Having a great idea is essential, but so is situating that idea within or adjacent to an existing conversation. Idea/conversation fit is the communications version of product/market fit. The market doesn’t buy what it doesn’t understand or recognize. … [Read more...] about Idea/conversation fit
A provocative and useful idea
Every great communicator has a truly provocative, useful idea. Your delivery is vital, but if you’re delivering boring crap, who cares?? You need an idea that doesn’t just get your audience’s attention. It makes them think, talk, and act. A … [Read more...] about A provocative and useful idea
Doing the Kabuki dance
A media interview looks like a normal conversation, but it’s really a carefully proscribed Kabuki dance. Every participant fills a well-defined role. A spokesperson’s role requires discipline, charm, and tenacity. The spokesperson has a message to … [Read more...] about Doing the Kabuki dance
What to say?
Writing a good corporate statement in a global crisis is like trying to balance a massive pyramid upside down atop a highwire. A company’s entire reputation may rest on a few sentences that get endlessly parsed on Twitter. I’ve been the PR person … [Read more...] about What to say?
Weird little habits
Being a PR person can be hard. No one else is going to tell the CEO that she looks like she’s picking her nose when she touches it when she’s nervous. But the PR person has to tell her! Because a CEO who looks like she’s picking her nose every time … [Read more...] about Weird little habits
But I’m not an actor
Your face really matters when you’re doing an interview. If you avert your eyes or frown, you’re telegraphing something much more powerful than the words you say. But you’re not leading a company because you wanted to be an actor. So what do you … [Read more...] about But I’m not an actor
Your eyes matter!
Wanna look shifty and nervous on camera? That’s super easy. Just avert your eyes. When you don’t make eye contact with whoever you’re speaking to (either on CNBC or in your team meeting) you look like you’re hiding something. Let’s say you’re … [Read more...] about Your eyes matter!
Don’t wing it!
Your company is having a WFIO moment and you’re the spokesperson. Oh s***. If you are the person on point to communicate in a crisis, you absolutely MUST practice. Yes, finding out what went wrong is a ton of work. Deciding what to say about it is a … [Read more...] about Don’t wing it!
Ouch. Crisis.
Oh F***. You and your company are having a WFIO moment. There’s a horrible crisis and your investors, your customers, your team, the press want answers What do you do? First, you need facts. What actually happened? What’s verified? What’s rumor? … [Read more...] about Ouch. Crisis.
Learning, learning, learning
"Knowledge is the new money," said Michael Simmons in Quartz. Lots of researchers will tell you that the half-life of a job skill is about five years. Gulp. If we’re going to thrive as the world continues its rapid paroxysms of change, we have to … [Read more...] about Learning, learning, learning
