While clients often say already been “media trained,” it always makes sense to refresh yourself before embarking on a series of interviews. Here are tips our boutique PR agency provides at the outset of a campaign. Remember, you want to become a trusted source of the reporter, so engage them in a friendly way. This is a relationship you want to cultivate over the long term.
Pointers here will keep you on topic and get your key messages across:
- Speak in short emphatic sentences that are declarative and easy to quote, and make sure to get your key message points into the answers.
- If you are using industry terms, make sure the reporter knows what you mean, and be prepared with a cogent and simple definition for clarification.
- If a reporter makes a statement that is incorrect, or they seem hazy on a subject correct them. Remaining quiet may give the impression that you agree.
- The agency will brief you about each journalist before the interview: this will include who are they, what they cover, so make sure your answers are geared to their beat, and the audience they reach
- Be aware of dead air. Often journalists will pause for extended periods during interviews and in general conversation. They will wait for you to fill the air and say something you might regret.
- Tell a story or provide an example: nothing’s better than a short, interesting story to illustrate your point. For a complicated technical issue a simple analogy is much appreciated by the reporter, and will insure your audience understands your message.
- Reporters like facts and figures. Instead of just voicing an opinion, back it up with facts and figures. Case studies are excellent, and you should be prepared with a few before the interview.
- Always answer the question: If you don’t know the answer to a question, tell the reporter “I will look into that and get back to you” rather than “No comment.”
- Have a bridging strategy: at times, you’ll need to bridge the conversation to get your point across.
- If a reporter makes a statement that you do not agree with, say I see that differently and provide your explanation.
- Never say anything negative about the competition.
- The “Money Quote” — Make sure your last words are good ones: often the last question, asked in passing just as you are getting up to leave, turns into the most memorable answer, and can be an off-hand statement you make thinking the interview is over. It isn’t! So make sure you end your interview on your high note with a great quote about your product.
- Just because a reporter puts away a notebook or turns off a tape recorder doesn’t mean the interview is over.
Our NYC PR firm always does a debrief after the interview so the client knows how they did in the interview, and pointers for the next go round.