Crisis averted
“It all happened so fast and the crew were amazing.” The near catastrophe that was averted yesterday by British Airways is something that all airlines prepare for constantly. Passenger safety is paramount. Knowing your top priority is essential to the success of any business. Knowing how to spot and handle a potential crisis, regardless of your industry or sector, is critical to your reputation. The speed and efficiency of the response by all concerned is as impressive as it is reassuring. Any...
Protecting Your Reputation
In the final days before the General Election many voters are still undecided, not just about who will run the country, but also who to vote for in their local elections. Only one thing is certain, that’s uncertainty, even at local level. It could be that there will be an influx of new Members for many councils this May. Protecting your reputation may not be high on their agenda, but being aware of the influence of tradition media and the immediacy of social media is essential for all elected...
CIPD
There’s a lot happening at the CIPD Learning and Development Show May 13th-15th and we’re pleased to be part of it. Not only are we exhibiting – stand 323 in you want to visit us – but our Media Director, Andrew Carapiet, will be delivering his talk on “Communicating Change” in the learning arena on the 14th May. Communicating change and delivering controversial messages can be challenging in the extreme, so learning how to listen to concerns and address issues, using the right tone and...
Communicating Public Health messages
Public health is a high profile operation that touches everybody’s lives, so using the media to change behaviour and promote healthier life styles is an opportunity not to be missed. But how do you promote stories that are so often buried in government statistics or appear to be in direct conflict with government policy? Our 'Proactive PR for Public Health' course will help public health experts understand what makes news and what is newsworthy in the work that they do. It’s a numbers game! We...
Key Principles Of Dealing With A Media Crisis
When a crisis hits, protecting your reputation is vital. Coming across as a caring, competent and well prepared organisation goes a long way to mitigating the damage of a crisis. Updating and refreshing the media skills of your key spokespeople should be done routinely. If you’re reading this now for some quick advice, so here are a few quick tips: What to do when a crisis hits Stop –Take five minutes to consider the issues Think from the victim’s viewpoint Plan your messages Action Our...
“Hello, my name is….”
Effective communication isn’t rocket science. We all know you never get a second chance to make a first impression. It’s not just about your next job interview, blind date or even TV interview, it’s about making human connections and building trust from the outset. Dr Kate Granger’s campaign “Hello, my name is…..” is inspirational, not because it’s a high tech, costly solution to improving patient outcomes, but because it recognizes the humanity of both patient and practitioner. More than...
Preparing your key messages
Knowing what you want to say is only half the battle. Being prepared for the curve ball and awkward question is an art form that can only be mastered through training and practical experience. Anticipating the journalist’s agenda is important. We aren’t expecting you to be psychic, but knowing who the journalist is and where they’re from will give you some clues. So buy yourself some time before the interview think about what the journalist wants as well as brushing up on your own messages....
Keep it simple
It’s very rare to have enough time in a media interview to say all that you want to. We know that if you’re the project lead, head of department or CEO, you will be intimately involved with products, initiatives or your company. You are probably so passionate and engaged with every aspect of your work that it can be hard to know where to start, and when to stop. Our top tip is to think of your audience, your clients, partners and other key stakeholders. What do you want them to remember about...
How to Give Your Best Performance during Television and Radio Interviews Part 2
Stay cool, calm and collected, even in the hottest arguments. Lose your temper and you lose the argument. Let the interviewer look agitated and bad-tempered. Baffle him/her with politeness and reason. If the interviewer interrupts your answer, raise your voice just enough to be heard, and continue. You can then finish your positive point. If he/she interrupts you persistently, just say “You’ve asked me a question, please allow me the courtesy of a reply.” Do not interrupt the interviewer’s...
Stars of Science
We were delighted when we were asked to help prepare the contestants of the Arabic programme “Stars of Science” to handle the media. It was a fantastic opportunity to work with some of the most talented young scientific entrepreneurs on subjects that they are really passionate about. It’s the final of “Stars of Science” this weekend. We can’t predict who will win, but we can be sure that they are well prepared to handle the media following the excellent training and advice from our BBC...
#PrinceAndrew sweat it out, this is the best example of how not to do a media interview.
Take control of media interviews, our three top tips https://mediafriendly.org/effective-media-interviews/
Here are a few quick tips on how to handle a media crisis https://mediafriendly.org/having-a-crisis-media-strategy/
What's the difference between live and pre-recorded interviews? Our Media Director Andrew Carapiet explains https://mediafriendly.org/effective-media-interviews/
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