger crowd than you are used to? Here are some tips

As you watch the audience, you may spot a few people apparently not paying attention. How dare they! You should ignore them. There will always be a few in every audience, and the larger the crowd, the higher the chance that you will spot them.

Keep it conversational too. Address the audience directly, asking them questions and responding to their interests. Don't be afraid to pause, and help yourself to a drink of water. Remember that you can only ever look into one person's eyes, and talk to them directly. The number of people surrounding them doesn't matter.

HELP OR HINDER?

How you deal with the media is up to you. You can help them, or you can hinder them. Personally, I advise the former, every time. You don't have to give them everything they ask for, nor do you have to be immediately available every time they call. However, you do need to talk to them. If you don't, they will find someone else more willing to offer an opinion. They may also mention in the report that you refused to comment. At best, you will look unhelpful. At worst, you will look evasive and possibly guilty.

The important thing is for you to take control of the dialogue. By making yourself available to the media as a source of information, you provide them with an easier way to do their job. This is particularly important if you find yourself dealing with a crisis. If you decline to speak, that becomes a news item in itself. If you, or your company is in the news, then you are the best source of information. Make use of your position by being media-friendly.

You don't have to be the reporter's best friend. Be calm, efficient and professional. It's unlikely that they will want to do you any harm.

More often than not, a reporter is simply told to "get an interview". They don't concern themselves too much with what you say, as long as you appear on camera or in front of a microphone. So be helpful, be polite, and most of all, be there.

PRINT MEDIA VERSUS SOCIAL MEDIA

Many people write in exactly the same way for print publications as they do for websites and blogs, as well other social media postings. That's not the best policy. Web content is different from print content, and here are some reasons why:

1) Web content is all about links and connections. It's about opening up a world of information much wider than the original piece. Print information, although it may contain references, is much more self-contained.
2) Web content is much more long-lasting than print copy. OK, many newspapers appear online these days, but they are often revised for the web to allow for indexing and archiving.

3) On the web, people search for specific pieces of content, whereas print media is content searching for readers. You must include the key words that people are searching for, or your web content will never be found.
4) Web copy tends to be briefer and more concise than print copy, since people want information, not discourse.

5) Web copy requires maintenance, according to changes in opinions and knowledge. It's not static, like print copy.
Producing copy that works on the web, rather than reproducing print copy, will make your websites much more effective.

Please don't take the name of this website for advice. It's full of weird products.

If not, allow me to help.

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."