On May 25, I wrote a post about the scope of the Rob Ford scandal as seen through the eyes of Google Trends. The post quickly became the most popular since I started my blog in 2008. Like by a lot. This blog, which typically gets a few dozen visitors a day, had over 4,000 page views within two or three days...
Read MoreFor many people, giving a presentation is like going to the dentist. Necessary but unpleasant. Part of that unpleasantness comes from anxiety over the unknown: "What if I freeze or lose my train of thought?" "What if someone asks me a question I don't know the answer to?" "What if I get the 'blue screen of death' on my PC mid-presentation?" A bit of anxiety can be a good thing. Knowing all eyes will be on you can help you focus, invest extra work in your presentation and bring out your best performance. Too much anxiety, however, can hinder your performance or paralyze you with fear.
Read MoreOne of the biggest mistakes people make when giving speeches or presentations is starting way too late. Preparation and practice are so important to your content and delivery. So take this advice from the great Mark Twain...
Read More"I would have written you a shorter letter but I didn't have the time."
This quote, often attributed to Mark Twain, hints at the tough time we have telling our stories succinctly. If being economical with words was seen as a virtue in the late 1800s, it should be considered an absolute must-have today.Read MoreGary Vaynerchuk, one of the most popular and sought-after speakers in the world, shares his thoughts and insights on the art of the great presentation with Warren Weeks.
Read MoreThe Rob Ford 'crack allegations' story has dominated headlines in Canada and parts of the United States for the past week. In addition to the salacious nature of the allegations of drug use by the mayor of one of the largest cities in North America, there have been surreptitious meetings between journalists and drug dealers and high-profile references to a secret videotape that allegedly shows the Mayor smoking from what appears to be a crack pipe.
Read MoreIn the world of public relations and reputation management, timing is usually the factor over which people have the least amount of control. The crisis communications cycle is usually set in motion by something or someone outside our control. The cruise ship runs out of power in the middle of the ocean. The tanker spills its cargo. An insider blows the whistle.
Read MoreTo say that Rob Ford's relationship with the media has been rocky since he became the mayor of Canada's largest city would be an understatement. Even with this kind of media relations track record, this is a very, very bad day for Rob Ford.​
Read MoreAh, the news release.​.. ​The rotary phone of the modern PR industry. Still able to perform its intended function but, for all intents and purposes, a relic from another era. Is the news release dead? Perhaps not. But it sure is looking a little long in the tooth...
Read MoreVincent Thomas Lombardi is one of the most revered coaches in the history of sports. He guided his Green Bay Packers to five National Football League (NFL) championships in the 1960s through a combination of hard work, tenacity and exceptional people skills. Lombardi’s coaching tenure was so dominant that the NFL renamed its championship trophy after him...
Read MoreGreat TV spokespeople aren't born. They're made. And in this three-part series, we've tried to share some of the tips and tricks used by the people who make great TV interviews look effortless. In Part 1, we showed you what to do before your TV interview. In Part 2, we told you how to handle yourself during the interview. And in this final post of this series, we're going to share a few tips about what to do after the interview's...
Read MoreIn the previous post, we walked you through what you need to do before your TV interview takes place...things like how to craft a story for TV, how to practice effectively, what to wear, where to look, how to deal with a TV crew ambush and more. So...you've done your prep work. Your story is nailed down. You've carved out some time to practice (hopefully on camera). Now, it's show time.
Read MoreJournalists and public relations
professionals have an interesting relationship. They depend on each
other to do their jobs, but typically, they have very different goals in
mind. For journalists, the
main concern is securing the interview, getting the facts and hopefully...
Crisis communications is one of the most stressful jobs around. And while there's no shortage of great courses, textbooks and videos out there to help you hone your crisis communications skills, there's no teacher like good...
Read MoreIf you don't feel a bit of tension between yourself and the reporter during your media interview, you may not be doing it right. That doesn't mean there should be an antagonistic or negative tension between the journalist and the interviewee. Think of it more...
Read MoreIf I only had 10 seconds to prepare someone for an important media interview, this is what I would tell them: A media interview is NOT a conversation. A hard core, full day media training session should still be the minimum prerequisite for any spokesperson preparing to face the media on behalf of their organization. But when it comes to...
Read MoreFor most people, preparing for a media interview is a stressful experience. Whatever you say during your interview is going to be printed or broadcast for thousands of people to see...
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