Key points for being prepared for the
interview
It's not every day that a reporter responds to your
news release, a request to cover an event, or your
offer to be a source for an article. So when you do get
a call requesting an interview, will you be ready?
Whether the reporter is following up on your idea or
working on a separate story, the key to speaking
effectively and minimizing inaccuracies is to be
prepared. Here are five key points to use when
getting ready for an interview.
Have collateral "to go."
Don't wait for a press opportunity to compile the most
important information about you and your company.
A printed press kit should be organized neatly and
presented in a high-quality, professional binder/folder
and updated every six months. An online press kit,
which can be a page of your company's website,
should be continuously updated so it remains current.
Both print and online press kits might include
examples of previous media coverage, photos,
graphics, statistics, bios, company background, list of
clients/customers, highlighted
successes/accomplishments, and any charitable
work or contributions in which the company or the
executive being interviewed is involved. All of this will
serve as useful background information while helping
to minimize any mistakes regarding facts about you
and your business.
Know what you want to say.
Prior to the interview, ask what the focus of the story
will be and what types of questions the reporter will
be asking. Sometimes, reporters are even willing to
provide the actual interview questions beforehand.
Know what points you want to make (you can jot them
down) and practice what you want to say.
If you have time to prepare, you can rehearse with a
friend and/or practice with a tape recorder. This
allows you to listen to your answers and gives you
time to work on them to keep them concise and
effective. If pertinent, you can discuss a personal story
or give an example that will help make a point or build
your case -- but only do this if it helps strengthen your
message. If the interview is for radio or TV broadcast,
try your best to avoid saying "um" or other such
sounds while giving your answers. It's best just to
pause for a moment (but not longer than a second or
two!), then continue with your thought. If you'll be on
TV, keep your hands folded casually in your lap and
don't gesture too frequently or nervously wring your
hands. These movements become amplified on TV
and will distract from what you're saying and will
impact the positive impression you want to make.
Understand the interview process.
As you prepare for the interview, keep in mind the
reporter may not ask the initial questions discussed,
but rather a variation of the questions as well as new
ones based on your responses. Don't be surprised if
a reporter seems to ask the same question more
than once, as he/she may be trying to get a shorter,
more "quotable" answer or understand a new concept
or complicated subject. Give your responses using a
conversational tone and avoid jargon and acronyms
the reporter and/or audience may not know. Also, at
the end of the interview, most reporters ask if there's
anything else the expert would like to add. If this does
not happen and you feel an important point has not
been made, you should ask if you can make an
additional comment.
Steer off negativity.
Simply put, do not say anything you don't want printed
or broadcast on the radio or TV. Everything a reporter
hears or sees is fair game. So, try to anticipate new
and/or difficult questions, such as a topic that might
be negative, controversial, and/or financial. Ask
yourself how you would respond to such questions in
a positive light.
An example might be: Q: "I understand your company
has very few employees." A: "We have a select team
of senior-level practitioners who provide highly
personal service to our clients." Another strategy (one
often used by politicians) is to ignore the negative
question altogether and reply with an answer about
something positive you want to emphasize. For
instance: Q: "How do you handle customer
complaints?" A: "I'd like to explain our quality control
process to you -- the most comprehensive in the
industry." Don't repeat any negative comments made
by the reporter, as that could end up being attributed
to you. If you don't know the answer to a question, you
can simply and truthfully say you don't know or think
about other sources the reporter can contact (another
expert, an organization, or a publication, for example).
You can also offer to get back to the reporter with the
answer later or the next day. While most reporters are
professional and ethical, their experience and
knowledge varies, so it may also be a good idea
afterward to see if they have any questions on the
topic -- as well as offer to be available for further
questions they may think of while writing the story.
Note: For more on the media and crisis
communications, visit the July 2006 Issue of the
Shock PR Newsletter at
http://shockpr.com/newsletters/july06.html which
featured "When Bad News Happens to Good
Companies."
What to expect post-interview.
If you offer to help obtain additional information or
identify other sources, find out the reporter's deadline.
If you can't find what you need in that timeframe, be
sure to let the reporter know. Meanwhile, don't expect
to see the story before it is printed or aired except for
rare instances in which the reporter may allow you,
upon request, to review the story for factual accuracy
prior to publication. Keep in mind that it may not come
out the way you expect, since reporters most often
include opposing viewpoints or information about
competitors in order to present an objective story of a
particular topic. Also realize that they work for editors
and news directors who may decide to take the story
in a different direction, or who may use a headline that
may be intended to attract attention rather than be
strictly factual.
Remember, there is also a chance your story may not
run at all. If that happens, keep in mind the good
news is you've already established a relationship with
a member of the media. Keep offering your expertise
and sending out news releases to a key industry
person who now knows who you are. If the story does
run, you should send the reporter a brief thank you
note, email, or -- in the case of a truly outstanding
story on your or your company -- a small gift, such as
a cookie basket or gift card to a coffee shop or
Amazon.com. If there is a mistake in the story, it's
important to let the reporter know so he/she has
clarification for a future story on the same or similar
topic. But provide this correction in as friendly a
manner as possible -- by thanking the reporter first,
then mentioning the inaccuracy.
Finally, if the interview was for a segment on TV or
radio, request a copy and watch/listen to see what you
liked and what you can improve upon for next time.
Use the piece in your press kit and other marketing
and public relations collateral -- especially for future
press pitches!
