Executive Training for New Media: Lynn in Media Training Guidebook

Posted on October 29, 2009. Filed under: Latest News

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Pardon the long post.  I wanted to share with you an article that I contributed to the prestigious 2009 PRNews Media Training Guidebook. If you work for an agency or within corporate communications, I encourage you to invest in this book. It is a collection of articles from the country’s most experienced media trainers. The book covers everything from crisis communications to building relationships with reporters to making the most of new media. That’s where I come in.

Please enjoy my contribution!

DON’T BLAME THE MESSENGER… TRAIN HIM!

Making the Most of Digital Media Tools

Lynn Espinoza, President Speak! Communications, Inc.

The United States military has an emerging concern, serious enough that it may be considered a modern-day enemy within. The proliferation of technology in and around the battlefield has made controlling both positions and messages more difficult. This isn’t the amazing stealth, heat-seeking or radar technology that has modernized and vastly improved front line capabilities. Rather, simple blogging, webcasting and uploading to social networking sites by soldiers-at-rest has raised some worry about the potential to put sensitive information into enemy hands; quickly, easily and unwittingly.  Left un-coached and unfiltered, this disjointed unit of non-civilian communicators may also portray an attitude or appearance unbecoming their branch of service.  In some cases, commanding officers are now reviewing soldiers’ blogs or videos before they are posted to make sure there is no threat to operational security. Some battalions discourage the practice altogether, though admit that it’s hard to control.

While the military works to get its collective armed services around the issue: Corporate World, take note.  Tens of thousands of corporate soldiers are also blogging and posting video from within. Intentionally or not, they are communicating directly with your customers, helping to shape perception. It’s possible that they’re even giving away your position to the enemy - your competition.  And know this: The media is reading and watching, too.

Of course, this is not always a bad thing.  Great viral campaigns can begin with a simple blog by an individual employee; companies are increasingly using YouTube and the like to post creative videos.  Absolutely, it can work.  The video for Dove’s “Campaign for Real Beauty” began as a commercial TV spot, aired during the 2006 Super Bowl.  The cost for that spot was just shy of four million dollars. Then the video was posted on YouTube. It got three times the viewership, and didn’t cost the company a cent more.  Brilliant.  Intentional. Totally controlled. The danger, though, comes when the company executives and communications teams have no idea who in the company is blogging or posting about what.  Where there is no knowledge or forethought, there can be no control. What we aren’t examining here are suggested corporate guidelines for blogging or web/podcasting. We are considering the tools that can help you to control the messages that your customers, competitors and the media receive – regardless of how they receive them. This is where the traditional vehicles of message control and training come in handy.Think back to the last time the executive of your company (or your client’s company) was selected for an interview with the Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times or NBC Nightly News.  Or maybe it was just an interview with the local radio station. Great opportunities, all, and it’s likely you spent a fair amount of time getting your spokesperson ready.The traditional approach begins with the development of key messages, which are vetted for appropriateness as well as interest or “talkability”.  Good key messages must, 1) do no harm and, 2) shine the most positive light on the company.  For any given interview, you want to make sure that you are choosing the right messages for that interview. Each publication or broadcast outlet has a unique audience, and you will craft messages differently for each to make sure you are speaking in the right voice to that particular audience.  You will also spend time making sure that the key messages chosen for the interview map directly to the larger corporate goals or image.Then comes the practice.  Whether with the communications team or an outside coach or trainer, the spokesperson is put through the paces: Rude Q &A; body language; word choice; vocal tone.  A video camera is often used, whether the opportunity is broadcast or print.  Clearly, this media opportunity is taken seriously, as it should be.

Apply this method now to the newer vehicles of communication.  Consider that a corporate blog posting can be just as powerful as that interview in the Wall Street Journal. In fact, it may end up in the Journal.  Doesn’t it just make sense, then, to deliberately craft key messages for corporate blogs?  Blogging purists may argue (may nothing; they WILL argue) that the power of the blog is that it’s unfiltered and always in the blogger’s voice.  The truth is, a terrific spokesperson (regardless of vehicle) sounds authentic and sticks to the messages that help to move the company forward. You can train a blogger the principles of good corporate communication much the way you would train him or her for an important print interview.  If a podcast or webcast is the vehicle, make sure that the spokesperson rehearses as though preparing for a radio or television interview.

Keep these numbers in mind as you consider the power of new media vehicles:

  • The Wall Street Journal has an average daily circulation of nearly 2.5 million
  • NBC Nightly News has an average nightly viewership of about 8.5 million
  • YouTube gets more than 100 million hits a day!

    • Anytime you have the chance to speak directly to your customers, whether through traditional media or by using new media tools, it requires planning, forethought and control.  The corporate world is a battlefield.  Make sure that your generals and their soldiers have the tools and training they need.

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    As president and founder of Speak! Communications, Inc., Lynn Espinoza designs and facilitates communication skills programs for anyone who needs to speak well to do well. Lynn is an Emmy award-winning broadcast news veteran with more than a decade of media, presentation and executive coaching experience

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