THE ART OF BEING A SPOKESPERSON OR BEING GOOD AT BEING VERBAL

By Bill Patterson
HMS Partners

INTRODUCTION

In today’s business, professional and media climates, expert and articulate spokespersons are in demand. From specific explanations of services, products or policies to general opinions on business, socio-economic forces and government regulations, spokespersons are sought out for answers in their area of expertise.

Since all companies face increasingly complex communications challenges, the need for training company managers to meet these challenges becomes more important. Adding to this is the news media’s increasing scrutiny of business and industry, which makes it important for spokes-persons to be able to communicate effectively. In addition to message content, delivery techniques are increasingly important in establishing the credibility of spokespersons.

The information provided here will help you in preparing for meetings, public appearances, media interviews and sales presentations.

SELECTION & TRAINING OF SPOKESPERSON

Our communication experience has taught us that the "messenger" may be as important or more important than the message. With that in mind, the following criteria for choosing a qualified speaker should be applied. A spokesperson should be:

• Personable and well-groomed;
• Out-going, enthusiastic and confident;
• Dynamic and an articulate speaker;
• Aware of attitudes, biases, knowledge and level of sophistication of the audience to be addressed;
• A good listener, willing to respond openly and sensitively to questions and concerns of media and/or audience;
• Able to project a strong, positive image;
• Well informed on topic to be presented;
• Professional and business-like in demeanor;
• Calm and relaxed, especially in hostile or confrontational circumstances;
• Able to think quickly on the spot.

Careful consideration should be given to all of the these criteria in appointing the best possible spokesperson to represent your organization on public platforms, in media interviews and for major sales presentations.

To ensure quality control and a consistent approach, every spokesperson can profit from participation in a series of speaker training sessions. By taking part in simulated interviews and platform speeches that are videotaped and critiqued, a spokesperson will strengthen his understanding of both the message development and delivery technique, and greatly enhance his chances of success before real audiences.

Refresher training at appropriate intervals will further build the spokesperson’s skills. Two to three sessions, six to 12 months apart, allow ample time to put the training into actual practice and master the required techniques.

THE AUDIENCE & YOUR ENVIRONMENT

Increasingly, the skill of the speaker significantly determines the effectiveness of any interview or presentation but style alone cannot replace substance. The best way to approach any appearance or interview is to be familiar with the subject matter to the extent that you can anticipate questions that might be asked. This requires assessing the audience -- their interests, biases and familiarity with the subject area.

Remember that you are packaging both yourself and your ideas so that they can be understood and accepted by your audience. In preparing a 30-second prime time ad to market a product, careful consideration is given to the message and how it is to be prepared. The same is true for a spokesperson who is preparing to convey a corporate message.

PERSONAL APPEARANCE

What a speaker looks like should never overshadow what he or she has to say. A speaker’s appearance, however, can help make the message more convincing. Keep these points in mind as you prepare for a public appearance.

• Dress conservatively.
• Wear a dark suit with a solid color shirt or blouse (preferably light blue). White tends to reflect light onto the face of the person wearing it.
• Socks for men should be knee length. Hosiery for women should be seamless, with nude toe and heel.
• Do not wear flashy jewelry.
• Keep jacket or dress free of lapel buttons or pins.
• There should be no bulking items in pocket.
• For major appearances, use powder, professionally applied. A dusting of powder on your face will help avoid shine often caused by bright lights. It will also mask any tendency men have toward "five o’clock shadow."
• Do not wear light sensitive glasses or sun glasses.
• When seated, keep jacket buttoned but pulled straight to avoid wrinkles.
• Make sure collar and tie are straight, shirt tucked in, blouse neat.

BODY LANGUAGE

Professional actors are finely tuned to their emotions, enabling them to speak with the movement of a hand. An effective spokesperson also makes use of body movements to convey appropriate emotion.

The following gestures and expressions are considered positive and convey personal interest and self-confidence:

• Look people in the eye;
• Lean slightly forward, if seated;
• Make hand movements that occur naturally as a supplement to what you are saying;
• Listen intently to anyone who asks a question;
• Listen to what other people have to say.

The following gestures and expressions tend to be negative and convey tensions and nervousness:

• Inappropriate smiling, laughter;
• Tightly clasped hands;
• Hands gripping sides of chairs, tables, knees;
• Hands toying with pencils, water glasses, buttons, microphones;
• Drumming on the tabletop;
• Tightening and loosening of jaw;
• A ramrod straight, unnatural posture.

These movements convey impatience and discomfort:

• Swinging legs;
• Shifting in chair;
• Shifting eyes.

These movements convey guilt and disinterest:

• Casting eyes toward ceiling;
• Failure to look at the audience;
• Slouching posture;
• Closing eyes.

OVERCOMING NERVOUSNESS

It is natural to be nervous before a public appearance. Every professional entertainer experiences some kind of "butterflies" before a performance. The symptoms are usually a nervous stomach, perspiring, shifting eyes, death grip on chairs . . .

What can you do about it?

• Practice a few relaxation exercises before you go on -- rolling your neck, swinging your arms, stretching.
• Take a deep breath, hold it for three-five seconds, let it out slowly.
• Stand naturally with your feet shoulder-width apart, your hands loose and relaxed. Then shake your hands and arms, letting the vibration work itself into the rest of your body.
• Nervousness adds adrenaline to your system -- it can make you sharper and quicker -- use it.
• Think of nervousness as a way of ensuring that you are "up" for the presentation.
• The best way to combat nervousness is to come prepared for the situation by knowing your subject matter and the major points you need to make.

THE SPOKESPERSON CHECKLIST

DID YOU:

______ Accomplish your objectives?

______ Keep control?

______ Tell the truth?

______ Remain calm?

______ Anticipate traps?

______ Eliminate distracting body language?

______ Project a strong positive image?

______ Listen carefully to questions?

______ Diffuse hostile or irrelevant questions?

______ Maintain credibility?

______ Avoid arguments?

______ Use short succinct sentences?

______ Maintain clarity in providing technical information?

______ Correctly handle facts of which you are uncertain?

"A RETURN TO THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE"

Have you noticed the Americans, especially those in government and education, have a way of making our language more confusing each year. Last year, any company that made anything was called "high-tech" and when the company was working, it was "on-line."

Why, all of a sudden, does everything contain an "infrastructure?" Several people with the same interest are now "networking" and must be involved in "interfacing."

If you make money at your job, you soon become an "upscale" individual who is also "upwardly mobile." And if you enjoy conversation, you engage in "interpersonal communication." We used to call that "talking."

What is happening to our language? In a recent issue, Time Magazine said that the way things are going, a prostitute will soon be known as a "strolling sexual facilitator."

This country needs to return to the use of clear, basic English. Let’s do it now!

About the author:
Bill Patterson is Vice President/Reputation Management of HMS Partners, Ltd., a large communications agency in Columbus, Ohio. He presents comprehensive seminars and speeches on business communication, particularly on how to deal with the news media in times of crisis. He can be reached at (614) 222-2555. Web: www.media-relations.com.