The Minutes Before Your Media Interview
Business professionals often approach media interviews thinking that they are only about answering questions, but that is a dangerous misconception that could place you and your organization at significant risk.
If you are unprepared and caught off guard during a media interview, the results can negatively impact you, your organization, and your reputation. To help ensure success, use those moments before your next media interview to get into the right mindset.
Review your media interview strategy.
Review and agree on your strategy with your communications and PR teams. Define the story that you want to tell and how you plan on telling it. Be confident about the messages you are planning to share as well as the goals your organization would like to accomplish. Discuss any anticipated curveballs that may come your way and topics that are currently trending. Decide in advance how you will handle them to get back on message quickly.
Prepare for relevant news.
Take into consideration any relevant news that could influence the questions asked during your media interview. Could a newsworthy topic be trending that might influence its direction? As an expert in your industry, you may be expected to comment on current events, and you need to be prepared with comments through the lens of your expertise.
The few minutes before a media interview can allow time enough for you to practice informed responses. It is possible that you will be asked to comment on relevant news about your company or organization, whether the news is positive or negative. A carefully formed response is especially important if the news is negative.
Do a mock interview.
Practice your media interview with your communications team. Review stories the reporter has published previously to get a sense of the interviewer’s style. Is the reporter direct and to the point with their questions? Do they make purposeful attempts to derail guest speakers, or are they more interested in personal anecdotes? Keep these thoughts in mind when you are practicing.
In the moments before your next media interview, review your message and mentally prepare yourself for expected and unexpected questions.
The news changes from minute to minute and setting time aside to prepare prior to each interview is critical to your success.