Media Training
This section of Trainer University covers media training, the essential skills any “media-facing” client needs to be successful in interviews by the media.
Why is This Section Important?
Media interviews present several challenges: limited time, varying levels of knowledge of interviewers, traps the client may unknowingly set for himself, or traps that the interviewer may set. The most successful client spokespersons are the ones who prepare what they want to say, know the key messages they want to convey , speak to the level of the interviewer, get to the point, and avoid traps. What they learn here and then practice in mock interviews can mean the difference between a success and a disaster.
Audience Types
- Newspaper reporters/editors
- Industry analysts
- Bloggers
- TV reporters
- Trade reporters/editors
- Radio reporters
What the Media Wants
- The story you intend
- The story you don’t intend
Remember the words of Carol Rowan of The New Yorker: “There aren’t any embarrassing questions – just embarrassing answers.”
Interview Preparation
- What Do You Want?
b. Is the topic sufficiently relevant to warrant doing the interview?
c. What is your objective?
d. Who is your audience?
e. What’s a good outcome?
f. How would you define a good outcome, specifically?
- If you can’t answer these questions satisfactorily, don’t agree to the interview.
Remember the words of Yogi Berra: “You’ve got to be very careful if you don’t know where you’re going, because you might not get there.”
Tips for Spokespersons
- Memorize essential concepts
- Remember: time & memory are limited
- Phrase things naturally
- Act engaged
- Provide memory aids
When Engaging Discussion With the Media
- Double-check time
- Ask good questions
- Repeat numerical facts
- Cite third party validation
- Maintain eye contact
- Take your time to answer
Bridging
- Answer the question briefly.
- Link your answer to your message.
- Keep the interview on track – your track
b. When you answer more suitable questions, be sure to include additional key message points.
Keys to an Effective Spokesperson
- Ask good questions
b. Demonstrate interest in a relationship
c. Get biases up front
d. Understand your audience’s expertise – and speak to that level
- Tell good stories
b. Plan your sound bites
c. Have an angle
d. Be entertaining
e. Weave in real-world anecdotes, especially customer stories / mini case studies.
- Know the facts and statistics
b. Know fiscal information
c. Provide charts, graphs to illustrate a point
d. Make an easy-to-recall comparison
Lures and Traps
- Friendliness
- Irrelevance
- Speculation
- Competition
- Machine Gun Questioning
- Provocation
- Multiple-Part Questions
- Engaging in a Dispute Online
Finish the interview on a strong statement
- Here’s the question you get: Is there anything else I should know?
b. Don’t say “No, I think we’re good”
c. Say “Sure, the key points to keep in mind are……..” (Give two or three points at the most, and then stop. Any more, and they won’t remember.)
- Remember: Say what you want the interviewer to write
b. Remember, what customers want is……..
c. What has really been lacking in this industry is ……….
d. Consumers are looking for……..