The 2008 presidential election was historical for many reasons. For PR professionals, it was a case study on how to appeal to your audience (in this case, voters) and stay on message – no matter what was thrown your way.

President Obama – with his aptitude for calmly and confidently handling the most dogged of reporters – is a PR lesson in the making. His message discipline during the grueling presidential campaign – and ability to connect with audiences of all ages, socio-economic backgrounds, genders and race — will be the subject of PR textbooks for many years to come. In fact, a recent poll (February 2009) shows that 92 percent of Americans think the President is an effective communicator despite their feelings about his economic stimulus plan.

Regardless of your political affiliation, you can learn to become a more effective communicator by observing masters of the art, like President Obama. The following principles apply whether you’re the President with a staff of speechwriters or a small businessperson trying to get media coverage about your first major deal or product.

Five tips to help successfully “tell your story” to the media:

1. Develop your “pitch.”
Brainstorm about what makes your organization unique and develop a message based on your story. Condense your thoughts into a 30-second “elevator speech” – PR speak for delivering your pitch in the time it takes to share an elevator ride with someone.

2. Practice your pitch.
Again and again! Be sure to talk in simple, laymen’s terms. Leave out the jargon and pretend you’re explaining something to a friend, not an industry insider.

3. Always come back to your pitch.
Resist the urge to answer every question in excruciating detail. If you’re conducting a telephone interview, have your talking points in front of you for reference. And, most importantly, always segue back to your main message: “That’s an interesting question but the real issue is…”

4. Punctuate your comments with key points.
President Obama is a master of this tactic. “What I know is this….” or “the real issue is this” or “my view is this…” By re-framing the interview, you’re able to return to your key points without being evasive.

5. Believe what you say.
In today’s cynical society, this may seem whimsical. But reporters – and the public – sense sincerity. And the most effective communicators are ones that stick to their message and speak from the heart.

Karen Preiss Miller is a partner in JKP Group, a marketing communications consulting company. For more tips, visit this site

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Tags: pr, lesson, president, professional

Recently I watched Larry King interview Janet Jackson. I was really looking forward to the show because I remember what an impact she had on my life as a teen. I wanted to wear my hair like her, dress like her and I especially wanted to dance like her. But after seeing the interview, one thing is for sure-I would NOT want to do interviews like her and as a long-time radio and TV personality I definitely wouldn’t want to have a guest like her. As much as I hate to say it, Janet’s performance was downright bad!

Though she looked great as always, Janet just didn’t deliver the kind of insight that would warrant a one-hour with Larry King. That time could have probably been better spent interviewing my 5-year old son!

A media interview is your time to shine. It’s your opportunity to dispel myths, share new information, promote yourself (Janet was promoting her new CD Discipline), win new supporters, build your brand and shape your image. Janet’s interview was a major disappointment because all she did was fill time with the same old stories we’ve heard before, warmed over for Larry King.

Thanks to her mega-superstar status, Janet’s less than stellar performance probably won’t hurt her. In fact, most people probably didn’t think the interview was all that bad. But to help everyday people like you avoid what I consider a media disaster, I’ve put together a list of the top 3 things that you should never during an interview:

1.) Don’t succumb to political correctness.

One mistake Janet consistently makes during interviews is that she thinks too hard about how to respond to certain questions for fear of saying the wrong thing. My advice: just be honest when answering questions and tell it like it is. I’m not suggesting you say things that are hurtful or damaging, but don’t be afraid to speak truth to power! Whoopi Goldberg is one example of someone who is not afraid to speak her mind and she is a breath of fresh air. True, Janet is no Whoopi, but if her sexually suggestive music is any indication of how open she can be, she should let her music philosophy guide her in interviews.

2.) Don’t display fake modesty or humility.

Janet just naturally has this aura of shyness but for God’s sake Janet, you’re 41 years old! It’s time to stop acting shy! In interview settings it is vitally important to show confidence and self-assurance. This helps audiences feel comfortable with you. Janet’s false modesty only makes me feel like she has something to hide.

3.) Don’t hold back interesting information that your audience wants or needs to hear.

Throughout Janet’s interview I kept waiting for her to drop a bombshell on something-her family, her home life, her wardrobe malfunction-anything! But she never did. If you get invited to do a media interview, deliver the goods. Give the audience something that they won’t get anywhere else. Then they’ll look forward to your next visit and be more willing to support you. More importantly, TV and radio producers will keep calling you back for more.

Note to Janet: if you need media training, I’m available!

Monique Caradine is a Chicago-based broadcast media professional and President of Momentum Media Group, Inc. A former radio host and currently the host of “Perspective,” a community affairs TV program, her specialties include program development, media training and publicity consulting. She is also a noted speaker, workshop presenter and commentator. Please visit her website

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Tags: public, relation, lesson, media, interview

Before the emergence of television and radio, print media dominated the majority of known societies. However, the technological innovations that were introduced during from the 19th till the 21st Century have created a new global marketplace, transcending national borders and culture barriers. This proliferation of news and their homogenous nature is evident in almost all media mediums used and it is far more forceful and dynamic than the print press news initiators could have ever imagined. Nevertheless, although the technological changes that have occurred have increased the speed and the amount of the exchanged information, especially though the use of the Internet, it has been almost impossible for scholars to accept a universal definition of what constitutes today the news, or how this vast increase in outlets and media will influence news production, distribution, or consumption in the future.

Regardless of how well-designed and targeted a message may be, or what it may desire to transmit, it will not succeed its original purpose unless it is disseminated to the selected targets through the most appropriate medium. What is the appropriate medium? One that complements the message, one that addresses individuals consistently, and most importantly, one that delivers the message at the right time, when the target is most receptive. By selecting the most appropriate medium, the message can generate a positive reaction from the target, transform it to a prospective audience, and finally mature it to a friendly receiver.

According to media scholars, one valuable lesson from the early ages of news release has been the effective selection and combination of the appropriate media vehicles, known in contemporary marketing studies as the media mix. This process has proven to be complex, while it required careful identification of the target segment. Vested upon this fact, lies another important realization. The media environment has been changing almost cyclically in reaction to technological, economic, market, cultural, and political forces. Contemporary media scholars, if they wish to acquire an important lesson from the past communication practices, have to take under consideration that the latest forms of news gathering, have turned their current focus on entertainment and “soft news.” This shift is not a recent outcome. It has happened in the past and it’s based on the notion of complying with the existing consumer beliefs, the social norms that prevail, the economic models that emerge, and of course the competitive trends in the media industry.

This news quest resulted in an important shift in the contemporary journalists’ work. Today, in comparison to the past, the desired audiences tend to have an active and not passive role during the news consumption process. This shift is strengthened by the fact that citizens globally are aware the news hidden purpose. News nowadays are not disseminated, as indented originally, to educate, unite and inform the societies they penetrate, but rather to entertain, mislead and hide the important essence of the messages from public attention. News has ceased to be news compared with its past definition. Media scholars, along with today’s consumers, must research and understand the underlying principles of this noticeable change before attempting to alter the scenery and claim back the news’ utility. It’s not only another public interest topic. It’s a practice that will alter consumers’ present role and the future course of media practices.

Jonathon Hardcastle writes articles on many topics including Business, Finance, and Gemstones

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Tags: online, pr, consultancy, media, lesson