Tough media interviews

We recently had an opportunity to have a client on the news to comment about a breaking business story. With good reason she was nervous. It was an emerging issue and not all the facts had yet been revealed. Additionally, she had stakeholders on both sides of the argument and couldn't afford to alienate any of them.

What do you do in this case? If you decline the interview media won’t come back to you when they need an expert. If you do the interview, you could get caught in a tough discussion.

There is no right answer but, if you are media-aware (if you understand the news process, what media are looking for, and why journalists ask certain questions) you are likely to come out looking like the expert you are.

Here are some ways to help navigate through such situations:

1) Remember, you are the expert: The reason media are asking you for an interview is because you are the expert. They aren’t looking to trick you. They are looking for insight to forward the story they are covering. Think about what you can tell them that they don’t already know.

2) Talking Points: Be prepared! You can be prepared even if you don’t know the questions ahead of time (and usually you won’t). Develop three to four one-sentence summaries of the most important points you want to make. Then, answer the questions you are asked connecting their question to your prepared answers.

3) Never Bluff! If you do not know the answer to a question -- say so. Equally, if you
can’t answer say so. Media resent a run-a-round. They almost always respect a clear answer as to why you can’t comment. Remember, all they are looking for is new information. So if you can’t tell them what they want, tell them something else that would be helpful. Try one of these: “This is not my area of expertise but from my vantage point the issue is……..”; “I don’t know anything about that so I couldn’t say but something I think is very interesting is …….”; “Due to regulatory restrictions I am not able to provide any information at this point but I can tell you……”; “This matter is currently in front of the courts and while I am not at liberty to speak about it now, feel free to come back to me in a few weeks and I’d be happy to discuss with you what I can.”

4) Don’t get quoted out of context: Being taken out of context can in large part be avoided by the interviewee. There are always journalists that look for the sensational version of a story but the vast majority aim to get it right (and fast). Help them by talking clearly, eliminate industry jargon (people tend to use even more industry-speak when they are nervous). Chances are if they got it wrong they didn’t understand what you said. Keeping responses short will also help. If you give them something too long they will have to use part of your answer to fit the space/time they have and it will be up to them which part to use. Because they are not experts in your area, they can select a portion that on its own is inaccurate or doesn’t make sense. Get in the habit of speaking with quick short sentences that don’t rely on a follow-up comment to make sense. This sounds difficult but with practice can indeed be mastered.

Scotiabank sets example with online strategy

Having a specialty in PR for the financial service industry I am always intrigued by creative ways to gain added exposure.

Scotiabank’s online strategy is setting a wonderful precedent in this area. The Money Clip podcast offers everyday practical financial advice. You can listen to it online, download it to an MP3 or print a transcript. It is a wonderful compliment to the Bank’s brand and is naturally integrated into their website. Once you listen, you are more than likely to browse the rest of the site…I know I do.

Also of note is a contest Scotiabank is using to build on its online strategy found at www.scotiabank.com/cda/content/0,,CID7895_LIDen,00.html

The contest is giving away $1,000 every month until December 31, 2007. Less original from my perspective but at least it drives traffic back to its online strategy.

You Tube is serious PR:

I was recently pitching our services to a new company and trying to explain the merits of integrating a social media campaign into their marketing/PR plan.

Using You Tube as the most mainstream example, I found this potential client was skeptical of this strategy, putting us (politely) on the defensive – not good at anytime, especially when making a first impression! The feeling was that this was not mainstream (only for the young) and not for serious businesses.

Next time I face this uncertainty, this will be my response on how serious players are using You Tube and the various ways it can be applied as a communications tool:

Contests:

Fresh Burst Surprise: What would you like to do for a second time? A brilliant, thought- provoking and funny campaign set up to generate public discussion. It also includes an incentive (free T-shirt) to visit their website. Click here.

Heinz challenge for best commercial: The public votes on the best amateur commercial. Reward includes a significant amount of money and air time. Instructions are easy to follow and the rules are clearly defined. Click here.

Politics:

YouChoose ’08 – Face the Candidates on You Tube gives you all you need on how to vote. Here are two examples:

Barack Obama TV on You Tube: Shows recent speeches and other videos of himself with a link to his own website. Click here.

Senator Chris Dodd: Uses this as another method to air election ads. He also runs a Q&A session before one of the debates, an interesting strategy. He sets the tone and builds image by showing supporters cheering, etc. Click here.

Promotions:

CBS uses You Tube to promote its baseball coverage. Click here.


Apple uses this forum to advertise its Apple iPhone. Click here.


How To:

The ‘how to’ category can be applied to so many businesses and services today. It is also an easy way to create a video. Some that I liked are:

How to solve a Rubik’s Cube. Click here.

How to get You Tube Subscribers….And please note the correct lingo here: A channel = what you run on You Tube; Vloggers/Vlog = those who use this medium of communication/what is produced (not to be confused with bloggers/blog); Subscribers = people who regularly tune in (the idea is to get as many subscribers as possible!).
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