ANY successful media encounter needs simple and critical ingredients.
Insight, knowledge and examples.
KNOW your product. Know why you are there and WHAT you are selling.
There’s really nothing the matter with “selling”. It’s what we all do during any PR campaign. PR Companies in Melbourne and across the nation know this all too well.
We are selling good or complex news … and informing the audience.
Too many people – in my view – don’t demonstrate passion and enthusiasm when doing interviews. I can never understand why.
We are all inspired by people of passion. People with drive. Just take a moment and think about some of the best communicators you know. People you love to watch, read or listen to.
They are always insightful and always informative… and always driven by enthusiasm.
Right now Sam De Brito of Fairfax is one of Media Key’s favourite writers. He has heart, soul and a desire to make people think more about the big issues. He’s a deep and passionate soul who obviously cares about his family. If you don’t read his work start today – he is AMAZING.
You can’t go past people like David Attenborough for his boundless love of nature and the natural world.
WHY do we love him? He has a great charm – a boyish enthusiasm to sell messages.
This brings me back to interviews.
Always remember chances are you will often know more than the media about your given topic. They look to you to help educate and inform the audience.
As the Saints once said, Know your product.Know what you want to say and how you’re going to spell it out.
As a leading Public Relations Agency in Australia, we always highlight to clients preparation is everything.
Have at least six key points you plan to use in any interview.And say them! Don’t wait to be asked. It’s a common mistake.
Media will always – rightfully so – have their own agenda or questions.That’s to be expected.If you follow their lead that’s what you will be doing.Following.Diligently.Don’t follow!Lead.
Have clear examples that back up and illustrate your points. Use evidence constantly to make your case. Stick to your guns – and remember in any interview it’s up to you to take a lead… otherwise you are indeed following.
Remember too media – as a general rule – are NOT out to target you and bring you crashing down. Too many people believe all media want is negativity and a good battle. It ain’t the case. Really. Media are out to entertain, inform and communicate.
They then expect you to just that. Be interesting – and anecdotal. Have plenty of passion – and drive to make your points. Too many people simply flatline in interviews. They sound dull and passionless. If you don’t get excited about your messages and reasons for being there, you can hardly expect the audience to “feel the love”.
Ask yourself this. When was the last time somebody really amazed you when they were interviewed? What qualities did they possess?
You’ll always find – buried in there – was a ton of drive, passion and gallons and gallons of enthusiasm. It always changes an interview dynamic … and leaves interviewers and the audience wanting more.
By Ross Woodward, Media Key Principal. Ross has media trained dozens and dozens of major leaders over the years and has himself done many TV interviews and hundreds of radio interviews on the ABC and commercial stations.
He was a BBC and ABC journo and drinks far too much tea. Media Key is a leading Public Relations Agency in Australia operating nationwide and internationally for clients.
