Webinars

MEDIA TRAINING 101

A reporter from your local business journal calls and wants to interview you for a story on women entrepreneurs ...what will you say? Media training is effective in handling both friendly and difficult media situations. It is essential for standard publicity interviews, and during times of crisis. The seminar encompasses instruction in interview guidelines, techniques for directing interviews, developing message points, and handling different (and difficult) interview styles.

Few things are more exciting -- or more stressful -- than talking to the media. When our level of stress increases, our rational thinking decreases, and we may get tongue-tied and not communicate our message clearly. Media training makes people in the spotlight, or people on the spot, feel comfortable, not only in handling questions, but also in clearly presenting key points while sounding sincere and credible.

COMMUNICATING DURING LIFE'S CRISES

What do you do when you have to reprimand an employee?

How do you handle an upset customer who has made an unreasonable request?

What if unfavorable information is leaked to the media about your business?

How do you bring up a delicate issue with your significant other?

The way we communicate in times like these determines whether or not a "situation" escalates into a "crisis" or is constructively managed by the right approach. The same techniques used by corporate executives during a media crisis can be applied to those day-to-day communications where we experience difficulty in making our message understood.

Learn new communication tools on the spot for times of "crisis" which will give you more satisfaction, confidence, and less stress in your business and social relationships.

The same techniques used by corporate executives during a media crisis can be applied to those day-to-day communications where we experience difficulty in making our message understood. You already know what type of information, categorically, your audiences are looking for.
Now, what do you want them to know? By clearly presenting your key points, you sound sincere and credible. By keeping a clear head (thanks to preparation and message points), you can speak succinctly and powerfully.
Learn new communication tools on the spot for times of "crisis" which will give you more satisfaction, confidence, and less stress in your business and social relationships.

CREATING EFFECTIVE MESSAGE POINTS

The way we craft our "messages" is imperative to success-the success of an interview, the success of a project, the success of a conflict resolution. What messages need to be communicated? By having points prepared in advance you can often control the communication and make it a win-win by keeping a conversation, presentation or interview on-track.

This seminar will cover:

• Determining the messages you want to get across
• Creating baseline message points
• Adjusting message points for different situations and audiences
• How to work the message points into the conversation

BE THE EXPERT THAT YOU ARE

As an entrepreneur or business person, we are obviously an "expert in our field" because we have built a business around a certain specialty. What most people don't understand is that "expertise" doesn't necessarily have only one definition. It doesn't have to mean you're the "most knowledgeable" but it DOES mean that you have to get out there.

One of the most effective public relations tactics you can employ in your business is to let the media, your clients and potential clients, and your community, know that you are an expert in your field.
Editorial coverage of your business has up to ten times more credibility than an advertisement for your business.

This seminar covers:

• Ways to generate media coverage as an expert.
• Blowing your horn versus communicating your passion
• Becoming a valuable resource
• Being an expert in other areas of your life

This type of branding is also cost effective, because the better established your relationships are with the media and within your communities, the fewer resources you will expend on PR.

THE BRAND CALLED YOU

You must create your brand, your identity, for your business and FOR YOURSELF.

YOU are a brand.

What do you stand for? What makes you unique in your field? What makes people remember you and want to do business with you again? It's not an easy question for most people to answer!

It doesn't matter what size your business is, how much revenue you create or how many employees you have - or even if you work for someone else. YOU are a brand. When you can define your brand, you can successfully market YOU.

Want your customers to perceive you as the only place to shop? The best service they ever had? The most helpful/caring/involved person they ever dealt with? To remember you? To know what to expect and be satisfied every time?

Join us to learn how branding your uniqueness will move you ahead of your competition.

Mary Schnack has more than 30 years of experience in journalism, public relations and public affairs, crisis communications, writing, and marketing communications. Mary also has been giving speeches and presentations worldwide for more than 25 years. She was the recipient of the 2004 U.S. Small Business Administration's Women in Business Advocate award for the Arizona District and Region IX and in 2008 she was awarded The International Alliance for Women Inaugural World of Difference 100 Awards and Member of the Year for Women Impacting Public Policy.

Purchase two webinars or more and you can receive one of these offers:
1) Communications Plan for $2,000 (usually $2,500 to $5,000)
2) News Release with distribution (local, national or to an industry specific media list) for $300 (normally starts at $500)
3) Four hours of Mary's Communications Coaching for $500 (usually $600)