Tough questions and difficult circumstances can try anyone's patience, especially if you have to face the media in the middle of a crisis.
That's why staying cool under pressure is so important. Easy? Not at all. But essential. The public, your customers, your employees -- they all want to see you succeed. They want to see you're in control. They want to know that you're handling the crisis. They want to know that everything will be okay.
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When you're dealing with a difficult subject and getting peppered with questions from the media, one very effective strategy in media relations is what we call broadening the issue. YOU'RE NOT ALONE After all, what you're experiencing is likely not unique to you or your organization. The problem may affect many others or the issue may have surfaced in other ways at other companies. TAKE THE SPOTLIGHT OFF OF YOURSELF So, you want to help reporters understand that this is not simply your problem. In this way, you help to take the spotlight off of yourself and focus it on a much larger playing field. Guessing games are fine for parties. They're not so good when it comes to dealing with the media. And yet, the media are often forced to guess when companies and organizations remain tight lipped during a crisis. We understand the need to be prudent with what can be said for legal reasons. But saying too little can be a real problem, as well. When reporters don't get answers from the main source, they'll go elsewhere for answers. So much of communication occurs outside of the words we say and how we say them. We also convey our attitude about the subject or the person or group with whom we're communicating.
With that in mind, it's vital that we stay cool under pressure, especially during a crisis. You'll be encountering questions from the media and these can often be pointed and direct. When this occurs, remember that the public is looking past the words you say to the way you say them. Non-verbal language has a huge impact. When it comes to deciding whether to hold a press conference or other kind of media event, there are definitely two mistakes to avoid. The first is overestimating the importance of your event. The second is underestimating the importance of your event.
Overestimating Let's face it. Everybody thinks their story is newsworthy and that the media will just naturally beat a path to your door. We see it all the time. The concern, however, is that this very well may not be the case. Your story may hold little interest among the media, no matter how exciting you try to make it. What kind of events fall into this category? 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). 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. 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. The best press conference is the one that results in the best press coverage, in terms of both number and tone of stories. What many people overlook are the details that it takes to get those results. Follow these eight steps and you'll improve your odds tremendously. 1. Select a newsworthy topic. The Media aren't there to promote you. They want news. 2. Choose a good backdrop. Holding a press conference on location (in front of the school, in a classroom) is almost always more effective than a conference room. Much of what passes as news these days is a recitation of events and what people say about them. In other words, a local fire causes heavy damage and a neighbor comments about the loss; the City Council passes an ordinance and a store owner comments on what it means to her; an elected official makes a speech and someone from the other party offers an opposing viewpoint. What reporters need While readers and listeners may benefit from comments like these, what's often missing in today's news cycle is good, effective and well reasoned interpretation of the news. Reporters are constantly on the lookout for effective thought leaders who can add a unique perspective on events or trends. The need is even more apparent when it comes to breaking news. |
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