Strategic media coverage can advance and strengthen a brand faster than just about any other means, according to advertising legend Al Ries. In a time of economic turmoil and low trust, positive media placements keep your name and your company front and center of your prospects and customers in a very powerful way. So when the media calls, how can you maximize the opportunity?

Let’s fast-forward to a real-time opportunity. A field producer from the local CBS affiliate is on the line. She’s interested in you and wants to schedule an interview. The challenge? One of her camera crews is already near your office and they want to stop by. You have about 20 minutes to prepare.

What do you do next? And how can you maximize this opportunity and turn it to your advantage?
The first step in positively and successfully working with media reporters is to create a positive first impression. This requires up-front preparation and thought prior to entering into an interview situation. Here are some key considerations: Any time you conduct an interview on behalf of your company, you ARE the company to your audience. Does that make you a little anxious? It should. You’re auditioning for a big part that could move your marketing needle in a major way. If you’re quotable and newsworthy, you’ll likely get lots of play, which is great for awareness generation and positive positioning. If you’re boring or deliver marginal quotes, you may well get shoved down in the story and competitors pushed to forefront.

To succeed and advance your all-important brand in a media interview, you must:

• Be believable
• Project a confident, poised and positive image
• Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the facts
• Appear open, friendly and non-evasive
• Be attractive and interesting

A positive appearance in the media represents a critical opportunity for strategic brand development. Strong performance and achievement in a media interviews directly impact your company’s brand, company growth opportunities and the management of your company’s reputation. How? Print, electronic and online interviews and appearances in commercial media constitute a literal “third-party endorsement.” Advertising often make claims that are not believable. If a major urban daily newspaper makes a claim in print, it generally IS believable.

So how do you do it and do it well?
In all interviews—particularly television interviews—there are four basic steps that lead to success. When we conduct formal media training at the MEK Group, it generally takes almost a full day of a workshop to truly embrace and practice the following principles. Here’s the short version:

1. Think and speak in “headlines.”Avoid long and drawn-out answers where possible. Have the important facts and statements “top-of-mind” and take charge by speaking succinctly and confidently.


2. Say it quickly—45 second answers are the best. If time permits, rehearse privately how you will answer certain key questions. For example, here’s the question that you ALWAYS want to be asked: “Tell me what’s happening at [your company] these days.” This question is preferred because you have total control over how you will answer it. It potentially becomes the “home run” question because your response could likely change the entire framework and tone of the interview.


3. Avoid “CorporateSpeak.” Acronyms, industry phrases and other internal language can confuse a reporter or ruin a good sound bite. Answer questions in a conversational tone, speaking simply as you would to a 12-year-old. “Simple” leads to great sound bites. And sound bites lead or make the front page.


4. Take control where possible. Many interviews you will face in your market areas will be largely comprised of “chamber of commerce”-type questions (this obviously does not apply to questions related to major crises). Remember the following points:

Before entering into an interview situation, do the following:

• Analyze what the reporter wants. When the reporter calls for an interview, simply ask what he/she is looking for in advance. If the reporter unexpectedly shows up looking for an interview, discuss the purpose of the interview before going on record. Remember who your audience is.


• Compare the interview opportunity against what your company’s market needs are. The print or electronic interview will impact potential and current customers, prospects, suppliers and influencers. What are the general market goals for the region served by the media who is interviewing you?


• Your mother taught you to be polite and answer questions exactly as asked. In an interview situation, this is not always true. Within reason (and without creating the appearance of being evasive), you control how you will answer any question. Maximize your answer to support your branding and communication goals.


• When a reporter pauses to review his or her notes, use the pause to make a key point. This is especially effective during a taped television interview, but works in all settings.

How do you make yourself interesting to a reporter?
Simply stated, reporters are looking for news. That may seem obvious, but forgetting this fact leads to marginally-successful or outright failure of media interviews. It is helpful to remember that the vast majority of news outlets are for-profit businesses. That’s why current surveys show that violence-related news comprises more than 50% of all television news.

Be a success in your media opportunity. Be simple. Be concise. Be truthful.

And be interesting.