How Do You Keep Your Secrets From the Media?

When the CEO of the world’s #2 bank says there is no such thing as an “off the record” comment to the media, you can take it as gospel. A while back, Jamie Dimon, chairman and CEO of JPMorganChase, addressed 200+ members and guests of the Financial Women’s Association. When he was introduced, the audience

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Do You Stand for a Phone Interview With a Reporter?

Do you stand for a phone interview is a serious question. An in-person media interview with a reporter is less likely these days than the return of the manual typewriter. So how do you make the best impression when you can’t see the whites of a reporter’s eyes? Preparing for the Phone Interview In an

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Survival gear

In a Crisis, Emotions Are as Important as the Words

When a crisis hits, individuals don’t really hear the words of reassurance. They tune in with their feelings. Health authorities repeatedly explained to the public that you can only get contaminated with the Ebola virus through direct contact with bodily fluids. But surveys uncovered that a greater part of Americans feared they can get the

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No comment

When Is It OK to Respond “No Comment” to a Reporter?

The conventional wisdom for media interviews is that you never say “no comment” when a reporter asks you a question you can’t or don’t want to answer. You Must Answer the Question Of course, you can’t give the journalist confidential organization information, or remark during the very period going before an initial public offering (IPO).

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Think Before You Speak Because You Can’t Hit Rewind (Mr. Trump)

Do you have a loose tongue? Do you open your mouth and start making indiscreet and potentially embarrassing remarks that will come back to haunt you? You can avoid what’s also called “diarrhea of the mouth” by thinking before you speak.

Donald Trump has yet to learn to think before he speaks but two public figures learned this the hard way in the recent past.

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How to Recover When a Spokesperson Tarnishes Your Brand

Did you catch the video of the Chevrolet zone manager’s presentation of the MVP award to San Francisco Giants’ pitcher Madison Bumgarner after his spectacular win in the 2014 World Series final? Rikk Wilde, the designated spokesperson, became the butt of a lot of criticism and Chevy’s brand was tarnished – for about 24 hours.

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Even Smart Companies Are Dumb About Crisis Communications

Have you examined your crisis communications plan lately? Is it up to date? Do you even have a crisis plan in place? Apple, the company that invented the smart phone, was dumb about the way it handled the instant crisis of the awful Maps app on its iPhone 5. You don’t want to find yourself

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The Brewing Crisis

How a Manicurist Nicked a Finger and Started a Crisis

True story: a manicurist in the beauty salon of a five-star hotel, part of a global chain, accidentally nicked a patron’s finger. She ignored the customer’s complaint because she thought the cut was too small to worry about. Next, the customer reported the incident to the salon’s manager and then the hotel’s management. They, too,

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The Newman Group is a recognized leader in guiding business professionals, celebrities and authors to improve their communications skills in presentations and media interviews.

Our highly skilled and experienced professionals have the expertise in media and presentation training to meet any business situation — from helping an executive to prepare for the challenge of talking to a reporter during a business crisis to presenting a group of investors during an IPO or keeping a celebrity spokesperson on point.

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