Be Yourself

By Susan Tomai 

I find it interesting that many of our media and presentation training clients have a tendency to tamp down their natural enthusiasm as soon as the camera goes on. When they first walk into our studio, they seem so genuine and gregarious - yet when we conduct their first practice interviews they suppress their natural charisma and devolve into dull talking heads.

Spokespeople need to be focused and on-message, but they can also embrace their best communication qualities and personality traits and let them flourish in interviews. There is great passion and energy around many issues – why not channel that enthusiasm for the messages into a compelling spoken performance that engages the audience?

Tip for the day: the next time you go on-camera, be animated. Project your voice. Smile. Show your natural passion. Being on-message and true to oneself are not mutually exclusive.

Well Played, Mr. Trump

By Susan Tomai 

Trump knows what he’s doing, and it works. He has led the discussion since the day he got in the race. Talk about word-of-mouth: he says something offensive, then sits back and watches while the pundits and his opponents use up all their oxygen branding him and giving him millions of dollars’ worth of free exposure.

Journalism is a business, and because The Donald draws the eyeballs and boosts the ratings, reporters cover him – we get that. But what about his opponents?  They can’t criticize him as much as they’d like (don’t want to offend that precious base) but they talk about him anyway, further helping him.

Here’s a suggestion to the rest of the GOP field: leave Mr. Trump out of it as you stake out your own territory. Because Trump has played all of you so skillfully so far, we all know where he stands on immigration, terrorism and trade. How about the rest of you? Would the average person-in-the-street know your positions on any of the above? Whether you like what he's saying or not, Trump’s messages are much more clear and consistent than yours – and time is running out.

Well played, Mr. Trump.

Help Out The Speaker By Being A Good Audience Member

By Susan Tomai

We’ll often hear a celebrity say “Thank you so much, you’ve been a terrific audience” and really mean it. Why? Because speakers actually perform better when audience members are attentive and send positive energy to the speaker.

So the next time you’re in an audience, don’t look at your iPhone phone or watch. Don’t fold your arms across your chest. Don’t yawn extravagantly. Don’t roll your eyes or whisper to your neighbor. Instead, make eye contact with the speaker, smile, nod your head in approval.

When we work with clients on their speeches and presentations, we advise them to look for a friendly face in the crowd and derive energy from them. Why not be that friendly face? Perhaps the speaker will return the favor when it’s your turn on stage.

Hold On

By Susan Tomai

Whenever you're in an interview and feel thrown off by a particular question, have a generic “Holding Statement” ready on the tip of your tongue. Example: "Remember (insert reporter’s name), our organization's mission is to eradicate poverty/protect low wage earners/ensure equal education to all children regardless of their zip codes” etc. Use your organization’s mission statement as a holding statement to give your self enough time to redirect and move on. If you believe in your organization’s mission this is an easy placeholder for difficult reporter questions.

Don't Just Sit There - Do Something

By Susan Tomai

When you’re called upon to do a TV interview, whether in the studio, via satellite or even Skype, the last thing a producer wants is another ”talking head” – someone who just sits there and speaks while barely moving.

To keep viewers engaged, you have to be engaging. Your interview is in fact not just an interview - it needs to be a performance. I’m not asking you to be phony, or someone other than yourself, but I am asking you to be a somewhat “bigger” version of yourself.

Dig deep into that charismatic side of your personality. Get your hands up out of your lap and use them, preferably with purpose. For example, if you say something is “huge,” hold your hands apart to indicate “huge.” If something is “coming together,” weave your fingers together. If something is “on the rise,” move your hands upward to indicate that.

Remember: what you’re saying may be spellbinding, but if you don’t reflect that with your gestures, your TV audience may not hear it.