Mr. Media Training

If public figures are once again engaged in self-parody, self-hatred, and self-immolation, it can only mean one thing:

It’s time for May’s five worst video media disasters!

This month’s list proves why you shouldn’t call women “sluts,” why you shouldn’t speak before you have the facts, and why you shouldn’t storm off an interview just because you’re having a bad day.

With no further ado, here we go!

#5: Sarah Palin Still Can’t Name a Journalist: Seriously, Sarah Palin? You’ve had three years since your infamous Katie Couric interview, and you still can’t answer a softball question about journalism? Instead of drafting  speeches about blood libel, you might consider a remedial course on the basics. 

#4: Guest Storms Off Fox News – For No Reason At All: Democratic strategist Simon Rosenberg seemed completely thrown by his opposing guest, and it’s hard to understand why – the debate was an ordinary cable news shout fest. Instead of just making his point, Rosenberg told his opponent to “shut up.” And although he got roughly half of the talk time and was given the floor by the host, he ripped off his earpiece and walked off the set.  

#3: White House Blows Credibility on Bin Laden: When I originally watched U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor John Brennan speak to the media after Osama Bin Laden’s death, something bothered me about his body language.

His wandering eyes appeared to be searching for information he should have known by heart, suggesting to me that something was awry. It was. As an example, the Administration later retracted his story about Bin Laden using numerous women as “human shields.” And reports that Bin Laden was armed when killed also proved false.

President Obama’s decision to attack Bin Laden’s compound was the bravest and most daring call of his tenure. But his spokesperson’s inability to get basic facts right unnecessarily threatened his Administration’s credibility for all future disclosures about the raid.   

#2: Ed Schultz Calls Talk Show Host a “Slut:” MNSBC host Ed Schultz called fellow talk show host Laura Ingraham a “right wing slut” on his radio show. MSNBC suspended him without pay for a week.

Laura Ingraham graciously accepted his apology. And in fairness to Mr. Schultz, he handled his infraction well by offering a sincere and heartfelt apology:

#1: Newt Gingrich Commits Campaign Suicide In Week One: Many conservatives like Congressman Paul Ryan’s budget plan, which aims to lower Medicare costs. So when fellow conservative and presidential aspirant Newt Gingrich dismissed Ryan’s plan as “right wing social engineering,” his new campaign quickly fell apart.

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Afterwards, Mr. Gingrich tried to deny that he was speaking specifically about the Ryan plan (he was). But then came the fun part. His spokesperson issued one of the most dreadful PR statements in political history:

“The literati sent out their minions to do their bidding. Washington cannot tolerate threats from outsiders who might disrupt their comfortable world. The firefight started when the cowardly sensed weakness. They fired timidly at first, then the sheep not wanting to be dropped from the establishment’s cocktail party invite list unloaded their entire clip, firing without taking aim their distortions and falsehoods. Now they are left exposed by their bylines and handles. But surely they had killed him off. This is the way it always worked. A lesser person could not have survived the first few minutes of the onslaught. But out of the billowing smoke and dust of tweets and trivia emerged Gingrich, once again ready to lead those who won’t be intimated by the political elite and are ready to take on the challenges America faces.”

Gingrich is still in the race. But my odds of winning the Republican nomination are probably better.

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Related: The Five Most Bizarre Media Interviews

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As regular readers of this blog already know, the lovely Mrs. Media Training and I tied the knot last week. The wedding was fantastic. But a “luxury” resort almost ruined our carefully planned honeymoon – and in so doing, offered a great crisis communications case study for what not to do.

Last fall, my fiancée and I deliberated over our “perfect” honeymoon. We decided that the one thing we  wanted most was a small resort that offered a quiet and private reprieve from our busy lives. After looking all over the world, we made our selection for a once-in-a-lifetime vacation at Zoetry Agua Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. The small resort, with just 51 rooms, was exactly what we were looking for.

We booked our room last November and quickly received an email from a reservations clerk offering to help us with any additional needs for our visit. Over the next few months, we traded numerous emails and arranged a special dinner on the beach, as well as transportation to and from the airport.

Two weeks before our trip, I called Zoetry to ask whether we might be able to extend our trip by a few days. They told me they were over-booked for those extra days. When I asked whether our original booking would be affected by their “over-booked” status, they assured me we’d be fine.

On Friday morning – the day before our wedding and just three days before our scheduled departure – I received an email from Zoetry informing us they had overbooked the property and were unable to honor our reservation. They offered us a room at another property called Secrets Sanctuary Cap Cana – a sprawling complex with 176 rooms. Secrets, more than triple the size of Zoetry, was precisely the type of place we didn’t want to go. Worse, the reviews weren’t nearly as good.

So on Friday afternoon – as guests were arriving for that night’s rehearsal dinner – we found ourselves scrambling to book a different honeymoon.

Here are four things Zoetry did poorly – and each of these serve as good crisis communications reminders for all businesses: 

1. They Forgot the Power of Social Media: When I asked Zoetry Hotel Manager Luis Fitch why he bumped a honeymoon couple instead of someone in one of the other 51 rooms, he told me, “It was a business decision.” I’d argue it was a bad one.

In the age of social media, customer service nightmare stories often get thousands, hundreds of thousands, even millions of online views. As an example, a video about United Airlines breaking a passenger’s guitar has been seen more than ten million times. 

Little did the resort’s manager know that I wrote a blog. Or that the blog ranks well on Google. Or that a negative review here would show up well on search engines. As a result, his “good” business decision could cost him tens of thousands of dollars of future business from potential honeymooners who decide to make a reservation elsewhere.

2. They Failed to Act Quickly Enough: When I called two weeks in advance of our trip, they knew they were over-booked. Instead of dealing with the problem then, they waited until the Friday of our wedding weekend before notifying us.

3. They Minimized the Problem: When I asked Mr. Fitch what went wrong, he told me, “People get bumped. It happens in the airlines and at other hotels.” Minimizing a crisis instead of fully acknowledging it only makes it worse.

4. They Offered an Insufficient Remedy: When I explained that a move to a much larger resort wasn’t an acceptable option, he offered us a free “romantic” dinner and a free airport pick-up. Only after I continued to express my outrage did he offer something better – but by the time I won that Pyrrhic victory, I no longer wanted anything to do with his chain. Companies in crisis should start with their best offer of a remedy instead of one that offers to do the smallest amount possible.

All’s well that ends well. In the end, we were able to scramble to find an available room at a lovely small resort in Los Cabos, Mexico. But that new vacation, booked on three days notice, cost us significantly more than our original budget.

If anyone is planning a vacation, I strongly recommend avoiding Zoetry and their related properties. The casual indifference with which they canceled our honeymoon at the last minute bodes poorly for other travelers, as does the fact that other Zoetry guests have shared similar stories on review sites of being bumped at the last minute.

And if you’re a future honeymooner looking for a place to stay, drop me an email. I know a great place in Los Cabos.

Related: Seven Rules To Remember When a Crisis Strikes

Study after study proves that the public retains very little of what they hear.

But too often, media spokespersons and public speakers load their delivery with way too much detail.

In this video media training tip, I’ll cite a couple of my favorite facts about memory – and give you a few keys to being remembered.

Many of our media training students ask whether it’s ever appropriate to turn the tables on reporters by asking questions of them during an interview.

It depends.

Since not all questions are equal, this article will look at three of the most common types of questions you might ask reporters. And yes – some are more effective than others. 

1. Clarifying Questions

It’s almost always appropriate to ask a clarifying question. If you truly don’t understand the question, don’t take a stab at answering it – ask the reporter what he or she means.

You can also ask clarifying questions to counter broad and somewhat vague charges. For example, imagine the reporter asks, “Your company has been in decline over the past two years. How come?” Answering that question almost immediately puts you on the defensive.

Instead, you might ask, “I’m not sure I understand what you’re asking. Can you be more specific?” The reporter’s reply will usually be more focused, allowing you to address individual topics instead of broader – and more potentially damaging – issues.

2. Rhetorical Questions

I’m a big fan of asking rhetorical questions and answering them – especially when pressed with a  challenging question. Much like a tennis serve, your rhetorical question occurs when you toss up the ball, while your answer represents the moment the racket sends it flying across the net.

Here’s an example: A reporter asks, “You just recalled this product, and your other products are made with similar materials. Are your products dangerous?”

You might answer by saying, “Are our products safe? Absolutely. This recall is the first in our company’s history – and the fact that we notified consumers so quickly is a sign of just how seriously we take safety.” This tactic works nicely, but a little goes a long way here.

3. Challenging Questions

This is where most of our trainees get into trouble. They too often use their rapier wit to challenge the reporter with an adversarial question – and their tactic frequently backfires.

For example, a reporter might say, “What would you say to your critics who say your company’s latest pharmaceutical drug costs too much for the average consumer?”

You might be tempted to say, “Well, don’t you think that’s why Medicare should begin covering the drug so that more people could have access to it?” And that leads to the killer response: “Actually, no. Your profit margin is 300 percent, and if you cut your profit margin even slightly, tens of thousands of sick people could afford your medication. How can you justify that?”

Sure, a few people can pull this off. Odds are you’re not one of them. Unless you’re an extraordinarily seasoned media guest, leave this one out of your bag of tricks.

In the words of the 80s pop group Mike and the Mechanics, all I need is a miracle, all I nee-eeed is you. Won’t you take a moment to sign up for free monthly tips to make you a better media spokesperson and public speaker?

Related: The Three Questions Reporters Always Ask

Related: Five Ways To Avoid Being Misquoted By Reporters

Next time you see a play in a large theater, pay attention to the actors. You may notice that they use big movements, sweeping gestures, and an energetic vocal delivery.

Next time you watch a suspenseful movie, you’ll probably notice the opposite. The actors are probably using small, subtle expressions to communicate their inner thoughts. Sometimes, a well-timed twitch of an eyebrow is all it takes to terrify a movie audience. 

The same differences between stage and screen play out in everyday speeches and business presentations – and you can up your game as a speaker by knowing how to adjust your performance to account for the different types of acting.

Large Audiences: Generally speaking, the larger the audience, the larger the movements and gestures. If you’re speaking to a crowd of 500 people, you can’t rely on subtle facial expressions to make your point. Except for the people in the front rows, no one will see them – so the format demands that you make your key points in more obvious ways.

That means that like a stage actor, your performance has to be “bigger” than it would be in everyday life. Use big, sweeping gestures, more exaggerated movements, and a greater emphasis on vocal variety.

Small Audiences: For smaller crowds, use smaller gestures, less exaggerated movements, and more nuanced facial expressions. Since everyone in the audience can see you well, your “screen” acting will effectively reach everybody in the room.

Large Audience With Video: My clients often ask what they should do when speaking to a large audience of hundreds, but when live video of their talk is simultaneously being shown on big screens on each side of the stage. In that situation, embrace the middle ground. That way, your gestures won’t be too big or too small, and your performance will look just about right to everyone in the audience – regardless of whether they’re looking at you or the video monitors.

Okay, I admit it. I’m courting you. Instead of flowers and a small (but unintimidating) gift, I’m using blog stories to win your heart. So if you like my blog, would you please respond to my humble gestures by following our tweets? I’m at @MrMediaTraining. 

Related: How to Write For a Speech, Not For The Page

Related: The Five Most Common PowerPoint Mistakes

You just finished a media interview. You think you nailed it.

But when the story comes out, your name is nowhere to be found. You feel rejected by the reporter, who clearly didn’t deem you worthy enough to be included in the story.

Few things frustrate media spokespersons more than providing the reporter with loads of information only to be omitted from the final story. But it may not have been your fault.

Here are five reasons the reporter may have dropped you from the story:

1. Storyline May Have Changed: The reporter may have started with a certain story in mind, but shifted to a different storyline upon learning new information. There’s little you can do differently in this case: reporters should be open to changing the story as they dig into it, and that means that quality sources sometimes get left behind. 

What you can do differently next time: Not much. Chalk this one up to “it happens.”

2. May Have Upgraded The Source: Let’s say you’re a spokesperson for a government agency. If the reporter gets access to the agency’s director prior to publication, you’re probably going to get dropped from the story. Same thing happens if you work for a mid-size group specializing in healthy oceans. If you’re a no-name spokesperson and I suddenly get through to a Cousteau, I’m probably going to quote him instead.

What you can do differently next time: Not much, other than continuing to build your name recognition as an expert through smaller- and medium-sized media outlets.

3. May Have Run Out of Space: If a newspaper story gets cut to 300 words, the reporter will have  precious little space for quotes. Same for radio and television – if a story gets cut to a 30-second “anchor read,” your quote is gone. That’s not necessarily an indication that you did something wrong. 

What you can do differently next time: Getting dropped from a story due to lack of space MAY be an indication that you didn’t give the reporter anything useful. If the reporter ended up quoting somebody else in the piece, you might want to question why you were dropped.

4. You May Not Have Said Anything Useful: Anyone who’s served as a reporter has had the nightmare interview in which a spokesperson refuses to say anything even remotely interesting. Even experienced reporters with a few hundred interviewing tricks strike out sometimes, leaving them without a single quotable phrase.

What you can do differently next time: Pass the interview off to a colleague. Get media training. Develop more quotable stories, statistics, and sound bites (here’s a tool to help you). If none of those things work, consider a career in accounting or engineering.

5. You May Have Said Useful Things In An Unquotable Way: It’s possible that you had important things to say, but buried them in technical jargon, unending sentences, or process words. If the reporter paraphrases you instead of quoting you, there’s a chance you fell into this trap.

What you can do differently next time: Develop more quotable stories, statistics, and sound bites (here’s a tool to help you). Practice delivering the most quotable parts of your answer at the beginning of your answer instead of burying it somewhere in the middle. 

That’s the way, uh huh, uh huh, I like it.  If you like the blog (uh huh, uh huh), like us on Facebook! Click “like” on the upper right of the blog, or visit http://www.Facebook.com/MrMediaTraining. 

Related: Five Ways To Avoid Being Misquoted By Reporters

Related: How To Select a Media Trainer

This is the fifth and final article in a week-long series that will teach you how to dress, apply makeup, and wear your hair for media interviews and public appearances. You can see the complete series here.

Aside from your clothes, makeup and hair, there are several other aspects of your physical appearance to consider before going on-air. And there are some general things worth bearing in mind with today’s high-definition shows.

Your hands may show up on camera, so apply a little makeup base on age spots, and make sure your nails are well-tended. The best nail polish shades: clear, pink-tinged or flesh-colored.

If you wear glasses, choose frames and lenses that don’t draw attention to themselves. Avoid shiny or brightly colored frames, and make sure the glasses don’t obscure your brows or dominate your other features (notice how Larry King’s glasses are the first thing you notice when you see him; that may be fine for an interviewer, but it doesn’t advance the cause for a spokesperson with limited screen time).

Former CNN Host Larry King was known for his glasses (and his suspenders)

One tried-and-true method is to choose a frame that matches your hair. Compensate for shiny frames by applying some cream makeup or powder to minimize their reflected glare. It’s best to have glare-resistant lenses and to steer clear of tinted lenses.

What about high-definition? There are different types of high-definition, so a lot depends on the camera and the filters being used, as well as the technical skills of the camera operator and the lighting designer. But there are some good rules of thumb.

Remember that commercial where people watching a golf tournament at home could spot the golf ball way off in the distance even though the people on the green couldn’t find it? It’s not too far off the mark: “Things that show up in real life show up much more in HD,” says Rebecca Perkins, head of the makeup department for Law & Order: SVU.

That means it’s even more important to keep your wardrobe and makeup subtle. Something that would be considered “bright” in real life might look “a little crazy” on an HD screen, Perkins says. It’s also even more important in HD to blend makeup very carefully to avoid obvious contrast lines, advises Ingrid Grimes-Miles, the make-up artist who created Michelle Obama’s “look” and also works for WGN-TV’s morning show in Chicago. And if anyone tells you that powder should be avoided in this format, ignore them: “You absolutely do need powder, otherwise you will come across oily,” Grimes-Miles says.

Textures are also much more pronounced in HD, so go with smooth and natural ones. And double-check that your clothes are literally spot-less. “If you wear a dark color, swipe your shoulders before you go on!” caution Deborah Boland and JoJami Tyler, co-owners of the media and image consulting firm TV Image Live.

We hope you’ve found this week’s tips useful. Hopefully they will give you one less thing to worry about during your first/next appearance on television (or in a video or on a stage). And if you’re a veteran willing to share any other tried-and-true preparation techniques or shortcuts, we invite you to enter them in the comments section.

You can see the other articles in the series here.

Many of these tips were used with permission from Your Public Best: The Complete Personal Appearance and Media Training Guide by Lillian Brown. Published by Newmarket Press.

This is the fourth in a week-long series that will teach you how to dress, apply makeup, and wear your hair for media interviews and public appearances. You can see the complete series here.

Think of your hair as a frame around your face, recommends Lillian Brown, author of Your Public Best: The Complete Personal Appearance and Media Training Guide. Like a good frame, it should flatter without drawing undue attention.

You can achieve this with a modern cut (no Farrah Fawcett flip, for instance) that doesn’t fall into your eyes. Allow ¾ inch of clearance around the eyes to compensate for shadows.

Unless Your Hair is Part of Your Image, Avoid the Justin Bieber Look. Photo: Daniel Ogren, Wikimedia Commons

“A little volume is always good,” so use a brush instead of a comb, say Deborah Boland and JoJami Tyler, co-owners of the media and image consulting firm TV Image Live. “If you color your hair, make sure it’s not a solid blob of color. Especially with blondes, have your hairdresser use two or three different-colored blonde highlights to make it look natural. Warmer blondes look better on camera than cooler tones.”

Hairstyles that look best on men are those that cover the top halves of their ears and reach down almost to the collar in the back. Make sure no stray hairs are sticking up, and keep beards and mustaches well-trimmed and off the lips.

Unless You Want to Look Like Boxing Promoter Don King, Comb Down the Stragglers. Photo: Shawn Lea, Wikimedia Commons

What if hair is a distant memory? Baldness can look fine on television, as long as you take care to minimize the shine. Apply a little powder and keep your jaw level to the floor to avoid dominating the picture with your pate. And stay out of the sun, unless you want a sunburned forehead to be all that viewers remember.

One final caveat for everyone else: avoid getting a haircut just before your appearance; better to wait a few days so it looks more natural.

You can see the other articles in the series here.

Many of these tips were used with permission from Your Public Best: The Complete Personal Appearance and Media Training Guide by Lillian Brown. Published by Newmarket Press.