Articles

The Terri Ammerman Group pairs decades of communications and media experience with relevant, current perspective. We understand the ever-changing needs and scenarios faced by companies, executives, and media professionals. Part of our training involves examining communications scenarios in real-time, so participants can clearly see what to avoid when speaking and what to say when delivering a clear, convincing message. Our team regularly offers perspective and insights on current situations through the articles posted here.

Offering Negative Stuff About Yourself Not a Good Idea

Offering Negative Stuff About Yourself Not a Good Idea

It’s one thing to answer questions that might be embarrassing. It’s quite another to volunteer eyebrow-raising stuff about your life that no one has asked about, especially when it’s not relevant to matters you have agreed to discuss. Independent presidential candidate Robert Kennedy Jr. stepped into that trap when asked about his relationship...

Don’t Know? Don’t Bluff. Bridge to Key Message!

Don’t Know? Don’t Bluff. Bridge to Key Message!

It’s virtually impossible to overemphasize the value of the bridging concept, a technique that empowers you to deal with any question while communicating a key message. Here’s how it works: you get a question that you can’t answer; you briefly address or acknowledge the question with a response such as “I can’t speak to that,” or “I don’t know;”...

When Emotions Run High, Slow Down

When Emotions Run High, Slow Down

Is it a good idea to lose your composure during a speech or media encounter? In most cases, absolutely not because getting angry or crying distracts the audience and muddles key messages. But from time to time, we see men and women fight their emotions in front of cameras. And how they deal with it can make or break their speech or interview....

Flipping the Taylor Swift Script

Flipping the Taylor Swift Script

In what appears to be the never-ending saga of Taylor Swift and her cultural influence, some reporters try to fan the flames of controversy. That’s what happened during a cable news interview when two anchor/reporters questioned Tennessee Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn about Swift. The pop star had called Blackburn “Donald Trump in a wig.”...

Using Swift Facts to Support Taylor

Using Swift Facts to Support Taylor

The biggest pop star in the world is seen week after week attending her boyfriend’s NFL football games. Her presence helps drive up game ratings and creates a social media storm, with fans and detractors going after each other. Yes, we’re talking Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. Their romance puts smiles on the faces of their fans and frowns on the...

Jelly Roll’s Passion is Serious Music to the Ears on Capitol Hill

Jelly Roll’s Passion is Serious Music to the Ears on Capitol Hill

Jason DeFord navigated through the world of drug use and drug dealing, including time behind bars, before transforming himself into the singing star known as Jelly Roll. While Jelly Roll’s music defines him now in the public eye, DeFord doesn’t hide his past. Instead, he uses it to fight the evil of Fentanyl and its devastating impact on millions...

When Expressing Empathy, Sound Like You Mean It!

When Expressing Empathy, Sound Like You Mean It!

Anyone who has attended one of our crisis spokesperson workshops will tell you how important it is to express empathy during a crisis press briefing. You want the community to know that you care about the people who have been impacted by a crisis event. But you just can’t deliver an empathetic message, you have to sound like you mean it!...

Recorded Words Live Forever

Recorded Words Live Forever

What is the easiest way for people to destroy their credibility when speaking regularly to the media? It’s saying one thing in one interview, then denying they said it in another, especially when their original comment is recorded. It’s amazing how often this still happens because recorded words live forever! Presidential candidate Robert...

Cleaning Up a Muddled Message

Cleaning Up a Muddled Message

You are a university president dealing with one of the most difficult issues of our time, the apparent rise of antisemitism on American college campuses. Your tepid response to antisemitic rhetoric on your campus leads you and two other university presidents to testify before a congressional committee investigating the issue. Instead of arming...

Getting Angry Gets You Nowhere

Getting Angry Gets You Nowhere

So, you’ve been speaking at a news briefing or public gathering and as the event ends, a reporter approaches to ask questions about a topic you don’t want to discuss. What do you do? First, here’s what you don’t do. You don’t get angry, call the reporter rude, and threatened to call the general manager of her TV station. That’s what Houston Mayor...