The Media Coach 11th January 2022

Speaking Tip of the week - Did you really mean that?

No-one expects us to use perfect grammar when we speak. It's not literature, it's a conversation. However, it may be an idea to review certain things that we may say, just to make sure we are making sense. For example, here are a few usages I've heard speakers deliver in the past few weeks:

- "The proof is in the pudding" No it isn't. The phrase is "The proof of the pudding is in the eating". The word "proof" in this case is used in the sense of "test".

- "This is the exception that proves the rule" This doesn't mean that an exception to a rule makes it true. That would be ridiculous. It's the word "exception" here that matters, used in the sense of "the part left out". For example, "No swimming after dark" is an exception that proves the rule "Swimming allowed only in daylight".

- "That's ironic" It's often used in the sense of an amusing coincidence. It doesn't mean that at all. It means the outcome is the opposite of what you'd expect. If a speaker decides to travel by car rather than train because they dreamed the train would be delayed, and the train is delayed, that's coincidence, not irony. However, if the car was held up for hours at a level crossing because the train broke down that really is irony.

- "There's a plethora of speaking opportunities" They meant that there were lots of opportunities around. However, "plethora" means "too many".

Do these usages matter? I think they do. Speakers should mean what they say, and say what they mean.

Media Tip of the week - Inspired by true events

It seems that a lot of films (or movies if you prefer) have a tagline "inspired by true events". In most cases, this means that they are a load of complete rubbish, thrown together by a screenwriter who once read a story in a newspaper about a person who claimed to been abducted by aliens. To put it another way, it's a sign of a lack of true creativity.

So what has this got to do with the media? Well, it's about telling the truth. When you are interviewed by a reporter, you need to tell the truth, all the time. You should never ever guess, let alone tell untruths. Of course, you're a trustworthy soul, and I know you would never lie on air. The trap is when a reporter asks you a question like "So what do you think may have happened to cause this?" Never speculate. It's a prime rule of media management.

There are many stories of public figures being undone for knowingly giving false versions of events. The truth always comes out. The only thing to do, when faced with a difficult truth, is to take advice from Bill Clinton's former spin doctor Lanny Davis, who wrote a book called "Tell it early, Tell it all, Tell it yourself"

Social Media Tip of the week - Go narrow, go deep

There's a belief around that you need to be on as many social networks as possible, and automation can help you to do so. The theory is that having a presence in dozens of places will help to raise your profile to generate business. I'm not convinced. It seems to me a much better strategy to concentrate on a handful of networks, and become really well-known by a much smaller audience.

It's widely accepted that business comes from strong, trusted relationships. It takes time and effort to build and maintain such links, and you need to be taking part in the conversation, not just broadcasting messages. I focus on just three social networks (as do many people); LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. OK, Instagram from time to time, but over 80% of my social networking time is spent in the big three.

You may have one network only that you spend almost all of your time on. If it works for you, stay there. Becoming well-known in a single community will lead to a high level of trust, especially if you don't indulge in constant self-promotion. Visit your preferred network regularly, offer help, answer questions and get to know others in the community.

It's perfectly OK to mix business and social postings too. If you are happy to share your interests outside your line of work, it helps people to see you as a well-rounded individual, and further increases your authenticity.

Having a narrow focus, and demonstrating the depth of your expertise, will pay dividends.