Speaking to reporters can be daunting, even for CEOs and founders who've done it dozens of times. Each interview takes a certain amount of preparation and practice to make sure your messaging is on point for a given reporter's beat and area of interest. But, with a little preparation and some practice scenarios, even the most timid among us can be become experts are briefing the press. To get started, take a look at Media Training 101.

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MEDIA TRAINING 101
SparkprOCT 2015

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The Media

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CONTENTS
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Media Overview
Interview Strategies &
Techniques
Role of PR
Practice Exercises
Summary

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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
DECREASINGINTEREST

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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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