There are some mistakes that your client can make in media interviews that have the potential to damage, rather than enhance, their profile in the media. It’s the role of PR professionals to fully train your clients to reduce the chance of insulting journalists or getting negative coverage in the media.
PR Daily has provided four interview mistakes and tips on how to overcome them.
1. Asking to see the story before it runs
The majority of the time, the media will not allow the subject of a story to view the story until it has been published. However, if it is a pressing issue, it is possible to call the reporter and ask for them to read the quotes back to you in order to make sure they are correct.
2. The interview becomes nasty
Sometimes both the interviewee and the interviewer can become irritated, annoyed or just become plain aggressive toward each other. The best way to avoid this is to be proactive. Prepare your client thoroughly for the interview, including preparing them for the worst case scenario.
3. Incorrect or false information
A PR practitioner who consistently gives out false or incorrect information will very quickly lose credibility with the media. It is important to stress to your clients that they must never lie to the media and if a mistake is made, the best course of action is to correct it as soon as possible.
4. Going off topic
It is important to go over the talking points before an interview . These points don’t have to be memorised but going over them is a good way to help remember what key messages need to be conveyed in the interview. To be sure that the interview stays on track, you could sit in on your clients’ interviews so you can gently nudge the conversation back on track if it does go off topic.
Read the full article here.
Sydney Public Relations Agency, CP Communications provides specialist media, traditional and online PR strategies that get amazing results. Contact us today. For more great tips visit our website www.cpcommunications.com.au.
