Preparing for a media interview

Business owners, especially those of startups or small and medium-sized enterprises, are usually the face of their company as they carry the name on their shoulders. People’s trust in a brand is heightened when they are familiar with the person or individuals behind it. Moreover, an entrepreneur’s story plays a significant part in conveying the narrative behind a business, product or service.

More often than not, media outfits are interested to hear all of these, particularly for new updates and announcements, straight from business owners themselves. It is also necessary in times of crises or emergencies. Granting them interviews for brief news statements or in-depth feature can be advantageous in putting your brand out there or clearing the air from any confusion or negativity. It is also an effective way of communicating to a bigger audience. But before you get in front of a camera or a microphone recorder, prepare yourself first to ensure that you say the right things that can benefit your brand and your target market.

1.       Get sample questions and know the interview topic

Various interviews are conducted for varied reasons. The first thing to do is to know the purpose of the interview, the topics that they want to cover and possible questions that they want to ask you. Coordination with the interviewee or media program, whether it’s for print, radio, tv, podcast or online, is essential to make the conversation smooth and on point. While you’re at it, get to know the background of the media entity and the interviewer as you may have some common grounds that can help you navigate towards the messaging you want to communicate.

2.       Gather data and information you want to share

Once you have secured the purpose, topic and sample questions, it’s time to refresh yourself with your internal information or gather new data that may be needed during the interview. Being knowledgeable of your brand, offerings and market will give you more confidence to discuss your company’s background, present state and upcoming plans. Have an internal briefing with your team from different departments and brainstorm the things you want to highlight during the interview. Some of them may not be part of the questions, but you can find a way to inject them in your answers.

3.       Include stories of your personal experiences

While numbers and data are important and effective, it is always good to humanise your brand through stories or anecdotes of your personal experiences. But don’t overdo it. Pick only important moments that you want to share with the public, especially one that can provide them with a deeper understanding of your company and inspire them to aspire for greater things.

4.       Put together your talking points

When you have identified the important ideas you want to raise and highlight during the interview, organise them into talking points. They don’t have to be lengthy. You can simply put phrases with keywords so you can easily remember them. Go over your talking points several times days before the interview. Don’t cram the information last minute as it might confuse you more.

5.       Practice, practice, practice

Your nerves may get the better of you during the interview. Relax and have confidence in yourself. But it’s easier said and done. The best way to battle becoming nervous is to practice with your team through role-playing. That doesn’t mean you have to memorise a script. Allow them to ask you questions that are not on the list because it happens all the time.

And don’t stop at the preparations. Have your presence of mind during the interview proper. If you are face-to-face with the interviewer, maintain eye contact. Dress the part and be courteous in your words and actions. Then, when the interview is over, be sure to thank the interviewer and the crew involved. Ask when it will come out and monitor it. Then assess what you need to stop doing, continue doing and start doing in your other succeeding interviews.

Remember that the first few media interviews are the most nerve-wracking. But once you get the hang of it, you will be able to do it like it’s your second nature. Most of all, enjoy the experience. It’s your way of reaching out to your customers and target market, so view this as an opportunity for them to get to know you better.

Media Relations 101 for Your Business

Building your brand and establishing a positive image to your target audience takes time, resources and effort. One strategy is to engage with the press to help you get your message across and develop your reputation to the public. A feature about you or your business on broadcast or print media has a different effect compared to an advertisement that is usually for self-promotion. Having a reputable journalist talk or write about you positively cultivates trust among your prospects and customers.

The best approach to get the media to your good side is to hire a PR firm or publicist, which may require some budget. But if you are a startup with limited resources, you may do your media relations on your own.  Familiarise yourself first with a few terms to understand how media relations work.

Media list

Put together the media contacts that you believe can help bridge you to your target audience. Every news outlet has different shows or sections that can accommodate your story. Watch TV, listen to the radio, and read newspapers, magazines and online news portals. Get to know editors, station managers, reporters, columnists and people who work in the media. Research is vital in connecting with the media. Each company or person has a different style, preference or quirk when it comes to their work. Learn how to approach media people and know what clicks and ticks for them.

Media engagement

E-mailing your pitch or story idea may work for some but not for others. There are those that you have to meet in person so you can explain your proposal face to face. Constantly giving a pitch every time you contact the press may lead to media fatigue. At times, you can ask how you can be of help to them. A symbiotic relationship with the media is what you should try to achieve. Engage them on a professional and personal level with sincerity and within the bounds of integrity and respect.

Media kit

Prepare your materials and put them together in a media kit. It includes your business profile, brochures, a press release of your event or background of your campaign, and some photos. It is better to put your media kit in digital format as well so that it will be easy for the press to download and edit it for their use.

Messaging

While you want to share as many information as possible, focus on key messages in every story or press release that you want to share with the media. Identify at most three important messages that you want them to put out to the public. If it’s about a new product or service, allow your story to revolve around it. Get the facts straight and understand every angle of your story idea before you approach the media.

Pitch

Whether you’re doing it through e-mail, phone or face-to-face meeting, be cordial and straightforward when you make your pitch. It’s like selling the story to the media. Let them see the value of your idea to their audience to make them utilise it in their section or show.

Exclusives

You can work with a particular journalist for an in-depth exclusive interview. Explore possible collaboration with radio and TV shows as well. For example, you can give them a tour of your facilities or a demonstration of how to create or use your product. While you may grant several interviews to various media outlets, you can always pitch a different story angle, depending on their focus and preference.

Press release

A press release is an article that you write, which appears as a news item written by a third party, containing vital information about what you want to announce to the public through media distribution. These are given to press outlets to place in their publication. For broadcast media, video or audio releases may be provided. The releases should be well-written, produced and edited so that they are ready to use by the press.

Press conference

If you want to announce something in person to various media outlets at the same time, you can organise a press conference. It also allows the press to ask you questions. To maintain control of the discussion, stick to your messaging and focus on the topic that you are announcing.

Doing media relations on your own takes a lot of time and effort. However, if you do it right, the rewards can be immense and long-lasting. View the media as your partner and ally in bringing important news that can change lives.