Simon Hall Communications
I'm a course leader in Compelling Communication Skills at the University of Cambridge, and a Senior Research Associate in the Intellectual Forum at Jesus College, Cambridge.
I also run my own business communications consultancy, Creative Warehouse, work in government, and across the private and public sectors.
I can offer communications support in all areas, including:
Pitching for investment and customers - Presentations and public speaking ~ Websites ~ Value propositions and core messages - Media coverage and being interviewed by journalists - Photography and videography ~ Crisis communications
An introduction to Simon Hall:
I’m a Course Leader in writing, public speaking and storytelling skills at the University of Cambridge, and a former BBC News reporter and presenter.
I run my own business communication agency, Creative Warehouse, and have a series of books on communication published, including – the Secrets of Storytelling - Public Speaking and Presentations - Leadership Communication – and, most recently, Compelling Communication.
Published by Cambridge University Press, it’s designed as a companion to my Cambridge University course.
I’ve helped to guide businesses from the start up stage to multi-million pound success, through fundraising rounds from hundreds of thousands of pounds to hundreds of millions.
I’m an article and opinion writer for publications including Times Higher Education, Management Today, and Business Insider.
I’m also an experienced executive and leadership communication coach in a range of areas:
Public speaking
Ranging from the foundations of public speaking, to advanced skills to ensure your words impact on an audience and are remembered. For your keynote speeches, conferences, important events, fundraising rounds, and day to day business.
Storytelling
The magical secret for truly making a connection with an audience, persuading, inspiring, and helping to make your vision a reality.
Writing skills
Insights from journalism, creative writing, and the great authors of the past to help your reports, memos, briefings, even emails and social media posts get noticed and acted upon.
Media training
Media coverage is the best publicity you can get. But journalists need careful handling to ensure the messages you want heard come across loud and clear. This also includes intensive interview training, particularly for television.
Leadership and strategic and communication
Producing communication strategies to help persuade, influence and inspire, and so achieve your aims, whatever they may be. Strategic communication involves using all the other skills, outlined above, to help you spread your message far and wide in an efficient and effective manner.
Previously, I was a broadcaster for 20 years, mostly as a BBC Television, Radio and Online News Correspondent. I specialized in business and economics, politics and government.
Products and services
BOOK - Accelerating Your Business Through Communication
The ABC of Accelerating your Business through Communication provides a one stop shop rundown of everything you need to know to master your business messaging and help your company or organisation to prosper.
Accelerating your Business through Communication provides everything you need to know to master your business messaging and help your company or organisation to prosper:
From core messages, to websites, social media, presentation skills. pitching for investment, and the art of securing media coverage, it's an easy and accessible one stop shop rundown at your fingertips.
The Winning Way
Do you have a project you want your company to adopt, an idea for a business you’d like to start, or just an argument you need to win?
Would you like to present your proposal in a way that’s sure to succeed?
From establishing a compelling case, to writing a report that makes your thoughts a reality, to presenting a perfect pitch, this half day course will show you The Winning Way.
Session one
Establishing a business case including: the problem you’re addressing, how to summarise and solve it, the resources you’ll need, the risks and rewards, and how to construct your argument.
Session two
Writing up a report with: a narrative which covers all the key points, the use of straightforward but persuasive language, the power of brevity, and laying out your case.
Session three
Presenting your pitch, including: compelling and memorable storytelling, the effective use of data, dealing with difficult questions, practice and preparation, and the dark arts which can make you more likely to succeed.
Building Your Personal Brand
A strong personal brand can position you as an expert in your area of business, attracting customers, partners, investors and media interest.
And building your own brand isn’t as difficult, or time consuming, as you might think, as this course will show you
The course takes you through all you need to know to become a face of your field, including:
Being clear on your mission and values, focusing your offering, polishing your online profile, writing blogs and articles that command attention, attracting media interest, using public speaking and appearances on panels to grow your audience, recording effective videos, and enhancing your community by creating powerful partnerships.
Crystal Clear Communications
Whether you're struggling for words with a speech, presentation, report or blog, this course will help you create a clear and effective story, whatever your communications needs.
The course includes -
Being clear on your core message, using no more than ten words.
Deciding on your narrative – the golden thread for all communications – and sticking to it.
Structuring your report, presentation, speech or article, to make it attractive and appealing, and tips to add pace and impact.
Writing openings that demand attention, mid sections that give your argument strength, and endings that leave just the right impression.
How less is more – making the maximum impact, and minimising your workload, by saying what you want to say, no more and no less.
Tricks of the trade in making your words stand out by constructing clear, memorable and resonant messages and soundbites.
How an internal report can be adapted for external audiences – stakeholders and the public –and turned into presentations, speeches, and releases to attract the attention of the media.
Crisis Communications
You hope it won't happen but when a crisis strikes - from a fire to a cyber attack - how you handle it can make the difference between life and death for your business.
1. Pre-crisis planning (one session)
Are you ready for a crisis? Do you have the necessary team in place to handle communications? Can you assemble them quickly?
Who should be on the team? How senior? How many people?
And who’s dealing with what channels... conventional media, social media, partners, customers, stakeholders, staff, the general public?
Do you have the necessary infrastructure in place for the communications team to do its job?
And what about pre-prepared holding statements in this era of social media and instant judgements?
2. The crisis itself (two sessions)
The difference between a predictable crisis, like laying off staff, and an unpredictable one, like a fire.
Recognising a crisis and ensuring it can be contained.
The key messages, including empathy, authority, openness and action, how to control the agenda and make your communications effective.
The spokespeople you choose, their training, experience, and ability under fire.
Understanding how the emergency services deal with a crisis, the Gold Command system, so you can work closely together.
Monitoring the media, both social and conventional, and how to respond.
Releasing your own video messages.
3. Post-crisis (one session)
After-care for those affected in a crisis.
Rebuilding your reputation, if that’s required.
Reviewing the effectiveness of your crisis communications strategy.
The importance of updating and regularly rehearsing your plans.
Public Speaking, Presentations and Pitches
Learn how to be a sharp, stylish and effective speaker, whether you're pitching for investment, trying to attract new customers, or simply enthralling an audience about whatever topic you choose.
The course includes -
Being clear on your story, by summing it up in just a handful of words.
How to construct openings which grab the audience from your very first words, and endings which linger in their minds.
The art of retaining an audience's interest, no matter how long your presentation.
Making your key messages memorable through the use of soundbites.
The importance of body language in a convincing presentation.
All points are illustrated with practical exercises, so by the end of the course you will have a powerful presentation ready to deliver.
Media Training
Learn how to perform with power and present yourself with purpose in media interviews.
The course provides a detailed understanding of how the media work, from TV and radio to newspapers, magazines and websites.
The sessions focus on what the media want from a story, and how to ensure you get your message across.
All sections are based around practical exercises, from constructing your message and writing a press release, to composing soundbites, dealing with full length, hostile TV interviews, crisis management and social media.
Writing Blogs and Online Articles
This half day course will teach you how to write compelling blogs and online articles to help enhance you brand awareness, attract new customers and partners, and make you stand out as a leader in your field.
Featuring -
- The importance of an intriguing opening in luring readers into your story.
- How to weave a compelling narrative.
- Ending your article on just the right note.
- The impact of an appealing title.
- Using soundbites to get your stories noticed.
- The principles of writing for the web.
- The distinctive voice of an online writer, and how to find yours.
- The power of pictures, and how to take arresting images using only a smart phone.
- How to build an audience for your work.
Training with Cambridge Network: Making Movies
A full day, intensely practical course to provide everything you need to know to film and edit your own videos using only your smartphone.
Why should you be interested in making videos? Because –
- Around 80% of web traffic is now video.
- Visitors to websites stay two minutes longer if there’s a video to watch.
- Videos greatly increase interactions and impact on social media.
And best of all, with modern technology making videos isn’t so difficult.
Training with Cambridge Network: Powering through Pressure
This highly interactive course offers a range of tips and tricks for coping with even the most extreme tensions
Researchers have found that a certain amount of pressure helps us to perform at our peak. But when modern life is so packed with pressure, what are the secrets of keeping the stresses and strains in balance, so you can produce diamonds without fear of breaking?
This highly interactive course, hosted by a former BBC News Correspondent who dealt with pressure every day, offers a range of tips and tricks for coping with even the most extreme tensions.
