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MEDIA TRAINING 101SparkprOCT 2015

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The Media

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CONTENTS

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Media OverviewInterview Strategies & TechniquesRole of PRPractice ExercisesSummary

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Accurate, useful and timely information that will connect with their readers, listeners, or viewers

The job of the media is to tell a story using:

Reliable sources of information

Good visuals and/or sound bites

Media Motivations

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• Timeliness: An event that is recent or immediate; it must be “current”• Change: An event that is new or different• Impact: An event that is likely to affect many people• Conflict: An event that reflects clashes of thinking, people or policy• Prominence: An event that involves well-known people or businesses• Proximity: An event that is close to the reporter/reader• Trends: An event based on what “will” be news• Surprise: An event that is a departure from the norm• Useful: An event that centers around education

What Drives Coverage

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• Type of publication

• Primary audience

• Reporter’s experience with the issue

• Type of story

• Who else the reporter is interviewing

• Where your point of view fits into the story

• Questions you anticipate the reporter asking

• 1-2 key messages you want to communicate

Take Time to Prepare

BEFORE AN INTERVIEW, IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW:

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• Be prepared• Have additional factual information you may need or customer/analyst

references• Read previous articles by reporter to learn what interests them

• Be confident, credible; approach meeting as an equal

• Be an enthusiastic participant

• Be in control: demeanor, message and presentation

• Be interesting: have ideas on other topics/companies/issues

• Be thankful: friendliness will get you everywhere with media

• If subject of spontaneous or informal interview, ask about specific focus

Interview Strategy

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Delivery Matters. Research says content is less than 10% of the presentation. Voice and persona account

for the other 90%.

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Cooperation Counts

“Another spokesperson, the CEO of a small company, was engaging and went along with everything we requested. He even sent cookies to the crew after his interview! Whenever we needed a spokesperson for his particular industry, who do you think we turned to first? It’s not a coincidence that you see the same familiar faces on CNBC and CNN, they are good spokespeople, they speak in sound-bites and yes, they are cooperative.”

Carmine Gallo, former business host for Fox News, CNN and CNET

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Interview Techniques

Opening ClosingInterview

• Share a piece of who you are up front; an anecdote about life, kids, family can lighten the mood

• Ask media to reiterate story/angle they are exploring

• Define your agenda• Speak in headlines with

supporting points to follow

• Block tough/negatives questions and bridge back to key messages

• Avoid traps or surprises

• Ask questions about what reporter believes/thinks in relation to topic

• Offer final thoughts/summary of conversation: tie final message to larger story angle

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Making Yourself Quotable

CLIMAX(Summary Lead)

BODY(Facts in Diminishing Order of

Importance)

Minor Details

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1 HOOK

2 BRIDGE

3 FLAG

Techniques for Answering Questions

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• Influencing the next question that you will be asked when you end your message with a statement

Hooking

Definition

• Always address the question, but elicit a follow-up question that you want to answer

Technique

• “Actually that’s the second most important part of our strategy.”• “We’ve been able to deliver these benefits for a number of reasons.”

Examples

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• Moving from one aspect of an issue to another

Bridging

Definition

• Answer briefly, then move to key message

Technique

• “Yes”...(the answer)... “and in addition”... the bridge• “No”...(the answer)...• “let me explain”... the bridge• “I don’t know” ...(address the question)…“what I do know is”…the bridge

Examples

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Bridge, don’t block

• Smooth connection phrases work wonders• “No one can completely predict the future, but what I can tell you is…”• “I believe what you’re really asking is…”• “That speaks to a bigger point…”• “Another way to say this is…”

• Only “block” a question completely when you have a good reason• If you have to “block” explain why you need to do so, do not say “no comment”

or “I can’t answer that”• Once you smoothly block then “bridge” to your key messages or the point you

are trying to make

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Definition• Help your audience

remember your message

Technique• Emphasize or prioritize

what you consider to be important

Examples

• “The most important point about our marketing strategy...”• “Allow me to make one final point.”

Flagging

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Don’tsDos

DO’S• Do know your key messages• Do speak in headlines, conclusion first• Do highlight key points; emphasize

agenda• Do communicate clearly, avoid jargon• Do use facts, anecdotes to demonstrate

credibility• Do be engaging and likeable• Do keep cool, don’t be provoked

• Don’t assume you are ever “off the record”

• Don’t waste time discussing competitors

• Don’t over-answer; respond then stop• Don’t be fixated by a question, “bridge”

to point• Don’t repeat a reporter’s negative

statements or slurs; be positive• Don’t fake answers and never lie• Don’t air company gossip or dirty

laundry

Interview Tips: Dos and Don’ts

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• See it as an opportunity to speak of your strengths (use bridging techniques• “While I cannot comment on their strategy/product, I can say that ours offers the

most comprehensive solution to enterprises on the market today”

• Use third-party data to support your leadership messages• “Our customers such as Verizon and P&G will say that our solution allows their

workforce to be 15% more productive, saving them more than $1M per year.”

When Asked About the Competition

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• Introduces relationship

• Sets meeting agenda

• Interjects to correct course

• Helps to bridge discussion

• Follows up on action items

• Closes the deal

Role of PR

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Summary

Be prepared

Stay in control Let PR help you

Know your audience

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Thank You

San Francisco | New York

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