The Media Coach

Hi John,

The 80th anniversary of D-Day saw commemorations in France, where a dwindling number of veterans were able to attend and share their experiences while honouring their fallen colleagues.

It's the last major anniversary when veterans will be present, and it was an emotional watch this week.

We owe them all more than we can ever thank them for.

After a break of a few years, I've decided to re-instate The Exceptional Speaker Masterclass.

An in-person day in Central London on Tuesday 23rd July from 9.30am to 4pm.

Learn how to plan, structure and deliver sensational speeches with energy and passion.

Practical, informative and life changing.

£247 (no VAT), including a signed copy of The Exceptional Speaker, all refreshments and lunch.

If you sign up for my 6 or 12 month coaching programme, the day is free.

Get in touch now to book your place.

Six spaces remain on my speaker coaching programme, so drop me a line today if you're interested. You'll get 30 minutes of free advice whether or not you take up the offer of coaching - but hurry - I don't do this all year!

My guest in the radio show this week is the wonderful Ian Wills.

From biting poverty and abuse on the grimmest London council estates of the 1970s to the top-flight of British business, battles with politicians and his own demons, and finally to his much longed for career as a writer and performer from spoken word to a vocal sound that is unmistakable.

Ian has had to fight for everything he has achieved, most often, and most tellingly, with himself.

Described by the Sunday Times as an ‘The Ian Dury of the 21st Century’, Wills continues to craft his open, honest lyrics which remain at times stark, brutal and confrontational.

The man is truly inspiring.

Hear our chat in the in the radio show

Go to the MediaCoach Show

Follow me on X (Twitter)

And of course there's a great song from Wills and The Willing.

The MediaMug of the week goes to the operators of the Yuntai tourism park in China.

They have been publicising the Yuntai Mountain Waterfall, billed as China's tallest uninterrupted waterfall, in order to attract tens of thousands of visitors to the park.

But now a hiker has discovered that the waterfall comes from a pipe buried high up in the hillside.

The operators said that they made the "small enhancement" during the dry season so visitors would feel that their trip had been worthwhile.

Over 14 million comments about the deception have been published on the social network Weibo.

Oh dear.

Winston Churchill was a fine orator. I'm often reminded of him since he was the MP for my part of London, and his statue is just up the road. Here are a few tips to help you emulate him in your speeches.

1) Rhythm and Repetition. Like many great orators, Churchill loved to deliver repetitive phrases that gave his speeches an almost musical rhythm. Here's an extract from his "Fight them on the beaches" speech. "A miracle of deliverance, achieved by valor, by perseverance, by perfect discipline, by faultless service, by resource, by skill, by unconquerable fidelity, is manifest to us all." The repetition of "by" and the wonderful language used makes the words sing.

2) Analogy. Churchill was an expert at delivering a ringing phrase that became what we'd now call a meme. For example "an Iron Curtain" or "the Few". You may not be able to deliver phrases that are so widely used, but consider what analogies you can invoke to make an idea more memorable.

3) Cut, and cut again. The length of your speech is not a measure of its impact. Churchill used to pare down his speeches to the bare minimum by taking out every word and phrase that didn't support the main message. It meant that his speeches were often only a few minutes long, but they were immensely powerful.

4) Try out phrases beforehand. Churchill was well known for asking friends what they thought about elements he was considering using in a speech. He would test phrases over and over again, and use them only if people reacted well. Never be afraid to try out parts of your speech on people you trust - and take their advice!

Many interviews are straightforward conversations with a clear beginning, middle and end. However, there will be occasions when you could be caught out if you didn't keep your wits about you. Being aware of what might happen will ensure that you will never be ambushed. Here's what I mean:

1) The silent assassin If there are two journalists in the studio (often a breakfast or drive-time show), only one will usually conduct the interview. The other may appear disinterested, looking at their notes, or listening to the producer in their earpiece. As you answer the last question and relax, the other journalist will spring to life, and say "just one more question on a different subject if I may". You need to stay alert, otherwise you could fumble your answer.

2) The sand-filled sock You may be hit with a sudden heavily-weighted question right at the end of your interview. For example, it could include an assumption or assertion that is untrue, leaving you only a few seconds to respond. You must make sure that you deny any untrue accusation, even by just using the words "That's untrue", before delivering your brief core message.

3) The technical hitch. You sail through the interview, deliver your message, and avoid any tricky questions. As you lean back to relax while the recording is being checked, you mention to the interviewer how glad you were not to be asked about THAT topic. A message comes through that the recording didn't work properly, and you need to do it all again. You can guess the first question.

The moral of all this, of course, is never to relax until you're safe at home.

I post a lot, but I don't always send the posts I compose. Before I hit the "post" button, I make sure that I'm happy with what I'm sending. OK, you can delete a post, but as many have found to their cost, once a post has gone out and people have seen it, copies can be taken, and your words become permanent. Here's a mental checklist I run through before I set my posts free:

I try to make sure at least one of these questions is answered with a "yes"

And I make sure that all of these questions are answered with a "no"

I appreciate that may sound like a lot of analysis for a single post, but it only takes a second or two to run though. It can save a lot of heartache, not to mention legal fees, if you pause for a moment before posting. Pret a post, as they say.

Victor Borge was a wonderful raconteur. He invented phonetic punctuation...

Investing in a one-day course could save you a fortune one day. 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."