You (or your PR person) worked really hard and just landed you an interview with a major media outlet. This may feel like a make or break moment for your company. At a minimum, it is a chance to get some significant exposure. Are you panicking?
I remember the first time I was interviewed by a reporter. I was scared I was going to say something I might regret when it showed up in print. For many people talking to the media can be intimidating, especially if you haven't had formal "media training."
Fortunately there is a new media training infographic created by Elena Verlee and Udemy that shares 33 tips for nailing a media interview.
The key to acing your interview is to know your key messages, prepare and practice. Here are some important takeaways:
Identify 3 to 5 Key Messages
Establish and narrow down key messages so that you have 3 to 5 easy-to-remember points. You'll want to keep bringing the interview back to these key messages, but in different ways.
Use Analogies Whenever Possible
To make it even easier to remember and articulate key messages, come up with analogies that offer a comparison to something everyone is familiar with. This is especially important when introducing a new product or service to the market.
Have Valuable Statistics Handy
Statistics give context to the story and help frame your key messages. Have a few stats handy such as the size of the overall market, the slice of the market you are going after, customer demographics and what influences them, or trends and survey research.
Keep Practicing
There's nothing like practice to help put you at ease and communicate your key messages clearly. Practice with a colleague or record yourself to see where you can improve. Rehearsing what you want to say over and over again, will reduce anxiety and fear while still being able to speak naturally and comfortably with all types of questions.
Check out the full infographic below to help prepare for your next media interview.