It’s 10.15am, you’re in your office and the phone rings. You pick up and a voice says: “Hi, this is John Davis from the BBC, we’d like to ask you a few questions….” By now, your heart is racing and your mind is whirling. So what do you do?
Here are three steps to ensure you don’t end up on the wrong end of a media encounter.
1) Assess the situation
Remember you do not have to give the interview - there may be no benefit to your company in doing so. In order to decide whether or not to give the interview you need more information. You also need to know how much time you have to prepare.
2) Buy time
Never be tempted to give the interview right there and then. Explain that you are about to go into a meeting or board a train or join a conference call – anything to avoid falling into the worst trap of all, conducting an interview without any planning.
3) Establish the context
In order to assess the opportunity and plan your response, you need facts. So ask the reporter:
* Which media they are working for (TV, radio, print and which specific programme or publication) and their contact details - this is essential information in order to prepare for the interview (and ensure that the person on the end of the line really is a journalist, not a competitor or some other interested party)
* The subject of the interview and their angle - don’t assume the journalist’s mind is working in the same direction as yours
* Who else the journalist is speaking to - the journalist might also be interviewing a pressure group or one of your main competitors. If so you can predict and plan for likely questions.
* If TV or radio, whether the interview will be live or recorded. A live interview can be nerve-wracking, but at least you know that everything you say will be broadcast: you have less control over a pre-recorded interview where your words will be edited
* When their deadline is - this provides a timescale for your preparation
The answers to these questions will help you decide whether you should give the interview or not. If you decide that there is benefit in doing so, you now have the information and timescale in which to do your preparation which is essential for a successful performance.
Research has shown that conducting a TV interview is less popular than a visit to the dentist for a filling! But following this approach to a media enquiry provides you with the platform to succeed in this most challenging environment.
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