Inside PR #44 – Tuesday, January 30, 2007

• • Inside PR, PR, Show Notes, social media

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This week on Inside PR, Terry and David talk about the future of social media and PR’s place within it. Also, they welcome audio comments from Paull Young, Andrew Findlater, and Colin Douma. Chris Clarke contributes his weekly commentary. Finally, Terry does his segment of Inside PRoper English.

Show Notes

00:29 David introduces the show. He invites listener feedback through email at [email protected], the comment line at 206-600-4741, or comment on the Inside PR show blog.

01:15 Terry wants to point listeners to an interview he did with Paull Young for the Forward Podcast.

03:12 Terry talks about his venture into the world of audio book podcasting with his novel The Best Laid Plans, this week with an offer to have his book listed on Podiobooks.

04:10 David talks about a possible new feature on Inside PR: phonecasting, which allows listeners to download podcasts to their cell phones.

05:15 David talks about a podcast interview he did with Eric Bergman about the MRP system he helped pioneer.

6:55 Terry kicks off this week’s batch of comments with an email from Michael Keliher. He talks about a promotional giveaway that listeners can enter here.

09:12 David introduces an audio comment from Andrew Findlater of National PR, who is in search of a social media savvy PR professional. Terry points out that his firm is also on the hunt for such PR pros.

14:10 Terry introduces an audio comment from Paull Young on Canada’s social media scene.

15:20 David introduces an audio comment from Colin Douma. Colin wonders what the future of PR, marketing, and social media are going to look like.

21:30 Terry and David use Colin’s question as this week’s main topic for discussion. Terry has a sense that there will be some change in communications as everyone tries to put a stake in social media. David thinks that the focus needs to be on the conversation and on the fact that we need not go through the media anymore. David asks the question: will marketing and PR change because of social media?

29:05 Terry adds that PR isn’t about selling, and that’s why he thinks we’re best suited to own social media.

31:58 Terry introduces Chris Clarke’s commentary this week.

35:28 Inside PRoper English: avoiding unnecessary “filler” words, phrases and cliches like “essentially,” “basically,” “at the end of the day,” and Terry’s favourite, “in terms of.”

37:50 Terry closes the show and invites listener comments: through email at [email protected], on the comment line at 206-600-4741, or comment on the Inside PR show blog. Also, they welcomes listeners to the Inside PR Blubrry site.

Music: our theme music is Streetwalker by CJacks, and is from the Podsafe Music Network; Roger Dey is our announcer.

Inside PR #43 – Tuesday, January 23, 2007

• • Inside PR, PR, Show Notes

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This week on Inside PR, Terry and David once again discuss the art of presentations, focusing specifically on effective presentation performance this week. Also, they welcome an audio comment from Bob Ledrew. Chris Clarke contributes his weekly commentary. Finally, Terry does his segment of Inside PRoper English.

Show Notes

00:29 Terry introduces the show. He invites listener feedback through email at [email protected], the comment line at 206-600-4741, or comment on the Inside PR show blog.

01:15 Terry and David talk about Third Tuesday Toronto from last week.

03:12 Terry introduces an audio comment from Bob Ledrew, a PR practitioner and blogger from Ottawa, who talks about effective presentation skills. This leads to a short discussion about Powerpoint and into the main topic for the week.

07:30 David introduces the main topic of the week: effective presentation performance.

08:07 Terry’s first point is that when presenting, you must be yourself. You shouldn’t stand in front of an audience and become someone you’re not, although you should dial it up a little bit.

10:45 Terry uses the example of going to the theatre. The actors on stage are not speaking in their normal voices, as they need to be understood by those in the far reaches of the theatre.

11:25 Terry offers his second point: the need to involve the audience. Terry likes to say something about the people he knows in the audience. He finds that asking questions is also effective. With small audiences, David recommends writing down people’s names so he can refer to people by name.

14:10 Terry’s third point: Read the room. Pick up on the communication you’re getting back from different parts of the room. A presentation is actually a dialogue, not a monologue by the presenter.  The audience is sending non-verbal signals.  Pick up on them and adjust as necessary.
15:20 Terry discusses four more technical points  to increase engagement. The first is your voice: you can speak faster or slower, louder or softer, and with more inflection. The second is eye contact: the audience won’t believe you if you’re looking elsewhere. Terry discourages the machine-gun technique of turning your head from left to right, back and forth, in order to make eye contact. David’s tip on eye contact: stare at their forehead. They won’t be able to tell that you’re not looking them in the eyes.

20:30 As for gestures, Terry believes that hand talkers should not try to stifle what comes naturally. David thinks speakers need their hands to project themselves effectively. When David finds something very important, he will reach out and touch it on the screen. The last technical aspect from Terry is movement. A truly great speaker can move away from the podium and walk around. He recommends getting away from the podium if possible. David thinks a handy tool is the remote control slide advancer.

27:00 Terry adds a point about the Q&A: when someone asks a question not relating to the presentation, respect the audience by telling the questioner that you’ll answer it afterwards. With regard to the Q&A, the question may belong to the questioner, but the answer belongs to the audience. As you answer the question, make eye contact with the questioner, but then broaden your focus to make contact with the entire audience. The Q&A is the last thing the audience will remember. David thinks that presenters anchored down by a lectern can move away from it doing the Q&A and closer to the audience.

29:45 David ends by saying that in the PR business, presentations cannot be avoided. He started his career feeling uneasy before presentations, and now he’s at a point where he enjoys them.

33:20 Terry introduces Chris Clarke’s commentary this week.

35:38 Inside PRoper English: better/best, faster/fastest, older/oldest.

37:20 David closes the show and invites listener comments: through email at [email protected], on the comment line at 206-600-4741, or comment on the Inside PR show blog. Also, they welcomes listeners to the Inside PR Blubrry site.

Music: our theme music is Streetwalker by CJacks, and is from the Podsafe Music Network; Roger Dey is our announcer.

Inside PR #42 – Tuesday, January 16, 2007

• • Agency Life, Inside PR, New Business Development, PR, Show Notes

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This week on Inside PR, Terry and David discuss the art of presentations. Also, they welcome audio comments from Mitch Joel and Michael O’Connor Clarke. Chris Clarke returns with a contribution this week. Finally, Terry does his segment of Inside PRoper English.

Show Notes

00:29 David introduces the show. He invites listener feedback through email at [email protected], the comment line at 206-600-4741, or comment on the Inside PR show blog.

01:15 Terry and David talk about why this is the second take of Inside PR #42.

02:19 David introduces Terry’s novel, The Best Laid Plans. Terry explains that listeners of Inside PR will be glad to know that he is podcasting the book, or turning it into an audiobook if you will. You can find the podcast blog at www.terryfallis.com or on iTunes.

05:37 Terry talks about the upcoming Third Tuesday gathering in Toronto. He mentions that Paull Young will be making an appearance and Mark Evans will be the guest speaker.

07:30 David introduces a comment from Michael O’Connor Clarke.

10:40 Terry talks about a comment Bryan Person left on the blogpage about Inside PRoper English.

12:11 David introduces a comment from Mitch Joel on presentation skills.

14:30 Terry thanks Mitch for his comment because it leads into this week’s topic of discussion: presentation skills.

15:00 Terry starts off this week’s topic of conversation on presentation skills. In tribute to Mitch, this week Terry and David will talk about six preparation for presentations tips.

15:55 Terry offers his first tip: know your audience. He thinks too many presenters neglect the audience and either talks above or below their level of knowledge of the presentation material.

17:07 Terry says to build your presentation around your key messages. He thinks the wrong way to develop a presentation is to do it chronologically. Terry likes to talk about the key messages at the beginning and bring the audience back to them at the end. David adds that presenters should know what they want to accomplish, perhaps that they came off as intelligent and articulate.

19:33 Terry says: Slides are there to support you, not supplant you. One of the principal characteristics of bad presentations is bad slides. Some presenters will read the slides, which makes for a terrible presentation. David says that some people use the slide as the script, the leave-behind, and presentation support. He says that it can’t possibly be all three.

23:30 Terry adds that presenters shouldn’t break eye contact with the audience for an extended period of time. Turning one’s back to the audience is a no-no.

24:15 Terry thinks it’s best to use illustrative examples to bring the presentation to life and put a human face on it. David thinks that using examples that the audience can relate to will make the information stick with the audience.

26:44 Prepare for the question and answer period. Few presentations come without questions afterwards, so try to anticipate what questions the audience may ask and prepare potential answers. David says to always save time for the Q&A budgeted into the presentation time.

29:05 Terry’s final point: anxiety is your friend. If you find yourself going into a presentation totally relaxed, you probably won’t be as engaging as if you were somewhat excited. David has found that over his many years in PR, he has gone from arriving at his presentation not wanting to do it to arriving at his presentation wanting to do a great job.

30:51 Terry sums up his six points of presentations. David adds one more tip for presentations: he tries to anticipate what his competition might present in a new business presentation and out-do the competition.

33:20 David introduces Chris Clarke’s commentary this week.

36:27 Inside PRoper English: at this point in time.

37:38 Terry closes the show and invites listener comments: through email at [email protected], on the comment line at 206-600-4741, or comment on the Inside PR show blog. Also, they welcomes listeners to the Inside PR Blubrry site.

Music: our theme music is Streetwalker by CJacks, and is from the Podsafe Music Network; Roger Dey is our announcer.

Inside PR #41 – Wednesday, January 10, 2007

• • Agency Life, Inside PR, New Business Development, PR, Show Notes

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This week on Inside PR, Terry and David have a discussion about the new business pitch. Also, Terry does his segment of Inside PRoper English.

Show Notes

00:27 Terry introduces the show. He invites listener feedback through email at [email protected], the comment line at 206-600-4741, or comment on the Inside PR show blog.

03:15 Terry introduces a comment from Colin McKay on the topic of government relations.

04:51 A listener in a journalism program named Eliza is searching for a PR professional to be interviewed.

05:48 Terry introduces this week’s main topic for discussion: the new business presentation.

07:15 David starts by naming his four key objectives when going into a new business presentation: demonstrate creativity, show knowledge, deliver the information passionately, and try to make the team and client fit.

08:10 Terry says that he usually brings the whole team into a new business presentation. He seldom brings in the junior people, but he will usually bring the mid-to-senior level people to the presentation. When David worked on the client side, he only wanted to see the people who worked on the account at the new business presentation.

10:30 David doesn’t see any reason to bring the president of the firm to the new business pitch if they won’t be involved in the account. Terry, as a president himself, feels it’s important to be there, as he’s usually involved in the creation of the program. He makes it clear if he won’t be involved day-to-day, and advises that the entire team make their roles clear to the potential client.

13:45 Terry dispels the myth that the evaluation begins once the first slide goes up. From the moment you walk in the door to the moment you walk out, your team is being evaluated.

17:30 Terry thinks it’s important to go over some strategies with the client that you considered but rejected instead of simply going over the ideas you selected. David thinks it shows that you possess a knowledge of the business. He thinks that the best way to show knowledge is to ask the right questions because you should never try to sound more knowledgeable than the client.

21:15 David talks about presenting with passion. He thinks it’s important to always show your passionate about a project, even if it’s something less than exciting. Terry warns not to build up a clients expectations, though.

25:00 David wraps up by re-emphasizing creativity, knowledge, passion, and fit.

26:55 Inside PRoper English for the week: discrete and discreet

28:45 David closes the show and invites listener comments: through email at [email protected], on the comment line at 206-600-4741, or comment on the Inside PR show blog. Also, they welcomes listeners to the Inside PR Blubrry site.

Music: our theme music is Streetwalker by CJacks, and is from the Podsafe Music Network; Roger Dey is our announcer.