AMBER OPINIONS
>> PERSUASIVE WRITING: Understanding Your Audience
By Paul Smith There are three things you should think about if you want to your audience to be persuaded by what you have to say: Let’s start with the reader. Just who are they? What’s their demographic, their interests and background? Consider the reason they’re reading: is it for work, pleasure or education, and […]
>> STORYTELLING: Tales Your Audience Will Want to Retell
By Ken Deeks Telling powerful stories has never been more important. Increasingly, audiences – whether that’s employees, clients or prospects – want to be inspired and entertained when learning more about what we do as a business. The best way to do this is through impactful and memorable stories. At the Amber Group, we talk […]
>> Developing an Account Manager Mindset
By Ken Deeks The shift in role from an account executive to account manager in a creative or PR agency is one of the most challenging transitions you can make. It involves a move from the client seeing you as an administrative doer to a strategic consultant. A major thing that underpins this transition, and […]
>> MEDIA TRAINING: How to Handle an Interview
By Ken Deeks Every trainer shares their favourite techniques on how to handle an interview during media training sessions. Here are my top 3: Firstly, you need to focus on the journalist’s audience. Too many spokespeople rely on providing generic content without thinking about the journalist’s readers or viewers. When I worked on the Daily […]
>> PRESENTATION SKILLS: Top Tips for Presenting with Impact
By Richard Baines Presenting is something many of us have to do. If you find it challenging, you’re definitely not alone. When we present, we communicate through three channels: Presentation skills training can help you enhance your delivery and become a more impactful presenter. In the meantime, here are a few tips to get you […]
>> INSIGHTS DISCOVERY®: Using Colourful Language to Improve Interactions
By Richard Baines Effective working relationships are key to the success of any team or business. However, we are all different, we don’t all see the world in the same way and we sometimes like to behave differently. Consequently, our workplace interactions don’t always run as smoothly as we’d like. While our own preferred style of […]
>> COACHING: Help Your Employees to GROW
By Richard Baines It’s said that when we tell people things it can close their minds, but by asking questions, we trigger their thinking. This is one reason coaching as a management skill has risen in importance and popularity in recent years. But what is coaching and how does it differ to training? Let’s take some […]
>> THREE TIPS FOR WINNING PITCHES
I’ve spent many years helping companies develop winning pitches and bids. One thing I’m often asked is what makes the difference between a losing and a winning presentation. For me, these three tips consistently stand out: Tip 2: do or say something unexpected. Years ago, when training as a tabloid headline writer, I was told to […]
>> There’s a New Type of Leader Out There
As someone who sometimes runs leadership training courses, I am always intrigued by the different leadership styles adopted by people. I was therefore fascinated by the profile of Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella, in The Times on Saturday. Succeeding Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer, Mr Nadella is a very, very different type of leader, radiating calmness and empathy […]
>> PR A Penny for your Thoughts
The pressure to do… I was using the washroom of a top London PR agency recently – in between training sessions – when a chap wandered in, deeply engaged in conversation, his mobile phone clasped to the side of his face. As he stood at the urinal, he proceeded to splash and dash with one […]
