Media Training &
Presentation Skills
Jim Gleason, APR
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Agenda
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Importance of Good Communication
Types of Communication Opportunities
Conference & Panel Presentations
PowerPoint Basics
Working with the Media
Tips and Techniques
On-camera exercise
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
2
Let’s start with the obvious…
It’s all about good communication.
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Communication Opportunities
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Conference presentations
Colleagues & staff
Patients & families
Depositions
Reporters & other media
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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If you fail to communicate,
everything else is wasted.
Know your audience.
 Make a plan.
 Tailor your message and delivery.
 Prepare and practice.
 Execute with precision.
 Do a post-op to see how you did.
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Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Communication fundamentals
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Establish reasonable goals
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What are the expectations?
Why are you there?
Why are they there?
Whose party is it?
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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There are only a few primary goals…
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To inform
To persuade
To entertain
To motivate
Think like an audience member.
Match the goal to the audience and activity.
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Like the scouts say… Be prepared
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Perception is reality.
Traits and mannerisms are magnified.
Staying on message is hard.
Never say anything you don’t want to
see in print.
Remember, you are Lexington Clinic.
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Things to think about…
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Know what to expect.
Practice out loud.
Look the part, play the role.
Be mentally prepared.
Embrace the random.
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Conference Presentations
You’re a lovely audience,
I mean that sincerely.
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Conference Presentations
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What’s the goal?
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Who’s the audience?
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Inform? Motivate?
Colleagues? Other professionals? General
public?
What’s their motivation?
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What do they want to get out of your remarks?
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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What questions should you ask?
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Who is the audience?
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How many people?
Are they familiar with my material?
Will they be taking notes?
Do I have to provide copies of my charts?
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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What questions should you ask?
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Who is directing the show?
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Introduce yourself if he or she doesn’t.
Make sure they know any issues you have.
Learn who on the crew is the “go to” person.
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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What questions should you ask?
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Who controls the A/V?
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Make nice with them.
They’re pros and they want a good show as much
as you.
If things go weird, they can save your life.
Embrace the crew. They’re your best friends.
Trust me on this one.
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Adapting your presentation
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Planning beforehand
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Audience size
Level of expertise
Available time
Your slot on the agenda
Plan your intros and outros
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Adapting your presentation
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On the fly
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Monitor audience interest.
Moderate your pacing.
Edit or skip slides when necessary.
Don’t be afraid to take a side trip if there’s time
and interest.
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Presentation tips
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Using appropriate charts and graphics
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Ask yourself “What does the audience need?”
How much is too much?
Powerpoint? More on that later.
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Presentation tips
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Using Video/DVD
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Call ahead to find out about hardware, formats,
etc.
Get there early.
Test everything before the show.
Web access
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Same rules apply.
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Presentation tips
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Handling questions
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Don’t forget to leave time!
It’s sometimes ok to plant a question or two.
Answer the question being asked.
Guide the audience back to your key points.
Deflect the hostile or wacky ones.
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Conference tips
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Interact with the audience.
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Get there early and stay late
Hang around for coffee or lunch if you can
Personalize some remarks to the crowd
They don’t have to like you, but it’s nice if
they do.
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Panels
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Practice good panel etiquette.
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Don’t monopolize the time.
Interact with or reference your fellow panelists.
Share the work, share the spotlight.
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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PowerPoint Basics
Don’t ask “What can I do?
Ask “What should I do?
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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First ask, “How will I use them?”
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To navigate or punctuate remarks?
To convey information?
To illustrate?
As a standalone presentation later?
As reference materials?
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Overall design tips
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Make them easy to read
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Make sure they’re legible from the back of the
room
Don’t apologize for a bad slide; ditch it!
Don’t forget your brand
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Logo, colors, graphics
Is there a corporate template you can use?
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Overall design tips
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Use templates if they’re available
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No need to reinvent the wheel
If you need “real” design, hire a “real”
designer.
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Sometimes you do. That’s ok.
If it needs to really look good, this is the best way
to ensure that it does.
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Design tips
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Fonts
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Backgrounds
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Clean, legible, big
Avoid overly stylized fonts
Keep it simple so it doesn’t compete.
Colors
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Make sure there’s sufficient contrast.
Consider how it will look when printed in b/w.
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Design tips
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Photos and graphics
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Use quality photography or graphics.
Don’t forget about copyrights.
Avoid clipart. Please, I’m begging you.
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Everyone uses the same stuff.
It’s too generalized and not specific enough.
It looks dated.
It doesn’t set your work apart.
It’s heinous.
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Sound and video
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Appropriate or helpful animations
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Make sure they contribute to your message.
Don’t be “cute” for the sake of being cute.
Don’t forget about copyrights.
Avoid clipart and freeware. It’s tired.
Eye candy is evil.
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It’s not cool. Avoid it.
Again, if you need “real” design, hire a real
designer.
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
32
Content tips
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What’s the right number of slides?
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Watch your grammar, spelling, punctuation
Proof it! Twice!
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Does the audience have time to digest?
Do the math!
Be prepared to edit on the fly.
Have a colleague be a “second set of eyes.”
Review last-minute changes with the A/V guys.
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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10 Commandments of PowerPoint
1. Don’t let your visuals come between you
and your audience.
2. Maintain eye contact with your audience.
3. Don’t dictate your slides to your audience.
4. Keep text to a minimum.
5. Make the font style simple and readable.
(sans serif, at least 20-24pt).
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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10 Commandments of PowerPoint
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Use 3 - 5 points per slide.
Ensure consistent syntax from slide to slide.
Watch your punctuation and grammar.
Allow time to digest any complex
information (e.g. from a graph or chart).
10. Turn off the projector or overhead to focus
attention and re-claim the spotlight.
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Finally…
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Don’t forget to bring a backup
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Bring a copy for the A/V guy.
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Hardcopy
CD
Memory stick
If it’s sensitive, ask for it back after the show.
Test everything before the show.
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Do everything you can to eliminate surprises.
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Working with the Media
What’s the frequency, Kenneth?
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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The value of working with the media
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Positive press coverage
Cheaper than advertising
Convey key business messages
Direct interaction with the media provides
greatest story influence
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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The reporter’s world
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Deadline driven
Information overload, less time for research
Have to “sell” editors on story
Weary and wary of “hype”
Fiercely guard their objectivity
Influenced by your personality
Style, tone, enthusiasm matter
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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What we can (and should) talk about
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Anything in a press release
Public information (Annual Report, etc.)
The competition and marketplace in general
Strategy (only with guidance from PR staff)
Industry trends
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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What we DO NOT talk about
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Current or future financial performance
Unit-specific performance
Specific competitors
Sensitive information
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Plans for expansions, capacities, employment
figures, etc.
Other unannounced initiatives
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Remember…
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There is no such thing as “off the record.”
Don’t say anything you wouldn’t want your
mother to see in print.
Be prepared.
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Quickie interview checklist
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Topic or subject area?
Publication or program?
Story audience?
Reporter info?
 Beat, attitude, level of expertise
 Story angle?
 Key messages from PR?
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Quickie interview checklist
 Other interviewees?
 Possible questions?
 Interview location?
 Phone interview or face-to-face?
 Length of interview?
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Tricks of the Trade: Bridging segues
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That’s not my area of expertise but I can tell
you about…
I don’t know about that but I know…
I’m not comfortable discussing (x),
however…
Let’s look at this from another perspective
You should ask them about their strategy.
Lexington Clinic’s approach is to...
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Staying “on message”
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Q. Why do people prefer other healthcare providers to
Lexington Clinic?
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Wrong A: They don’t always prefer other healthcare providers
to Lexington Clinic, and we’re doing all we can to make sure
that our patients…
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Right A: We’ve had excellent customer loyalty through the
years, and work hard to provide the best patient care in the
region. In fact, we believe we provide a range of services and
the quality of care that has made us an important part of the
healthcare community in Lexington since 1920.
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Hope for the best, prepare for the worst
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Plan your answers to difficult questions ahead
of time
 Aren’t you wasting your time trying to find a cure for
Alzheimer’s?
 Isn’t it hopeless for Lexington Clinic to think that it
can compete and win against the UK Medical
Center or Central Baptist?
 Why does health insurance cost so much? Is it
because the doctors are protecting their own
paychecks?
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Three quick tips…
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Be a knowledgeable, confident speaker
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Don’t answer every question just because a
reporter asks.
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You’re the expert. That’s why you’re being
interviewed.
If you decline to answer, explain why.
“No comment” is not an acceptable answer.
Listen!
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Tips and Techniques
Remember…
It’s all a performance.
You are the star.
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Send the right signals
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Use appropriate body language.
Use warm facial expressions.
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Your face should reflect your message.
It’s okay to smile!
Make eye contact.
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Tell a story with your voice
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Use inflection for a varied vocal style.
Pause for emphasis.
Ask rhetorical questions.
Vary volume and speed.
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Be mindful of the medium
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For TV and radio:
Think and talk in sound bites
 7-15 second chunks of information
 Think “quotable quotes”
 Definitions, examples, benefits
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Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Be mindful of the medium
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Be aware of your body language.
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Big stage = big gestures
Small screen = small gestures
Think and pause before responding.
Practice, practice, practice.
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Like a golf swing, the best technique isn’t
necessarily the easiest.
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
53
Focus, focus, focus.
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Focus on two or three key points.
Know your messages inside out.
Give them the information they need.
Be concise.
Tell the time, not how to make a watch.
Repeat, repeat, repeat.
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
54
Nuts and bolts items
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Know your setting
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Get there early and walk around the room
Check the lighting, stage access, etc.
Be familiar with the agenda
Get comfortable with the technology
Do a dress rehearsal if possible
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
55
Nuts and bolts items
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Audio issues
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How’s your microphone technique?
Do you need a monitor (called a “wedge”)?
Is someone else responsible for your sound cues?
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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Nuts and bolts items
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Speaking style
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Know your most comfortable style.
Who wrote your remarks? You? A speechwriter?
Do you need or want a teleprompter?
Do you need a video reference monitor?
How much gesturing is too much?
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
57
Nuts and bolts items
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Dress code
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Always ask about the dress code ahead of time.
Make good clothing choices.
When do I need make-up? (Yes, guys too.)
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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On-camera exercise
Jim Gleason -- jgleason@buzzwordinc.com
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