Tuesday Tip-Offs

When I was TV reporter, nothing was worse than conducting interviews with people who didn’t get to the point. I’d be rolling tape for what seemed like forever, hoping I might eventually get a usable soundbite. Too often, businesspeople make reporters climb a tall...

Happy Halloween! This is the one day when it is perfectly acceptable to be downright frightening. The rest of the year, at least when it comes to giving presentations, the last thing you want to do is scare off your audience. Sadly, it happens all the time in both...

I’m just back from the Public Relations Society of America’s annual international conference In Nashville. (Thank you PRSA for inviting me to conduct a media training program.) THE hot topic this year – hotter than the hottest Nashville chicken – was AI. There was...

With apologies to The Bard, “To speak, or not to speak?” is one of the biggest decisions organizations must make when dealing with difficult issues. More times than not, corporations put out media statements rather than provide spokespersons. GM, Ford, Sellantis and...

It’s one of the great mysteries of life, or at least business: What exactly is PR? To a lot of people, it’s about making news. “Did you see our great PR?” Or it’s crisis management. “They have a BIG PR problem.” There is a lot more to the discipline of public...

“How do you get over being nervous before an interview?” That’s one of the most frequent questions I get at the beginning of media training programs. Being questioned by a journalist, especially on-camera, can be a daunting experience. First, you’re giving up control....

Vacations are over, the fourth quarter starts in just a few weeks and more employees are returning to the office. I’m also betting your organization has a lot of new faces, the result of the Great Resignation. Fall is the ideal time to book in-person or virtual media,...

I’ve been around TV cameras since I was a kid, but I still get a kick out of being with clients when they're going on TV. “Lights, camera, action!” is a cliché,  but live TV production is exciting. Throughout my career, I've had the opportunity to be in-studio at...

“I’m thinking of starting my talk with a joke. Is that a good idea?” I get asked that a lot in presentation coaching workshops. My answer? No, unless you are a skilled comedian or have a staff of comedy writers! Famed Ohio State football coach Woody Hayes was known to...

Recently I was referred to a local business owner who needed help restoring his hard-earned reputation. A major city TV investigative reporter had run a long, inflammatory and one-sided story with inaccurate information. The owner was cast as the villain. Was it the...