10 Mistakes People Make With the News Media

1. Saying “No comment.” This annoys reporters and makes you look guilty.

2. Getting angry at a reporter. The reporter would rather be covering the water-skiing squirrel, believe me. But this was the assignment, and she’s just doing her job.

3. Inserting verbal fillers. Editors cannot take your “uh’s” and “um’s” out in editing.

4. Wearing the wrong colors for TV. Despite HD cameras, black and white and small patterns can still look bad and be distracting. Wear solid colors. Blues are best.

5. Asking to see the story ahead of time. This offends journalists. You are insinuating they will not do a good job of reporting accurately and fairly.

6. Not preparing for a crisis. It’s a matter of when, not if, an act of violence or Mother Nature or an innocent mistake will adversely affect your organization. Media crisis training is an insurance policy. Invest now before it’s too late.

7. Not having a media policy. Make sure your employees know who the company spokesperson is and how to refer calls to him or her.

8. Not calling back immediately. Journalists are on deadlines, and if you don’t call back within a few minutes, they will start looking for another source, and you will have missed the opportunity.

9. Speaking too long. Soundbites are short. Don't blather.

10. Lying. Dishonesty will come back to haunt you. Media organizations keep tapes, digital files and notes for a long, long time. They will resurrect your lie and make a news story out of it.

Are You Repeating Annoying Phrases?

In person or on TV/radio, you may be using crutch words or phrases that drive people crazy, mostly because you're repeating them so often. For instance, I have one friend who says "basically" after every second or third word. I have another friend who ends almost every sentence with "or something."

Annoying your friends is one thing. But if you are a spokesperson or high-profile newsmaker, you may be hurting your image and diluting your message if you do this. One way to discover if you have this problem is to record an ordinary conversation and see if you are repeating any words or phrases unncessarily. Then listen or watch your media interviews and observe if you're repeating yourself.

Yesterday on "Good Morning America," Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood was talking about the Toyota recalls. He kept repeating the phrases "Hold their feet to the fire" and "take a back seat to nobody." I like the "back seat" phrasing when talking about cars, but I don't think it was intentional, and it got old after he said it twice. The phrases you want to repeat are your key messages, not meaningless cliches.

Marketing Ideas

Since I've looked at an estimated 20,000 press kits and press releases in my career and heard at least 2,000 pitches, my friends with small businesses often ask me for low-cost marketing or PR ideas. Here are a few strategies that might boost your bottom line in these trying times:

1. Include a "Press" or "Media" tab on your website. This is one of the first things reporters look for when they're researching whether to cover you. On this portion of your website, you can include press releases, a fact sheet, links to previous coverage, bios of key players and even photos.

2. Call or write your database. And by write, I mean send mail. We all get so many emails that it's too easy to delete ones that look impersonal. Send a postcard or a letter updating your list on services, accomplishments or products.

3. If you're reading this, you're probably already blogging, tweeting, facebooking or linking. If not, get started.

4. Attend the kind of meetings where you can tell people about your business. For women, there are ABWA and NAWBO chapters nationwide. Most communities have Optimist, Lion's, Rotary and lead-exchange meetings. Consider joining your Chamber of Commerce, too.

5. Write letters to the editor, articles and books. Get your name out there.

These are ways that may drum up business, but can also get the media's attention. I'd love to hear your tips, too! Let's help each other.

Toyota Crisis

I'd give Toyota a C- on the recall crisis. Finally, President and COO Jim Lentz provided comments this week, but looked less than transparent when ABC's Brian Ross met him with camera rolling. Hey, executives, how about trying this line: "We don't want anyone to get hurt driving our vehicles. So we are working around the clock to get this fixed. We are trying alternatives to see which can be implemented the quickest to get Toyota owners back on the road."

When a reporter persists, say: "I'd love to answer any questions you have. As to your question why we didn't act sooner, we acted immediately, but had conflicting information about what was causing the problem, so our research teams have been working to find answers for different combinations of issues."

Now, I don't know if that is the truth. For all I know, Toyota executives were off at wild parties not even knowing that people were dying driving their cars. When they evade questions and take too long to talk to the press, we all assume the worst.

A Phrase to Use When You Can't Talk

If you've attended one of my Crisis Communications seminars, you know that to say "No comment" annoys reporters and makes you look evasive. In that seminar and in my new book, Be A Newsmaker, I give you phrases that help you be non-commital without saying the words, "no comment."

Here's a new phrase from NBC's David Gregory: "I'd love to help you out. I'm not going there." This was in response to a question about the network's late-night host (Leno vs. Conan) situation. This phrase will work for you, too. Say it with a pleasant face and repeat as many times as necessary.

Handling Clueless Callers on a Live Show

Recently, on my talk show, a fun guest, Joel Zeff, was giving books away to listeners who would call in with a question about his topic. A first-time caller got through and asked about Randy Alcorn's Heaven book. I thought the caller was asking a question about it, so I said that it was considered the definitive book on Heaven, but did he have a question about the workplace for Joel? Then the caller had the audacity to ask about yet another unrelated book! I think he thought if he brought up every title on his wish list, we might mail him one!

Joel took it and ran with it. His experstise is improvisational humor, and boy, did he have fun with the caller not wanting his book.

In nearly four years of live radio and TV, I experienced more than a few callers that I couldn't connect with, but most were gracious, smart and generous.

If you, as a guest on a live show, encounter a caller whose comment doesn't seem appropriate or on topic, use humor if you can. If you're blank, give the host a "I need help" look, and let him or her take over. That's what they're paid for.

For instance, we had a weekly guest, a finanical coach named Parkey Thompson, and on one of his first appearances, a woman called and asked about laxatives. We all laughed uncomfortably, and then realized the caller had really meant her question for our previous guest, our health and wellness guru, King Hoover. So, it was easy to tell her to contact King by email or call back next week, but for now, we were taking money questions.

You know what? This miscommunication happens in real life, with everyday conversations. So if you want practice for live broadcasts, try talking to all ages of people with different backgrounds. As one broadcasting professor taught, "Talk and write for the five-year-old and 95-year-old. Make sure everyone understands you."

A Way to Get Ahead in the New Year

If you're in the Atlanta-North Georgia area, please keep reading...

Have you always wanted to speak better or represent your organization better? If so, I can help. For the first time, I’m teaching classes open to the public. Please take a look at the courses and see if any are a good fit for you or friends you know.

If you have questions about the class content, ask me. They will be held at The Etiquette School in Cumming. Space is limited, so please register soon. To see costs and enroll, click here.

Descriptions:

Speak to Success—Basic Presentation Skills—This is hands-on, interactive and fun. I guarantee you will leave a better, more confident speaker. Each participant will leave with a DVD of his or her speeches and feedback. The class runs every Tuesday night from 6-8 pm.

Basic Video Production—My award-winning, film-making husband is going to help teach this one. Never again be disappointed in your home movies. You will learn behind-the-scenes secrets for making your videos and YouTube posts look more professional. Offered Saturday, January 9 from 1-4 pm.

Be a Spokesperson—Do you represent your business or non-profit organization to the media or in public presentations? Learn how to sound smart and look your best on TV. We will also talk about how to get media coverage. This class will run from 6-7 pm on Thursdays, January 21 and 28.

Conversation Etiquette—Are you gracious and encouraging? Does your speech reflect who you really are, or do you come off sounding like a jerk sometimes? Are you ever at a loss for words? Do you wish you had a phrase for the person who ticks you off? If you are nodding your head, this class is for you! It will be held from 7-8 pm Thursdays, January 21 and 28.

Marketing on a Shoestring—This one-evening session will be jam-packed with no-cost and low-cost ways to make big bucks without spending dramatic dollars. It’s ideal for small business owners, non-profit leaders and anyone who needs to get the word out about a good cause. Attend January 25 from 6-8 pm.

Thank you for considering enrolling and thanks for passing along to others who may benefit from these practial classes! You will leave with resource material and great ideas to improve your communication skills. If you're still reading and don't live in the Atlanta area, contact me to bring these courses to your neck of the woods!