MEDIA TRAINING

Unsolicited praise received by a client — “I do a lot of these, and as I said during the panel, you are the best I have seen at taking the complex and technical parts of SAF and being able to communicate it in an understandable manner for everyone in the audience.”


Become a great public speaker who keeps people wanting to hear more!

  • Stay on message

  • Anticipate and prepare for tough questions

  • Tell your best story with confidence

  • Achieve your specific goals one-on-one or in a group.

  • Get ready with practice to perfect your message and delivery with mock interviews and help focusing your key points.

  • See yourself for yourself to reinforce what’s great and improve what can be better.

  • Body language, voice control, relaxation and confidence exercises. Insights on how to practice and prepare.

  • Taking the stress out of tough questions begins with preparation and time-tested techniques. Learn how to plan for the expected and unexpected.

  • Collaboration on key message points, how to land them and master delivering memorable details and stories to grab any audience.

  • Introduction or refresher: a tailored presentation will clarify what the media needs and how to give it to them.

Case Study:

REAL TIME WITH BILL MAHER

Even seasoned media pros think twice about an appearance with Bill Maher on his weekly HBO talk show, REAL TIME. The program is shot live or live-to-tape, meaning there are no do-overs.

As Senior Segment Producer, I was a de facto media trainer every week for prominent politicians, journalists and thought leaders who couldn’t afford to blow it on high stakes national TV. 

HERE’S HOW I DID IT, using the likely topics of the week as a framework:

  • Coaching guests supportively, with detailed feedback to tighten up their arguments and be ready for any number of twists and turns.

  • Channelling different perspectives and discussing counter arguments to prepare the guest to defend themselves confidently, with the courage of their convictions.

  • Discussing guest concerns openly and addressing them honestly.

 The proof of success showed up on the air every week, with impactful conversations unlike anywhere else on late-night TV and guests who wanted to come back on the show time and again, all fueling REAL TIME’s 20+ year run on HBO! 

Case Study:

CEO PREPARING FOR PRESS ENGAGEMENT 

A CEO had contagious energy and enthusiasm about his company, but was wary of reporters and delivered too much information during interviews, muddling his message.  Working with him and his team, I helped him gain focus and relax.   

  • ◈ Educated CEO on motivations and techniques commonly used by reporters.

    ◈ Cemented the key idea he needed to convey about his company in every interview.

    ◈ Coached him to decide on a few key pieces of information important to focus on relevant to each specific situation.

    ◈ Using mock interview techniques, practiced pivoting, flagging and incorporating his talking points while answering an array of questions.

    ◈ Anticipated and prepared for off-point and tough questions.

    ◈ Recorded and played back his answers to help improve speech pattern and body language techniques. 

With a better understanding of how journalists tend to operate, and focused preparation for his interviews, the CEO became more confident and more effective at staying on message. Learning how to prepare allowed him to enjoy interviews, and earned coverage that elevated the firm’s reputation and brought in business.

Case Study:

FIRST-TIME CANDIDATE

A first-time candidate challenging an incumbent for a New York State Senate seat needed support preparing for interviews and help engaging with voters and donors.  

Like so many people who run for office the first time, this candidate didn’t think she had much of a personal tale to tell. I helped her focus on a few impactful stories from her life and a few key issues, then coached her to talk about them engagingly. 

  • ◈ Recognized and helped her condense experiences she had as a child that shaped her values, and advocacy she had done as an adult that demonstrated  her skills. 

    ◈ Highlighting her strengths, coached her to deliver full speeches with warmth, personality and confidence.

    ◈ Used mock interviews to practice delivering key points in bit-sized chunks, flagging important points and pivoting back to her message.

    ◈ Prepared for media interviews by anticipating likely topics and practicing answers to tough questions.  

    ◈ Helped her with memorization techniques.

    ◈ Improved her Zoom skills.

Using the skills I taught her, the candidate quickly became more comfortable and more effective in every forum.  It wasn’t always easy, but we also found plenty to laugh about as we worked together. She won key political and community endorsements and ultimately won a third of the vote – beating expectations. She is well positioned to run again!