The MediaCoach

Hi John,

Today would have been my mother's 98th birthday. She made it to the great age of 92, and I remember that she always saw the funny side of things. So did my father, who didn't make it past 39. I am grateful to them for all sorts of things, but especially for teaching me that is it always possible to "find the funny". Yes, dreadful things happen. Yes, we have to deal with bad things sometimes. But if we lose our sense of fun, we lose a lot.

I do a little stand-up comedy myself, a few times a year. It's a good reminder how difficult the art of comedy is, and also a lesson that different people find different things funny. One of the issues with social media is that jokes can fall flat, lines that were intended to be funny can be seen as insults, and humour can be in short supply. I'm reminded of the words of the great comedian George Carlin, who said "I think it's the duty of the comedian to find out where the line is drawn and cross it deliberately. "

All of which leads me to my interview guest in the Media Coach Radio Show. Jeremy Nicholas and I have been friends for many years, back to the time when I used to appear on his radio show on Talk Sport (we didn't talk about sport though). He has decided to do a 27-date show at the Edinburgh festival. You can hear why, and what is is all about in the Show. The dates of his preview shows are on his website. There is also a fantastic tune in the show from Rob Corcoran.
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The MediaMaestro is shared between the brilliant Sian Gibson and Peter Kay, co-stars of Car Share, which aired its final episode this week. Kayleigh and John finally held hands on the back seat of a bus. Maybe it's me, but I was put in mind of the final scene in The Graduate. OK, it is me. Anyway, the whole series, and the two concluding episodes, one of which was unscripted, were a sheer joy. Well done to both.

The MediaMug award goes, of course, to Roseanne Barr. Another comedy actress, but this time one with a political axe to grind. As has been widely publicised, she sent a racist tweet and had her show cancelled as a result. She blamed a sleeping tablet for her indiscretion, but that seems to have persuaded few people. I feel sorry for her fellow cast and crew, and I hope they find a way to recover from the damage she has done to them too.

FINISH BIG

The closing line of your speech may be the one thing that members of your audience remember as they leave the hall. It's critically important that you deliver it well, and that the content is spot-on. Ideally, it should mirror your opening line, and provide exactly what you promised at the start of your speech.

What are the essential elements of a good close?. I think they include some or most of these:

Here's how Winston Churchill did it almost 78 years ago on June 18th 1940: "But if we fail, then the whole world, including the United States, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new Dark Age made more sinister, and perhaps more protracted, by the lights of perverted science. Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, 'This was their finest hour.'"

CONSUME THE MEDIA

Many years ago, when I was first on radio and TV (no, it wasn't still in black and white), I met another guest in the green room at the BBC. I was reading my notes for the seventeenth time, and he was looking very relaxed, sipping a coffee. I asked him how he prepared for a media interview. "I listen to the news on the radio and read the paper" he said. That was very valuable advice, which I still pass on to clients.

The thing is, you know your topic in great detail, and you are never going to be caught out on your knowledge. The trick is to be able to relate your message to what is happening at the moment. The interviewer will often refer back to the previous interview, or one of the main stories of the day. Even if they don't, you can drop in a topical reference or two in your answers. Showing that you are in touch and aware of current issues will create a much stronger impression than just talking about your prepared message.

So your mission, should you choose to accept it (yes, another old cultural reference) is to simply keep up with the news of the day. Listen out for any items that you can link to your story, and show that you're not just a one-topic expert.

KEEPING PEOPLE HAPPY

Here are five ways to encourage and nurture your online community:
1) Find the evangelists. In every community, whether on or offline, there are individuals who will act as advocates and helpers. They thrive on being involved and feeling special. Talk to them, listen to their advice, and see how you can help each other to build a successful community.
2) Put ideas out there. If people are interested in your products and services, they will gladly evaluate them and help you to develop them. Don't be afraid to put out ideas at an early stage, to see how people react.

3) Set up offline meetings. Getting people together in real life helps to develop stronger links online. Simply setting up a venue and encouraging people to come will be beneficial. They don't even have to be chatting about your community.

4) Set a clear moderation policy. There have to be some rules in every community. Make the rules as simple and clear as possible, and see that they are fairly enforced.

5) Keep the knowledge. Ensure that you have an effective and easy-to-use storage and retrieval system for information and debates. Allow people to refer back easily to past discussions.

Here's one of my favourite speakers, Jeanne Robertson, with a wonderful story. A brilliant piece of storytelling.

You know who to call for 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."