Mr. Media Training

What I’ve Learned As A Spokesperson: John Barnett

Brad Phillips @MrMediaTraining — Thu, 17 May 2012 10:09:33 +0000

Editor’s Note: This is the sixth in an ongoing series of readers sharing what they’ve learned as media spokespersons. Click here to learn how to submit your own piece. Today’s post comes from John Barnett, a senior communications analyst for Vox Optima. In the spirit of full disclosure, I’ve only been a spokesperson a few [...]

How To Deliver A Closing “Call To Action”

Brad Phillips @MrMediaTraining — Wed, 16 May 2012 10:09:01 +0000

Many public speakers are reluctant to offer an overt “call to action” at the end of their speeches. For whatever reason, many speakers feel uncomfortable telling the audience precisely what they want them to do after their speeches end. I’ve heard people tell me that they don’t want to come across as an overly-aggressive salesperson, [...]

10 Questions Every Candidate Should Be Ready To Answer

Brad Phillips @MrMediaTraining — Tue, 15 May 2012 10:10:49 +0000

Rep. Rick Berg, a candidate for North Dakota’s open Senate seat, was recently asked a straightforward question: “What’s the state’s minimum wage?” He didn’t know the answer – and he’s far from alone. The Huffington Post points out that four candidates at a recent Senate debate in Missouri also didn’t know the minimum wage. And [...]

Your Answers: How Can You Justify Making So Much Money?

Brad Phillips @MrMediaTraining — Mon, 14 May 2012 10:10:45 +0000

It’s the single hardest media training question for spokespersons to answer. Let’s say you’re a top executive from a not-for-profit association, a quasi-governmental organization, a membership group, or a utility company. You work for a group that depends on taxpayer funding, private donations, or middle-class ratepayers. You make $600,000 per year. Or $800,000 per year. [...]

Mitt Romney, Bullying, And What He Should Say Now

Brad Phillips @MrMediaTraining — Thu, 10 May 2012 23:18:23 +0000

When I attended Robert Frost Middle School in Rockville, Maryland in the mid-1980s, there was a girl who always wore a bandana around her head. I was a smartass teenager, and she looked different than everybody else – so one day when I passed her in the hall, I quipped, “Nice hat.” A few months [...]

Why You Should Review Your Resume And Online Bio Now

Brad Phillips @MrMediaTraining — Thu, 10 May 2012 10:08:01 +0000

Ever think about padding your resume in an effort to make yourself look more appealing to an employer, potential clients, or the public? Two recent cases make clear that you might want to think again. Scott Thompson, Yahoo’s new CEO (whose tenure began in January), is under fire for inflating his resume. According to CNNMoney: [...]

My Interview: The Chronicle Of Higher Education’s Editor

Brad Phillips @MrMediaTraining — Wed, 09 May 2012 23:25:23 +0000

Yesterday, I wrote about The Chronicle of Higher Education’s decision to dismiss a blogger for a controversial and dismissive article she had written about academic “black studies” programs. If you missed yesterday’s post, you can click here to catch up. I reached out to Liz McMillen, The Chronicle’s editor, yesterday afternoon. She didn’t reply yesterday, [...]

President Obama And Gay Marriage: Five Things To Watch

Brad Phillips @MrMediaTraining — Wed, 09 May 2012 20:52:41 +0000

I never thought I’d begin an article like this, but here goes: Barack Obama is finally as liberal as Dick Cheney on gay marriage. As you’ve likely heard by now, President Obama announced his support for gay marriage earlier today. He’s not likely to push for legislation – the action is primarily in the courts [...]

Crisis Communications: Why Common Sense Is Often Wrong

Brad Phillips @MrMediaTraining — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:10:13 +0000

I have a soft spot for people who make smart counterarguments that challenge conventional wisdom. I spotted one such piece by North Carolina-based crisis coach Rick Amme recently on PR Daily. In his piece, Rick argues that nine popular pieces of advice often espoused by media trainers aren’t right – or more precisely, aren’t always [...]

The Chronicle of Higher Education’s Inept Crisis Response

Brad Phillips @MrMediaTraining — Tue, 08 May 2012 21:03:01 +0000

UPDATE: Click here to read my interview with Liz McMillen, editor of The Chronicle of Higher Education. Earlier this afternoon, I received an email from Betsy Rothstein, the editor of the popular Fishbowl DC website. She asked me to comment on a recent incident involving The Chronicle of Higher Education and one of its bloggers. [...]