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Sound Bite Blunders to Avoid
Copyright © 2002 - 2010 by Susan Harrow. All rights reserved.
1. Use a General Bio.
Sound biting starts even before you appear on a TV or radio
show. Your bio is the first introduction to you and it's
your first sound bite—even though you're not the one to say
it. Most people leave this introduction up to the TV or
radio host and that's their first mistake. Controlling the
public's perception of you begins with the bio. Even if you
have hired a publicist, this job is still yours as your
publicist won't have the time for this level of detail.
Your bio should be two to four lines and specifically
tailored to the topic you'll be discussing. I highly suggest
that you create bios for every single subject you pitch to
the media. One of my clients didn't have time to do this
when she dashed into the studio to comment on breaking news
for a major network. The result? She was labeled a
psychologist because she had a "PhD" after her name. She was
not a psychologist or therapist, but a wellness expert. Not
the end of the world, but a blip in her branding.
On the positive side, one of my clients who is an expert in
Huna, the ancient science of Hawaiian wisdom passed down to
modern day through a lineage, developed several separate
bios. There are many different aspects of Huna, one of which
is Ho'oponopono, The Hawaiian Code of Forgiveness.
When he was speaking directly about this aspect of Huna, his
bio reflected that focus. When the angle was about mental
infidelity, cheating in your head, his bio emphasized his
experience in dealing with the thousands of people in his
seminars seeking loving, long-lasting, rewarding and hot
relationships. When you angle your bio to your expertise
within a given niche, you deepen your credibility.
2. Meander Meaninglessly.
Don't squander time. You have a precious few minutes to
convey your essential messages to people who have nano
attention spans. Writer Vladimir Nabokov said, "Caress the
divine details." It's your job to first discover the details
that matter and then sort out what is divine from the
worldly dross of all that you know.
The problem most people have is not knowing too little, but
knowing too much and then choosing what is relevant to the
audience they are speaking to. That can differ widely in all
the media mediums. You'll want to create a core of 6
essential messages that you then expand and contract, and
add and subtract specific details to tailor them to
particular audience. This takes enormous skill and practice.
3. Don't Demonstrate.
Talking heads get dull. TV is a visual medium so it loves
action, props, movement. Whenever you can prove a point by
demonstration it increases its effectiveness for several
reasons. You're getting the host involved physically, and
research shows that when two people who are interacting with
each other are in motion, not only do they remember better
and learn more, but they feel more connected. Marci Shimoff,
author of Happy For No Reason, and one of the teachers in
the DVD The Secret did this exceptionally well in her
NBC's The Today Show appearance.
Marci asked The Today Show host Meredith Vieira to put her
arm straight out to her side and pushed down on it. This is
called "muscle testing." It was strong and stayed in the
same position. Then she asked Meredith to say "I'm not good
enough" three times. When Marci pushed on Meredith's arm it
went right down, Meredith couldn't keep it out straight and
strong.
Finally, she asked Meredith to say "I'm good enough" three
times. Meredith's arm stayed out straight and strong even
with Marci pushing on it hard. Marci's point? Negative
thoughts and words weaken us. Strong thoughts and words
strengthen us.
See this yourself.
Marci Shimoff was an excellent guest. Well rehearsed yet
natural and engaging.
4. Don't Back Opinions or Ideas with Facts.
The whole focus of NBC's The Today Show appearance for Marci
Shimoff was not "about" her book, but about a trend in the
American culture. Marci stated that we have an "epidemic of
unhappiness." She backed up that strong statement with the
fact that 1 in every 5 women are on antidepressants. And 30%
of the people report being deeply unhappy. In addition,
Americans have 60,000 thoughts per day, 80% of which are
negative. This data is startling and Marci delivered it in a
warm yet precise manner, with no hype.
One of the most validating ways to be taken seriously is to
research statistics that support your views and quote them
accurately. To gain even greater credibility, do original
survey studies yourself. If this is a possibility for you,
you'll be an outstanding source. The media are always
looking for new data on fresh and old ideas.
If you're ready to make this your sound
bite year and want
personal media training from me, please go to
http://prsecrets.com/appointment.php and let me know a bit about what
you want to accomplish.
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Susan Harrow, CEO of
http://prsecrets.com, is
a top media coach, marketing strategist and author of
Sell Yourself Without Selling Your Soul® (HarperCollins),
The
Ultimate Guide to Getting Booked on Oprah, and
Get a 6-
Figure Book Advance. Clients include Fortune 500 CEOs, bestselling authors and entrepreneurs who have appeared on
Oprah, 60 Minutes, NPR, and in TIME, USA Today, Parade,
People, O, NY Times, WSJ, and Inc. |
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