SEARCH
Use the fields below to search the site by keywords, type of content, or both.
Blog Entry
Excerpt of Content:
Anytime I do a media training I ask the same question: “How many messages do you think you should have for your target audience?” Every time I get the same answer… “Three.” Three seems to be that magic number. In the literary world there’s the “power of three,” a writing principle that says things that come in three are funnier, more satisfying, and more effective. Even in numerology, three is considered to be “the perfect number.” Lists that come in three seem to be easier to remember. No one wants a list of 15 things. Three seems to be just enough. So, when it comes to crafting compelling messages — we should stick with three, right? Wrong! Instead, it’s crucial to focus on your single most important message. Here’s why… Audiences just can’t absorb multiple messages. According to neuroscientist Dr. Carmen Simon, you’re making a mistake presenting more than one main message. Dr. Simon’s book, Impossible to Ignore , shows that audiences remember best when you present your single most …
Blog Entry
Excerpt of Content:
A few months ago, I asked a simple question – have you ever quit a job? The responses came in fast and furious – but what was more interesting were the reasons why people quit their jobs – and how many of them would have stayed if given the chance. In the pilot study, one of the key statistics that stuck out was…. 92% of people said they quit because of management. Think about it. It wasn’t the food, the benefits, the salary, or even their coworkers. The top reason that people quit was because of the management team. What’s even more scary than that? 60% said that they quit because of their immediate manager. Think about that for a second. Let’s say that you and 9 other people in your company have a $50,000 job. Your company is large, greater than 10,000 employees, and 10 of you quit in the year. No big deal, right? The average cost of turnover for someone in your range is about 150% - so that’s going to cost the company $750,000 . If the average turnover in a company is 15% - …
Blog Entry
Excerpt of Content:
Imagine you live in Maine. You see a headline on your phone that reads: “Bear sighted in backyard.” You click on the story, and you see the bear sighting happened at a home in Alaska. Are you going to read the story? Now imagine that you click on the same headline and see that the bear was sighted in your next-door neighbor’s yard. Will you read more? Chances are you’ll focus on the story when it more directly impacts you. That’s because we’re more apt to pay attention when we feel involved and when we think the message will affect us. Local news knows this well. According to a national study, 70% of Americans say the most “valued” part of a local news broadcast… is the weather. Why? Because that’s the portion of the news that most directly involves the viewer! Newscasters know this, which is why a local broadcast will run a weather segment almost 3 times in a half hour show. We are better able to focus on things when we feel the information will involve or impact us. So in order to …
Blog Entry
Excerpt of Content:
Do you ever feel like you just can’t get your point across? Have you ever kicked yourself after speaking with a client and wished you had touched on a topic, only it never came up in conversation? The answer to becoming a more effective, successful and purposeful communicator may just lie back in your elementary school gym. Remember the game dodgeball? Two teams standing on either side, throwing balls at each other, and the last one standing wins? Yes I know it’s been years since anyone’s actually played the game dodgeball -- but I can tell you over my 20 years as a Television Journalist, Media Trainer and Presentations Coach, I’ve watched countless clients “play” dodgeball while answering questions. They’re constantly on defense, dodging questions and hoping to still be standing when it’s over. Even an easy question you know the answer to can lead to “playing” dodgeball. You simply answer the question… but then you’re back on defense again, hoping you’re not taken down by the next …