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Beverly Hallberg

@beverlyhallberg

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President of District Media Group👩🏼‍💼// Fellow at @independentwomensforum // Living life in DC and SC

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DMG Tip of the Week: CAN I USE NOTES?

It’s a very common question for the District Media Group team, and we understand why.

Being on TV or speaking in front of an audience can create a lot of nerves. Notes feel like a security blanket, the thing standing between you and nailing your content versus going completely blank and living in humiliation forever. Trust us: as long as you know your content and have prepped, you will very rarely make a fool of yourself.

But that doesn’t answer the question: can you use notes? The simple answer is: it depends. 😊

Here’s when you can’t, when you can, and why you should still consider letting go of the security blanket.

Media Interviews
If there’s a visual component to the interview, you can’t use notes. Think TV interviews, and even radio and podcast interviews, which often include video. And before you assume you can keep them on your laptop (if you’re doing the interview from the comfort of your home or office), you still can’t. Why? It’s very obvious you’re reading. So put the notes away whenever visuals are involved. (You can use notes for print interviews and any time you won’t be seen.)

Speeches
You can use notes in speeches, but I’d caution you: fully written, and therefore fully read, notes aren’t ideal. Unless you’re delivering the State of the Union or a keynote at a large event (where a teleprompter is used), a fully read speech often sounds… well, read.

Instead, think bullet points: reminders to help you get through the content. If you’re worried you need your security blanket, remember that you know your content, and no one knows what you planned to say and therefore won’t know if you miss anything. If you can get from point one to point two and so on, you’ll be fine. But of course, practice out loud in advance. Nothing takes the place of actually practicing with your bullet points. by @beverlyhallberg

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3 days ago

One year ago today, I held my breath and hit publish on an essay about the abuse I suffered at the hands of my now ex-husband.

I had no idea what it would cost me. I was afraid for my physical safety. Afraid of being sued. Afraid my business would crumble. Afraid of what it meant to put something so deeply personal into a world where it would live on the internet forever.

So many fears. But there was also a pull I couldn’t ignore: Beverly, tell the truth.

One year later, I can say it was the most healing thing I’ve done, though not for the reason you might expect.

Yes, the writing itself was therapeutic, as painful as it was. Putting those years into words pulled them out of my head and gave them somewhere else to live. It took the chaos of abuse and gave it order. And in that structure, I found room to grieve the loss of my marriage and my child.

But mostly, it was healing because I learned that my story was never mine alone.

Over the past year, hundreds of women, and some men, have reached out to share their own stories of abuse. Many can’t tell them publicly, and not because they don’t want to. Some are still being abused. Some fear for their physical safety. Some are co-parenting with someone who uses their children against them. Some can’t risk what public perception might do to their jobs. And some have been smeared so badly that they no longer believe anyone would believe them.

So they came to me.

They trusted me with their pain, and in doing so, they gave me a gift: the realization that my own pain had a purpose. What God allowed in my life was not in vain.

So here I am, one year later, to say what they often cannot. To give them a voice.

Link in bio by @beverlyhallberg

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16 days ago

SLIDE INTO MY PRESENTATION
At DMG, we don’t just prep people for media interviews. We also prep them for public speaking presentations, many of which include slides.

And one of the most common mistakes we run into is a slide presentation that includes more words than your speech.

Remember: Slides are visual aids, which means they should be visual.

So, here are the do’s and don’ts we share with clients to ensure a great slide presentation:

Make It Visual
Think photos, graphics (minus the fine print), logos, and videos—anything that gives a visual representation of what you’re talking about. Pairing your words with a visual keeps the audience more engaged and, hopefully, helps them remember the point you’re making.

Remove Unnecessary Text
If you’re reading your slides word for word, you have too many words on your slide. Slides should emphasize your message, not become your message. It’s also distracting when people are more focused on your slides (and reading them!) than looking at you while you’re speaking.

Think of the words on the slide as support for your message. They can be data points that drive your point home or bullet points that give the audience an outline to follow.

Animate Your Slide
Build in transitions, especially when you have multiple bullet points. Don’t share everything at once. Instead, reveal each point as you’re talking about it.

You don’t want people reading ahead and focusing on what’s coming next instead of paying attention to what you’re saying. Let the slide support the moment you’re in rather than giving the audience a reason to jump ahead. by @beverlyhallberg

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17 days ago

DMG Tip of the Week: DRESS FOR THE INTERVIEW

In this newsletter, we’ve talked about what not to wear — small patterns, for instance — and what to wear — solids are best! But how dressed up you should be, especially as the digital media landscape evolves, has left many wondering what to do when not every interview takes place in a broadcast studio.

Is it always a suit and tie, or a dress with a blazer? Can you be casual if you’re Zooming from home? What about on weekends?

Never fear! DMG has you covered.

— Dress Like the Host

Even if you’re Zooming from home, what you wear should match the level of formality of the host.

Even if you’ve just rolled out of bed and are logging on from home (please, no beds in the background!), if the host is wearing a suit or a nice dress, and you’re supposed to meet the moment, dress like the host.

If the host is a podcast host, however, and it’s a longer-form interview with a more casual vibe, by all means, be casual. But don’t look sloppy.

The best TV clothes — even when casual — look sharp and hold their shape. Avoid raggedy T-shirts or cardigan sweaters that have no shape. Think clothes that don’t wrinkle and will still look polished on camera.

— On Location

The exception to all of this is when you’re on location and the audience knows it.

For example, a politician at the state fair shouldn’t wear a suit or a business dress for the occasion. The look should be business casual — still appropriate, but not stuffy.

The goal is to look like you belong in the moment, while still looking polished enough to be on camera. by @beverlyhallberg

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a month ago

9/11 is etched in my brain. Yet, I rarely talk about it. I suppose it’s similar to those who experienced the horrors of Pearl Harbor. It becomes your norm, but you never want it to be anyone else’s. And what I experienced is NOTHING in comparison to those in NYC.

I was a 21-year-old newbie in D.C., I was working at the Leadership Institute in Arlington, Virginia, and we had a show that morning for the late, great Paul Weyrich.

I was in the edit bay working on a video when @joe_starrs, now of @tfasorg , ran in frantically and said, “They got the World Trade Center!”

I’ll be honest: I didn’t know how big of a deal this was. This Californian had never been to NYC, and I wasn’t aware of the history or the previous terrorist attacks.

I left the edit bay and walked into the studio, where @ScottHuheey was. He was our technical director, and he said a name I wasn’t familiar with: “Osama bin Laden.” He knew instantly who was responsible. It was the first time I had ever heard of the man who would change so much of American life.

Not too much later, as we turned on the TV to watch the horror unfolding in New York, we heard something. I looked out the window and saw smoke. The Pentagon, just down the road, had been hit.

We started evacuating the building. Since my drive home would take me right past the Pentagon, I opted to walk to a colleague’s house in the neighborhood. Several of us gathered there and watched as the towers collapsed. We screamed in helplessness. To see, live, the deaths of so many people is a feeling I still can’t describe.

Later that evening, I drove home, past the Pentagon, smelling the jet fuel. It was quiet. Eerie.

D.C. was quiet for a long time. The same traffic still went into work and left work. But there were no horns. There was no road rage. There was only the smell—for days—of jet fuel and death.

Everything changed that day.

I used to run in the mornings to the balcony of the Capitol to watch the sunrise. That was no longer allowed. Air travel, which had once been so easy, suddenly became cumbersome. For the first time in this country nowhere felt safe.

We lost our innocence that day.

And we lost so many lives.

Never Forget. by @beverlyhallberg

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a month ago

@chaykun and I have been friends for over 20 years. While I’m not a big Disney person, when you’re in Orlando for work and she says her six-year-old daughter wants to go to Mickey’s Halloween Party dressed as Taylor Swift, you go!

(Yes, somehow Disney is already decorated for Halloween… in August.)

Thankful for two decades of a friendship and all the memories we’ve made along the way. taken in Magic Kingdom Park Disney World by @beverlyhallberg

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2 months ago

DMG Tip of the Week: WILL I KNOW THE QUESTIONS?

At DMG, we get this question a lot: “Will I know the questions in advance of the interview?”

Our resounding answer? Hardly ever—so don’t count on it. And even if a host or reporter does email questions in advance, that doesn’t mean they’ll stick to them. The conversation can take an unexpected turn at any time

The best approach is to prepare to control the interview regardless of the questions. Here’s how:

1. Prep for the Topic

You’ll know the general topic because you’re being brought on as an expert in that area. That means you should be prepared to answer a range of questions related to your expertise.

But what happens if you get an unexpected question that falls outside your area? Block and bridge with a response like:

“That’s outside my area of expertise, but here’s what I can say about X…”

The key is to stay confident, stick to what you know, and look for opportunities to bring the conversation back to your core message.

2. Anticipate the Questions

The best way to prepare for questions that may stray from your topic is to know what’s happening in the news that day. Hosts and reporters often connect their interviews to the broader news cycle, so check the news online or turn on the TV so you’re prepared for curveballs.

Even better, pay attention to what the host or reporter has been covering that day or throughout the week. Knowing their recent coverage can give you a better sense of what they may ask—and help you anticipate where the conversation could go.

Again, the goal is to block and bridge back to your topic, and it’s much easier to do that when you can anticipate what you might be asked.

Don’t live in a silo. Know the pulse of the news. by @beverlyhallberg

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2 months ago

by @beverlyhallberg

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2 months ago

DMG Tip of the Week: MAX MILLER’S DISASTROUS INTERVIEW

This week, Congressman Max Miller of Ohio appeared on CNN to address allegations that he abused his ex-wife and their two-year-old daughter. Miller maintains that he is innocent.

However, the way he handled himself during the interview — along with statements he’s made in previous videos — led many viewers to question whether his responses actually helped his own case.

So what did he say or do during the interview that had even open-minded viewers reacting with a skeptical “…what just happened?”

Here are three vocal, verbal, and visual ways the congressman made his own situation harder.

1. An audible sigh, right out of the gate.
Before Jake Tapper had even finished his first question, Miller let out an audible sigh. A sigh can read as exhaustion, but more often it reads as annoyance or impatience — and impatience is the last thing someone wants to project when the subject is allegations this serious. It risks making the moment look trivial to him, like an inconvenience rather than something he takes seriously.

2. The eye rolls and the sleepy-eyed stare.
Beyond looking generally unalert, Miller had a few subtle eye rolls over the course of the interview. An eye roll signals, at minimum, annoyance — and at worst, contempt for having to answer the questions at all. As a guest on someone else’s show, there’s a baseline level of respect owed to the host, even in an adversarial interview. Like the sigh, it’s a tell that rarely works in the guest’s favor.

3. The message itself was off.
Rather than lead with what’s true about his relationship with his daughter and ex-wife, Miller spent much of the interview litigating what he didn’t do. As the old saying goes, that’s a lot of protesting for someone who says there’s nothing to protest. A stronger message would have centered on his love for his daughter, his relationship with his ex-wife, and an unequivocal line that no one — especially a child — should ever be abused. Instead, he aired grievances against his former father-in-law, Senator Bernie Moreno, and came across as resentful that he had to explain himself at all. by @beverlyhallberg

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2 months ago

DMG Tip of the Week: PLEADING THE FIFTH

This week, Dr. Anthony Fauci made headlines by pleading the Fifth to every question during a Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing. While that may have been the safest legal strategy for the man who became the face of the government’s COVID-19 response, the court of public opinion may see it differently.

Most of us will never find ourselves in that kind of hot seat. But many executives and spokespeople face a similar dilemma when a reporter calls: Do you answer the questions or decline the interview? If you refuse to engage, the story may simply note that you “declined to comment”—a phrase that can come across as evasive, whether that’s fair or not.

Here are three ways to avoid the dreaded “declined to comment” line in a print story:

#1 — Assess the risk
At DMG, we train people to speak with the media—even when the questions may be difficult or the reporter seems skeptical. If the inquiry is coming from a legitimate journalist at a credible news outlet, it’s usually better to provide a comment than leave the reporter with “declined to comment.”

That doesn’t mean you should engage with everyone. Avoid responding to satirical publications or websites that prioritize clicks over credible reporting. But if the outlet is legitimate and the story doesn’t appear to be a predetermined hit piece, consider participating—provided you’re properly prepared. That’s where media training makes all the difference.

#2 — Set parameters
You don’t have to accept a reporter’s terms without question. It’s often possible to establish ground rules before the interview begins.

You may be able to respond by email, although many reporters will prefer a phone interview. If you’re on the phone, set a time limit. The longer an interview lasts, the more opportunities there are to wander off message or fall into a trap. You can also have a communications director or another member of your team on the call to help keep the conversation focused.

#3 — Focus on your answers—not their questions
Reporters can ask anything they want, but they can’t make you say something you don’t want to say. by @beverlyhallberg

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3 months ago

DMG Tip of the Week: THE WRITER’S PARADOX: GREAT ON PAPER, ROUGH ON CAMERA

At DMG, we work with many clients who are exceptional writers. Whether they produce white papers, op-eds, articles, or policy briefs, most eventually need to communicate those same ideas on a stage or on camera.

For many, that’s where the challenge begins. It’s frustrating to know exactly how to express your thoughts on paper, only to stumble the moment you start speaking.

But this is completely normal. Writing and speaking are different skills. Just as someone who speaks for a living isn’t automatically a great writer (unless they’ve intentionally developed that skill), talented writers aren’t automatically gifted speakers.

That’s where DMG comes in. Here are our top tips for turning your written words into compelling spoken communication:

Tip #1: Don’t Edit as You Speak

As a writer, the backspace key is your best friend. But don’t bring that instinct into a conversation or interview.

Writers are trained to think about structure, word choice, and the perfect way to express an idea as they write. That works on the page, but it can be paralyzing when you’re speaking.

When you’re speaking, a natural conversational flow is far more important than finding the perfect word or crafting the perfect sentence. Put the perfectionist aside. A written piece should be polished because you have the time to revise it. Spoken communication is different. People expect it to be conversational and off the cuff, and they won’t hold you to the same standard of perfection that they would a published article.

Tip #2: Practice Out Loud

Every writer knows that a piece improves with each draft. The same principle applies to speaking.

If you’ve ever done multiple interviews on the same topic, you’ve probably noticed that your last interview was stronger than your first. Why? Because you naturally refined your message each time you answered the questions.

Don’t let the real interview be the first time you’ve said your ideas out loud. by @beverlyhallberg

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3 months ago

DMG Tip of the Week: LOCK IN

A video of KTLA reporter Rachel Menitoff went viral this week after a very large bug landed on her—and proceeded to crawl across her—during a live shot.

While DMG doesn’t specifically train people for surprise insect encounters (and we’d prefer to keep it that way!), we do prepare clients for the bright lights, high pressure, and unexpected moments that come with live TV.

Here are our top tips for locking in when it matters most:

#1 — Memorize Your Mode

Your facial expressions, body language, and vocal delivery should be a sure thing, not something you’re guessing about in the moment. When those fundamentals become muscle memory, your brain has more bandwidth to handle whatever unexpected situation comes your way. But the only way to develop that level of confidence is through practice and training.

(Ahem…hire DMG. We can help you find your mode.)

#2 — Ask Questions Later

A lot can happen during a speech or live interview. Birds, bugs (see also: Mike Pence’s debate fly), loud noises, technical glitches, or distracting movement in the studio can all throw you off.

Your instinct may be to react immediately, but resist it. Push through the moment and ask questions afterward. By reacting, you may end up drawing attention to something viewers would have otherwise missed.

#3 — It’s Not as Bad as You Think

Finally, mentally prepare yourself for the reality that mistakes and distractions are rarely as noticeable to the audience as they are to you. (After all, it’s not every day that a cockroach crawls across your chest during a live shot.)

Whether it’s an unexpected distraction, stumbling over a word, or briefly losing your train of thought, what feels like a major mistake to you often barely registers with your audience. We are our own worst critics, so resist the urge to panic. Instead, power through the moment and remind yourself: It’s probably not as bad as you think. by @beverlyhallberg

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3 months ago