The phone rings and it’s a reporter on the line. Are you ready?
Every media interview is the opportunity to share your message. Before just diving in, get a sense from the reporter about what they’re hoping to talk to you about. Ask them who else they’re talking to and see if makes sense to connect them with other sources in your network – investors, clients, customers – who will round out your story. Understand the publication they write for and their audience.
Many reporters will be on deadline and they’ll want to talk to you as soon as possible. Just like they tell you not to take a job interview without preparation, don’t start talking to media without adequately preparing. Take some time, even if it’s only five minutes, to get your thoughts together.
If the interview is over the phone, write up the three to five points you want to make sure to get across to the particular audience the story will be geared toward. What do you want them to know and what do you want them to do? Have the piece of paper in front of you so you can refer to it throughout the interview.
Photo Credit: David Rhoeder
Remember, everything is on the record – meaning everything you say could end up in print or on air. If you don’t know the answer to a question you are asked, don’t make it up! Tell the reporter you’ll get back to them or that you’ll connect with them with the right person to answer their question.
And, if you want to get ahead of the curve – create what I call a vitals sheet with all of the important information about your company. These are things reporters ask often, but by having the answers in front of you, you can ensure accuracy – funding, number of employees, number of locations, number of users / customers, key product details, etc. That way, as you and your company receive more and more media attention, there won’t be major discrepancies, which could undermine your credibility.
Have more questions about nailing the interview? Sign up for a free 30 minute consultation, and we’ll review your talking points.
