Congratulations - this is your moment! You have been chosen as the person your company needs to do a press, radio or TV interview. There are loud cheers all round from the press and comms teams who have decided that you are the one they want! So why do you struggle to share their enthusiasm?
Why does it feel more like the long, slow walk to the guillotine rather than a face to face interview with an often (rather scruffy looking) journalist?
It doesn’t have to be this way. What you have to remember is that it’s all about control. Remember - you hold all the cards. You know far more than the journalist and he/she needs your story so that they can show their editor what a good journalist they are. As long as you plan what you are going to say and how you say it, you’re laughing. Here are some tips on how to get it right:
DOING THE INTERVIEW - HOW TO RETAIN CONTROL
Be brief and concise, stick to your key messages and repeat them.
Use simple, punchy language.
Avoid jargon and acronyms.
Back up your comments with examples, illustrations, anecdotes - real or hypothetical.
Be aware of negative questions and have answers ready to counter them
Bring the conversation back to your positive, key messages.
If you don't know the answer, NEVER guess – say you’ll find out and get back to the journalist, however trivial the point might seem
Don't be led off the agreed agenda.
OTHER TIPS FOR HANDLING MEDIA INTERVIEWS
Offer to e-mail over a confirmation of your conversation. This will allow you to reiterate your key messages, add anything you forgot to say during the interview, clarify any points and ensure that spellings are correct. Do this quickly, check with the press office and make it brief - two to three paragraphs maximum.
If you consider a point to be important, don't assume that the journalist will realise this - flag it up to them. Don't ask to the see the article before it goes to print - this is not a right and it irritates reporters. However, if the subject is complex you can OFFER (only offer!) to read through your quotes and the relevant paragraphs to check that they are correct. If a journalist makes a statement to you, to which you agree - this can be used as a quote from you. If you don't agree with the journalist's summary of the situation or his comments, make this clear and correct them. Never go “off the record”. Assume that everything you tell a journalist could appear and be attributed to you.
Obviously you can never learn everything from reading and practice is key. There are many more techniques to controlling interviews that are not so easily explained on paper.
If you don't fancy practising in a live environment maybe you should consider undertaking media training in a safe environment. If this sounds interesting then get in touch with Media First and we'll be glad to help.
Meantime, we hope that this post helps and look forward to sharing much more with you around media skills and presentations skills.
James
