Most messages are just noise. The effectiveness of a message is easy to define and measure. You win the pitch; you get the sale; you get selected, elected or promoted; you win the election. Or you don’t. Your campaign succeeds and your ideas are adopted. Or they are not. Simple really.
I have used MessageCraft® principles to help a Prime Minister with his speech to the United Nations, in the NOtoAV referendum, in the purchase and sale of businesses including a UK contractor to Rolls Royce and a Football Club.
The 10-step MessageCraft® process minimises or completely neutralises your negatives and maximises your positives.
MessageCraft® is not a quick and dirty “Cut and Paste” solution. MessageCraft® is a rigorous, proven and comprehensive 10 step process that I have identified, developed and designed in over 20 years ago in the communications industry.
Coaching is informal and friendly and conducted in comfortable surroundings in Sussex or London or at your home or business. The coaching is always 1-2-1 as discretion and trust are essential for us to achieve the results you want. The process is demanding and direct and frankly assesses you as a messenger and your message.
Working with me through the MessageCraft® process has been likened to working with Simon Cowell – deconstruction followed by reconstruction.
MessageCraft® is always bespoke and tailored to your needs and abilities and far more flexible and wide-ranging than standard off-the-shelf coaching which focus only on delivery or StageCraft skills. Standard courses merely put the speaker in front of a video camera and criticize the negatives – accepting the content and ignoring the style and personality of the deliverer.
What action should the message trigger?
If you have no identified action that you want to trigger – why are you speaking? Our entire focus is on triggering the actions that you want. I take the time to understand you, your message and your audience.
Do you remember the famous line in the old Ogilvy & Mather advert?
“At 60 miles an hour the loudest noise in this new Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock.”
David Ogilvy spent over 2 weeks reading about the Rolls Royce in question before he came up with that classic. He took the time to understand the client. He also helped them sell a lot of expensive, painted metal. I have always been a fan of his approach – it is the way to find the killer line and the deciding argument.
Paxman-Proof and Paper-Free
Being able to speak without notes and with passion and fluency will set you apart. It is generally expected and very seldom delivered. I call this being Paper-Free.
Being able to handle even the most robust of questioning is where true professionalism completes the package. I call this being Paxman-Proof.
Anybody who claims they own a magic bullet to giving brilliant presentations and speeches without any hard work or input on your part is a liar. MessageCraft® requires you to do your bit. Homework is standard. If you do your homework and I do my job properly you will be both Paper-Free and Paxman-Proof. And you will be closer to getting what you want with words.
Robust and discreet
Honest, disinterested, feedback is a rare commodity for most high level executives and politicians. Direct, honest feedback is needed for you to progress and that only works if is is just between the two of us. That is why I only coach 1-2-1.
Manufactured magic isn’t cool. Being a naturally talented public speaker is often part of the persona, the allure, the charisma of high level people. Acknowledging someone else’s role in a performance can tarnish the magic and diminish the speaker.
My clients are the story – I am not. Over the last 10 years, we have all become aware of advisors becoming the story and compromising the client. My job is to promote YOU and YOUR message and remain an invisible backroom resource.