Lights, Camera, Action...

28.09.2011

It can be daunting if you're asked to do an interview for the media following some proactive PR activity. It's even more daunting when you're asked to comment when something in your organisation goes wrong - and at some point it probably will. Either way you need to be fully prepared to ensure you give the best performance possible which portrays you and your organisation in the most positive way.

Remember it takes years to build a reputation but only seconds to destroy it.

Media training in a 24/7 rolling news environment where Google is not just a search engine but a reputation management tool is crucial.

In extreme cases a negative story can be killed but more often than not if you say nothing in such instances or make yourself unavailable, the media will go elsewhere with its insatiable appetite for a story. Positive or negative, it's far better to be in control of the story rather than following it.

You will not become a skilled operator overnight and it may take more than one session. But being news aware and understanding how the media works, together with practical one to one exercises is key to ensuring you can get your message across in the right way, to the right people, at the right time - the purpose of all communication.

Of course the only real way to improve your interview skills is to practice, practice and practice but there are some general do's and don'ts.

Do

• Define key messages

• Be yourself - be natural and make sure you are sitting comfortably

• Sound enthusiastic and positive

• Open strongly. Close, if you can, by reinforcing the main point

• Prepare by analysing the programme, the audience and style of interviewer

• Use examples and analogies. They can bring an interview 'alive'

• Be aware of company policy, values and messaging.

• Enjoy it and get your name in the journalist's contact book

Don't

• Use too many statistics, too much jargon, initials or technicalities

• Ignore the question and say what you want to say anyway. Instead you should acknowledge the question then turn it to bring in a key message

• Hesitate or repeat yourself except for added emphasis

• Suddenly find you have run out of time and still have not made your key points

• Write copious notes or expect to have them as a crib

• Drone on in a monotone

• Say "No comment" - it looks like you've got something to hide

Go off the record. It's simply asking for trouble!