The Media Coach

Hi John,

It's the time of year when I start filling my calendar of guests for my web radio show.

I have a few lined up, but I need 52 every year, so I'm always on the lookout.

So if you, or anyone you know, would like to be a guest on my show, which now has a weekly reach of over 100,000 listeners, get in touch.

If you have a story to tell, a book to promote or simply want to get a message out to a reasonably-sized audience, I'd love to chat. You know how to find me.

The World Athletics Championships in Budapest are taking place this week.

I must admit, I get very emotional watching athletes giving everything to try to win medals, especially gold.

And there was a remarkable story this week as British athlete Josh Kerr won gold at 1500 metres, a year after British athlete Jake Wightman did the same thing in the same race.

Not only are Josh and Jake team-mates, they run for the same club in Edinburgh, and have been friends since they were small boys. Now that's a story that transcends sport.

A couple of places are still open for my speaker coaching.

Six-month or one-year packages are available, and I'd be more than happy to have a chat with you about options.

There's also an intensive package if you have an important speech looming.

Drop me a line on [email protected] or call me on 07986 852621. Be quick!

My radio guest is Mike Paul-Smith a musical director and pianist.



In 2005 Mike formed swing and soul band Down for the Count, a band he runs to this day. Under his direction, the band has performed at top jazz festivals and at world-famous jazz clubs (Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, Pizza Express Jazz Club, Caveau de la Huchette in Paris).

The band is recognised as one of the UK’s top swing bands and has been invited to perform at The Leeds Castle Classical Concert in 2021 and 2022, where they supported The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in front of an audience of 10,000 people.

Hear our chat in the in the radio show.

Go to the Apple Podcasts Archive of the MediaCoach Show

Follow me on Twitter

And there's a terrific track from Mike's band, Down for the Count.

The MediaMug of the week is Yoto, an audio platform aimed at children.

They recently released a compilation of Queen songs, saying. "It's the ideal introduction to the music of QUEEN for young music lovers and the perfect soundtrack to kitchen dance parties, road trip singalongs, bedtime air guitar sessions….and much much more,"

However, one of Queen's most popular songs, Fat-bottomed Girls, has been omitted from the compilation.

Yoto also issues the following warning about the remaining songs on the collection: "Please note that the lyrics in some of these songs contain adult themes, including occasional references to violence and drugs. These are the original and unedited recordings. Whilst no swear words are used parental discretion is advised when playing this content to or around younger children."

Brian May, who wrote Fat-Bottomed Girls was not impressed.

It's not banned from this ezine!

A weak speech is simply, well, weak. It doesn't have the power to persuade, or even to inform. Here are a few ways to make your speech tougher, so that it can deliver a strong message.

1) Evidence Supplying facts and figures, especially if they come from a trusted source will always make a speech stronger. It's better to use your evidence to support your argument, rather than to create it. In other words, you state your premise and then deliver the evidence that backs up your assertion. Precise numbers tend to be confusing, so instead of saying "4.1 million people", say "One in ten of the adults in the UK"

2) Quotations Quoting a respected source is like bringing an expert witness on stage with you. Try to match the person quoted to the audience you are addressing, since that will add power. For example, if speaking to a group of female entrepreneurs, quoting Anita Roddick would work well. On the other hand, very few audiences know or care who Baudelaire was, so quotes from that source many not add very much.

3) Parallels If you can find an issue on which your audience already has a strong favourable view, creating a parallel to the topic you're speaking on will draw applause. For instance, you might say to an audience of teachers 'We all agree that teaching requires a high degree of patience, and so does making the right decision on education reform".



4) Insight A well-informed speaker who offers insights into an issue will win the trust of an audience. If you can deliver something that only an expert would know, particularly if you can express it in a simple way, you will strengthen your argument. Some years ago, I remember hearing a simple but insightful phrase from a diplomat arguing against sanctions. He said "Sanctions create Mafias".

A question that you should never be asked in media interviews is "What does this mean for our viewers (or listeners)?" Why not? Because you will already have dealt with the issue in the answer to an initial question. The most important thing that people want to hear is how they might be affected by what they see and hear. It's an attention-grabber, which is why you should mention it as quickly as possible.

You've probably heard the abbreviation "WIIFM" (What's in it for me). Though it's a bit of a cliche used by presentation trainers, the essence of it is true. However, I think the issue goes a bit wider than what's "in" it for your audience. They will also be interested in matters that don't have a direct impact on them, but might affect their friends, or even people they don't know but sympathise with.

It's all about putting yourself in their shoes. One of the best ways to do this is to rehearse your message with someone who knows little about it. This is the time to "phone a friend". Pick someone that you know reasonably well, but who does not know a great deal about your services or products. Ask them if you can deliver a few messages to them in a phone call, and to imagine they are listening to you on the radio. If you pick the right friend, they will give you valuable feedback that your colleagues won't.



Your final answer should always be about what it means to the viewers. That's a message that will stick.

When I was eight years old, I used to go to the local barber shop in Lillee Road, Fulham clutching a half-crown (look it up). All the way there, I repeated a mantra my mum had taught me "Fairly short and thin it out".

On arrival, I said it to the barber, who duly obliged. I now realise that the maternal advice I received all those years ago is still valid, though not just for hair (although fortunately, I still have plenty of that).

With regard to social media, it's about not overwhelming your audience. It's about keeping messages short and to the point. It's also about finding the unnecessary detail and removing it. Twitter is the obvious example here, since the constraints force you to be brief. However, that discipline may also be used on other sites to great effect.

Journalists, of which I have been one, often get paid by the word. That suggests that the more the content, the greater the value. There's a strong argument for employing people to run your social media feeds based on their talent for delivering information in as brief a form as possible. Alas, it will cost you far more than a half-crown these days.

Gary Delaney is wonderful at one-liners. He sees the humour in pictures too...

A reminder to look no further. Just get in touch. 07986 852621

The information in this ezine may be freely re-used in any online or offline publication, provided it is accompanied by the following credit line - "This information was written by Alan Stevens, and originally appeared in "The MediaCoach", his free weekly ezine, available at www.mediacoach.co.uk."