First tip: Don’t try this at home! Some people think all they have to do is sit at their desk and tape themselves talking. You’ve seen those amateurish looking videos, right? Your homemade videos project the, “Look, ‘ma, I did it myself.” Family, friends and those who already know and love you won’t care. For the rest of the world, you want your video to create a powerful first-of-mind-impression. Confidence, or lack of, will pop right thru the camera to your potential clients.

You need to consider the lighting and the sound. Does it sound like you’re talking in a tunnel or into a tin can? Are there shadows across your face or under your eyes? These are the things that will distract from you and your message if they aren’t done right.

If you are going to produce your own videos for your website and Social Media presence, invest in a good camera, lighting equipment and a professional microphone. You want your video to look and sound as expert as you are to produce positive results. It’s your first introduction to potential clients around the globe!

You can email your questions to Judy@JudyJernudd.com We will answer the most asked questions on future posts.

Stay tuned!

Judy Jernudd

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First, you must have read the PS in my December letter to you. The part about not bringing your wife to your national public apology. Elin was nowhere to be seen at your first statement event, while your mom was present in the front row to show support. Although her non-verbal body language invited more speculation, but that’s another topic.

You missed many key Crisis Management Skills in my previous letters to you, including how to deliver a sincere apology. We’ll get to that point in a minute.

People are troubled as to why the audience attending your first TV appearance included only family and friends, and no media. Some people think you didn’t owe a public apology. I disagree. You are the world’s top golfer, an influential person with thrones of fans and supporters. You are a person the world looked up to and you messed up. You don’t have the option of ignoring the fact and then one day appearing on a golf course, business as usual.

Is a public apology good for rebuilding a tarnished image? Yes. Are we drawn to curiosity about public figures? Yes, but by now even the gossip mongers must be over the what, when and where of it. The train crash aspect that people “can’t stop watching” is over. You don’t owe the intimate details between you and your wife to anybody. Now it’s about you and how you are handling the damage. Your staged event was better than those early online written stilted statements,  but it lacked specific skills to manage your brand image.

Second, whoever is advising you isn’t helping you.

From day one, this has been a Public Relations nightmare for you. Some people are calling your first public appearance a disaster. Ouch! No need to go that far, but we know you can afford the best advice and the question is, why are you not getting it? We know you are coach-able, at least about golf.  A professional media coach will teach you exactly what you need to do to repair you brand-image and win back public support. The skills and advice of a pro might even help you with your family.

It is not only because media coaching is my expertise, that I encourage you to get professional coaching. The reason you need it should be easy to wrap your head around;  crisis communication is not your expertise. You need a media coach who understands how the media works,  crisis management and brand image.  Your coach must be strong enough to make sure you “get it.”

Now, out of nowhere, comes this staged mea, sans media, culpa. You’re not through with therapy. You or your wife aren’t saying anything about your marital status. Shots of you on the golf course are not a reality anytime soon. In other words, no announcements, no news. The question has to be asked, what was your controlled event all about? Why now? You’re back in the headlines for all of the wrong reasons, Tiger, creating more controversy.

Third, it’s about the timing. If you want to get this thing behind you, get in front of it. The public apology you delivered on Friday was expected shortly after the accident, when your sexual transgressions began to roll out faster than a spilled bucket of golf balls. At the time, it was about a statement and your physical presence, not necessarily questions and answers. Now, almost three months after the fact, questions from the media are expected. In fact, they might have helped you come across less robotic and scripted.

TIP: You prepare for the kinds of questions you anticipate and take control of your answers. You rehearse until you can talk without a script. Rehearsals are a good thing for anyone. They help people seem more natural in an uncomfortable situation—particularly when handling tough questions—and bring clarity to the message. Rehearsals also help people move from the “I can wing it,” rambling or repetitive statements.

While we’re on the subject of timing, your over thirteen minute statement was way too long. Your brave words, including cheating and “I’m sorry,” painted a picture for your national audience. You apologized publicly to your wife, your family, friends and your sponsors. You confirmed you were in therapy with no immediate plans to play on a golf course. You could have issued these statements in about half the time, or less. While the public sensed your embarrassment and shame, something was missing.

You must have skipped over the advice about apologizing in my previous letter.

How to deliver a sincere apology: Don’t read it. No matter how sorry you are, a statement read gives the perception of insincerity.When remorse is genuine, people will see it and feel it. Emotion trumps word-for-word perfection.

Which brings us to the fourth challenge. You’ve heard this before, “We are a forgiving society.” Many of your critics, as well as fans and supporters, felt your monologue lacked emotion. Expressing emotion is a huge factor in winning back public appeal. The prepared, scripted statement and your incessant looking down to read it, sent a mixed message, don’t you think?

Unlike John Edwards, who looked sorrier that he got caught than for his actions during his long overdue apology on ABC with Bob Woodruff, your pained expression provided a glimpse into your misery. This is important, Tiger, words combined with corresponding emotions create the impact and connectivity you need to be believable. The meshing of the right words with the right emotion is never more important than in crisis damage control.

Your strongest emotion was anger directed to media for speculating about Mrs. Wood’s clubbing you that fateful night in November. See, you didn’t take the opportunity to tell us yourself right then. Remember that part in my earlier letter about “speculation and telling your story” before someone tells it for you? No one’s children are fair game for anyone in the media to follow around snapping shots of them, but on some level you had to know your mistakes would be a nightmare for your family when your other life exploded. It comes back to that being a public figure person of interest thing. You know how it works; money, power and fame. Did the headlines of some other folks including Gary Hart, Bill Clinton, Kobe Bryant, John Edwards or Elliot Spitzer publicly confessing their sins ever cross your mind?

That takes us to my fifth and final point. If  you’re thinking about any more confessions on national television, and this is important, keep it real, show some emotion, allow yourself to feel it so we feel for you. This is probably an easier concept to grasp than to exercise. Being free to show emotion might be the basis of  some of your therapy sessions. Coming to grips with letting yourself down could be your biggest hurdle yet to overcome. Ah, but these statements are only speculative aren’t they?

Stay tuned!

Judy Jernudd

Startegic Media

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Can you learn charisma? Yes. Can you make eye contact with your audience? Yes. Can you project all of the above in front of the cameras during your media interviews. Well, yes, but it takes “know how,” rehearsals and practice. And the payoff is worth it!

Gold Star Tip: Practice making direct eye contact with everyone you meet—unless you are in a country where it might be considered taboo. Hold your gaze for about four seconds. If you get used to looking at people in their eyes, you will find a deeper connection with the person you are talking with… including audiences and TV cameras. Looking into a person’’s eyes helps you concentrate, improves your listening skills and makes them feel more important to you. And the media might just write about it!

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Phil Jackson and Judy Jernudd

I had the opportunity to interview Mr. Jackson.  Granted a first impression doesn’t mean you know a person, yet after a few minutes with him, he makes a lasting impact. His unusual combination of competitiveness and Zen not only serves him well as a coach, but it is who he is.

Judy’s Take: During the interview his answers are thoughtful due to his presence with the questions. He listens. His “in the moment” attitude is contagious. You feel yourself becoming more centered and focused because he is.  Everything about him projects sincerity and wisdom. Even some of his players, who’ve publicly admitted resisting his Zen coach approach, give him credit for his meditative teachings. He listens and delivers answers with the message he wants to get across. He looks directly at you when he talks and forms a connection.

Coach Jackson has written a number of books you might want to check out about his leadership style and what makes him win.  One of my favorites that I recommend to leaders is “Sacred Hoops: Spiritual Lessons of a Hardwood Warrior.”

Gold Star Action: Answering questions in a job interview, to a reporter, in a sales presentation, or conversations in general should be void of sounding scripted or canned. Treat every question with importance.  Think before you speak.  Looking into the eyes of the person asking the question is a powerful way to connect. And be present. Master these skills and people will relate to you more positively and you will create a greater impact.

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• Blaming the reporter: “That ##!!@## reporter never asked me the right questions!” Someone makes this statement in almost every one of our Media Coaching workshops. It isn’t the reporter’s job to ask you the right questions. Your responsibility is in the answers. How you respond to questions and what you say are the keys to your media success.

Judy’s Gold Star Action Tip: Make a list of talking points as soon as you are contacted by the media for an interview. Read through them, take out a red pen and start editing. What does the viewer, reader or listener need to know? What is most relevant to the story? What helps you get your talking point across to the reader, viewer or listener? Don’t make your talking points sound scripted or canned. When you are well prepared you will become adept at working them into your answer.

Stay tuned!

Judyth

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Part 2:

Focusing on your history is another costly mistake. It can eat up your entire television segment! Even in your print interviews you might not get to your key points. Some people make the mistake of thinking they can add every detail in print articles. How you arrived at where you are today in your business or why your book came about might be a fascinating tale – if there is time.  Your goal is to get your key point(s) up front.

Saving the best for last doesn’t apply to TV interviews. Elaboration can work to your advantage in some situations. For example, if you are a single guest on an hour long radio show you will be able to work in more stories and key points.

When we coach media clients, we ask up front what is important to the interviews?  The answer is often, “everything!”  They start trudging from the beginning of their companies’ journey to present times. ZZZZzzzz!

Judy’s Gold Star Action Tip: Keep in mind your segment might be cut short. You never get the opportunity to get to the best part. Don’t make the reporter work too hard to find your key points.  As a former reporter, I can tell you in some instances you might find yourself being asked the same question several different ways. The reporter is looking for the answer.

Stay tuned!

Judyth

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Part 1:

Congratulations! Your pitch captured the media’s attention. You just received the call you have anticipated for weeks: “Can you be at the studio in three hours, camera-ready?” Or, they asked if they can send a reporter to your office in a couple of hours along with a still photographer? You’re exited! You call your mother and your friends. “What should I wear? Oh, I wish I wasn’t having a bad hair day.” Your jubilation fades as you begin to ponder; what am I going to say? Now we’re getting someplace. Here’s a glimpse of what kind of mistakes interviewees — you — can make.

• Being unprepared. You are eager to see yourself on TV or your name in print. Media exposure can only help, right? It is after all your subject area, isn’t it? Or, maybe not. Don’t say yes, unless you’re confident you know what you’re talking about and how your information will help the story.

Judy’s Gold Star Action Tip: If it’s not your area of expertise, offer to find the perfect resource. You win in four ways. You make a media friend who might think of you for a future story, you gain credibility, you help a colleague who has the expertise and you save yourself from looking like the flavor of the day. People who try to be all things to all stories don’t produce many results.  And they don’t get invited back.

Stay tuned!

Judyth

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What happened?  You say the reporter didn’t ask you the right questions.  Here’s what you need to know about interviewers and reporters:  It isn’t their problem they didn’t ask you the right questions.  Your media success depends more on your answers than on the questions.

Over the next week, I’m going to give you a series of media skills you need to become a Media Star — the kind of media guest who gets invited back.

1. Prepare. Know what points you want to get across in your interview.  Make a plan.  What do people need to know about your product, your service, your book or your news?  How can your information help them?  Most people are so excited about being on television, they forget to plan what they want to say or what they want to happen as a result.

Here’s an example.  I know a man who gets a fair amount of TV interviews, but doesn’t see an increase of new business nor a spike in his book sales.  He can deliver a good soundbite, but no one gets what he does or he how he can help them.

Judy’s Gold Star Action: Look for key words in the reporter’s questions to tap into with your answers.  Avoid sounding like a commercial for your products or service.  For instance, if you are on a book tour, don’t mention your book every other sentence.  Talk about what the viewers will learn and how the information can help them.

Stay tuned!

Judyth

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Gold Star Action: Dream big and work hard to make your dreams come true is not a new concept.  Magic Johnson tells you not just what you need to do, but how to do it.  What is it you really want? When people come to Startegic to re-invent themselves, we find it is a hard question for many people to answer.  How determined you are to get what you want is usually a key predictor of success or failure.  Every successful person I know works with an executive coach,  mentors or advisers.  Once your why is in place, continue to develop what you know and find the right people to help you learn what you need to grow. Part of Magic’s success can be attributed to is his winning personality.  It helps to be likable and grateful.

Magic Johnson and Judy Jernudd

Earvin “Magic” Johnson could write a book about what it takes to achieve extraordinary entrepreneurial success. In fact, the former LA Lakers superstar has done exactly that in his recent release, “32 Ways to Be a Champion in Business.” One of the “Top 50 Greatest NBA players,” wasn’t content to rest on his basketball fame and fortune laurels.  No, he wanted to become a businessman.  Correction, a successful businessman.

Impression: The first thing you notice about Mr. Johnson, beside his imposing athletic stature, is how present he is in front of the audience of a thousand at the Book Expo Convention in Los Angeles. Even before he is presenting the lessons of his business success,  he is sending a message: “I’m glad to be here.” You know two things about him within seconds. This giant of a man, quick to smile, is a “people person” and you want to like him.

Speaking Tip: Whether you are in professional services, an entrepreneur, or CEO of a Fortune 500 company, every presentation and speech counts.  None are throwaways. When you are trying to motivate your team, influence decision makers, deliver a sales presentation or simply introducing yourself, your presence is essential.

Lesson: Conveying an “I’m glad to be here” attitude sets the tone for you in a couple of ways.  Your audience becomes more comfortable with you and you start to relax.   One of the main reasons people look as though they would rather be facing a “root canal” is because they are not prepared.  Once you know what you want to say and how you want to it, you can focus on your message and relate it to the audience.

Recommended Read: Mr. Johnson quickly moved past his basketball fame and onto his entrepreneurial success story.  This post is a quick overview of some of the highlights of his speech, but do yourself a favor and read 32 Ways to be a Champion if you’re serious about becoming a successful entrepreneur or growing your business.

The Story: First, he knew how to score on the court, but knew nothing about business. Many people have great ideas, but lack the skills to develop them.  He sought out some of the brightest business people he knew to mentor him. He discovered upfront he would need a solid business plan and financial support to make his dreams a reality.  You might think his marquee name would magically open the bank’s vaults.  They took his meetings and his autograph, but kept their money.  He quickly learned about persistence in the world of business,  financing, franchises and partnering.

The second challenge he faced was the uncharted markets where he wanted to do business.  His dream was to serve the under-served urban communities.

Success: Today, as CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises, his relationships, franchises and partners include Starbucks, Best Buy, Burger King, 24-Hour Fitness, AMC Theatres and T.C.I. Fridays serving ethically diverse urban communities.

Little Known Fact: MJE is in partnership, not a franchise, with Starbucks.  After Mr. Johnson approached Howard Schultz about a potential partnership, he invited him to visit his Magic Johnson Theater.  Mr. Schultz was impressed and the rest, as they say, is coffee brewing history.

Know your Customer: A quick story about the Starbucks in Magic Johnson’s communities. He told Mr. Schultz, “these people aren’t going to like the muzak played in most Starbucks.  And about those scones…” Yes, his Starbucks serves sweet potato pie.

Lesson: Are you giving your customers what you want them to have or want they want? If you don’t know the answer, ask them. A few years ago, we did just that.  We asked each of our clients what they wanted more of and how we could best help them and their teams succeed.

Prior to those conversations, we thought we were in the communication business; sales presentations, media training and executive presence.  The feedback: “Yes, you show us how to present ourselves, make sales and help our leaders develop executive presence but you really are helping us learn the qualities of successful people.” Wow! The feedback changed the direction of our company — while communication is its core,  our clients told us that we are in the business of developing sales stars, leadership stars, and star performers at work.  Ask your clients if you have any doubts how you can best serve them. You will be stunned by what you will learn about your abilities and your business!

Biggest Suprise: Faith at work? Magic says that he has much to be thankful for in his life and he acknowledges it at work. Before company meetings or meals he invites people to pray privately. As he says, “Faith seems to be working at MJE.”

Gold Star Action Recap: Dream big and work hard to make your dreams come true is not a new concept.  Magic Johnson tells you not just what you need to do, but how to do it.  What is it you really want? When people come to Startegic to re-invent themselves, we find it is a hard question for many people to answer.  How determined you are to get what you want is usually a key predictor of success or failure.  Every successful person I know works with an executive coach,  mentors or advisers.  Once your why is in place, continue to develop what you know and find the right people to help you learn what you need to grow. Part of Magic’s success can be attributed to is his winning personality.  It helps to be likable and grateful.

Your thoughts?

Up next- Anne Mulcahy, CEO of Xerox

Stay tuned!

Judyth

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Cindy McCain, while clearly nervous reading her plea speech to help the victims of Gustav, looked stylish and sophisticated. It is evident that Mrs. McCain is not comfortable in the glare of TV cameras, but with practice and experience, she could look and feel more confident. If we were coaching her though, we would suggest she lose the jewelry. It is a distraction on television and it reminds us again think about her wealth. Oh, and her husband’s recent remark that he doesn’t know how many homes he owns.

The following night of the RNC Laura Bush introduced the President via satellite. Her demeanor and appearance reminded me of a comment Ann Richards made about her. The late Governor once called the First Lady the “real star” of the family. It is no secret that the vocal democrat didn’t favor either of the Bush Presidents, but she sang the praises of the First Lady. And once again, Laura Bush looked and projected a presidential team image without being co-president. Confident, articulate and vibrant in a stunning red–a power color–suit she seemed at home on the national stage talking to the world.

JUDY’S ACTION TIP #1: If you find yourself in a position of reading a speech that somebody else has written for you, find a way to personalize it. Reading a speech is not for beginners. It takes skill and practice to sound natural. The majority of people come across as if they were, well, reading a script. Mark it up, change words and phrases to make them your own.

JUDY’S ACTION TIP #2: Reading from a teleprompter is another skill that takes practice. Insist on several rehearsals until you feel comfortable with it. Read lines of copy rather than individual words and you’ll sound more natural.

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