On and on and on. The host endlessly reads every word of a biography submitted by the speaker or his PR Department.

Or, the introducer has done her due diligence, researching articles and books the speaker has written, his degrees, and every job he’s every held. Then she rolls them all up into an endless introduction that could easily double as the speaker’s obituary.

If you’re the speaker, or asked to introduce a speaker, don’t let that ever happen to you.

Prepare Your Own Introduction

The introduction sets the stage for your presentation. A lengthy, overly complimentary introduction will irritate the audience. It’s not a good idea to start out on a negative note. You want to get the audience involved with the very first word.

If you’re the speaker, you need to take responsibility and do more than just allow the host to read the introduction he prepared. Take charge and make changes, including shortening it. Better yet, write the introduction yourself.

Don’t be so impressed by your accomplishments that you fall into the same trap. You may feel that an overly long introduction will impress the audience with how highly qualified you are to be the featured speaker. Instead, they are apt to start checking their email messages.

What You Should Include

The point of an introduction is to get the audience warmed up and excited about the presentation. It sets the mood. So you should include:

• A brief description of the topic. Describe the topic of the presentation and why it’s important to the audience.
• A startling fact. That fact could be the result of your own proprietary research – a nugget from the speech to whet the audience’s appetite.
• The speaker’s credentials. Why the speaker (you) is uniquely qualified to discuss the topic.
• A lead-in to the speaker. No, not “without further ado,” or “a woman who needs no introduction.” Instead, say something simple like: “Please join me in welcoming our speaker.”
  

What You Should Leave Out

Leave out what isn’t relevant to the topic or the speaker. Don’t include:

• A joke. It may be funny to you, but half the people in the room won’t laugh. Don’t take that chance. Avoid humor unless you’re a professional comedian.
• An outline of the speech. Don’t scoop yourself by giving away too much of what will follow. Keep them wanting to hear more.
• Your resume. Keep your qualifications brief and very pointed. Leave out the information that doesn’t validate your authority to speak on the subject.
• Housekeeping announcements. Don’t use the introduction to discuss where the exits are or when the buses leave for the airport. They are a distraction and will take away from the gravitas of your remarks.

If You Are the Host

We’ve been discussing the role and responsibility of the speaker but if you’re giving the introduction, it’s your responsibility to:

• Talk to the speaker. Have a conversation in advance by phone, or email. Ask if she would like to prepare her own introduction. You’ll always have a chance to ask for changes, if you feel that something is missing or the introduction is too long (speakers can get carried away with their introductions, too).
• Have a written introduction. Don’t try to wing it. You’ll end up talking too long, including unnecessary information, and possibly forgetting what’s important.
• Practice. Never memorize the introduction, but do practice it until you’re comfortable. If the speaker has a difficult or very long name, ask her how to pronounce it and then practice until it rolls off your tongue. Also, practice unfamiliar technical terms.
• Let the speaker be the center of attraction. The speaker won’t appreciate it if you try to one-up him by touting your own credentials on the subject. Focus the spotlight on the speaker, not yourself.

Limit yourself to a 60 to 90 second introduction. That will force you to be succinct and hit the highlights. You can always print copies of the introduction, including more information, and place them at everyone’s seat or place at the table.

But don’t make it too lengthy. People don’t want to feel they’re reading the speaker’s obituary.

If you’ve ever been introduced and had to suffer through someone reading your entire bio as your introduction, we’d love to hear from you in the comment box.

Jargon common to all industries such as “think outside the box” or a “win-win situation” are well known, although they don’t show much originality when used by someone making a presentation.

But if a speaker used “kill chain” in his talk would you know that it’s a military term describing the process of identifying and destroying a target? The speaker might be discussing how to overcome the competition and kill chain certainly has a nice ring to it, even if his audience doesn’t know what it means.

The use of jargon can leave people in the dark when they don’t know what’s going on. It’s best to minimize the jargon in your talks, because it breaks the flow. Use jargon too often and your audience will tune out.

Avoid These Terms

Jargon should be used sparingly, if at all. Many terms have become clichés, because they are trite and overused. Are you guilty of using any of this jargon when you’re presenting?

• Let’s get our ducks in a row
• Pushing the envelope
• Hammer it out
• Keep me in the loop
• Go after the low-hanging fruit
• The view from 30,000 feet

If you have, now might be a good time to strike them from your next presentation or business conversation.

Probably no group is guiltier of using jargon than politicians and lobbyists. Most civilians would have no idea what these terms mean: “frankenfood” (genetically modified food products) or “greenwashing” (companies that try to make it seem they’re environmentally friendly but they’re not).

There is an insider’s language for business, government agencies and the military that revolves around not only the use of jargon, but the use of acronyms.

Acronyms Aren’t All Bad

It’s maddening to watch the Sunday morning political talk shows and listen to politicians talk in double speak. There is a veritable alphabet soup of terms they use such as:

• AHRQ – Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
• BCP – Bureau of Consumer Protection
• CBO – Congressional Budget Office

But can you imagine having to repeat this government agency name every time you mentioned it in a talk?

• DELTA – Domestic Violence Prevention Enhancement and Leadership Through Alliances Program

Unlike jargon, which is a poor substitute for clear language, acronyms are useful, once you’ve defined them.

Acronyms are meaningless unless you use the entire name first. If you persist in using acronyms without explanation, then you’ve lost your audience.

For example, use The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority the first time you mention it instead of FINRA, its more common acronym. FINRA is the largest independent regulator for all securities firms doing business in the United States. It’s been in the news a lot lately, but you’ll note the media always spells out the full name of the Authority before using the acronym.

When making a proposal to a company that is better known by its initials, it is acceptable to first use the company’s proper name and then use its acronym for the rest of the proposal.

If your presentation is lengthy, then you may want to use the full name occasionally, such as in a slide transitioning to a new section.

Jargon and the use of acronyms have become ubiquitous on social media, but that doesn’t make it acceptable to use shortcuts like LOL (laughing out loud) in a speech or presentation. It isn’t professional.

Please let us know what jargon or acronyms are especially annoying to you.

If you’re a moderator, you need to take all thoughts about “you,” dump them in an imaginary box and toss the box. If you want to be the star, switch seats and be a panelist.

You were asked to be the moderator because you are an expert, so be an expert moderator by shining the spotlight where it belongs – on the panelists. Make them look smart and you’ll look smart. A great moderator should speak 10 percent of the time — the rest of the time is for the panelists and the audience.

Let The Audience In

Engage the audience. Make the audience want more because the conversation is lively, the content is informative, and they’re a part of the conversation.

Give approximately 25 percent of the panel’s total time to the Q&A. The audience is investing their time and often money. Give them a great ROI.

Prepare yourself and prepare the panelists, but do not over-prepare them. (See below for details).

End on time. If the panel runs overtime, it’s the moderator’s fault.

Do Advance Preparation

I prepare for a panel by first answering this question: “What are the goals of all the key players involved — the organization running the event, the panelists and the audience?”

Research the panelists and the panel topic because the best way to sound like you know what you’re talking about is to know what you’re talking about. Even if you’re an expert on the topic, you may need to study the presentation styles of the panelists so you can better manage the different personalities.

Customize the flow and content of the panel discussion based on the panelists and the audience. It’s not one size fits all. What worked for a panel at the United Nations most likely will not work for a panel at Penn State.

Prepare questions to ask the panelists and have extras if you need to jump-start the Q&A. Tip: questions should be short and only one point in each question.

Get presentation skills training. “The problem with speeches isn’t so much not knowing when to stop, as knowing when not to begin,” to quote American author Frances Rodman.

This also applies to moderating a panel. Moderating is hard. If you’re not up to it, don’t take the challenge, or get help. Although you aren’t the star, your presentation skills need to be star quality. Your intro will set the tone.

I’ve had presentation training in the past, but recently I was asked to moderate a panel and I wanted to do everything possible to make sure I would be “in the zone.” I called Joyce Newman for help. It’s like being an athlete – you can always be better.

Pick the panelists. Many times the panelists are chosen by the organization. Other times the moderator will pick. Whoever is in charge should choose very carefully. Don’t just go for big names. Big names draw people to the event, but don’t guarantee a lively discussion.

Don’t Over-Prepare The Panelists

Talk to the panelists. I outline what I want to see happen on that stage and share my thoughts with the panelists, ideally in a conference call versus individual calls. This is about working together on stage, and a conference call starts it off as a team versus “me.”

On the call, we discuss the individual goals of panel members and how they all fit together to achieve the overall goal of the panel. I discuss their thoughts and concerns, emphasizing that the discussion will be about successes, challenges and the future.

Then we go through the no-no’s:

• No use of slides. The only exception is if it’s a photo that tells an amazing story that can only be captured through an image.
• No sales pitches – including selling yourself.
• No questions given to panelists in advance, except for the lead question. Overview category questions are OK to share. This keeps the panel from over-preparing.

Based on the panelists’ input and feedback, we structure the discussion based on what will make for a successful panel. Then I send the panelists a “flow and content” document, that includes the title of the panel, a description, and how the Q&A will be handled. A few days before the panel, I email panelists with any updates and reconfirm the time and place we will meet.

In my next post, I’ll discuss what happens on the day of the panel. Stay tuned!

Denise Restauri is Founder & CEO of GirlQuake, a company that amplifies the voices of girls and women by giving them platforms to create a global force for positive action. As a Forbes.com contributor, she shines the spotlight on female leaders and entrepreneurs. Denise recently moderated a panel at the 2012 Forbes 400 Summit on Philanthropy. Denise has been on The Today Show, CBS Early Show, ABC and more.

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Many won’t be able to fight the compulsion to take a look at their smart phones. So how should you keep your audience included and involved in the discussion?

Transition Expressions

Savvy speakers use Transition/Linking Phrases as the magic that binds their musings so they can move consistently from one point to another.

It’s important to compose your presentation so everything underpins one principle thought. Create a few key headlines to support that idea and then further expound with realities, accounts, contextual investigations, visuals and other evidence.

Also including transitions to connect sentences and key messages will enable the audience to move from thought to thought. Transitions can represent the moment of truth of your presentation. Linking phrases can transform your presentation into a unified whole.

Transitions can likewise be tricky. You have to use words other than “yet,” “in any case,” and “furthermore.” The words you use will fill in as punctuation marks and entice the audience to listen to your next points. Continue giving them the road map to follow all through your presentation.

After you’ve presented your main theme, consider the following transition phrases to get started:

• I’d prefer to support­­­­____from three principle viewpoints…
• I’d like to discuss____from these three central perspectives…
• Let’s cover____with three essential elements as a top priority…

Getting From Here to There

Launch your first key message with an expression that says it’s your first point:

• First, lets start with…
• My first point covers…
• I will speak first about…

Stick to that “chunk” of content and don’t jump to your other key messages until you finish up with a phrase like:

• Moving on to our next area of interest…
• Now, I’d like to examine…
• Our next important component is…

In between each key message, as you start the transition to your next chunk take a look at your audience. Do they appear to be engaged? Are their eyes on you or are they reading their email messages? On the off chance that you feel you’re losing your audience, stop and inquire as to whether anyone needs explanation of a point you’ve made. Perhaps something truly is befuddling that requires further explanation.

Or, it could simply be that it’s drawing near to lunch and people are eager. Whatever the explanation, you must recover their attention. So pause, and allow them to get back in sync with you.

When you are done introducing your key messages, rehash them, starting with a phrase such as, “I’ve just covered the three most important points about… ”

 The Closer

Now the audience is prepared for your closing comments. Please don’t use, “in conclusion …” because that’s the signal you’ve arrived at the finish of your presentation and it’s alright to intellectually tune out.

Instead, keep them tuning in with a more compelling phrase such as:

• What I need you to take away from…
• The thought I’d like to leave you with…
• I strongly recommend that…

Call to Action

Don’t simply state, “Thanks for listening” when you’re done. Preface that with what you need the audience to do after the presentation. Include a call to action:

• What I’d like to ask you to do now…
• Can I request your help in…
• My aim today is to convince you to take the next step and…

Transition phrases are the audience’s lifeline to your presentation. Choose them carefully with the goal that your audience knows precisely where you are at any point in time. They will also help you to keep you on track, so you don’t start wandering off topic and lose your own sense of direction.

Are there transition phrases that you use in your presentations that you find especially valuable? If so, leave us a comment below. We’d love to know what they are.

That’s an important question to ask yourself before you schedule a media interview with a reporter.

You’ve no doubt noticed that many politicians who appear on Sunday morning talk shows almost immediately go on the defensive. They have a point of view on the topic that is at odds with the reporter’s questions from the get-go.

On the Defensive

Too often a talk show guest will evade answering the questions and continually return to his point of view. This is the broken record syndrome taken to its extreme.

So, you might wonder: why has this guest agreed to be on the show? What good is it doing him to be constantly on the defensive?

You need to think through your reasons for doing a media interview when you have an opportunity to be a guest on a TV show or to meet with a reporter. You have your own agenda – but so does the reporter. Are your agendas in sync? Or would you be better served by not doing the interview?

The Art of Bridging

Bridging is another term for changing the subject when you want to move on to your own message points. Typical bridging phrases are “Let me tell you about…” or “There is another way of looking at the issue…”

Bridging is an effective technique as long as the reporter feels validated. He wants to know you’re listening to him and providing the information he needs for a good story.

These days, reporters are more sophisticated than ever and are clued in to bridging. They know when you’re fudging, especially when you ignore their questions and mindlessly return to the same answers over and over again.

Answer the Question

Naturally, you need to go into an interview with your talking points down pat but it has to be a more balanced interview.

You’ve got to answer the reporter’s questions. Don’t stonewall. Otherwise, she will think you’re being evasive and hiding something. That’s when she’ll go after you with tough questions.

Say, “I’ll be happy to answer your question,” and then bridge to your message points. But if you need to keep bridging to your key messages, you’re talking to the wrong reporter. Or else the reporter is writing a story you don’t want to be part of.

Be Respectful of Others

Contrary to popular wisdom, reporters rarely conduct what’s called a “hostile” interview. This occurs when the reporter attacks the guest on a personal level, such as challenging your experience or academic credentials.

However, a reporter has a legitimate right to ask you very tough questions. “Isn’t it true that your company has been hiding profits in overseas accounts?” is a tough question, not a hostile one.

No matter the question, you don’t want to get into a shouting match. Be respectful of the reporter’s point of view and the other guests, if you are on a TV talk show panel.

You need to learn how to acknowledge another person’s point of view while disagreeing. That’s what makes for an interesting discussion. The conversation would be very boring if everyone was in agreement on all points.

Use what we call “linking” phrases to bridge to your point of view. You could say, “I can see where you’re coming from, but this is what I think,” or, “I must respectfully disagree because…”

Nonetheless, repeating your key messages over and over again can be taken too far and you’ll be viewed as a one-trick pony that seems to have only one idea.

Become a Reliable Source

Let’s return to the original question: Should I be doing this media interview? You don’t want to put yourself in a situation where you look slick and uncooperative.

To avoid this, become familiar with the reporter’s beat and what she’s written or talked about in the past. You need to do the research or get help from a professional PR person who can provide you with this information.

It may turn out you are simply the wrong person for the interview. You will make a friend for life if you tell the reporter that the information he’s looking for is not your subject matter expertise and then refer him to the right person.

Say, “I know someone who is more of an expert on this topic. He might be willing to talk on the record. Would you like me to make the introduction?” Then remind the reporter what you can talk about for future stories.

Be sure to follow up and do what you promised. You will become a reliable source for the reporter. He will be grateful you steered him to the right spokesperson.

He’s also likely to come back to you when he needs to talk to an expert in your field. Then you won’t need to be constantly bridging to your key messages because they will be just what the reporter wants to hear.

Related articles

• A Reporter Calls: Part 1 (cmcacorner.com)
• Why the Reporter Didn’t Quote You – or Your Client (presenting-yourself.com)
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A while back, Jamie Dimon, chairman and CEO of JPMorganChase, addressed 200+ members and guests of the Financial Women’s Association. When he was introduced, the audience was clearly told that his comments were off the record. Mr. Dimon grinned and got a great deal of laughs when he cracked “there is no such thing as off the record.”

Watch What You Say

He should know. He’s probably been interviewed and misquoted in the press as regularly as any CEO during financial crises since 2008 and his Bank’s own outrage when a rogue trader called the “London Whale” lost $6 billion for the firm.

No doubt members of the audience were taking notes and tweeting during the entire time he was talking. We all know where the media now gets a lot of its data – Twitter. A Twitter account @evleaks with the slogan “Today’s news, yesterday” specializes in reporting leaks.

But even Mr. Dimon needs to keep some secrets from the media, like discussions about the appointment of a woman as the new bank CFO. The FWA moderator lobbed questions at Mr. Dimon during the no-holds-barred discussion that followed his remarks.

A search of the web didn’t reveal any bits of gossip about the CFO appointment. Mr. Dimon said he discussed candidates for the position with the business unit leaders, yet there were no apparent leaks.

Mum’s the Word

How do you keep privileged insights from the media? To start with, restrict the breaking news to an inner circle of people involved with the issue who can be trusted to not turn into an “anonymous source” for leaks.

Many organizations arranging IPOs, or introducing new products, use code names during the long process before public disclosure. You don’t want to dilute the impact by seeing your story on the news on the day preceding the announcement.

Apple broadly utilizes code words for its new items. Dulcimer morphed into the iconic iPod when it was launched in 2001. Wikipedia lists dozens of Apple code names.

In each situation, both insiders and outside consultants and vendors should be required to sign non-disclosure agreements. Outsiders should not even mention they are working for the company, much less on a new product or an IPO.

A high-profile investor relations firm reporting it has signed a new client could signal that something is brewing at the company. Journalists will begin digging and may strike gold.

If you’re part of the inner circle, don’t discuss the secret project in the elevator or in the hallways. The walls have ears. Any bystander could hear a few key words and – boom – the secret is out.

No doubt Samsung wasn’t very happy that the story – and photograph – of its new curved phone was leaked before the launch.

Of course, organizations aren’t above leaking information themselves. Movie studios are notorious for doing this when a long-anticipated movie is expected to bomb. They book the stars on talk shows to drum up interest and attendance before the film’s release.

The End of the Embargo

It wasn’t that long ago that PR people would distribute a news release with an embargo – a future date that the media could report about the story. That is gone the way of the manual typewriter. With the 24-hour new cycle, every media outlet is competing fiercely to be the first to break the news.

Never share your insider facts with reporters except in rare situations. Probably the reporter has been covering your company for years. He has shown that he can be trusted not to break a story if he’s given data “on background.” Again, that is rare these days.

What About a Leak?

Despite your best efforts, the story may get out. You are restricted about what you can say about an IPO. Follow the government’s disclosure rules about how to respond.

A reporter may call with a rumor about a new product release. You don’t need to let the cat out of the bag. You could respond, “We’re always testing new item products. I don’t have anything to report. You’ll be the first to know if that changes.”

You have a obligation keep your company’s secrets. Just remember to keep your promise to that reporter when the time comes to break the news.

One of the lessons learned from our many coaching sessions is this: don’t allow yourself to get complacent and think you can do the same old, same old as you plan your speaking engagements and media interviews.

Analyzing Your Audience

Speakers often go wrong by not doing a thorough audience analysis. They had delivered the presentation before and got careless. You can have all your talking points down pat, but if you’re not meeting the needs of your audience, you’ve failed as a presenter.

Every audience is different and every person in that audience has an ego needing to be nourished. That’s accomplished by giving them information that saves time and money, or helps improve their performance and make them better leaders.

Whether you’re planning a motivational talk at a major conference or speaking to a reporter, step back and review the reason(s) you’ve been asked to be in these situations. You might be leading a “pep rally” to motivate the sales force to get behind a new product offering or speaking by video conference to leadership in offices around the world.

Know Their Background

When you’re scheduled to speak, you need to know:

• Who is in the audience?
• What are their titles?
• What are their information needs?
• Who do they report to?
• What do they already know about the topic? Do some know more than others?
• What is their mood – positive because they exceeded expectations or negative because they just experienced a downsizing?
• What ideas, feelings, or experiences do you share with them?

Once you’ve gotten a fix on the makeup of the audience, develop your content around the questions you think they would ask you. Make your talk about them. For example say, “You had a great year.” Or, “You all pulled together and now our team is stronger than ever.” Saying “you” acknowledges the audience individually and collectively.

If you don’t have time to personally conduct the audience analysis, delegate the task to someone you trust. That would have saved a recent situation in which a very senior executive at a financial services company thought she was going to be addressing a small group of executives in a conference room.

For starters, an assistant had given her misinformation about the location of the meeting, so she went to several conference rooms on different floors before locating the right one. Then she discovered that she was actually scheduled to speak by videoconference to executives in another office.

She was frustrated and exhausted before she even started speaking. She shifted gears quickly and knew her topic well but even that didn’t save the situation. There was no connection between her and the audience because the camera was set too far away from her and her talking points had been crafted for the small group she thought she would be addressing.

It was a very unsatisfying experience because she hadn’t been appropriately briefed and therefore did not come across as the leader she is. Don’t let that happen to you!

Understanding the Culture

It isn’t just enough to understand the specific information needs of your audience. It’s essential to understand the culture and how you’re going to fit in.

What is the dress code, for example? If you’re speaking before a group of corporate executives who always wear a blue serge suit and a rep tie, then you should be wearing something conservative, too.

If your audience is filled with Millennials in fresh pressed jeans and open collars, then you should dress more casually, too. Maybe not jeans, but clothing that’s in keeping with the culture while still making a statement about who you are.

This is a good time to break the cycle of “same old, same old.” Ask yourself if you’ve grown a little complacent about doing the audience analysis and research for a dynamite speech or to nail a media interview. If yes, now is the perfect time to try something new.

When you know what your audience wants and then deliver on it, you’ll gain their respect and admiration as an authority worth listening to. We’d love to hear some of your “war stories” on this topic so please share them with us in the comment box.

It’s important to articulate your words correctly, but an accent can actually make a speaker sound more interesting. Have you ever noticed that people with a British accent are often taken more seriously? Their accent gives them an air of authority and superior intelligence.

Don’t Fake It

On the other hand, some executives and politicians will fake an accent because they think it makes them sound more “down home” and their audience will identify with them. It didn’t work for Hillary Clinton on this campaign stop.

Ms. Clinton is from Chicago, and while she spent much of her life in Arkansas as the wife of then Governor Bill Clinton, she never picked up a Southern accent – until now. If her attempt at a Southern accent was to make her audience feel like they were part of her team, it didn’t work. Her accent wasn’t authentic and distracted from her message.

It isn’t polite to mimic the accent of your audience. It’s offensive and people will think you’re making fun of them or talking down to them. Often people from other parts of the country discount Southerners because of their accents and think they are slow on the uptake.

Of course, nothing could be further from the truth as Southern politicians increasingly dominate the national scene.

Show Your Respect

New immigrants work hard to assimilate into a new culture. My father was Dutch but he only spoke Dutch with his mother and brother as well as a few Dutch cousins.

As a child, I didn’t realize my father had an accent because the way he spoke was perfectly natural to me.

It’s hurtful to make fun of people with accents and tell jokes at their expense. It isn’t easy to master a crisp “R” or pronounce an “S” correctly. And let’s not forget the “L” sound, another tongue twister for many different nationalities.

Imagine yourself being relocated to Japan, Scandinavia or Greece. It certainly wouldn’t be easy.

When working with clients who have a problem with particular sounds, we use a thesaurus to find substitute words that have the same meaning but are easier for them to pronounce.

When you’re having a conversation with someone with an accent who is groping for the correct word, you shouldn’t finish his sentence for him. Give him time to think of the word and don’t offer to help unless requested to do so.

Take your cue from the speaker who may finally ask, “I can’t quite think of the word I want. Can you help me out?” Then politely ask, “Is this the word you want?” Certainly don’t laugh and embarrass someone when you see her struggling. How would you feel if you were on the receiving end of a smirk?

Why Do People Fake an Accent?

People fake accents because they think it makes them sound smarter, richer, more cultured, and more memorable. But it can have the opposite effect.

A colleague once worked with the director of advertising in the U.S. for a British publication. She had a thick British accent. But it was clearly fake as the director was actually an American. Her staff laughed at her behind her back because her accent was so phony.

Always be yourself. That’s more than good enough to demonstrate your capabilities and be perceived as the authentic person that you are. You don’t need to adopt a fake accent to be perceived as a leader who is smart, competent and an engaging communicator.

Sometimes it’s just easier to give in and say “yes,” even when you believe you should be saying “no.” That’s certainly the case when your child is pestering you for another piece of candy in a quiet movie theater — or, when everyone in a group is ready to move on except you. You give in when nothing very serious is at stake.

Take a Stand

But it’s a different matter when your principles are involved, or your time and money are at stake. Then you’ve got to take a stand. It’s how you do it that makes the difference. It’s counterproductive to try to shove your point of view down someone’s throat. They have reasons why they believe they’re right, too.

You don’t want to lose a client just because you’re stubborn and want to have things your own way. You’ve got to demonstrate why the course of action you’re suggesting is in their best interests.

Incidentally, a client can be outside your company. Or, you could be in a staff position in a company, and the business units are your “clients.” You want to build successful and positive relationships with them, too.

Offer Alternatives

Here’s one scenario that commonly occurs for PR executives. A company product manager, or your client, wants to hold a press conference. We all know that press conferences haven’t quite gone the way of the extinct dodo bird. But with the advent of the Internet, they are certainly less frequent. Someone may have already leaked the news online.

Instead, suggest that you’ll arrange interviews for the product manager, or your client CEO, with the most important business and trade media with angles exclusive to them. Explain why you feel that is a better alternative and will achieve more in-depth coverage.

Suppose a client calls you in to discuss a new project. You know it’s not the right thing to do. Listen carefully to their reasons. Then say something like, “I can understand why you’d like that to happen. But this is another approach that would cost less money and give you better results.”

Once, a client came to us and wanted to put a large group of managers and directors though five days of training. Because they were at different levels, and the managers had not had any previous training, we suggested that we not mix them together.

It would have slowed down the directors and unmotivated the managers if they were embarrassed by their lack of experience in front of more senior executives.

We put together a schedule that consisted of two overview sessions to cover the basics, two small group sessions for more junior managers, and then one-on-one training for the most senior executives. The client was pleased with the solution – and so were the managers and directors. The evaluations were so good that we continue to work with them on a monthly basis.

Lower Expectations

Sometimes clients are on a tight budget. They just don’t have the money to do everything we discussed in our initial meeting and included in the proposal. We work with them to pick and choose what will work within their budget.

We’ll offer alternatives. For example, we’ll suggest if there isn’t the budget for one-on-one training, that we can facilitate a group session.

Recently, we had a request to put 30 people through a group media training session. We cautioned the client against expecting these individuals to be camera ready in half a day. We also pointed out the potential pitfalls if 30 people were talking to the media.

Since timing was not an issue, they decided to wait until the following quarter, when they would have the money for more extensive training.

It’s not a good idea to give a flat “no” to a client as that closes down the discussion and potentially the relationship. It’s more satisfying to both parties when you come to an agreement on a course of action.

Remember who is paying the bills. You don’t want to end a relationship by saying “no” when you can get a “yes” from the client by offering alternative solutions.

Once you’ve mentioned your key messages during an interview with a reporter, are you prepared to answer the questions that are sure to be asked?

The Q&A can be the most important part of the interview. If you blow an answer – or blow off the reporter – all your media training and hard work will be down the drain.

Maintain Control

You can’t control the reporter or the content of a story. You can, and must, control your input into the reporter’s story throughout the interview.

A media interview isn’t the same as making a business presentation, where the audience will generally refrain from asking questions until you are finished speaking.

Expect to be interrupted. The reporter isn’t there to serve as a sponge absorbing all you have to say. A good reporter will question and challenge your points.

Tell the Truth

The first rule is to be truthful. Never lie, because the reporter can find out the real facts on the Internet or from your competitors.

You’re not obligated to answer every question. However, you are obliged to respond, even if it’s to say that you can’t discuss proprietary information.

If you don’t know the answer say so, and state the likelihood of providing a response. If you can get the answer tell the reporter when you’ll get back to her. Or suggest that she speak to someone else in your company, or an outside source, who may have the answer.

A Media Interview is Not a Conversation

An interview is not a friendly conversation that travels gently to different topics – don’t treat it as such. You are there to represent your organization, so be courteous in responding to questions, but be diligent in making your key message points.

Frequently, when a reporter says you did not answer the question, it really means that you did not answer the way the reporter had hoped you would. If that happens, paraphrase the question as you understood it, and answer it truthfully, including your key message points.

Be honest and tell the reporter if you can’t answer a question at all because you don’t know the answer, or you can’t because the information is private.

Change the Subject

Do not limit yourself to the subject matter of the questions. Take the opportunity to “bridge” to additional points. Use linking phrases, such as “Let me tell you about….” or “Are you aware that…?”

Be sure to mention the name of your organization, instead of “we.” You want the reporter to use your company name throughout the story.  It’s also a reminder to associate your comments with your company and not attribute them to another organization he may be including in the story.

Prepare in Advance

Frequently, you can anticipate the questions you’ll be asked. Make a list and then write out the answers. Rehearse your responses aloud on your own or with a colleague. Practice working in your key messages. You don’t want to sound like a robot, so use different words to make the same point.

You can never let your guard down when answering questions from a reporter. Don’t be lulled into having an “off-the-record” friendly conversation after the formal interview is over. That’s when a reporter can spring a question that you didn’t expect.

We all tend to relax and breathe a sigh of relief when we feel the heat is off but don’t forget you’re still on the record. Don’t say do or say anything you wouldn’t want to see in print or on air.

Book Tour Mishap

This reminds us of the time we were coaching Johnnie Cochran for his first book, Journey to Justice. The Dateline producers were at his home in LA, and about halfway through the interview they told Johnnie that since they were changing the film, he could just talk.

So, talk he did. Of course, what he said was off message and then there he was on air saying things that he thought were merely conversation points! This was not too much of a disaster but Johnnie learned a good lesson.

Remember that everything is on the record in a media interview. Be smart, keep it simple and stay “on message”.

Related articles

• 6 ways to respond to tricky interview tactics (prdaily.com)
• So What’s the Difference Between Media and Presentation Training? And Why Does it Matter? (presenting-yourself.com)