Great interviews don’t happen by accident. They’re the result of preparation, skill, and understanding human psychology. Whether you’re a seasoned reporter or just starting your journalism career, mastering these seven techniques will transform your interviews from simple Q&A sessions into powerful storytelling tools.

This guide will walk you through proven methods that veteran journalists use to build trust, extract compelling information, and create the kind of conversations that lead to award-winning stories.

Why Mastering Interview Techniques Matters for Modern Journalists

In today’s fast-paced media landscape, every journalist competes for attention. Sources have limited time and countless media requests flooding their inboxes. The reporters who consistently land the best stories are those who can quickly establish credibility and create an environment where sources feel comfortable sharing their most valuable insights.

Strong interviewing skills directly impact your career trajectory. News directors and editors notice journalists who consistently deliver rich, nuanced stories with memorable quotes. These are the reporters who get assigned to major breaking news, investigative pieces, and high-profile features that can define a career.

Technique 1 – Thorough Pre-Interview Research

Walking into an interview unprepared is like showing up to a job interview without knowing what the company does. Your source will notice immediately, and their respect for you will plummet. Comprehensive research demonstrates professionalism and often unlocks conversation paths you never would have discovered otherwise.

Deep preparation also prevents wasted time on basic questions that could be answered through public records or previous coverage. This allows you to focus on unique angles and fresh perspectives that make your story stand out from the competition.

Key areas to research before any interview:

• Background information about your source and their expertise
• Recent news or developments related to your story topic
• Previous interviews or statements your source has made publicly
• Industry context and relevant statistics or trends
• Potential sensitive topics or controversies to approach carefully

Technique 2 – Crafting Open-Ended Questions

The way you phrase questions determines the quality of answers you receive. Closed questions that can be answered with “yes” or “no” kill conversation momentum and leave you with unusable soundbites. Open-ended questions, on the other hand, encourage sources to elaborate, share personal experiences, and provide the colorful details that bring stories to life.

Effective open-ended questions typically start with words like “how,” “what,” “why,” “describe,” or “tell me about.” These prompts signal to your source that you want more than surface-level information and are genuinely interested in their perspective.

Examples of effective open-ended questions:

• “Walk me through what happened during that meeting”
• “How did this experience change your perspective on the industry”
• “What surprised you most about this situation”
• “Describe the moment you realized things needed to change”

Technique 3 – Active Listening and Follow-Up Questions

Many journalists make the mistake of focusing so intently on their prepared questions that they miss golden opportunities sitting right in front of them. Active listening means staying present in the conversation, picking up on subtle cues, and recognizing when your source mentions something worth exploring further.

The best follow-up questions often come from phrases like “That’s interesting, can you elaborate on that?” or “You mentioned earlier that… can you tell me more about why that matters?” These moments frequently produce the most compelling quotes because you’re diving deeper into topics your source is clearly passionate about.

Developing strong listening skills also helps you identify inconsistencies or gaps in someone’s story. When you notice these moments, gentle follow-up questions can help clarify facts and ensure accuracy in your reporting. Remember, your job isn’t to catch people in lies, but to help them tell their story as clearly and completely as possible.

Technique 4 – Building Rapport and Trust

People share their best stories with journalists they trust. Building rapport isn’t about becoming best friends with your sources, but about creating a professional relationship where they feel heard, respected, and confident that you’ll represent their perspective fairly.

Rapport building starts before you ask your first question. Small talk about their office, a recent accomplishment, or even the weather can help sources relax and view you as a real person rather than just another reporter seeking quotes. This investment in human connection often pays dividends throughout the interview.

Practical rapport-building strategies:

• Arrive a few minutes early and engage in genuine small talk
• Show authentic interest in their work or accomplishments
• Use their name naturally throughout the conversation
• Maintain appropriate eye contact and open body language
• Ask permission before diving into sensitive or difficult topics

Technique 5 – Managing Difficult Interview Situations

Not every interview flows smoothly. Sources might become defensive, evade questions, or even become hostile when discussing controversial topics. How you handle these moments often determines whether you salvage valuable information or walk away empty-handed.

When sources become evasive, acknowledge their concerns directly. Phrases like “I understand this might be sensitive, but can you help me understand your perspective?” often work better than pushing harder with the same question. Sometimes backing off and circling back later in the conversation yields better results.

De-escalation techniques become crucial when interviews turn tense. Lowering your voice, acknowledging their feelings, and reframing questions from different angles can help reset the conversation. Remember, your goal is information, not confrontation. Even when covering difficult topics, maintaining professionalism and respect for your source’s humanity should guide every interaction.

Technique 6 – Effective Note-Taking and Recording Methods

Balancing accurate documentation with maintaining natural conversation flow requires practice and the right tools. Many journalists find success combining digital recording with handwritten notes, using each method to capture different types of information.

Digital recordings provide exact quotes and protect you from accuracy challenges, but they can make sources nervous and create technical failures at the worst possible moments. Always ask permission before recording and have backup plans ready. Hand-written notes, meanwhile, allow you to capture non-verbal cues, your own observations, and key themes that might get lost in hours of recorded audio.

Best practices for interview documentation:

• Test recording equipment before every interview
• Take notes even when recording as a backup measure
• Mark your most important quotes or moments for easy reference
• Document the setting, time, and any relevant context
• Review and organize your notes immediately after the interview

Technique 7 – Post-Interview Follow-Up Strategies

Your job doesn’t end when the interview concludes. Following up professionally and promptly can strengthen source relationships and often leads to additional information that enhances your story. Many sources think of important details or context after the formal interview ends.

Building long-term relationships with reliable sources requires consistent follow-up and professional courtesy. Sending a brief thank-you note, sharing the published story, or checking in periodically when relevant news breaks in their field demonstrates that you value the relationship beyond individual stories.

Essential follow-up actions after every interview:

• Send a thank-you message within 24 hours
• Fact-check any claims or statistics mentioned during the interview
• Reach out with clarifying questions if needed before publication
• Share the final story with your source when it’s published

Common Interview Mistakes to Avoid

Even experienced journalists can fall into habits that undermine their effectiveness. Being aware of these common pitfalls helps you maintain high standards throughout your career.

Most frequent interviewing errors and how to prevent them:

• Interrupting sources when they’re sharing valuable information
• Asking leading questions that push sources toward predetermined answers
• Failing to ask for specific examples or evidence to support claims
• Rushing through interviews without allowing comfortable pauses for reflection
• Forgetting to ask for contact information for additional sources
• Neglecting to verify the spelling of names and titles before leaving

Tools and Resources for Better Interviews

Modern technology offers journalists powerful tools for conducting, recording, and organizing interviews more effectively. While traditional methods still have their place, embracing helpful technology can improve your accuracy and efficiency significantly.

The key is finding tools that enhance rather than complicate your workflow. Start with one or two new tools rather than overhauling your entire process at once. As you become comfortable with new technology, you can gradually incorporate additional resources that fit your specific needs and reporting style.

Recommended apps, software, and equipment:

• Otter.ai or Rev for automated transcription services
• Voice recorder apps with cloud backup capabilities
• Digital notebooks like Notion or Evernote for organizing research
• Quality external microphones for phone or video interviews
• Portable recording devices with long battery life

Final Thoughts

Mastering these seven interviewing techniques transforms you from someone who asks questions into a journalist who uncovers stories. The difference lies in preparation, genuine curiosity about human experiences, and the patience to let conversations develop naturally rather than rushing toward predetermined conclusions.

Remember that interviewing is both an art and a skill that improves with practice. Each conversation teaches you something new about human nature, storytelling, and the craft of journalism. The journalists who consistently produce compelling, accurate, and memorable stories are those who never stop refining their approach to these essential conversations that form the backbone of great reporting.

The post <strong>7 Effective Interviewing Techniques for Journalists</strong> appeared first on InBeaton Carol.

As someone who has spent years covering business stories and interviewing successful entrepreneurs, I’ve observed how the most profitable rose bouquet delivery services leverage storytelling and media relationships to build lasting brand recognition. These businesses don’t just deliver flowers – they create newsworthy moments that journalists want to cover.

This comprehensive guide reveals the specific PR strategies that transform local flower shops into media darlings, combining proven journalism techniques with industry-specific tactics that generate consistent coverage and customer growth.

Understanding the Flower Delivery Market Landscape

Today’s flower delivery landscape presents unique opportunities for businesses that understand how to position themselves strategically. Unlike traditional retail, flower delivery operates in an emotional space where customers purchase feelings, memories, and relationships rather than simple products. This emotional component creates natural story angles that resonate with both journalists and audiences.

The challenge lies in differentiating your service from app-based giants and establishing authentic connections with local media. Miami’s diverse cultural landscape offers particular advantages for flower businesses willing to embrace the city’s multicultural celebrations, seasonal events, and luxury lifestyle positioning that attracts national media attention.

Building Your Brand Story for Media Appeal

Every flower delivery business has compelling stories hiding in plain sight, but most owners never learn to articulate them effectively. Your brand narrative should connect emotional customer experiences with your unique expertise, creating the kind of human-interest angles that journalists actively seek for lifestyle and business coverage.

Successful flower entrepreneurs understand that media professionals look for stories with broader relevance beyond simple product promotion. When you frame your business around themes like supporting local growers, preserving floral traditions, or helping customers navigate life’s most important moments, you create multiple angles that appeal to different editorial calendars.

Key brand story elements that attract media attention:

• Personal founder journey and what inspired entering the floral industry
• Unique sourcing relationships with local or international growers
• Specialized expertise in cultural or traditional floral arrangements
• Community involvement and charitable partnerships
• Innovation in sustainable or eco-friendly delivery practices

Identifying Target Media Outlets and Journalists

Building effective media relationships requires understanding which publications and reporters cover stories relevant to your flower delivery business. Local lifestyle journalists often need fresh content about Miami businesses, seasonal trends, and community events where flower services play supporting roles.

The key lies in researching individual journalists rather than just targeting publications. Follow reporters who cover small business success stories, lifestyle trends, wedding industries, and local economic development. Many journalists maintain active social media presence where they share the types of stories they’re seeking, giving you direct insight into their editorial needs.

Types of publications that feature flower delivery services:

• Local lifestyle magazines and their online platforms
• Miami business journals and economic development publications
• Wedding and event planning media outlets
• Home and garden magazines with local focus
• Community newspapers covering neighborhood business spotlights
• Industry trade publications serving the floral and retail sectors

Creating Newsworthy Content Around Seasonal Trends

Smart flower delivery businesses create year-round media opportunities by positioning themselves as seasonal trend experts rather than waiting for obvious holidays. Journalists covering lifestyle beats need fresh angles on predictable seasonal stories, and your expertise can provide the local perspective that makes generic topics newsworthy.

Develop your reputation as a reliable source for seasonal flower trends, pricing insights, and cultural traditions that influence Miami’s diverse customer base. When reporters need expert commentary on everything from hurricane-resistant arrangements to tropical wedding trends, they should think of your business first.

Consider how Miami’s unique climate allows for flowers unavailable in other markets during certain seasons. This geographic advantage creates natural story hooks about exotic blooms, sustainable growing practices, and how local weather patterns influence flower availability and pricing throughout the year.

Leveraging Local Miami Media for Geographic Advantage

Miami’s media landscape offers distinctive advantages for flower delivery businesses willing to embrace local angles. The city’s role as a cultural gateway between Latin America and North America creates unique opportunities to showcase specialized floral traditions that national media find compelling.

Local journalists covering Miami’s lifestyle and business scenes actively seek stories that highlight the city’s cultural diversity and entrepreneurial spirit. Position your flower delivery service within these broader narratives about Miami’s unique character, economic growth, or cultural celebrations.

Miami-specific media opportunities and local angle ideas:

• Art Basel and cultural event flower installations
• Hurricane season preparation and resilient flower arrangements
• Latin American floral traditions and cultural celebrations
• Luxury market positioning for Miami’s affluent neighborhoods
• Sustainable business practices in tropical climate conditions

Developing Strategic Media Partnerships

Collaborative relationships with complementary Miami businesses create mutually beneficial media opportunities that generate coverage for multiple partners simultaneously. Wedding planners, event coordinators, and luxury hotels frequently receive media attention, and strategic partnerships can position your flower delivery service within their coverage.

Cross-promotional opportunities with Miami’s vibrant hospitality and entertainment industries provide natural story angles that journalists find more interesting than single-business features. When your flower arrangements become part of larger stories about Miami’s luxury services or cultural events, you benefit from association with established media-friendly businesses.

Strategic partnership ideas for flower delivery services:

• Wedding venue collaborations for styled shoots and media events
• Restaurant partnerships for special dining experiences and grand openings
• Hotel lobby and event space floral design contracts
• Corporate partnerships with Miami businesses for employee appreciation programs
• Charity event partnerships that generate community interest coverage

Creating Visual Content That Media Loves

The flower industry naturally lends itself to stunning visual content, but many businesses fail to create the professional-quality images that modern media requires. Today’s journalists expect businesses to provide publication-ready photography and video content that can be used immediately without additional production costs.

Invest in professional photography that showcases not just your final arrangements, but the entire process from sourcing to delivery. Behind-the-scenes content demonstrating your team’s expertise, attention to detail, and customer service approach provides journalists with multiple visual options for different story angles.

Video content has become essential for digital media coverage, particularly for businesses that rely on visual appeal. Short videos showing arrangement creation, delivery experiences, or customer reactions provide sharable content that extends your media coverage reach across multiple platforms.

Crafting Effective Press Releases for Flower Industry News

Most flower delivery businesses write press releases that read like advertisements rather than news stories, immediately signaling to journalists that the content lacks editorial value. Effective press releases for flower businesses focus on trends, community impact, or business milestones that provide value to the publication’s audience beyond simple promotion.

Structure your press releases using journalism principles, leading with the most newsworthy information and including quotes that provide insight rather than marketing speak. Journalists covering business beats receive dozens of press releases daily, so yours must demonstrate immediate relevance to their editorial needs.

Essential elements of successful flower business press releases:

• Compelling headline that highlights news value over promotional content
• Local angle that connects to Miami community or economic interests
• Data or trends that provide broader industry context
• High-quality images available for immediate publication use
• Contact information for follow-up interviews and additional information
• Relevant quotes from business owners, customers, or industry experts

Utilizing Customer Stories and Testimonials

The most powerful PR content for flower delivery businesses comes from genuine customer experiences that demonstrate your service’s impact on important life moments. However, transforming customer testimonials into media-worthy content requires understanding what makes personal stories newsworthy to journalists.

Focus on stories that represent broader themes or trends rather than simple satisfaction testimonials. Journalists look for human-interest angles that connect individual experiences to larger cultural or community narratives that resonate with their audience demographics.

Types of customer stories that generate media interest:

• Emergency delivery situations that showcase exceptional service
• Cultural celebrations where floral traditions play central roles
• Business success stories involving your corporate services
• Community impact stories showing how flowers affected local events
• Unique or unusual delivery requests that demonstrate creativity and problem-solving

Crisis Communication for Flower Delivery Services

Flower delivery businesses face unique PR challenges due to the perishable nature of their products and the emotional significance customers attach to floral purchases. Weather delays, supply chain disruptions, and quality issues can quickly escalate into reputation-threatening situations if not handled with proper communication strategies.

Proactive crisis communication requires acknowledging the emotional investment customers make in flower purchases while demonstrating your commitment to resolving issues professionally. The goal is transforming potentially negative situations into opportunities to showcase your customer service excellence and business integrity.

Develop standard response protocols for common issues like weather-related delivery delays, product quality concerns, and supply availability problems. Having pre-approved messaging and clear communication channels allows you to respond quickly while maintaining consistent brand voice during stressful situations.

Measuring PR Success and Media ROI

Successful PR strategies require measuring both immediate media coverage and long-term business impact to justify continued investment in public relations activities. For flower delivery businesses, this means tracking how media mentions translate into customer inquiries, website traffic, and ultimately revenue growth.

Modern media monitoring tools allow you to track not just quantity of coverage but sentiment, reach, and engagement levels across different platforms. However, the most valuable measurement for flower delivery businesses often comes from direct customer feedback indicating how they discovered your service.

Key performance indicators for flower delivery PR campaigns:

• Media mention frequency and prominence within publications
• Website traffic increases following major media coverage
• Social media engagement and follower growth after PR campaigns
• Direct customer inquiries mentioning specific media coverage
• Revenue increases during periods of active media coverage
• Brand recognition improvements in customer surveys and feedback

Building Long-Term Media Relationships

Sustainable PR success requires developing ongoing relationships with journalists rather than sporadic outreach when you need coverage. Miami’s media community is relatively small, and reporters appreciate businesses that provide consistent value through expert commentary, trend insights, and reliable story sources.

Position yourself as a go-to expert for flower industry questions, seasonal trend commentary, and local business perspectives that journalists can rely on for quick quotes and background information. This approach generates more coverage over time than aggressive promotional campaigns.

Relationship-building tactics for sustained media success:

• Regular check-ins with key journalists sharing industry insights and trends
• Prompt responses to reporter inquiries even when coverage isn’t guaranteed
• Exclusive access to new products, services, or business developments
• Seasonal trend forecasts and expert commentary for editorial calendars
• Invitations to special events, grand openings, or behind-the-scenes experiences

Key Takeaways for Flower Delivery PR Success

The flower delivery businesses that dominate Miami’s competitive market understand that effective PR requires consistent effort, authentic storytelling, and genuine relationships with media professionals. Success comes from positioning your business as an integral part of Miami’s cultural and economic landscape rather than simply another service provider seeking attention.

Start by developing relationships with three to five key journalists who regularly cover lifestyle, business, or community stories relevant to your target audience. Focus on providing value through expert insights, trend commentary, and exclusive access rather than pushing promotional content. Remember that the most effective PR strategies combine professional journalism principles with deep understanding of your local market’s unique characteristics and media landscape.

The post <strong>PR and Media Strategies for Flower Delivery Business</strong> appeared first on InBeaton Carol.

In this article, we’ll explore 10 ways journalists can harness the power of AI to enhance their content-creation process. From automating research to generating fresh story ideas, let’s dive in!

1. Streamline Background Research

AI tools can rapidly compile background information on any topic with incredible accuracy. Instead of spending hours searching the internet or libraries, journalists can simply prompt an AI assistant to generate an overview of key facts, statistics, dates, and other contextual details to inform an article.

2. Conduct Interviews

While AI cannot fully replace in-depth interviews, it can help generate personalized questions to ask sources by analyzing their background and previous remarks. This saves prep time and produces more engaging dialogue.

3. Outline Articles

Simply describe the nature of the piece you want to write, including key points to cover, and AI can provide a detailed outline with headings and subheadings to organize your thoughts before drafting – simple prompts for ChatGPT https://promptsideas.com/market/type-chatgpt will easily cope with this task .

4. Translate Content

AI excels at translating text between languages with precision that matches, if not exceeds, human fluency. This allows journalists to repurpose and localize their stories for international audiences.

5. Generate Headlines

Coming up with catchy, informative headlines is a skill in itself. Let AI take a first pass at drafting sharp titles for your articles based on the content.

6. Propose Related Articles

AI tools can scrape the internet to discover the latest, most relevant news around a topic and recommend ideas for follow-up articles or angles still needing coverage. This keeps the reporting comprehensive and up-to-date.

7. Check Facts

While AI still has limitations in discerning truth, its ability to cross-reference statistics, quotes, historical data and more makes fact-checking easier. AI flags potential inaccuracies for human review.

8. Analyze Tone and Bias

Journalistic integrity depends on fair, balanced reporting. AI can scan articles to highlight passages that contain subjective language or sentiment that could introduce bias so writers can edit appropriately.

9. Generate Images

Powerful AI image generators like DALL-E and Midjourney can instantly create original photos, graphics, and illustrations to make stories more visually engaging at little cost.

10. Edit and Refine Drafts

Whether reorganizing structure so ideas flow logically or rewriting sentences to be clearer and more impactful, AI editing assistance sharpens the quality of writing. This allows journalists to produce their best work efficiently.

The Future of AI and Journalism

As these examples demonstrate, AI promises to amplify journalists’ productivity and abilities. While adopting these tools inevitably raises important ethical questions around authenticity, transparency and integrity, they have incredible power to advance the field when applied judiciously.

One thing is certain – AI is redefining the journalism landscape. Reporters who skillfully utilize the latest innovations stand to produce their highest quality work yet, while those who ignore these technologies risk being left behind. The time is now for journalists to actively explore how AI can become their partner, not their replacement, in engaging more readers with compelling stories.

Here are tips for newsrooms to drive progressive AI adoption:

• Set Guidelines Early

Proactively developing ethical guidelines and guardrails for AI usage sets consistency across the organization. This clarifies appropriate applications to enhance workflows vs. inappropriate over-reliance that could undermine credibility.

• Prioritize Transparency

If AI played a substantive role in generating any published content—whether ideas, research, drafts or images—be fully transparent with readers about its involvement. Being upfront preserves openness.

• Start Small

Introduce AI tools incrementally vs. at scale. Pilot select applications with willing journalists first to demonstrate benefits before expecting universal uptake. This encourages organic spread of AI assistance.

• Promote Usage in Tandem

Rather than forcing AI on all journalists immediately, identify power users keen to explore the capabilities. Enable them to showcase successes to inspire peers’ interest in AI tools through firsthand credibility vs. mandates alone.

While radical technology changes inevitably meet some initial reluctance or skepticism in any sector, these steps can ease AI’s responsible evolution in journalism. Reporters stand to be more productive, creative and impactful thanks to AI’s rise. The future for modern journalism grows brighter each day as these tools progress to power human ingenuity to new heights.

The post 10 ways journalists can use AI tools to create content appeared first on InBeaton Carol.

Let’s discuss why bookmark making is a valuable classroom activity and provide a list of creative and easy-to-follow DIY projects that cater to various styles, such as origami, felt, yarn, or paperclips. These projects can be easily adapted to suit different age groups and skill levels, ensuring that every student can participate and enjoy the process.

Why Bookmark Making is a Great Idea for Class

Crafting bookmarks encourages students to explore their artistic side, experiment with various materials, and boost their self-expression and confidence. In addition, it can inspire a love for reading and improve literacy skills. The process of cutting, folding, gluing, and other precise movements involved in bookmark projects can strengthen fine motor skills that are essential for writing and everyday tasks. 

Besides, by using everyday items found in classrooms or stationery stores, students learn the value of resourcefulness and discover how to create something unique and functional from simple materials. Moreover, working on bookmark projects promotes collaboration and the sharing of ideas, fosters a sense of community and teamwork, and develops social interaction skills within the classroom.

Creative and Easy-to-Follow DIY Bookmark Projects

1. Origami Corner Bookmarks

Origami bookmarks are an excellent way to introduce students to the art of paper folding while creating practical and attractive page markers.

Materials:

• Square pieces of paper (colored or patterned)
• Markers or colored pencils (optional)

Instructions:

1. Provide students with a square piece of paper and demonstrate how to fold it into a corner bookmark using the steps outlined in our previous response.
2. Encourage students to customize their bookmarks with drawings or patterns, making each one unique.

2. Felt Animal Bookmarks

Creating felt animal bookmarks helps students develop their cutting and gluing skills while producing charming page savers.

Materials:

• Felt sheets
• Scissors
• Glue
• Googly eyes (optional)

Instructions:

1. Instruct students to draw an animal shape on a piece of felt and cut it out.
2. Show them how to cut a rectangle-shaped slit on the bottom of the animal shape for the page corner to slide through.
3. Encourage students to decorate their animals with additional felt pieces or googly eyes.

3. Yarn Tassel Bookmarks

Yarn tassel bookmarks are a creative way for students to repurpose leftover yarn, developing their fine motor skills in the process.

Materials:

• Yarn
• Scissors
• Cardboard or a book for wrapping the yarn

Instructions:

1. Demonstrate how to wrap yarn around a piece of cardboard or a book to create the desired thickness for a tassel.
2. Explain how to carefully slide the wrapped yarn off the cardboard or book and tie a separate piece of yarn around the top of the looped yarn.
3. Show students how to cut the opposite end of the looped yarn to create the tassel and trim the ends evenly.

4. Bookmark Templates and Stencils

Teachers can include bookmark templates and stencils in their lesson plans as a starting point for students, in addition to the DIY bookmark ideas mentioned earlier. This allows a consistent size and shape while encouraging creativity and personalization.

Instructions:

1. Choose a pre-made template from a resource like StoryboardThat, or create your own stencil using cardstock or other sturdy material. You can also have students design their own templates as part of the creative process.
2. Provide students with the selected template or stencil and instruct them to trace the shape onto their chosen material (e.g., paper, felt, or cardboard). Students can then cut out their bookmark base using scissors.
3. Encourage students to personalize their bookmarks using various materials and techniques such as drawing, painting, gluing on embellishments, or adding yarn tassels. This step allows them to express their creativity and make their bookmarks unique.

By incorporating these creative and easy-to-follow DIY bookmark projects into your lesson plans, you can provide students with an engaging and educational activity that promotes creativity, reading, and skill development. Happy crafting and learning!

The post 5 DIY Bookmark Ideas for the Classroom: A Creative and Educational Activity for Students appeared first on InBeaton Carol.

Find again our first interview with him: 

https://carolinebeaton.com/interview-with-zhiwei-bao-ceo-of-eliter-packaging-machinery/

Starting by Caroline Beaton

We are all conscious of the fact that the globalization has made the world become flat, thanks to which the food industry has got chance to impact globally rather than locally. Such a globalization follows a complex process of supply Chain through which the packaging is one of the essential factors to consider.

So, please Zhiwei. How and what do you think that packaging machines can play a role here?

Whether large or small, with or without a lid, inserted or glued, the food industry is familiar with secondary packaging in all its variants. The ultimate goal is that each product has a unique character and offers a high level of recognition among end consumers. The demands on packaging machines are also equally high. Especially since choosing the right packaging technology can present challenges to food producers. Zhiwei Bao, general manager at ÉLITER Packaging Machinery, has already collaborated with many customers when designing their strategy and knows exactly which aspects are important. In the interview, he reports on the challenges, opportunities and influence of e-commerce in the sector.

Zhiwei, what are your customers currently worried about when it comes to secondary packaging?

It goes without saying that for our customers the top priority is to protect their products by using secondary packaging. At the global level, several factors are currently of importance. Consumers, for example, attach more and more importance to the possibility of choosing from a wide range of products. This causes food manufacturers to offer different variations of a product, which in turn has a direct impact on the utilization rate and planning of food production. But the issue of sustainability is also becoming increasingly important. Our customers care about using packaging materials more efficiently, for example, without sending “air”. This aspect acquires enormous importance in today’s world where the increasing share of e-commerce requires an also increasingly high parcel delivery.

What specific challenges do food manufacturers present to you?

The demand for food packaging is constantly increasing, as well as the utilization rate of packaging lines. They have to operate at high speeds and still treat the products with care, as the protection of the products always has the highest priority. At the same time, only limited space is usually available for the packaging process in the production facilities. This means that manufacturers need plants that can achieve high speeds, high efficiency and also avoid product rejections. All this increases the performance requirements of the machines.

In addition, banding, and cardboard sleeve packaging, multipack packages, such as the so-called assortment packages, also pose a challenge for packaging lines, since they package products with different properties and sizes together. And as today’s food manufacturers are becoming more responsive to consumer desires, the demand for products and product sizes can change rapidly. This requires fast changeover times and simple operation of the cartoners. Packaging systems must also be able to adapt flexibly to new conditions, for example, to new product formats, such as seasonal packaging or promotional packages.

How does ÉLITER Packaging Machinery specifically support food manufacturers in choosing the right packaging technology?

We offer our customers a wide range of secondary packaging technologies such as end load cartoning macihne, film overwrapping machine, wraparound sleever, and customized wrap around sleeve packaging machines. In this way, our machines are able to process all common packaging styles and also special designs. Let’s take end load cartoning machines and sleeve cartoning machines as an example: in the end, the closed box looks exactly the same. But the packaging process is quite different. If our customer specifically needs a flexible secondary packaging solution for different products and for different package sizes, then sleeve cartoning machine technology is preferable. Both tidy and untidy, as long as the products can be grabbed from above, our wrap around sleeve packaging machines will be able to handle them all with flexibility. However, if the customer needs a solution for small secondary packaging at very high speeds, the end loading cartoner technology would be the perfect choice. This allows high packing speeds in a very small space. We are always happy to help and answer all the questions that arise to find the right technology.

How does ÉLITER Packaging Machinery become different from that of other manufacturers?

We offer our customers a wide range of packaging technologies in the secondary packaging sector. From cartoning, film overwrapping to sleeving and wraparound, we always have the right solution for every challenge in the packaging sector. We offer different machine models within each of these technology groups. Depending on the automation requirements, these can range from simple standardized box erectors to fully integrated and individually planned secondary packaging lines.

What aspects are important for in order to achieve an efficient packaging machine?

Nowadays, packaging requirements can change in a very short time. Changes in packaging style are the best example of this. Packaging machines are usually designed for a specific packaging style. When changes in this style are necessary for different reasons, food producers have to face an important challenge. Moderna secondary packaging machines must therefore be able to react flexibly to any kind of change. To achieve this, our development department always works closely with the customer: this is the key to success. Our packaging solutions are designed to respond successfully to changes in production. Simple, tool-less format changes allow for rapid adaptation to changing market conditions.

How important is the issue of sustainability for the food industry?

Young consumers, in particular, attach great importance to the purchase of locally produced organic products. They want to avoid waste and prefer biodegradable or recyclable packaging materials. According to recent studies, a large proportion of online consumers are willing to pay more for products if companies commit to implementing positive, social and ecological changes. Naturally, this is a trend that food manufacturers must adapt to and that our systems are designed to comply with. For example, we have designed our new packing machines in such a way that it can process different boxes and box separators, even of non-uniform recycled material, which would otherwise be discarded.

What changes are currently facing the packaging sector as a whole?

The greatest innovations in the packaging sector are currently the result of the trend towards electronic commerce. Nowadays, consumers can order anything at any time and it is delivered to them from anywhere in the world. They place orders more often and in smaller quantities. As a result, packaging formats are getting smaller and delivery speeds are increasing. Manufacturers deliver the packaged products directly to the consumer without the need for an additional shipping carton. Therefore, in order to meet the growing transportation needs, the secondary packaging must be more resistant. At the same time, consumers are giving more and more importance to the individual design of products and packaging. The self-assembled variety packs and printed packages effectively represent the brands of food manufacturers and ensure that the end consumer has an ‘unboxing’ experience. Both trends show one thing: if you want to be successful, you have to be flexible in order to adapt quickly to new requirements.

Would you please introduce again your company?

Yes. Our family has been working in this sector for three generations. Since I took this business from my father, I created the new brand ÉLITER Packaging Machinery as a new identity to improve our international presence.

ÉLITER Packaging Machinery is a secondary packaging machine manufacturer and global supplier of cartoning machine, overwrapping machine, wrap around sleever, and miscellaneous customized packaging machines for wrap around packaging. Visit their homepage for more information: https://www.eliter-packaging.com

The post Caroline Beaton’s Second Interview with Zhiwei Bao to Discuss Packaging Machines and the Food Industry appeared first on InBeaton Carol.

ELITER Packaging Machinery – a HUANENG Company, is a brand and company of our family business for three generations in the packaging automation and packaging machinery sector. For time being we specialize in the design, manufacturing and sales of secondary packaging machines including cartoning machines, overwrapping machines, and wrap-around sleevers. We are going through a stage of transformation where we are outdating old models from the last generations and introducing new and cutting-edge advanced packaging machines with participate in the higher-level of market positioning. 

What are your recent achievements of your transformation?

ELITER Packaging Machinery is aiming to break through the stereotype that packaging machines made in China are basic, mediocre and even of inferior quality. From our part, we want to develop advanced packaging machines that can be counterparts to those made by well-known packaging machine manufacturers in Europe and the United States.

A recently launched model is ESTRENA Wrap-Around Sleever, or Wrap-Around Cartoner, which is designed and developed on a full servo-driven basis, while the electrical and programming part is supported by SIEMENS China. 

Wrap-Around Sleever or Cartoner is a machine that can wrap unglued flat sleeve blanks around various products: yogurt cups, microwavable meals, snack cups, dessert, jelly cups, canned tunas… 

The machine takes into consideration all factors around EU safety standards, hygienic requirements in the food and dairy industry, and offers the option to be made washdown to IP65, which is exclusively offered by ELITER Packaging Machinery on the market in China.

Why the Wrap-Around Cartoner machine is the first step of your transformation?

We have seen the rocketing market volume of ready-to-eat meals not only in China but as well worldwide. These meals, whatever microwavable ones or frozen ones, are usually wrapped with cardboard sleeves. There is a consensus that cardboard or carton sleeve is a new form of sustainable packaging to reduce paper and printing material wastes, and to replace plastics. So, our pursuit is to catch the trend as well as to follow the environmental concerns.

Food processing and manufacturing companies around the world are looking for more sustainable packaging approach to shift away from the past one which has been featured by notable packaging and plastic waste, an example is the shrink wrapping used in the past to for the multipack packaging such as drinks and beverages. The cardboard sleeve on the other hand, eliminate the use of plastic and saves paper and printing materials.

What is your next plan of transformation? Or new model to be launched?

Our engineering team is now around the corner to finish the design of our Next-Generation Cartoning Machine. The machine will be a balance between the intermittent cartoning machine and the continuous motion cartoning machine.

From our perspective, an intermittent cartoning machine is slow in output but affordable, with a theoretical maximum speed of 120 cartons per minute. While a continuous cartoning machine is far more complex than an intermittent cartoning machine due to the barrel cam loader, and then the price of it increases considerable and a gap is left between the intermittent and the continuous one.

The next-generation cartoning machine by ELITER will be installed with a compact servo-driven loader, a system that resembles to the Italian manufacturer Universal Pack’s Delta 200 and that of Marchesini’s MA255 Cartoning Machine, this is to replace the complex barrel cam loader. The expected maximum speed is between 180 and 200 cartons per minute. 

How do you see your industry or sector in the future ahead?

The packaging machine and packaging automation sector in China is going through a tough stage, where there is a tide of overcapacity: mountains of companies competing with each other by manufacturing homogenous packaging machines and what’s more, all of them are basically of lower market-positioning. 

We can see a considerable portion of packaging machine manufacturers will lose the game and have to quite the market. Those who stay left, are companies that attach importance to innovation, quality and performance.

About ELITER Packaging Machinery

ELITER Packaging Machinery is a small family business in the packaging machine and packaging automation industry and consists of 18 people, a manufacturer and global supplier of cartoning machines, overwrapping machines, wrap-around sleevers and sleeve wrap around packaging machines.  

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TRAINING PROGRAM

TAKING LIFE SITUATIONS APART
Sometimes you want to stop and look at your life from the outside. When this happens, we may be surprised that there is a lot we haven’t noticed and didn’t know about ourselves. As we become immersed in things, we stop feeling our true desires. Almost all young people have a life “on the run” – study, work, things to do… Make time for yourself!

THE ABILITY TO PROPERLY INTERPRET WHAT’S GOING ON AND MAKE THE MOST OF IT
Life, a cruel teacher. But when we learn its lessons, it becomes our faithful friend. After all, it’s our own life! But only a few people use adversity and hardship in order to become stronger, to improve their own lives. After all, it is in such overcoming that experience is accumulated, and subsequently a similar problem is usually solved simply automatically.

AN INDIVIDUAL SELECTION OF METHODS OF SOLVING THE EXIT FROM STRESS
Stress is almost synonymous with modernity: we are constantly in a hurry, solving a huge number of tasks on the run, submitting reports, correspondence in parental chats, we are tense, irritated and exhausted. Our energy and spirits are at zero, and all we can think about is how to make it to the weekend. Is it possible to change this scenario and learn how to cope with stress? Our answer is yes!

SUCCESSFUL SELF-PRESENTATION SKILLS FOR WORK
We all want to reach new heights and be successful, if, of course, we have goals and a desire to achieve our dreams. Naturally, everyone’s path is different: someone is climbing the career ladder, someone is working on his business, and someone chooses “free flight” and learns to earn and realize his dreams, without depending on anyone. But, one way or another, in almost any sphere we need to be able to present ourselves competently and effectively (and even spectacularly) in front of other people.

THE SECRETS OF BUILDING A HAPPY RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR PARTNER
True, deep and lasting love is insensitive to emotional whims or life problems. It is a permanent attachment to a person, regardless of the circumstances. It seems that a long-term, happy relationship is a fiction. It’s not! There are quite a few couples with years of experience. It’s worth learning their secrets and taking care of your relationship.

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This is a regular training aimed at developing the speech apparatus, breathing and voice so that public speaking skills are sustainable.

What we will do:

• Warming up the speech apparatus and preparing it for speeches;
• Breathe properly and learn to control breathing;
• Strengthen the voice so that it has a brighter color, is diverse and strong;
• Hone the clarity of pronunciation so that it becomes habitual.

Duration – 1 hour 20 minutes.

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For whom: The training is useful to journalists, bloggers, HR, and all those who need to ask questions and analyze the answers. The training is not narrowly focused, so it can be useful to all those who want to properly analyze and interpret the information obtained (from articles, news, speeches, etc.).

The main goals and objectives of the training:

To develop the skill of argumentation and the skill of persuasive, rational argumentation of one’s position.
To learn to control yourself in critical situations when your opponent puts you on the spot (as he/she thinks).
Learn to figure out manipulative statements and errors in argumentation.
And most importantly, thanks to all this, look and feel confident with any opponent.

Training content in brief
Introduction to the training:

• discussing the points that directly affect a person’s perception of information;
• clarification of the need for arguments; the differences between people that cause misunderstandings;
• identifying the reasons why, even the best arguments in our opinion, don’t work.

Basic part:

• The basic components of argumentation;
• What is a “thesis”: rules, errors, and methods of definition;
• exercises in defining “thesis” and evaluating it;
• work with video examples;
• “Argument”: types of arguments, rules, errors, methods of definition;
• exercises on finding and evaluating arguments in texts and video examples.

Basic methods and models of argumentation:

• practicing basic argumentation skills;
• practice in the form of practice talks and written assignments.

How to construct arguments:

• The most common forms of formulating information for different people;
• exercises to develop the ability to formulate information in different ways to be more effectively understood by people with different forms of thinking.

Classic target points for critiquing and refuting arguments:

identification of a list of methods and directions for argument criticism – exercises for each method (thesis criticism, or speeches).

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History
Journalism originated in ancient Rome. Archaeologists “unearthed” clay tablets on which the decisions of the senate and city news were carved. After engraving, the plaques were hung in crowded places at the behest of Julius Caesar.

Journalism did not become a separate field until the 17th century. Divided into several different directions, it almost immediately became a tool to influence society.

The first successful publication was the English newspaper The Daily Courant. The first issue was printed in 1702, and then it came out daily for 33 years.

The proliferation of printed publications and their popularity led to the need for specialists who would gather information, process and organize it, and then turn it into a printed text. This is how the first journalists came into being.

Now, of course, journalists have much more responsibilities than before, because the media in the modern world includes not only newspapers, but also radio, television and the Internet. The media these days is not just a source of some informational data, but a tool that shapes public opinion and sometimes even manipulates it. Therefore, journalists now have a great responsibility: the interpretation of events often depends on their personal qualities and beliefs.

At first glance, the job of a journalist seems interesting and simple. Visiting events and places, communicating with interesting people, and then telling everyone about it – what’s so difficult? But this may seem so only to those who have not yet become more familiar with the profession. Activity – yes, in most cases it is really interesting, but simple journalistic work can not be called.

Working as a journalist, you need to think about a lot of details: choose reliable sources of information and arrange meetings, communicate with a variety of people and find each of them an individual approach, because not everyone will come into contact with a journalist. Finally, you have to present your material with dignity, so that the editor, and then the reader, becomes interested and reads to the end. At the same time, you must write truthfully, without embellishing or exaggerating.

Journalists do not spend the whole day in an editorial office-a lot of time is spent on meetings, interviews, conferences, and presentations. Only after these events does it come down to reading documents, reports and press releases.

In addition, it is important in journalism to be able to dive deep into the subject matter, to have good contacts with information sources, and to always be in touch and visible, and often not only during working hours.

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