This week’s seminar is called Media Training for Startups and is presented by Edelman’s Elisha McCallum.
6:05pm: Elisha opens up by asking if any of the attendees Googled her prior to the event, saying it’s imperative to research anyone and everything before dealing with them.
Think about things from the media’s perspective. What are they after? What may they want to know about you and your business and why?
Elisha shows some “train wreck” interviews: the Arizona Governor’s live-TVstumble, Sarah Palin’s random rambling, Miss Teen South Carolina’s embarrassing makes-no-sense answer, George Bush’s many media follies, etc., pointing out what is wrong with each—lack of preparedness, lack of focus, letting the nerves of live events get the better of you, and, in the case of Bush, plain stupidity.
What drives news, what makes a good story, and how reporting has changed
Change, Controversy, Human Interest, Innovation are the four key drivers of news (that is, what media wants to cover).
What makes a good story?
- Impact. does it resonate with viewers?
- Prominence. Is it a page one or lead item?
- Proximity. is it “close to home?”
- Conflict. Are the parties entrenched.
- Usualness of novelty. Man bites dog?
- Currency. Is it topical or trendy?
At 6:25 Elisha says that “reporting has changed.” Reporters verify sources and double-check facts less now because of shorter news cycles. Broadcasters used to chase print but now print often chases broadcast (and online). Focus is on speed not quality: who can get news out first. Bloggers and social media channels are content sources and delivery channels.
Why you want to talk with media
- Promote, position, and explain
- Drive preference for your products,
- Put company decisions into context
- Raise your personal profile
- Enhance your company’s reputation
- Highlight successes
- Defuse controversy
- Foster positive stakeholder relationships.
Understanding the media
- Their job is to get the story; their deadlines are real (ask them when they need your story by).
- They don’t need to tell you their angle, but they do need to identify themselves as media.
- Not out to make you look bad but don’t get paid to make you look good.
- They are paid to be skeptical and ask tough questions, whether you want to be asked or not.
- They want to interest their audience with quotes and interesting angles.
- They don’t have to follow many protocols.
- You are always on the record when dealing with them.
- Anyone from your company who talks to media can be considered by them a company spokesperson.
The characteristics of media today
Print, Radio, Television, and Online.
PRINT: newspapers, magazines, trade journals, etc., each with their own deadlines and ways of doing things. There is higher detail and analysis than in other media. And watch out: the headline is written by the editor. Tip: stick with short, focused messages.
RADIO: relies on sound. Pitches are short. Have a good voice (not monotone) and keep it succinct. Radio is low on detail, high on immediacy.
TELEVISION: Visual medium. Interview clips mixed with news reporter narrative. TV time is premium: be brief and to-the-point. News is usually two minutes long on the 6 oclock news, so keep your message tight.
ONLINE: A “whole different ballgame.” There are online versions of all the above media. But now there is Twitter, Facebook, blogs, etc. Online has the highest speed with worldwide reach and super ease of publication (anyone can make news). Social media is always on, and everything you say online is on the record and are permanent (even if you delete your message, it may have been screenshotted or copy and pasted within seconds of posting).
Interviews
Interviews are opportunities. Get your message across, make a good impression, highlight successes or diffuse controversy, and influence people’s opinions.
Interviews are not a debate (never, ever argue with a reporter), an educational exchange, a friendly chat, or off the record.
When media calls, assess the opportunity. What can the interview achieve at this time—is there a better time, such as a future product launch? What are the cons of turning the interview down? What key audiences can be reached in this specific circumstance?
Prepare: gather background information . Determine your key messages. Prepare by practising key Q&As and delivering your messages. Adjust your speech pattern if necessary (speed up, slow down, pause). Say things out loud in front of a mirror or family/friends. Know the 5Ws (who, what, where, when, why).
Massage your message into a 10-second sound bite—your “in a nutshell” statement, the key takeaway. And deliver it with confidence. The tagline you “punch somebody in the face with.”
Think like a reporter. What is the reporter’s approach or angle? What hardball or curveball questions might be asked? Who else may be included in the story? What’s the deadline? Why should the reporter and their audience believe and support your points?
The Hollywood Story does NOT work with media. In fact it’s practically the opposite. The climax of the story in Hollywood occurs at the end; in news, it’s right in the headline and first paragraph.
Take and retain control of the interview—you can and always should prepare in advance, lead the discussion, and say you don’t have an answer for a question.
If you’re a spokesperson, its your responsibility to use every question to deliver an important message and tell your story; ensure all important points are made; strongly counter false statements or incorrect points; deliver and reiterate critical messages early and often. Remember the three C’s: Control, Comfort, Conversation.
Top Three Media Relations Tips:
- Personalize. The more interesting you are, the more interesting your story.
- Humanize. Bring characters in your story to life.
- Dramatize. Raise the stakes, inject some drama, use anecdotes.
Proven interview techniques
- Respond, don’t answer. Be creative, not a robot.
- Stay close to home. Be succinct with your answer , 30 seconds or less.
- Bridge back to your messages. Always link to your initial statement.
- Flagging. Highlight your key points as often as possible, simply and succinctly.
- Headlining. State conclusion and key messages first.
- Directing. Lead reporter to the topics you want to discuss.
- The wrap-up. Seize or create opportunities to re-emphasize key messages.
Interview Do’s
- Bridge away from “what if,” rely on “what if.”
- Flag key points.
- Speak in lay men’s terms.
- Ask for clarification if confused by a Q.
- Use facts, figures, anecdotes where applicable.
- Correct misinformation immediately.
- Finish your answer.
- Be sensitive to reporter’s deadlines.
- Be engaging and likeable.
- Be yourself.
Interview Don’ts
- Over-answer or answer Q’s you weren’t asked.
- Repeat or respond to negative language.
- Be afraid to pause and think about your answer.
- Be intimidated by rapid-fire Q’s.
- Rush to fill silence.
- Allow yourself to be provoked.
- Assume the reported knows more about the topic than you do.
- Assume the microphone or camera off immediately before or after the interview (Always on the record).
- Give answers when you are unsure about the accuracy of facts.
- Say “no comment.”
Summary
- Develop your own agenda.
- Know your messages and the facts.
- Link messahes to a sount bite.
- Prepare by practising out loud.
- Remember your rights.
- Communicate like a reporter.
- Be yourself.
At 7:30, Elisha challenges the members of the audience to come up with five key messages that they would want a reporter to know about their business or story, noting that people will be selected to present their key messages in front of the crowd.
But first, she addresses an audience question: how can one manage which media covers your stories and in what light? Elisha says this is exceptionally difficult, but not impossible. It requires finesse, but also luck. Target one segment of media—newspapers, Twitter, etc.—and focus on it. But ultimately, you cannot control what other media may pick up on your story or take another angle, especially with the online dominance.
Another audience member asks about Facebook—is it a corporate media tool or not? Elisha says that, although Facebook claims it is not, it absolutely is. Numerous corporations use Facebook as a tool to engage media and consumers very effectively.
Then an audience member by the name Julian of D2D Campaign Solutions comes up to present his key messages, which focus on a grassroots approach to campaigning. Afterward, Elisha practise-interviews him on the spot. She says while Julian didn’t exactly quote his key messages, he did get them across, which is what matters. Julian succeeded to demonstrating genuine passion and he took Elisha’s curveball questions well. Negatively, he wasn’t quick to the punch in promoting his website for accessibility and didn’t highlight his success stories well enough. Overall, though, he did well given the circumstances. Guess he learned a lot from the seminar!
Q&A
Q. Is it a good idea to suggest to the reporter related people to interview about the story?
A. Absolutely.
Q. Do reporters like to be solicited?
A. Most often, they do. Just don’t contact them near their deadline.