How to Prepare for a Press Interview
When we are thinking about public relations strategy, it’s not just about how much coverage we can get a client. Any press is not, in fact, good press. We look at press strategy in two ways:
Are we reaching the target audience for the client? That’s determined by whether the media that’s featuring the client is aligned with the audience they want to reach.
Is the message they’re sharing the right one?
Aside from getting clients the right press opportunities, it’s important that when they’re interviewed, they are saying the right things. This is often something that’s neglected for companies or individuals that are DIY’ing their own PR and not thinking through their media strategy completely.
Of course, earned media is just that. You’re putting your story in the hands of someone else to write, record or film, and so on some level, they get to pick and choose how they tell it. But like most things in this world, we need to focus on the things that we can control. And that means preparing for press interviews.
If you’re about to do your first (or twentieth) interview, and you want to make sure your message is on target and you’re communicating what you want to, here are a few tips for preparing.
Research the Reporter, Producer or Podcaster
First thing’s first: Google. Look at your contact’s Twitter profile, the past stories they’ve been involved with, etc. We always provide a few stories for clients to read through so that they have a sense of the reporter’s style, and with this we provide any tips that we notice from looking at his or her work. Are there particular angles he or she is more interested in? A style of storytelling that might be helpful to understand? Icebreakers you can use or should know about the person when you’re talking with them? These are important to note.
Ask Questions & Know What’s Expected
If you can, ask your media contact what the interview will center on, so you can think about it ahead of time and offer the most targeted answers. On occasion, what you pitch isn’t what the reporter wants, but they see you as a value for another story, so knowing their angle going in is helpful. You’ll also want to prepare any media assets if those will be needed for the coverage - b-roll, headshots, etc. Have those ready when the reporter or producer requests them so you can meet their deadlines.
Think Through What Makes You Different
I had a client who was getting a lot of great interviews, but his quotes weren’t great or he was being left out. We quickly determined that the issue was, he wasn’t saying anything different from what the other sources in an article were saying. He wasn’t bringing his own unique POV to it - he was using the interview time to set the backdrop of the problem or solution instead of getting right to his points.
This is especially important if you are one of multiple people being interviewed for a news or trend piece. Decide what it is that you really want to get across and be sure to say that, in a concise and quotable way. Focus on that. If the reporter needs background, that’s fine - help them. But show up ready to be an expert in the thing you are an expert in. Which brings us to the next important step here…
Write Down Your Talking Points
You know your message better than anyone, you think. This will be a breeze. You can talk about your company all day.
This is exactly the problem. For the most part, interviews are quick. If it’s a profile of your company, they may be longer and more wide ranging, but if you’re being interviewed as an expert for a trend piece or news story, you may only have a few minutes. You want your talking points to be helpful and authentic, but also focused.
Write down a maximum of three things you want to be sure get out during your interview. And I literally mean write them down, put them next to you - refer to them to keep you on track if you start to meander or the interview gets off track.
Understand the Mechanics & Nuances of Press
I don’t work with major government agencies or whistleblowers, so this is my hard line: don’t go off the record. You know how you tell your kids, “Don’t take a photo on your phone you don’t want the whole world to see?” Same thing here. If you don’t want to see it in print, just don’t say it.
There is very rarely a good reason to go off the record. I’ve had clients who want to mention partnerships or their own clients, but they can’t name them. So, they shouldn’t. Instead, say, “We have a client that’s one of the nation’s largest retailers,” for example. If the reporter asks who it is, you can just say, “I’m sorry, we aren’t allowed to use their name for press.”
There are plenty of problems with going off the record. First of all, you’re doing this interview for press coverage. Anything you say off the record or on background can’t be attributed to you. Secondly, it’s just a dangerous game to play. Mistakes happen. Things make it into the record. You open up Pandora’s Box. Just don’t do it.
You also need to understand that a reporter isn’t your promotional vehicle. While he or she implicitly understands you want the media coverage to raise your profile, his or her job is really to tell the story in the way it will best be told. That may sometimes mean passing on media opportunities if they are not a fit for your brand, so think that through before getting on the phone for an interview.
It also means that you can’t go into an interview like an infomercial. The beauty of earned media is that it is the chance for someone else to tell your story and provide a new lens on it, expose it to a new audience. Think of how you can be most helpful in this vein.
In the end, earned media means you’re putting your story in the hands of someone else—a reporter, editor, podcaster or producer. There is some inherent risk to this, but that risk can be mitigated by being prepared for your interview, understanding your story and talking points, staying focused and understanding how media coverage works and what the reporter’s goals are.