7 Steps to the perfect Media Interview
Copyright 2006 John Jantsch
So, what happens when all of your PR activity actually prompts a
reporter to call for an interview? Getting the interview is only
one-half of the deal. Follow the steps below, and you are more
likely to turn your interview into a powerful marketing tool.
Set Goals for the Interview
When a reporter calls to schedule an interview, either by phone
or in person, ask a couple of innocent questions. Find out the
nature of the story, who is the audience, when it is expected to
run. The answers to these questions will help you better prepare
your responses.
Never Wing It
The primary point of almost any interview you will be asked to
give is to get your company's core message communicated in a
compelling manner.
To do this in the context of an interview, you should script
very quotable core message sound bites, no more than 20 seconds
or so in length, and be prepared to deliver them word for word
at the appropriate time.
Break the Ice
When a reporter that you may not know calls to interview you,
there is often a bit of a control issue. The reporter is asking
all the questions, so he/she is in control. You actually want to
wrestle some of this away right up front. Think about this like
you would a sales call. In order for you to get your message
told, you may need to interject it into the discussion.
I find that asking a couple of ice-breaking questions can be a
great way to settle your nerves and open up the reporter. My
favorite questions are to ask the reporter where they are from
or what brought them to this specific publication. Establishing
a little personal ground seems to make everyone a little more
relaxed.
Redirect
Sometimes a reporter just won't get what you are trying to
communicate. Or worse, he/she seems to want to talk about
everything but the key points you are trying to communicate.
It's not that the reporter is intentionally being difficult,
most of the time it is because he/she may not really know much
about your industry. In these cases you need to have a few
redirecting phrases that allow you to answer his/her questions
with your answers.
Here are a few phrases that work wonders: What's
important to consider in this case, though . . . Let me
make that more relevant for your readers . . . What we
can take from that point is . . . That's a good
example, but I think you'd also be interested in knowing . . .
The key to redirecting a question from a journalist, of course,
is to have a plan and preset answers. Then all you have to do is
be alert for the proper way to direct the journalist to your
message.
Don't Panic
Sometimes you will get a question for which you don't have an
answer. Don't panic and don't make up an answer. Simply tell the
journalist that you don't know the answer, but promise to get
it. This can give you a great excuse to follow up with a
reporter. Oftentimes you remember some other point you wished
you had made and you can add during a follow-up call.
One Last Thing
I find that it's good to get the last word. Many journalists
have been schooled to finish an interview with an open-ended
question like, "is there anything else you'd like our readers to
know about . . ."
This is a great sound bite opportunity, and you should always
have a prepared comment that is very powerful.
Even if the reporter doesn't ask, you should interject your last
statement, "You know, there's one more thing I'd like to point
out."
Prepare a Takeaway
Make it as easy as you can for the journalist to get the facts
and figures right. Prepare some sort of takeaway that will help
your story and make sure that all your contact information,
including web sites and other places to find more information,
is included. If the interview is via phone, you can email or fax
the takeaway.