Several days ago I came across a quote by Leo Tolstoy, “There is no greatness where simplicity, goodness and truth are absent.”

The word “simplicity” struck me as I read it, and then, “truth”.
 
These are the two primary essentials that I strive to perfect when I am working with a passionate client that is sharing their talent, or message, or product with the world, and wants to prepare for major media exposure.
 
“What about ‘goodness’?” you might be asking; Let’s just say, that I assume that my client is well intentioned, and I believe man is fundamentally good.  Goodness is a given.
 
So then, about simplicity: it can be a challenge to simplify a message that strikes someone in such a passionate way.  While the history of the business, or the origin of the program that you might speaking about may very well be fascinating, the media needs it in a nutshell.  And I mean a very small, informative and entertaining nutshell.  We call these sound bites, and I recently wrote an article where I explain further the importance of speaking this way for interviews. It is important information, but too much to expand on right now.
 
A second thing about simplicity is the retelling of your brand…. Simply, and many times. I spend a significant amount of time with my clients clarifying their brand for media. Your brand in print may not translate the same way when you bring your personal flavor to it in conversation and appearance. But, ultimately it is your personal flavor, and your simple message that we will remember, so they must resonate with what you want to achieve, and attract.  This is true, not just in media, but really, in all aspects of your business. Want proof of a simple message that worked in the media?  Here are some:
 
The ultimate driving machine:  BMW
You can “Just do it” with these:  Nike
Country first: John McCain
Change and Hope:  President Obama
 
I am sure you can think of many more like this.  No matter what, every opportunity that these individuals, or companies are given to share their brand, it is a version of the ones stated above. They are simple.  You can do the same thing. When deciding what media-attended event to enter, which charity to endorse, which way to answer an interview question on a current topic… remember the simple message of your brand, and choose what best fits in every situation. You have probably done this with your print ads, and website already but with every media opportunity you must showcase your brand as you live it.
 
And that transitions us perfectly to “truth”.  We have been appreciating a simple message that is born of passion, evokes emotion and is purely based in truth.  One element (and there are many tangents that I could go off on about truth in all of it’s amazing philosophical levels) of truth that I strive to bring out in my clients is their humor.  Everyone has a sense of humor, and why, oh, why do so many people think that they need to hide their sense of humor from the camera?  The warmth of humor, whether you are a sarcastic wit (sarcasm is humor), or possess a charming giggle, or love a good guffaw (there’s a word from great grandpa’s day!) it begs to be seen if you are spending time in front of a device that is capturing your personality.  To hide your humor is to not be truthful.  
 
Obviously, there is a level of appropriateness, but if you are a jovial individual who regularly laughs at yourself in “real life” and that’s what your friends like about you, why stifle that in an interview? Add a bit of laughter to your website intro video!  Especially if you are a coach of some kind; your potential clients want to know what they are buying, and they are buying you. Trust me, great leaders laugh, too.
 
I learned the freedom of letting your humor when I was shooting a skin care commercial with a lot of dialogue, and I was looking straight into the camera.  The day was very long, and we all got a bit punchy.  That combination of silliness on set, and exhaustion left me unable to hold up the walls of serious pretense that I mistakenly had thought that I needed. I laughed, and had a few silly moments on camera! I thought for sure, I would never be hired again!  To my surprise, the producers loved it!  I had a great time; I enjoyed it!  I could have just been me, all along!  What a great day that was.
 
The best thing about sticking to the simple version of your brand, and allowing yourself to show your humor is, you will have fun! Hellooo?  Isn’t that why you want the media attention?  You enjoy what you do, so let us see you enjoying!  You will be so much more interesting, and you will find that this on camera stuff can be a blast!
 
The world will be a whole new playground.