Media & Your Message A Core Leadership Attribute Seminar on Public Communication

1. Media & Your MessageA Core Leadership Attribute Seminar onPublic Communication Created By: Linda Lawrence, MD, FACEP Past-President, American College of Emergency Physicians Associate Professor, Department of Military & Emergency Medicine Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences Wilford Hall Medical Center, Texas Tenet Editor: Jeffrey Druck, MD, FACEP Associate Director, Denver Health Residency in Emergency Medicine University of Colorado School of Medicine

2. Outline • Key Elements in a Media • The Art of the Sound Bite • Developing a Message • Delivering the Message • Interview Techniques • Common Pitfalls

3. Why Do An Interview? • Educate • Boost profile • Correct misconceptions • Instill confidence • Increase/reinforce name recognition

5. Key Elements in a Media - The 10 Commandments 1. Be yourself 2. Be comfortable, confident and calm 3. Be honest 4. Be brief and direct 5. Avoid an argument *Modified from Susan Peterson Productions 1-800-929-7774; www.TheCommunicationCenter.com

6. Key Elements in a Media - The 10 Commandments 6. Be personal 7. Be positive and consistent 8. Be attentive 9. Be energetic and enthusiastic 10. Be committed and sincere *Modified from Susan Peterson Productions 1-800-929-7774; www.TheCommunicationCenter.com

7. Key Elements in a Media - Types of Media • Radio • Live radio show vs. prerecorded • Television • Remote news interview • Talk show • News conference • Print

8. Key Elements in a Media WIIFM

9. Key Elements in a Media - What’s In It For Me? (WIIFM) • What are their issues and concerns • What do they want to know • What attitudes do they possess

10. Key Elements in a Media -Know your audience Demographics age, education, lifestyle, career status, etc… Knowledge about the subject Attitude New or surprising info Expectations

11. Key Elements in a Media - Goals of the interview A reporter’s job is to GATHER, COVER, and GET a story. YOUR job is to give the reporter YOUR story.

12. Answer/Call back Work with your PR department Know the 5 W’s Who, What, Where, When, Why Commit to call-back or follow-up Prepare Respect deadlines Set ground rules Key Elements in a Media - When media calls…

13. Art of the Sound Bite • Shrinking sound bite • 1968 – 42.3 sec • 1988 – 9.8 sec • 2000 – 7.8 sec • People asking for more substance • Be concise yet deliver substantive, powerful message

14. Art of the Sound Bite- Creating messages • Know the format and its limitations • Edit yourself rather than be edited • Carefully consider examples or anecdotes • Provide one strong statistic, not several • Use memorable words and colorful phrasing • Use verbal flagging • ‘If you hear nothing else today…’

15. Art of the Sound Bite If I am to speak 10 minutes, I need a week for preparation. If 15 minutes, 3 days. If half hour, two days. If an hour, I am ready now. - President Woodrow Wilson

16. Art of the Sound Bite Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. – Leonardo da Vinci

17. Art of the Sound Bite Be Simple (not simplistic)

18. Developing a Message- The essentials • Identify the issue or topic • Gather background information • Provide 3-5 key points • Have a fact or statistic for each point • Give examples or anecdotes • Keep language clear and simple • Organize key messages

19. Developing a Message- Importance of the ‘Example’ Examples Excellent for speeches Personalizes the point Keep brief Not for all media Remember: ‘A picture is worth a thousand words’

20. Delivering the Message- Preparation • Practice, practice, practice… • Rehearse out loud • Anticipate potential questions and prepare answers

21. Delivering the Message- Preparation • Keep language clear and simple • No jargon • Rehearse key point sound bites • Commit to memory • Commit to memory facts and figures • Avoid ‘we’ – use the name

22. Delivering the Message Word Choice Voice Tone Body Language

23. Delivering the Message Word Choice Voice Tone Body Language – 55%

24. Delivering the Message Word Choice Voice Tone – 38% Body Language – 55%

25. Delivering the Message Word Choice – 7% Voice Tone – 38% Body Language – 55%

26. Delivering the Message It isn’t what we say… It’s how we say it!

27. Delivering the Message -Body Language • Be open and natural • Let arms rest naturally • No hands in pockets • Stand during a phone interview • Sit on back of jacket

28. Delivering the Message -Body Language • Don’t back away from the microphone • Maintain eye contact • Smile or raised eyebrows to communicate emotion

29. Delivering the Message - Dressing for Success • In General • No exposed buttons on shirts (they reflect) • Shirt color should provide some contrast • Be careful of white with fair skin • For men • Wear a jacket - dark and/or textured but no patterns or tweeds • Ties - avoid busy prints; red is great

30. Delivering the Message - Dressing for Success • For Women: • Stockings - neutral , no seams • Turtle necks OK under dark coat • Scarves - keep minimal • Makeup is a must • More than usual but neutral • Eyeliner and medium lipstick • Avoid frosts • Hair - spray, no gels/glosses. Away from face • Jewelry - simple, avoid the ‘sparkle’ • No pins on lapels (they reflect)

31. Delivering the Message - Verbal Communication • Pace • Pauses • Inflection • Words • Articulate • Energy

32. Interview Formats- Print Articles • Don’t ramble • Be specific and stay simple • Know your reader • Remember body language if face-to-face

33. Interview Formats- Telephone Interview • Never take the call cold • Don’t use speaker phone • Stand up to talk on the phone • Monotone voices are connected to monotone bodies • Never go ‘off the record’ • Ask them questions if not ‘live’

34. Interview Formats- Television Talk Show • Sit forward in the chair • Concentrate on interviewer and audience, NOT the cameras • Jump in, clarify, take control • Wait for the ‘all clear’

35. Interview Formats- Remote Television • Look directly at the camera • Keep focused on camera at all times • Don’t look at the TV monitor • Practice by talking to inanimate objects • ‘10% factor’ • Gestures okay – even for head shots

36. Interview Formats- Radio Talk Show • Some are live, some are prerecorded • Behave as if ‘on-camera’ • Repeat important points • Be prepared for ‘off-the-wall’ questions during call-ins • OK to have fun • Self-effacing humor is safest

37. Interview Formats- News Conference • Make opening comments brief • Common for repeat questions • Invite colleagues if acceptable • But remember all are ‘on camera’ • Stand rather than sit • End with a closing statement • Not over until it is over – beware of the ambush

38. Interview Formats- Crisis Communication • Respond quickly • Give simple, positive messages • Be open, honest and accessible • Do more than expected • Use common sense

39. Common Pitfalls • Know the reporter’s agenda • Anticipate the questions • Anticipate the tricks

40. Common Pitfalls - What NOT to say • Never say ‘No Comment’ • Never make up an answer • Don’t over answer • Avoid sarcasm, jokes and speculation • Not the time to be cute • ‘Background’ interviews need clear ground rules ahead of time

41. Common Pitfalls - Beware of….’Off the Record’ • EVERYTHING is on the record • If you don’t want to be quoted, don’t say it • Interview is on-going as long as the reporter is within earshot • Let PR staff handle the ‘off the record’ game

42. Common Pitfalls - Buzzword Alert • Know the buzzwords • They often carry negative connotation • Never repeat • Simply replace

43. Common Pitfalls - When put on the defense • Turn negatives into positives • Remain calm and professional • Pause when needed • Give thoughtful, positive responses • Demonstrate conviction by sticking to your story • Transition back to your message

44. Common Pitfalls - Media Tricks The Trick: Machine Gunning – Rapidly firing a series of questions at you. The Trap: Trying to answer all questions. The Technique: Pause and choose the question that gives you control to deliver key message.

45. Common Pitfalls - Media Tricks The Trick: Interrupting – Never letting you finish a thought. Cut off in mid-sentence. The Trap: You succumb and fall into question/answer, question/answer interrogation. The Technique: Politely continue your message.

46. Common Pitfalls - Media Tricks The Trick: Paraphrasing – Putting words in your mouth or try to seek agreement to their summarized statement. The Trap: You are misquoted or taken out of context. The Technique: Restate the summary point in your words.

47. Common Pitfalls - Ways to transition back • Deny • Not at all, our organization strives to… • That’s inaccurate, the real facts are… • Lets take a look at the facts because it will illustrate that is not true • On the contrary… • Refocus • What’s important to point out is… • Our first concern is • The good news is…

48. Common Pitfalls - Ways to transition back • Assess • Lets step back and examine what you are asking… • The public has a right to know all sides and our position is… • Acknowledge & Move On • That was the situation in the past, now we’re taking a leadership position… • Of course, we recognize we could do better, and… • We share your concern about… • In the past, that was the situation, however, today…

49. Common Pitfalls - Ways to transition back • Other Phrases for regaining control • What I really want to talk about is… • What is important is… • That is an interesting questions, it reminds me of… • Before I forget, I want to tell the audience... • Before we get off the subject, let me add... • What I am really here to talk about is…

50. Summary • Identify key elements in a media plan. • Recognize the art of the sound bite. • Discuss the importance of voice and body language in communication. • Explain how to develop a message. • Discuss media interview techniques and how to stay on message. • Identify common pitfalls in media interviews and how to avoid them.