Interview Preparation
Developing Key Messages and Facts
Before any media interview, a spokesperson needs two things: clear key messages and solid facts to back them up. Media training is the process of coaching spokespeople on how to communicate effectively with journalists, covering everything from message development to handling tough questions.
- Key messages are concise, memorable statements that capture the main points an organization wants to convey. For example: "Our company is committed to sustainability and reducing our carbon footprint by 50% by 2030." You typically want two to three key messages per interview, not more.
- A fact sheet is a reference document containing essential information about the organization, product, or issue at hand. It usually includes statistics, dates, names, and other relevant details (company history, product specs, event timelines). Fact sheets help ensure accuracy and consistency, especially when multiple spokespeople are giving interviews on the same topic.
Preparing for the Interview
Good preparation means more than just knowing your key messages. It means anticipating what you'll actually be asked and practicing how you'll respond.
- Research the journalist and outlet. Look at what they've covered recently, what angle they tend to take, and who their audience is. A local TV reporter and a trade publication writer will ask very different questions.
- Anticipate tough questions. Think about the most uncomfortable thing a journalist could ask, and prepare a response. If you're caught off guard in the actual interview, it shows.
- Run mock interviews. Practice with a colleague playing the journalist. This helps you refine your answers, spot weak points, and get comfortable with your delivery.
- Prepare talking points and examples. Having concrete illustrations ready (specific numbers, brief stories, comparisons) keeps you on message and makes your answers more compelling than vague generalities.
Interview Techniques
Effective Communication Strategies
Three skills separate a polished spokesperson from a shaky one: bridging, sound bites, and nonverbal communication.
Bridging is a technique for redirecting the conversation from a difficult or off-topic question back to your key messages. Common bridging phrases include:
- "The important thing to remember is..."
- "What I can tell you is..."
- "That's a fair question, and it connects to the bigger point that..."
Bridging doesn't mean ignoring the question entirely. You acknowledge it, then steer toward what you actually want to communicate.
Sound bites are short, quotable statements designed to stick in a listener's memory. Journalists need them for headlines and clips, so giving them a good one works in your favor. Effective sound bites often use analogies, alliteration, or contrast. For example: "Our product is the gold standard in the industry" is more quotable than a long technical explanation.
Nonverbal communication can reinforce or undermine everything you say. Maintaining eye contact, using open hand gestures, and sitting or standing with confident posture all convey credibility. Crossing your arms, avoiding eye contact, or fidgeting can make you look evasive, even if your words are perfectly fine.
Managing Sensitive Information
- Off-the-record comments are remarks made with the understanding that the journalist won't directly attribute them to you or publish them. They can provide useful context or background, but you should always clarify the terms before you say anything, not after.
- Even off-the-record, be cautious. Sensitive or confidential information can still shape a journalist's reporting angle or get revealed accidentally. The safest rule: don't say anything off-the-record that you'd be horrified to see in print.
Post-Interview Management
Following Up and Monitoring Coverage
The interview itself is only half the job. What happens afterward matters just as much for building long-term media relationships and protecting your organization's narrative.
- Thank the journalist. A brief email expressing appreciation for the opportunity goes a long way toward maintaining a positive working relationship.
- Offer additional resources. If something came up during the interview that you couldn't fully address, follow up with supporting details, images, or data. This improves the accuracy of the resulting coverage and positions you as a helpful source for future stories.
- Monitor the coverage. Track media outlets and social media platforms to see how the interview is being reported. If there are inaccuracies or misrepresentations, you can address them quickly with a polite correction.
Addressing Crises and Controversies
Sometimes an interview or its resulting coverage generates negative publicity. This is where crisis communication comes in.
Organizations should have a crisis communication plan already in place before anything goes wrong. That plan should outline:
- Roles and responsibilities: Who speaks to the media? Who approves statements?
- Protocols: What's the process for responding to a product recall, executive misconduct, or social media backlash?
- Communication principles: Effective crisis response centers on three things: transparency (acknowledge the problem), accountability (take responsibility where appropriate), and proactiveness (provide updates to stakeholders and the media rather than waiting to be asked).
The worst thing an organization can do during a crisis is go silent. Even a brief holding statement ("We're aware of the situation and are gathering facts") is better than no response at all.