We have written hundreds of blogs on media training.
But searching through our back catalogue recently, it became clear we have written little about trade media interviews.
That feels like something we should rectify because we are often asked to help prepare spokespeople specifically for the trade press.
Our training team has helped people prepare for interviews for a wide range of trade publications including Jane’s Defence Weekly, Construction News, Packaging News and Just Drinks.
And, in previous roles, I’ve personally helped spokespeople prepare for interviews with the likes of Fresh Produce Journal, Meat Trade Journal, Farmers Weekly and many police magazines, I felt I could offer some additional insight.
The good news is that the fundamentals are essentially the same.
To get coverage, you are going to need to have something newsworthy to say and you are going to need spokespeople who can tell the story with clarity and conviction.
But there are some key additional steps you need to consider with trade publication interviews.
Detail
One of the key differences I tended to find between interviews with trade press and consumer press was the level of detail that is required.
Trade journalists will typically want to delve much deeper under the skin of a story.
Additionally, while some reporters undoubtedly use trade as a springboard into national media, many are writing about a sector they are deeply passionate about. Some may have been doing it for decades.
To meet this need for greater detail, my briefing documents were always far more extensive for spokespeople preparing to speak to trade publications.
Another option is to put a subject expert forward for interviews rather than a senior leader.
Or perhaps have that expert available alongside the CEO or senior leader. Just keep it to one additional person. I remember holding a press briefing once where the CEO had around six experts with him in the room.
That must have appeared heavy-handed and intimidating.
Homework
On our media training courses, we always stress the importance of spokespeople doing their homework ahead of interviews and making sure they know the publication and reporter they are talking to.
In my experience, this is more likely to be overlooked for trade interviews.
But it shouldn’t be.
Make sure you have at least read the latest copy of the publication you are about to speak to. If you are doing interviews with several trade publications, read them all. If time pressures make that unrealistic, ask someone who has read them to give you a synopsis of what they cover and their style.
Trade publications all take different approaches, audiences and tones that spokespeople need to be aware of before they start speaking to the reporters.
Not an easy option
Trade interviews can be a good introduction for inexperienced spokespeople who have just had some media training and a way of convincing reluctant ones to be more willing to speak to the media.
But they must not be treated as an easy option.
Spokespeople still need to prepare properly, ensuring they are clear on the message they want to get across, examples they are going to use and that they are quotable.
And they still need to prepare for the negative questions. A trade journalist is just as likely to ask awkward, uncomfortable questions as their mainstream media colleagues.
Wider appeal
Whatever trade publication you are speaking to, and however niche their audience may seem, it is important to be aware the stories and interviews are often picked up by other media.
Many regional and national news stories began in industry titles. For example, you can often find British Medical Journal stories in the Daily Mail.
Trade reporters are also sometimes used as talking heads on national broadcast news when stories get picked up.
Many of our current working journalist tutors regularly read trade publications when they are researching stories.
Jargon
As you may find yourself talking to someone with a detailed knowledge of the sector, you might be tempted to revert to industry jargon.
Avoid this pitfall. Think about the audience.
They are unlikely to have the same level of knowledge as you or the reporter and will be put off if they can’t understand what is being said.
Even with technical subjects, keep language as conversational and simple as possible and use examples to help people picture what you are talking about.
Also, when you use jargon you ‘assume knowledge’ and, for all you know, this could be one of the journalists first assignments for the publication.
Don’t be afraid to say ‘I don’t know’
This is something we have discussed in our media training blogs before and it applies to all media interviews. It is much better to admit you don’t know the answer to a question than getting drawn into speculation.
But sometimes spokespeople can be even more reluctant to admit this in trade interviews, perhaps worried that it will make them seem less of an expert in front of someone who knows the subject inside out.
Trade journalists won’t mind if you don’t know a particular answer as long as you come back to them with the information before their deadline.
Or maybe try something like “I don’t know the answer to that but I’ll have a chat to a colleague and come back to you. What I can tell you is that…”
Don’t get too relaxed
It’s great to get to know the journalists covering your industry – build a good relationship with them and they could cover your organisation again and again.
But just be mindful, if you get friendly and start to talk about other things that are happening in the sector, everything you say could be reported.
The term off-the-record means different things to different people, so the simple advice is to assume everything you say could end up in print.
Copy approval
Asking to see the story before it goes to print is normally something to avoid. It portrays a lack of trust and is pointless because it is something mainstream media will not agree to.
But there is a little more flexibility with trade, particularly if the subject is highly technical.
I had some success in offering to check facts for reporters ahead of publication, so there is no harm in asking the question. But tread carefully here so as not to appear as though you are offering to tell the journalist how to do their job.
And please, please don’t ever try and re-write a journalist’s words unless they have got something factually wrong.
Media First are media and communications training specialists with over 35 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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