Now that’s SCARY!

Paula Worthington & Mike Brown 

This Halloween, we’re sharing four great tips for making your media interview experiences less of a trick, and more of a treat! If the idea of talking to the media makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up, this blog is for you – because winging it during a media interview can be downright bone-chilling.

As PR practitioners, we are always on the lookout for a great story that we can share with the media and secure great coverage for our clients. Whether it’s a print article, radio interview, broadcast segment or digital story, securing earned media is when preparation meets opportunity: providing a perspective or story that is interesting and newsworthy at the right time, to the right audience. 

Are you taking media interviews without training? That’s a grave mistake! The old saying that you only have one chance to make a first impression rings true with media interviews too. 

After all, you don’t want the media to ghost you the next time you reach out to them. 

You may already know the Five Tips to Prepare for a Media Interview, so in this blog post we are going to focus on four additional areas to improve your presence, and make your interviews less…haunting. 

Don’t get spooked by media interviews, practice these four exercises first: 

Exercise 1: Visualize Your Interview

Avoid a hair-raising experience by knowing your headline, key messages, and how you want to enchant the audience with your story.

Think about questions you may want to sink your teeth into and the ones that may cause you a fright. If you dread it, expect it. 

As you approach your interview, visualize what you hope the end headline will be of your story. From there, develop your key messages that will help the media understand your story and what it is you want to share with your audience. Your goal throughout the interview is to incorporate all of your key messages. 

Ask yourself: What’s my story? What are you sharing with your audience that might be compelling, new or different? Are you able to share an interesting tip about a subject area where you have some expertise? 

As the last part of your visualization, think about the questions you anticipate being asked. Work through any challenging questions in advance, and think about how you might navigate questions you don’t know how to answer. After all, you don’t want to be caught in a dead-end response. 

Exercise 2: Rehearse your interview 

A little rehearsal can be a real thriller. Plan your attire for a confident look, but avoid green in the studio, because if they use a green screen you may look like a scary floating head! A polished look can also cast a spell on your viewers. 

Be possessed with confidence. Don’t talk with your hands too much and be sure to look at the reporter rather than the camera. Be mindful of anything you say before or after the interview. 

You can rehearse with a Mirror Mirror on the wall, or recruit a colleague or friend to serve as your practice reporter. Be sure to maintain eye contact with your reporter (don’t look at the camera). If you record your rehearsal interview, watch it back so that you can see any non-verbal cues you may want to work on. 

Exercise 3: Speak with Authority and Authenticity 

Tone matters. Be calm, confident, and try not to let your voice sound like a question unless it is one. Those “umms,” “ahhs,” and “I think”s are a graveyard for credibility—keep them buried in practice sessions.

A good exercise is to think about presenters whom you look up to. It might be a celebrity, newscaster, politician, CEO or other community leader. What is it about their demeanour (voice tone, body language and content) that makes them appear confident and trustworthy? Can you incorporate any of their habits or traits in your own way? 

Exercise 4: Review Your Interview 

Most of us would rather face a creepy-crawly crypt than watch our own interviews! But reviewing your performance can help you be even more comfortable next time. Get feedback from your comms team, and remember, even the most seasoned professionals weren’t born with bewitching media skills. Practice until your performance is truly spooktacular!

Review and feedback is always the last piece of our media training workshops. If you’re interested in getting trained by some of the best in the business, please reach out to us. We promise you won’t hear any BOOs from your audience. 

Happy Halloween!