FM Walsh & Associates Inc.

Today’s guest post is from Theresa Coles, the PR expert. 

One of the best ways of getting your message across during a media interview is to do lots of preparation. Very often, it’s the simple – but sometimes overlooked – things like solid preparation – not techniques and gimmicks on how to “handle” an interview – that really help to set someone up for success. 

Good preparation runs the gamut, from finding out about the journalist and his or her media outlet, to practical issues such as how long the interview will last and whether visual aids or additional information would be helpful to the journalist.   

Good preparation helps to calm nerves, creates a sense of control over a sometimes stressful situation, and helps the interviewee get that all important point across to the audience!     

The South African golfer Gary Player is quoted as saying “The more I practice, the luckier I get” and this is true for media interviews as well as whacking a little white ball around a golf course! Something as simple as putting together a Q & A sheet, and practicing your answers until they become second nature, gives you the best chance of getting your point across.  

Given that an interview often results in only a brief sound bite or one-line quote, it pays to have those important responses and points at your finger tips, so that when the opportunity comes up, you’re right there, effortlessly answering the question, and positioning your company effectively to the audience. 

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Theresa E Coles,  Principal: Syllable  Words and Ideas, is a former journalist who “crossed over” to public relations some 15 years ago.  (604) 960-0515 or theresacoles@shaw.ca