The MediaCoach

 Don’t you love it when the Government gives you money? I just received a few pounds back from the Inland Revenue, after submitting my self-assessment form a couple of weeks ago. Actually, come to think of it, they were just giving me back overpaid tax, so it’s not really a handout at all. In fact, it was repayment of an interest-free loan I gave them. Oh well, it was welcome nonetheless. But, if you have a business in London, or know someone who does, and they have between 10 and 250 staff, the Government really is giving money away. I’ve had a call from my good friend Sari Virtanen at the “Train to Gain” scheme. She is looking after the scheme, which offers to pay two thirds of your training costs, up to one thousand pounds. If you think you qualify, drop her a line at s.virtanen@ttgbroker.com, or reply to me and I’ll put you in touch. You’ll have to hurry, since the offer expires at the end of March. I bet you’re thinking – “Hmmm, I could do with a media masterclass…” On the audio version of this ezine is the second part of my interview with the UK’s most bemedalled athlete, Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson. Listen to her, and all the rest of these ramblings, by clicking this link. Remember – you can hear it directly through your PC’s speakers – you don’t need an iPod.  

I was thinking of making lantern-jawed Fabio Capello the MediaMaster of the week, for his cunning ploy in only speaking to the press via an interpreter. However, I’ve found a more deserving recipient – Chris Pirillo. Who he? He is one of the most prolific bloggers in the world, and just uploaded his 1,000th YouTube video. Of course, he has his own YouTube channel. Does this matter? Is he just a nerd? Well, it does, and he isn’t. He’s a technology expert, and many people trust him. Mainstream media – take note. A young woman from Darlington, Joanne Raine, picks up the MediaMug award this week. She had her boyfriend’s nickname “Roo” tattooed on her stomach in Chinese characters as a sign of her undying love. Alas, the love between them faded soon after. Miss Raine related the story to friends in a local Chinese restaurant and showed them the tattoo. The waiter pointed out that it actually spelled “supermarket”. She told local reporters “I did it because I wanted to show him how much I loved him and he had one done as well. I’m just going to have to keep it as I can’t afford to get another one done.” Oh dear. If she ever gets a job at Tesco, she can have a small addition done and become a walking advert too.  

I NEED A VOLUNTEER FROM THE AUDIENCE Audience participation is not to everyone’s taste. Some members of your audience (including me) will get up and leave if you try to get them involved in a group exercise, such as “turn round and tell the person next to you how good they look”. Probably because I cringe at the thought of mass participation, I never include it in my presentations. However, I do involve one or two audience members in simple exercises to make a strong point. If you want to get someone on stage, asking for a volunteer does not always work. Of course, you can ask someone in advance, or find a friend or colleague to work with. I prefer to ask someone I don’t already know, because I think it makes the point more effectively. Here’s the technique I use. To begin with, I ask the audience for a show of hands on two or three topics. I then ask if anyone has a question, or an experience they would like to relate. There are always several people that are happy to engage in dialogue, providing the opportunity to build a relationship. When I need a “volunteer”, I return to one of the people I spoke to earlier, and ask them if they could help me out for a minute or two. They always say yes. One more thing – never humiliate or patronise (as if you would). You’re not a stand-up comedian (OK, I know several of you do read this ezine, so look away for a minute). Be respectful and polite. And give them a reward for taking part – such as your latest DVD (yes, it’s an advertising opportunity too).  

MUD THAT STICKS Sometimes, people will make remarks about you that you don’t like. Worse still, they may do it via the media. If a phrase or word catches the imagination of the public, there may be very little you can do to shake off the tag. For example, Sir Geoffrey Howe was once the target of a cruel but witty remark by Dennis Healey, when he said that being attacked by Sir Geoffrey was “like being savaged by a dead sheep”. For the rest of his political career, and even afterwards, Sir Geoffrey has been reminded of the insult by the press. It will probably appear in his obituary. You can’t refashion the language, so the best thing to do may be to accept the epithet and turn it to your advantage. Anne Widdecombe was once called “Doris Karloff”. However, far from being upset by it, she revelled in the nickname, and would answer her phone with the words “Karloff speaking”. By making light of it, she actually became more popular, being seen as self-deprecating and genuine. So, if people are rude about you, stop and consider for a moment. Can I turn this round to my advantage?

SO WHERE DO I START? People who visit your website are looking to solve a problem. They may want information, they may want to buy something, or a simply pass some time being entertained. Whatever their needs, they should be able to find where to start clicking or typing to achieve their goal. If you have too much information, or links that don’t look like links (such as being hidden under pictures), or drop-down menus that aren’t obvious, you’re putting barriers in the way. I’ve been to sites (not yours of course) where there are dozens of potential start points, all looking alluring, but few taking me where I want to go. There’s an easy cure for this, and forgive me for stating the obvious. Make the list of sections look like – er – a list of sections. Make the search box look like a search box (with a button that says “search” next to it). Lastly, don’t clutter your site with adverts for other people’s products. They may make you a few pennies if people click on them but don’t you want visitors to buy stuff from you?  

Ah – time for a bit of the Big Yin. I was reminded of this routine on Wednesday, watching the England footballers looking gormless during the national anthem. Billy Connolly decides the new national anthem 

I know, you’ve already read it. But this is a reminder of what you can get subsidised through the Train to Gain scheme. Actually, they’re great value anyway…. Masterclasses 

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 originally appeared in “The MediaCoach”, a free ezine produced by Alan Stevens, and available at www.mediacoach.co.uk.”