It’s no great secret that the key to emerging from media interviews successfully is to prepare properly.
We’re pretty certain you know the importance of ensuring your media spokesperson is aware of the key messages, knows who the audience is and is prepared for the negative questions.
But are you missing something? What could you do to enhance this preparation and ensure your spokesperson is in the best possible position for interviews?
We analyse a lot of interviews, both during our media training courses and from what we see and hear on television and radio.
And we have identified nine advanced tips you may be missing to help you complete your spokesperson preparation.
1 Don’t over prepare
It may sound like a strange starting point, perhaps even a little contradictory, but we still see spokespeople preparing for their interview by swatting from huge briefing documents. These will include key messages, lines to take to negative questions and backgrounds on the journalists.
All pivotal stuff, but a 10-page document will be hard for any spokesperson to absorb and recall when the pressure is on in media interviews. It is information overload.
There is also a risk that if they manage to retain some of these responses to specific questions, they will be more like a talking robot, unable to create a natural-sounding conversation, than an authentic media spokesperson.
It is also worth remembering the audience is unlikely to remember more than one major point your spokesperson will make. So preparation should focus on honing the message into something memorable, and that resonates.
The best way to prepare a spokesperson is to spend 20 minutes talking through the objective of media interviews. Think about why you think they should do the interview; how you want the audience to feel when they see and hear the interview; what action you would like them to take; what you would want them to remember; what case studies and examples should be used to support key messages; and, what negative questions are likely to come up.
2 Don’t use the press release
If media interest and an interview have been secured through a press release, the temptation is to use the release in the briefing.
The danger here is that in many cases press releases are subject to huge approval processes, often involving senior people with little or no comms experience, who tend to like jargon.
And this threatens your key message if your spokesperson uses that language in interviews. We recently wrote a blog about how bad press releases can lead to terrible spokespeople.
Rewrite any parts of the release you intend to include in the briefing document in as simple a language as possible - the same language you want your spokespeople to use.
3 Loosen the messaging noose
Sometimes media spokespeople feel uncomfortable because key messages contain language they may not be comfortable using.
Empowering and encouraging them to use their words (within corporate guidelines), anecdotes and examples will not only increase their confidence, but also help bring messages to life.
We regularly find our clients come back to us after media training courses to help them develop and fine-tune key messages so their media spokespeople have more confidence in what they are being asked to deliver.
4 Anticipating the wider media topics
Any decent interview preparation should identify the potential negative questions.
But our working journalist tutors find that often this does not go on to prepare spokespeople for the wider issues they could get asked about.
These questions are typically asked towards the end of media interviews as ‘while you are here’ type questions and could focus on broader newsworthy issues in the sector, the country or perhaps some new Government policy. A likely question at the time of writing, for example, would be on the impact Brexit will have on your organisation or sector.
The danger of failing to prepare here is the spokesperson could say something controversial that ruins the interview or says something which creates a new angle that takes focus away from key messages.
5 Fragile confidence
Your media spokesperson may have carried out interviews before and feel they know what to expect.
But what if the format was to change slightly? We often find on our media training courses, for example, that down-the-line interviews, test a spokesperson’s confidence levels because of its alien and sometimes uncomfortable format.
Your spokesperson may feel comfortable with TV and radio interviews, but how would they feel if the format put them up against another spokesperson with an opposing view? Would they know how to conduct themselves in the more informal setting of a sofa interview?
It is vital your spokesperson knows what to expect beyond the basics of whether an interview is live or pre-recorded and that they feel comfortable in these differing environments.
Equally, you must have confidence in them to handle the differing formats.
6 Review interviews
One of the best ways to prepare a media spokesperson for exposure is to review previous interviews they have done. Identify what went well and areas that need improvement. But it is vital to have a relationship where feedback can be honest. Otherwise, the exercise is largely pointless.
Then put this learning into practice by holding a mock interview or media training day ahead of the main event.
If you have a full day of interviews, think about how you can factor in a brief review between each one. It could prevent the spokesperson from making the same mistake all the way through. Or, with a few simple tweaks, help them add emphasis to the key message.
Confidence is crucial. So, it is much better to do this level of preparation ahead of a media day. That way, any larger issues can be picked up ahead of time so that you can focus on how they sound during the interviews, as opposed to their ability to control the interview or respond to complex or unwanted questions.
7. Frankie says relax
A colleague of mine once used to swear by letting his media spokesperson have a drink ahead of an interview. We wouldn’t advise this.
But you must identify what the spokesperson wants from you before, during and after the interview. Some people will want feedback between interviews. Others (perhaps with a more fragile confidence level) will perform worse with instant feedback.
Ultimately, if a media spokesperson is to speak as naturally and fluently as possible, they must remain confident and feel supported.
It’s for this reason lots of our clients send their comms and media teams on media training courses. This helps the PROs (who may not be the lead spokespeople) to empathise with what TV and radio interviews feel like. It also helps them become better coaches who can offer more astute post-interview feedback.
8. Warm-up
A good way to warm up vocal cords ahead of media interviews is to read aloud a children’s book. Your media spokesperson should also use this to vary their tone and practice, including pauses for emphasis.
Having to clear your throat constantly during an interview can be distracting for both the spokesperson and the audience. They should avoid consuming chocolate or milk immediately before the interview as dairy products can tend to build up mucous in the throat. Sugary soft drinks are also often said to cause a similar problem.
9. Reassurance
Mistakes happen. Not every interview will be perfect. In fact, in 35 years of media training, I’m not sure anyone at Media First would claim they’ve witnessed a perfect interview. It’s vital that spokespeople know this.
They should also know that if they make a mistake (so long as it’s not a major foot-in-mouth moment), it’s rare for interviews to be career-limiting. On the contrary, most spokespeople tend to climb the corporate ladder faster than others. Why? Because they are brave, ambitious and willing to speak out.
Media First are media and communications training specialists with over 30 years of experience. We have a team of trainers, each with decades of experience working as journalists, presenters, communications coaches and media trainers.
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