Telling Your Story With Confidence
The interview is an opportunity to sell your executive's expertise, and the media is the channel through which this information is presented.
The whole point of preparing for an interview is to have a complete understanding of how to deliver a message in away that is easily understood, and also how to properly answer a journalist's questions.
Before any interview, a briefing document is prepared to let the interviewee have as much information the meeting as possible. Along with the usual details about the media, there will be key messages, stats relating to the company, sensitive / avoidable areas and more.
The best advice for succeeding in a media interview is to be prepared and have a good understanding of the company's business, its plans and priorities. At the same time, know which areas are not to be discussed or avoided (this is one area where media training is of vital importance).
Sometimes interview questions are sent beforehand to allow the spokesperson to prepare but not always. If the reporter was pitched and agreed to do an interview based on an angle, there is an assumption the spokesperson knows everything there is to know on this subject.
Be The Know It All
Spokespeople should not only know the answers, but be able to express the answers in an articulate and fluidmanner. It helps to appear relaxed and confident, but that can be affected to an extent by the tone of the interview itself.
They need to be well-versed in the company's products and services and the competitive landscape and ready to provide concrete examples and statistics.
There is no doubt an interview can be a nerve wracking experience and even with practice, some people never get usedto them. Others relish the opportunity.
Speaking to the media can be tricky, but professional media trainers can help you to become more confident in front of a journalist, in a TV or radio studio, and increase the chances of getting positive results.
In conclusion, the most important part of any interview is preparation. The interviewee should know their topic inside and out and be able to respond to all potential questions.
If you are interested in executive media training, Eight Public Relations can help. We work with media trainers in Hong Kong and across the Asia Pacific region. Contact us at eight@eightpr.com