Get Your Sexy On: Connecting The Timberlake Way

A lesson now from that master of marketing, Justin Timberlake. You know Justin — the dancing dandy who went from boy bands and Britney Spears to solo success, Grammys and a mission to “bring sexy back.”

Justin’s made a career of making pop-watchers forget the competition. And isn’t that nugget of know-how what communications pros aspire to: making the most of the spotlight when it shines your way? Being on your game when giving a press interview, making a speech or playing panelist is what it’s all about.

Reaching that state of grace requires specific skills. Let’s look at the basics the Timberlake way:

Preparation. Justin may not be his generation’s answer to James “The Hardest Working Man in Show Biz” Brown, but he seems to share that legendary taskmaster’s penchant for discipline. Justin’s been prepping since he was tall enough for the Mickey Mouse Club. That’s why when he goes on “Saturday Night Live,” he brings that rickety enterprise roaring back to life. Every step, every squeal — he nails it.

On the other hand, it’s common for business execs to head into interviews and speeches underprepared, setting up a result that’s more like Ashlee Simpson’s infamous “Saturday Night Live” flame-out. Some execs skip the chore of writing down and honing what they’re going to say for the media or a conference crowd. Ditto an old-fashioned practice run in front of a colleague, an assistant, a spouse. Bad move. Rehearsals work. They reveal points to amplify and fat to cut — something every audience appreciates.

Language. This includes both the stuff that comes out of your mouth and what your body does. Justin’s a smart talker, crafting sing-along catchphrases and shrewdly positioning himself with the press.

Execs can do that, too — and they don’t even need to make the lines rhyme. What you do need to do is boil down your key messages to simple sentences (no more than 12 words each). Use colorful language. An academic leader recently described economic change coming like a “tsunami.” The word choice charged the crowd. Find refrains. If your message is “change,” explicitly hit on it at the beginning, middle and end of your remarks, evolving the idea as you go.

Language means your body, too. Justin’s smooth moves recall the multi-platinum days of Michael Jackson. Now, business people don’t have to moonwalk. In fact, business people should never, ever moonwalk. But body language does say a lot. Make a statement by standing tall with your chin slightly up. Get out from behind the podium now and then, especially if relating a personal story. Glance around the room as you speak. Make eye contact. And smile. In all those ways, you connect with confidence.

Recovery. Even for a smoothie like Justin, things don’t always go perfectly. “Wardrobe malfunction,” anyone? But the kid kept his cool after he and Janet Jackson’s Super Bowl fiasco, showing enough poise to disco another day. Business people need to develop the same recovery skills. There’s always going to be a “gotcha” question, always a simple human mistake. When act one goes awry, be ready to write act two — sometimes in seconds.

Just as Justin has producers, choreographers, stylists and maybe even satin-swathed swamis to aid and abet his advances, business people don’t have to go it alone. An organization’s communications department is an obvious resource, but often these outfits are not as engaged as they could be. PR pros at marketing agencies regularly tailor training sessions on how to make the most of media and presentation opportunities.

As Justin might tell you, while being a star should look easy, it should never be left to chance.

This article first appeared in Triangle Business Journal.