What to Look for in Hiring a Celebrity or Subject Matter Spokesperson

An interview with Deb Durham, President of SPOKESPERSONS PLUS NETWORK®

What do you look for in a spokesperson?

Whether you seek a subject matter expert or a celebrity spokesperson, credibility is the #1 quality to look for. You only want a spokesperson who can authentically get behind your brand’s messaging and has the credentials that support it.

post1 For example, my company secured Anna Post, Emily Post’s great-great granddaughter and an etiquette expert in her own right, for Intel’s Mobile Etiquette campaign.

Anna is 30-something, has the perfect background, and in addition to the media activities booked by Intel’s PR folks, Anna was able to incorporate Intel’s messaging into interviews she was doing on her own to promote the recently launched the 18th Edition of Emily Post’s Etiquette, of which she is co-author.

Secondly, make sure that the spokesperson has not …Read more…

How to Introduce the Speaker Without it Sounding Like an Obituary

“Now, without further ado…” Does that trite introduction make your eyes glaze over if you aren’t already half asleep from listening to a preview of the speaker’s obituary?Isolated angel character with halo and wings

On and on and on. The host endlessly reads every word of a biography submitted by the speaker or his PR Department.

Or, the introducer has done her due diligence, researching articles and books the speaker has written, his degrees, and every job he’s every held. Then she rolls them all up into an endless introduction that could easily double as the speaker’s obituary.

If you’re the speaker, …Read more…

Keep Your Eye on the Bottom Line to Build Your Career

An interview with Julie Morgenstern, a professional organizer, productivity consultant, speaker, author, and media personality.

The key to becoming a most valued player in any job is to know how to dance close to the revenue line. In other words, know what you are paid to produce and how it supports the mission of the company.

Career advancement

A job well done

What is your advice for professionals to advance their careers?

It’s also essential to know what your boss’s priorities are, and how that ties to the company’s mission. Use that knowledge to decide where your time goes each and every day.

Organize your work and tackle the most important activities first. You need to be fast and capture everything that comes at you. The order of attack is critical to maximize your energy and brainpower.

Avoid multi-tasking. If you just act on everything as it comes at you …Read more…

Your Presentation is About More than Just the Words You Use

Words, Pictures, ActionsThink about it. There are only three forms of communications: words, pictures and actions and how you combine them.

When you’re giving a presentation, or counseling an employee, the words you use are important. But it’s your facial expression and body movements that can convey so much more meaning. They make you a commanding presence and memorable speaker. …Read more…