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.

Lower the Heat When Emotions Run High

Lower the Heat When Emotions Run High

It’s that time of year when parents and children are preparing for the return to the classroom, many for the first time in more than a year. In the process, school districts all over America are deciding whether to require the wearing of masks. It can be an emotional issue, leading to verbal clashes at school board meetings. Recently, the...

A Communications Disaster Can Make Any Crisis Even Worse

A Communications Disaster Can Make Any Crisis Even Worse

When we first started working with clients decades ago, it was common for a company to ignore the media in the initial stages of a crisis. And when the company finally responded to the media, the results were often unsatisfactory and did more damage to the firm’s reputation. Let’s examine a classic case of a disastrous media interview From the...

A Bridge is Essential Infrastructure for Great Communicators

Outstanding communicators have one thing in common: they know how to deliver their messages in the face of tough or unexpected questions. They understand how to bridge from a question they can’t or don’t want to answer to a key message without hesitation. We teach this concept in our seminars with the help of a 2012 video From the Archives. A...

Compassion Comes First in a Crisis

Compassion Comes First in a Crisis

For decades we have preached the need to project sincere compassion first and foremost in the initial stages of a crisis. We use videos to illustrate our belief that a spokesperson who displays empathy serves a company well as a disaster unfolds. We have many examples that have held up to the passage of time, including a 2005 video From the...

The Blame Game Still Haunts BP

The Blame Game Still Haunts BP

We have been gathering video clips and using them in our media training and crisis spokesperson seminars for decades. Our clients continue to learn from them. So, for the next few weeks, let’s dig into our training history with some videos From the Archives. The Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill in 2010 was a heartbreaking tragedy for...

Reporters Smell a Rat When Baseball Player Lies

Reporters Smell a Rat When Baseball Player Lies

Is it ever okay to lie to the media? Nope. It’s never a good look, especially when the truth inevitably comes out. Case in point is New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor’s explanation of why many of his teammates suddenly ran into the tunnel between the dugout and the locker room during a game. After the game, Lindor claimed to a skeptical...

Top Cop Leads with Credibility and Compassion

Top Cop Leads with Credibility and Compassion

A shooting in Austin, Texas last weekend left 14 people wounded. It also left the community shaken and looking for leadership. Residents found it in Interim Police Chief Joseph Chacon. Soon after the shooting, Chacon held a news briefing and continued to speak often to the community through the media. In the following clip, he was especially...

Allow Me to Interrupt This News Conference to Hug a Friend!

Allow Me to Interrupt This News Conference to Hug a Friend!

When holding a news conference, the rule of thumb is to avoid distractions and stay focused on your message. Most rules, of course, have exceptions. We found one when Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo talked with the media about his decision to resign and become the top cop in Miami. He was emotional at times as he praised his department’s...

Winning the Interruption Tug-of-War

Winning the Interruption Tug-of-War

Reporters love to interrupt someone who is in the middle of delivering a key message. Interruptions give control of the interview to the reporter and they really like that. If you are being questioned by a reporter, it’s your job to not let interruptions happen because you want to be in control of the interview. Virginia Senator Mark Warner...

The Four C’s of Presentations: Connection

In our series on the Four C’s of Presentations, Terri discusses the importance of creating connection: Connection is more than just being likable and engaging. While you should certainly strive for both of those elements, connection is about helping your audience feel like you are as invested in them as you are in the content you are presenting....