"We were wrong." That's the title of the apology that Kickstarter posted on its blog yesterday. It's short. It's to-the-point. And in a world where too many companies will bend over backwards to avoid saying the W-word, it's refreshing...
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She was once the queen of greased up, fat-friendly, calorific Southern cooking on the Food Network. But after a bizarre few days that included an admission she once used horribly racist language and ended with her blowing off a previously scheduled, heavily promoted Today Show interview , Ms. Deen has been unceremoniously booted from her throne as food television royalty. There are a few lessons observers can take away from the way Ms. Deen and her representatives handled this mess...
Read MoreWhen it comes to media scrums, there's good news and bad news. The good news is that the vast majority of people will make it through their entire careers without finding themselves at the center of one of these stressful, impromptu press conferences. The bad news is that if you do find yourself suddenly surrounded by a circle of clamoring reporters during a crisis, you will have likely had very little time to prepare...
Read MoreYou're scrolling through your Twitter feed. You're intrigued by a headline. You click and get redirected to the website. You get about two words into the content and suddenly the screen is overtaken by an annoying pop-up. "Download our free e-book!" "Learn how to get more leads!" "Register for our conference!" To many, a website pop-up can be as irritating as a door-to-door salesman and a telemarketing call during dinner happening at the same time. It's jarring. It's obtrusive. And after you've convinced me to click on your link, it's like a broken promise...
Read MoreA lot can happen in a few years. Not too long ago, most company executives thought Twitter, Facebook and Instagram were annoying websites their kids used to take pictures of their meals. Of course, they were partially right. But those social media platforms also provide an unprecedented opportunity to connect with customers and directly engage with clients like never before...
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On May 25, I wrote a post about the scope of the Rob Ford scandal as seen through the eyes of Google Trends. The post quickly became the most popular since I started my blog in 2008. Like by a lot. This blog, which typically gets a few dozen visitors a day, had over 4,000 page views within two or three days...
Read MoreFor many people, giving a presentation is like going to the dentist. Necessary but unpleasant. Part of that unpleasantness comes from anxiety over the unknown: "What if I freeze or lose my train of thought?" "What if someone asks me a question I don't know the answer to?" "What if I get the 'blue screen of death' on my PC mid-presentation?" A bit of anxiety can be a good thing. Knowing all eyes will be on you can help you focus, invest extra work in your presentation and bring out your best performance. Too much anxiety, however, can hinder your performance or paralyze you with fear.
Read MoreOne of the biggest mistakes people make when giving speeches or presentations is starting way too late. Preparation and practice are so important to your content and delivery. So take this advice from the great Mark Twain...
Read More"I would have written you a shorter letter but I didn't have the time."
This quote, often attributed to Mark Twain, hints at the tough time we have telling our stories succinctly. If being economical with words was seen as a virtue in the late 1800s, it should be considered an absolute must-have today.Read MoreGary Vaynerchuk, one of the most popular and sought-after speakers in the world, shares his thoughts and insights on the art of the great presentation with Warren Weeks.
Read MoreThe Rob Ford 'crack allegations' story has dominated headlines in Canada and parts of the United States for the past week. In addition to the salacious nature of the allegations of drug use by the mayor of one of the largest cities in North America, there have been surreptitious meetings between journalists and drug dealers and high-profile references to a secret videotape that allegedly shows the Mayor smoking from what appears to be a crack pipe.
Read MoreIn the world of public relations and reputation management, timing is usually the factor over which people have the least amount of control. The crisis communications cycle is usually set in motion by something or someone outside our control. The cruise ship runs out of power in the middle of the ocean. The tanker spills its cargo. An insider blows the whistle.
Read MoreTo say that Rob Ford's relationship with the media has been rocky since he became the mayor of Canada's largest city would be an understatement. Even with this kind of media relations track record, this is a very, very bad day for Rob Ford.
Read MoreAh, the news release... The rotary phone of the modern PR industry. Still able to perform its intended function but, for all intents and purposes, a relic from another era. Is the news release dead? Perhaps not. But it sure is looking a little long in the tooth...
Read MoreVincent Thomas Lombardi is one of the most revered coaches in the history of sports. He guided his Green Bay Packers to five National Football League (NFL) championships in the 1960s through a combination of hard work, tenacity and exceptional people skills. Lombardi’s coaching tenure was so dominant that the NFL renamed its championship trophy after him...
Read MoreGreat TV spokespeople aren't born. They're made. And in this three-part series, we've tried to share some of the tips and tricks used by the people who make great TV interviews look effortless. In Part 1, we showed you what to do before your TV interview. In Part 2, we told you how to handle yourself during the interview. And in this final post of this series, we're going to share a few tips about what to do after the interview's...
Read MoreIn the previous post, we walked you through what you need to do before your TV interview takes place...things like how to craft a story for TV, how to practice effectively, what to wear, where to look, how to deal with a TV crew ambush and more. So...you've done your prep work. Your story is nailed down. You've carved out some time to practice (hopefully on camera). Now, it's show time.
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