There’s a reporter on the phone - 20 Top Tips for Business Leaders
Always establish who you are talking to, establish their ‘bona fides’ & contact details
Then find out their deadline & offer to call back well in advance of it
Don’t do ‘off-the-cuff’ interviews – first establish the reason & context for the reporter’s call
Never say ‘no comment’ – if you can’t comment at the time, explain why & when you will be able to do so
Determine what you want to achieve from the interview
What are your three key messages – write them down and prioritise them (don’t necessarily memorise them). Now work out your priority message – this is the one message you’ll communicate regardless of what questions you’re asked
When being interviewed, listen to the entire question – then think of your answer (no self-listening)
Look for and create and opportunity to get across your priority message – Bridge
Use simple language/no jargon – don’t force the reporter or the audience to interpret your answer
If you do not know the answer – don’t guess. Always be truthful
There is no such thing as ‘off-the-record’
Don’t be tempted to say something that you wouldn’t want to read on the front page of tomorrow’s Dominion Post
Don’t fill the ‘pregnant pause’ – it’s the interviewers responsibility to keep the interview going
Try, where possible, to meet the interviewer and do the interview in person. If a face-to-face interview is not possible, do telephone interviews on a land-line, not your mobile
When being interviewed by telephone, do the interview standing up rather than sitting as you will be more alert & sound better
In a television studio avoid sitting on a swivel chair & look at the reporter, not the camera
Always arrive for an interview early
Don’t over answer, get to the point and be concise
Support your answers with examples - substantiate the points you make
Remember – media interviews represent an opportunity not a threat. While you can’t control what the media reports – you can control what you say.
