Media interviews are a great way to communicate more information about your company to your target audience and build another relationship with someone from the media world. They inform people about your brand and gives authentic insight into your company, allowing your audience to see a peak behind the curtain of your business. However, these interviews can be nerve racking and challenging, especially if its your first one. Its very common to be nervous or scared, but the best way to ensure that it goes well is to be prepared. So, whether this is your first time or fifth time partaking in a media interview, here are some classic public relations tips to ensure you nail it!
Come Prepared
Because you most likely don’t know the reporter, it is essential to do your research. Different journalists will have different niches, so doing some research on social media to get more information on their personal and professional background can only help you. Additionally, make sure that you prepare some key talking points and are ready to talk about them. Being fully knowledgeable about some key messages you would like to bring up during the interview and knowing some numerical data (if applicable) is favorable. There will be times where a journalist might throw in some broader questions about the industry or related topics so being on top of the news outside of your area of focus is something else to keep in mind. Forbes can agree on all these public relations tips and more!
Find a Balance
To make yourself and the journalist more comfortable, having a little bit of a conversational tone is more inviting. Of course, you also have to keep it professional. When the time comes for tough questions, it’s better to have a positive stance after acknowledging the negatives. Additionally, using vocabulary specific to your product/idea is as important as making it understandable for a larger audience. Find a balance between giving good quotes but keeping the language simple. You never know who’s watching and who might take interest in it.
Practice, Practice, Practice
There is no better way to prepare than doing mock interviews before the actual one! Going over possible questions and responses will give you confidence. You want to make the most of your opportunity, so being prepared will help you communicate what your audience needs to know in a better way. This also gives you the chance to sort out what you want and don’t want to cover during the interview.
Now that you know a few public relations tips to aid your media interview, you’re all set to follow through! Always remember, the more impactful the interview, the better the coverage for your brand. Click here to find out how to contact a journalist for one!
