Best of 2017: Top 5 Posts of The Year
Since starting this blog in 2010, we have published more than 1,350 posts!
In the blog’s early days, I focused on writing daily posts every weekday, which helped build an audience but proved challenging to sustain as my practice grew and our family welcomed two young children.
My focus this year shifted toward writing in-depth pieces that would last beyond a single day’s news cycle. In total, we published almost four dozen original posts.
The five posts highlighted in this year-end “best of” list represent a combination of the most-shared and most viewed posts, as well as my personal favorites. If you’ve missed any along the way, I hope you enjoy catching up!
5. Why You Should Avoid “Call and Response” Media Interviews
You’ve surely heard the “call and response” format before. It can be found in jazz and classical and folk music; in churches and synagogues and secular gatherings; and everywhere from West Africa to Cuba to England.
There’s a reason why stage performers have used it for so long. Call and response is easy to follow, holds attention, and often produces a beautiful sound.
But it shouldn’t be found anywhere near your media interviews.
4. The Media Question You Should Always Answer
At the end of many media interviews, reporters ask this final question: “Is there anything you’d like to add?”
They ask that question not only as a courtesy, but to make sure they haven’t forgotten to ask something that would improve their understanding of your topic. Unfortunately, many stressed interviewees decline to add anything and miss the opportunity to take advantage of that final “gimme” question.
In this post, you’ll find four great ways to answer it.
3. How To Run A Great Panel Presentation
Panel discussions offer audiences a valuable opportunity to hear from several experts in a short amount of time. When delivered well, panels can be fast-moving discussions that leave audiences with crucial new perspectives.
Unfortunately, most panels don’t live up to their potential.
In this series, you’ll learn how to plan a successful panel, set the room, ask riveting questions, lead a dynamic interview, and much more.
2. The Gold Nugget Reporters Want From You
In this post, you’ll play the role of a reporter. I’ve crafted a typical interview answer, and I’d like you to select which part of the quote you would use in your story.
As you’ll see, that’s not always an easy task, particularly when speaking to interviewees who speak in the “usual” style.
Here’s how to stand apart from your peers and speak in a media-friendly format that vastly increases the odds you’ll get the quote you want.
1. How To Win When You’re Ranked Dead Last
I often get emails from readers saying something like this: “I know you post a lot of media disasters. Do you have a good example of a spokesperson doing things right?”
We’ve posted many good interviews through the years — but since there’s such interest in the topic, I wanted to post one of my favorites, a May 2013 interview with Spirit Airlines CEO Ben Baldanza.
At the time, his airline had been ranked last in customer satisfaction by Consumer Reports. Few executives want to go on television to defend such a dismal ranking—but Baldanza appeared energized by the challenge.
Thank you for reading the blog this year! If your 2018 plans include better communication, please learn more about our services by clicking the boxes below.
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