Interviews often start with a bang, but end with a whimper. That is, the questions are typically the most hard-hitting at the beginning or soon after an interview starts.

Very often, however, the reporter or host runs out of steam - and questions -  and coasts to a conclusion. It's not uncommon for them to ask something like, "Well, is there anything else you'd like to add?"

This is a golden opportunity. The response should never be, "No, I think we covered everything." 

Even if you did cover everything, you always want to take the opportunity to restate your key points and remind listeners and viewers of your central message. This is absolutely critical if it's a live interview and you have what amounts to free air time to promote your company, product and brand.

So, your response might go something like, "Well, I just want to thank your for the opportunity to talk about our expansion plans. And, I think it's important to again say how excited we are at (Company name) to be able to add jobs and help boost the local economy."

And, much more could be said, based on what you're trying to communicate through the interview. The point is to never pass up the wrap-up question at the end. Have your message so well thought out that restating it in various forms becomes second nature to you.  

We provide media training workshops. Find out more! Follow us on Twitter (@mack_comm).

Media training can be an effective tool to prepare executives, board members and spokespersons to handle a variety of media encounters. Unfortunately, some of the very people who could most benefit from such training don't think they need it.

What are the benefits and why should you consider it for you or your team? 

Confidence
The main benefit is confidence. You've stepped through the various scenarios of what you can expect. Going through group or one-on-one coaching gives you the preparation you need to face a reporter or a radio or TV host. Seeing yourself on camera helps you to see what works and what doesn't.

Control
You also learn how to maintain control of the interview. You learn how to communicate your message and not simply answer questions at the whim of the interviewer.

Communicate
A third advantage to media training is that you learn how to communicate the precise message you'll want the media to report or the listeners or viewers to hear. Without that message development, you miss out on strategic ways you can tell your story and defend your organizations's brand.

Convincing
Last, media training helps you sound more convincing. Knowing what to expect and how to handle the questions you're likely to face allows you to answer questions more directly and emphatically. You're not stumbling around for answers. You can stay on the offensive.

We had one client tell us they didn't need media training because they've always been good up in front of people. That may be true, but there's a lot more to talking with the media than merely being glib. 

In fact, media training should be an ongoing exercise. Consider having your top people go through a refresher couse every year. When you consider how much can be at stake, especially during a crisis, it's sound advice.

For more on how Mack Communications can help you and your staff, contact us today!

Are you a professional communicator, someone who communicates for a living?

Actually, as we pointed out at a recent Mack Communications training presentation, it's a trick question. We are all professional communicators because we all need to communicate to do our jobs. 

Think about all of the people you have to communicate with on a daily basis: coworkers, supervisors, peers, customers, the public. It can be overwhelming, but it shouldn't be.

The bottom line is, everyone communicates. You don't have to be great to communicate. You don't have to have a title. You don't need a lot of money. You don't have to have any advanced degrees. In fact, you don't necessarily have to say things in just the right way.

All you really need is the desire to communicate, the courage to communicate and the willingness to communicate. You have to want to reach out and get your message across. You also have to have the courage to put yourself out there, knowing that some people might reject what you have to say. And you have to be willing to participate, to get involved with others and listen to what they have to say.

Bottom line: communication isn't so much about what we say or how we say it. It's about whether we connect with others. Did they understand the message we were trying to get across?

Communication is truly a gift. Let's put it to good use. 

Have Mack Communications present a workshop for your organization. Contact us today!

If you're preparing to face the media or engage in a one-on-one interview, you may be wondering what to expect. What are reporters like? What are they after? What are they thinking?

The answers vary, depending on experience and subject, but overall they're all after pretty much the same thing: a story. As such, the more you can help them tell their story, the more important you become to the reporter. As a result, the better your chances of getting your own story across.

It's also important to understand that reporters are working under tight deadlines, often under a lot of pressure. They don't have time to chit chat. Respect their time. Return their calls as promptly as possible.

Last, don't assume a reporter has an agenda against you. Certainly, there are exceptions. It's always good to know what a reporter has written about your organization or industry in the past. But, most reporters attempt to be fair. As such, they want your side of the story. So, take advantage of that and be prepared with a compelling message.

Get more information about Mack Media Training.

Note: This is the final segment of a three-part series on crisis communications. Part One is here and Part Two is here.

The key once the crisis has occurred and you have handled the immediate response is follow-up. You simply have to stay on top of the residual stories that always occur once events have taken place.

Monitor
Follow-up must include traditional and social media monitoring to stay abreast of both favorable and unfavorable reaction. This is not just to see if you passed, but whether there are additional fires to put out that may have gone unresolved.

Follow-up must also include monitoring your own response, numbers of customers or stakeholders affected, pace of recovery, new problems, etc. The immediate crisis may be over, but the long term solutions may take time.

Ongoing Updates
Provide ongoing updates to the media about the aftermath. If you anticipated moving back into your offices within one month but find out it will take twice that long, then a press release or other kind of announcement will be necessary. And, if you are able to make a quicker recovery, that's also worth announcing so that customers and the public know you've succeeded.

Assessment
Assess the response from all angles. How did you handle the media? Did you have any problems reaching key members of your crisis team? Were your documents appropriate and up to date or were you left scrambling at the last second to come up with something new? Consider establishing an "assessment group" to review your team's effectiveness. 

Above all, determine how things went and what can be improved for the next time. Because, there will always be a "next time."

Contact us at Mack Communications today!

Here's a checklist to determine if you or someone else at your firm should take our Mack Media Training.

You don't understand the media
You've never spoken with a reporter and don't know what to expect
You have spoken to a reporter, but it didn't go well.
You need help crafting your message
You need to boost your presentation skills

We can help you with all of these concerns plus many, many more.

Our media training is designed to help level the playing field the next time you face reporters. Don't assume you know it all and don't assume you can't improve.

Who can benefit? Executives, board members, business owners, heads of non-profit organizations, educators, elected officials, athletes, coaches and ministers. 

Speaking to the media doesn't have to be a nightmare. Don't miss out a great opportunity to tell your story and tell it with confidence. We conduct group and individual training sessions. Participants go through mock interviews and later see how they performed on video.

Contact us at Mack Communication to set up your training session today.

The beginning of the year is a good time to reassess your press kit to make sure all of the information is accurate. Here are a few of the more typical items that may need attention:

• FAQ page: Are the questions and answers you provide for your product or service the most appropriate? You may find a Q&A that's no longer a major concern or an issue you no longer need to address.

• Bios: If you've had staff changes, promotions or other kinds of restructuring, you may find that names and titles no longer match. You also may need to change dates and wording so that you're no longer referring to "last year" when it actually means 2011.
• Fact Sheet: Make sure you update your data so that "customers served" or "products sold" reflect the latest statistics. You may also need to add or delete a product or service.
• Logo and branding: Did you update your logo, letterhead or tag line? Your press kit materials all need the new look as well. 
• Contact information: Make sure names, titles, email addresses and phone numbers are all up to date. 
  

You may also want to add new press clippings or photos to your kit to reflect the strength of your past media coverage. These are pretty simple yet often overlooked changes that any company or organization need to make each year. And remember, these changes should be made to both your printed press kit as well as your electronic press kit.
Twitter: @mack-comm
Need media training for your top executives? We can help.

It's easy to get tied up in your Key Message Point or the complexity of a question when trying to respond to the Media. Unfortunately, you can often miss the opportunity to keep your company or organization's brand front and center.

When we conduct media training, either to groups or one-on-one, we encourage our clients to "brand the bite." It's really pretty simple. 

Include your brand (company name, slogan, etc.) in your sound bite or response.

For instance, instead of responding with, "Well, we feel this is very important..." you can simply add, "Well, here at (Company XYZ), we feel this is very important." Instead of saying, "This is our top priority," say, "This is (Company XYZ's) top priority."

It does more than give the name of the firm more attention. It also serves to create more authority for the response. It's no longer just you making the remark, it's really about the company.

Branding the bite is also important in your press release, even if that release is printed on company letterhead. You never know when a news outlet will run the release with very little editing. The more mentions of your brand, the more likely those mentions will wind up on someone else's website or in print.

Twitter: @mack_com

If one of your media relations New Year's resolution is to issue more press releases this year, you might be wondering just when is a good time to send out a press release? The usual response is something like, "When you have something to announce to the public." 

True enough, but how do you know when that "something" is newsworthy? Frankly, it's tough. News judgment is going to differ from editor to editor. But, if you think that enough clients, customers and investors would benefit by knowing what you have to say, you're on the right path.

To give you a little more inspiration, here are 10 reasons to issue a press release. Ponder each of these in the context of your business or organization to see how they can apply to you:

1. A new service or product
   
2. A price cut or policy change
   
3. A promotion or new hire
   
4. A groundbreaking or ribbon cutting
   
5. A new client
   
6. An award your firm or an employee has won
   
7. Outside charitable work performed by one of your staff
   
8. Special anniversary for your organization (10 years in business)
   
9. Your new membership in trade groups or professional organizations
   
10. Public appearance or speaking engagement (and a summary of what you said)
    

You can see that there are really more than 10 ideas here, so it should be easy to let your imagination flow and come up with several more possibilities. Each one presents an opportunity for press coverage.

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We're honored to be featured in The Daily Herald Business Ledger. The focus of the column is that our choice of words and how we say something can make a world of difference, especially in business or when it comes to dealing with the media.

For instance, we write, "We counsel our clients to be careful when choosing their words speaking to reporters. Avoid the jargon and acronyms of your industry. Don’t get bogged down in statistics. Above all, speak to the tone of the event."

Further along in the column, we add, "We are defined by the words we use. Integrity applies to our conversations and emails just as much as it does to our corporate ethics statements."

We strongly suggest using the column to help set the tone for the new year. Read it here. And please feel free to let us know what you think.