A “Spirit” of Composure

By Eric Seidel, CEO

The Media Trainers®

Interviews can test your emotions. Indeed, some reporters purposely tweak to get a rise out of you. You need to recognize this going in and make a conscious point of leaving your emotions outside. In short, don’t let ‘em get to you!

Spirit Airlines has announced a $45 carry-on fee for bags that don’t fit under the seat in front of you. Coverage hasn’t been favorable. And their marketing maven, Barry Biffle, got an earful from Fox News Channel’s Sheperd Smith. Watch Biffle’s facial expression when he is added to the frame in this video clip and as he listens to Smith set up the interview in this sound bite, accusing Spirit of a number of things like “we’re gonna nickel and dime you to death” and “people hate it”:

You’ve got to hand it to Biffle. He didn’t flinch. He simply smiles, keeps listening and patiently waits for his chance to speak. And, while his message could use some work, his demeanor is excellent (click the next video):

Yes, we could spend time on the content and the message. We could even speculate on whether Spirit is playing marketing with smoke and mirrors. News anchor Shep Smith thinks so and said it. Frankly, Smith's behavior in this interview was inappropriate.

But the take-away here is Barry Biffle’s body language. It never betrayed him or what he said. Non-verbal communication is something I work on with clients very comprehensively because if their body language conflicts with their message, body language wins.

Whipping the Proverbial Whipping Boy

By Eric Seidel, CEO
The Media Trainers, LLC

Don't like the message? Punish the messenger. It may feel good, but the sense of relief is short-lived. In times of crisis, blame-shifting rarely pays off; yet, it keeps happening.

Tammy Darvish owns four Toyota dealerships and one Lexus dealership. Obviously, she has a lot riding on how Toyota has been mis-handling it cascading series of crises.

"I just think the media has sort of sensationalized something that's pretty natural in the manufacturing business," she says.

In other words, are we supposed to go into any new or used car purchase, or lease, with the assumption mechanical problems, and even a recall, are inevitable?

Or, "Is it natural to recall 8.5 million vehicles? Is it natural to recall or investigate 15 of 20 models?" Those questions posed by a clearly surprised Neil Cavuto during an interview on Fox News Channel's Your World.

Her response: "...just in the Detroit 3 (that, of course, being GM, Ford and Chrysler), there were 37 recalls just in the last 12 months..." So, in other words, if you think we've got some problems, check out our competition.

Ms. Darvish did not do the Toyota Co. any favors with this interview. While she may have intended to limit damage, she might have just made things worse. Instead of confronting the issues and facts honestly, Darvish's appearance was a feeble attempt at deflection and an effort to make what seems extraordinary ordinary. She may have thought she was providing perspective, but in reality she leaves a lasting impression that you should buy, or lease, a car at your own risk.

One more point, and it comes from an expert in customer loyalty marketing, rDialogue. In a blog post directed at business organizations and their management, it appears that Toyota has missed a critical element in their handling of this growing crisis: reaching out directly to their customers.

Mouths that Roared

Friday Follies

By Eric Seidel, CEO
The Media Trainers®

WARNING! These are not bloopers. They were said intentionally and aired live. If you’re easily offended, lack a sense of humor or just not in the mood, go no further.

But, if you’d like to end your work week with a laugh and have something to come back to when you need to smile, then continue on.

These are some sound bites I’ve collected. Not by design. They just happened on programs I recorded to capture news interviews for my workshops. So, I just was lucky. These do push the envelope a bit, but keep in mind that they all occurred on cable TV…beyond the reach of the FCC and government regulation.

All of these, by the way, occurred on Fox News Channel’s Your World w/Neil Cavuto. Coincidence? Perhaps, or Neil just brings out the best (lines) from his guests.

So, here we go, and if you’ve heard one or more before, it still should be fun to hear them again.

About a year before campaigning even began in earnest for the 2008 presidential election, there was plenty of speculation about Hillary. And one day the New York Daily News ran a front-page story that the then-NY senator was planning to muzzle husband Bill. Cavuto asked Democratic strategist Bob Beckel for his opinion:

Hillary Clinton happens to be the topic of conversation in this next one, too. Dr. Veronica Corpening, an ophthalmologist and author, is married and has three young sons. She also has strong—some would say old fashioned—feelings about a wife’s role in a marriage. Her husband is her first priority, she says, then her kids and, finally, her career. Corpening believes a woman should always be there to support her spouse. She sited several first ladies as good examples of women standing beside their men, but singled out Hillary for criticism. Cavuto challenged her:

Finally, Kinky Friedman, who’s first name might just make some sense after you watch this video. He’s a singer, song writer and leader of the band “Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jew Boys”, and he can be a loose cannon. Friedman seems destined to become the Harold Stassen of Texas politics. He ran in the last Lone Star State gubnatorial race, and lost. Despite that, he says he’s planning to run again. In fact, Cavuto was interviewing him about his future political plans as Friedman came to the rhetorical aid of a (at the time) recently disgraced US Senator: