Good Things Come To Those Who Bait

In a live interview, if you want the reporter to ask you the questions you want to be asked - then reel the reporter in. In other words, don’t just deliver answers to the reporter’s questions.  Offer up a an enticement answer, a “hook”  that leads the reporter to ask your planned/desired follow-up question.

For example:

YOU: "But that's just one example of the incredible things we've seen in our research." 

REPORTER: "Really? Such as?"

YOU: "Well, for instance..."

Dangle the hook,  cast your answers to elicit the desired follow-up question, and use the proper bait.

But She's Not Answering The Question! - Updated

By Susan Tomai

We wake up, check our smart phones, turn on the TV and maybe still collect the paper on the stoop. Instantly we’re bombarded by corporate spokespeople and politicians who obviously don’t give direct answers to certain questions from journalists.  Is that OK?  Sometimes.

For those of you who really listen, a spokesperson not answering the question is frustrating. But in a society where multitasking and limited attention spans are the norm, some spokespeople know they can get away with it because many of us don’t listen that closely.

Still, it doesn’t have to be an either/or situation – and the answer lies in what we call the “Touch and Go” technique. Rather than completely avoiding a question, the more credible spokesperson does better to briefly “touch” upon the question and then quickly “go” to an established message, without repeating the reporter’s words. The brief acknowledgement of the question is a more credible approach than simply ignoring the reporter.

Be a Storyteller in Your Media Interviews, Presentations and Speeches

By Susan Tomai When I was a kid in Mrs. Murphy’s second grade class in Glen Rock, New Jersey (a town that literally has a huge rock in the glen), like every other kid, I couldn’t wait for the final bell to ring so I could go outside and play. I wore a crisp white shirt, plaid uniform and knee socks. I sat at my desk and tried hard to be interested in every lesson, but I was often bored by all the numbers and dry information. Then one day we had a substitute teacher - Mrs. Rizzuto - and everything changed.  She told us stories, showing us pictures and playing music.  The day flew by. I had to be pried out of my desk to go home. I wanted to know more. You can do that for your audiences.  In our training sessions, we show you how to tell meaningful stories that will help your audiences to remember, learn from you and link back to your brand. Numbers and statistics are obviously important in some presentations, but never overwhelm your audience – and be a storyteller.

Walk This Way

When delivering a presentation, you don’t want to move too little or too much. Standing frozen in one spot or shifting from one foot to another when you're addressing a crowd looks tentative and unpolished. It’s much better to use the stage like an actor and fill the space. Start by standing tall, with your weight distributed equally across both feet. Don’t shift or rock back and forth and don’t favor one foot over the other. Then, move forward deliberately, as though you’re going somewhere. Take a few steps to the right, stop, and deliver a point. Then do the same, to the left. Move closer to the audience when you are making a particularly important point. Then, to get back to where you started, don’t back up or turn your back to the audience; instead, walk from side to side on a barely perceptible angle backward. If you do this, you’ll look “bigger,” more commanding, and even more trustworthy.

Prepare for Impact

Delivering an effective message requires preparation - even when you're a big Hollywood star. Evidence of this was rampant at the Oscars Sunday night as usual, with plenty of breathless and inane "off-the-cuff" speeches.  But a few of the winners got it right.  Best Supporting Actress winner Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years a Slave) nailed it with a simple statement. And Best Supporting Actor winner Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club) did well too, according to Jeff Nussbaum, a partner in DC's West Wing Writers speech writing firm. Check out his take on the talk at the awards at:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/reliable-source/wp/2014/03/03/jared-letos-oscar-speech-drive-by-politics/?tid=pm_lifestyle_pop