We recently facilitated a media training course for a client who has offices in two cities and more than a handful of executives who could be called on to speak to the media. Over two days, we conducted a seminar on interviewing techniques and then conducted one-on-one mock reporter interview scenarios with eight company executives. Some of the executives were veterans of the interview process. For others, this training was their first exposure to what it is like to sit with a reporter, explain their business and answer questions about the marketplace.

The feedback we received during and after the training was both positive and insightful. People appreciated the opportunity to practice their interviewing skills from which their own styles emerge, learn how to work through uncomfortable questions, and understand how to provide information that is valuable to journalists.

The opportunity to work with a good cross section of the company also provided us some insight into why a company should regularly train and schedule media training refresher courses, even if its executives are veterans of media relations. For example:

Executives change jobs and spokespeople change roles
As employees grow within an organization and take on more responsibility, it is likely that they will soon become a spokesperson for a division, a product or an entire company. Don’t assume that because that person is a technical genius or a superb manager, that working with the media will also come naturally. Like most skills, communicating key messages in a media interview takes practice and preparation.

The same is true for a person who has done dozens of media interviews, but then moves to a new company or department. He or she will have to learn to communicate new or different information and will likely have different reporters and news outlets with which to familiarize themselves.

Companies evolve and histories change
Quite often the founder of the company is revered by those who have worked for the firm for a long time, and the oral history of the company reflects that person’s achievements, and justifiably so. But is that history really what you want to communicate to the press? Or would you rather tell a story of innovation and growth?  Spokespeople sometimes make the mistake of crediting the founder or former CEO in such a way that it diminishes his or her own credibility. You don’t want the reporter to think that he is talking to the wrong person, or that the executive sitting in front of him is not a decision maker.  Use the media training as an opportunity to listen to how different people in your company describe the history, and weave together a thread that ties the foundational history to how you are seizing today’s opportunities.

Facts, figures and public information change
After listening to several interviews over the course of a day or two in a media training exercise, it is likely that you will find different executives citing conflicting figures. If this happens, identify any inconsistencies and use the opportunity to update fact sheets, talking points and correct any misinformation with the team immediately following your training.

It’s understandable that certain facts – like the number of employees and numbers of product sold – change frequently enough that is difficult for executives to keep up. A simple way to address this is to have a media fact sheet that is updated before each interview. The spokesperson can then review the sheet before the interview to refresh his or her memory then hand the fact sheet to the report. This accomplishes two goals: The spokesperson is reminded of the most recent data, and the interview time is spent talking about interesting trends instead of reciting simple facts about the company.

Risks and crisis are different and scarier
Organizations are faced with greater and different risks than in the past. In the modern era, unfortunately, we have added cyber-fraud, hacking, workplace violence and the threat of terrorism, among others, to the list of crises that some companies should fear. If these are valid threats to your business, make sure that your crisis plan is updated to include these scenarios and that your staff is adequately trained on how to react. If these scenarios are not high risks for your business, it is still prudent to revisit your plan and think about how your business and industry have changed, and the inherent risks along with it.

Reporters swap beats and news cycles move faster
It is not uncommon to have more than one beat reporter assigned to cover a large company. For smaller companies, there probably is not a single reporter assigned to your company or even perhaps your industry. In either scenario, it remains important to be able to identify the reporters most likely to cover your company, understand their needs and deadlines, and be able to adapt your message to their coverage. In media training, we use mock scenarios but incorporate real reporter names and publications, so executives get a change to “practice” an interview and learn more about the style of the reporter before he or she enters into real interview situations.

In today’s newsrooms, it is rare that the same reporter will be covering a company or beat for years at a time. Keep up to date on the reporter(s) covering your industry as well as their needs and deadlines.

The frequency you schedule media training for your staff and spokespeople really depends on the pace of your business and industry and the changes within your executive ranks. However, an annual refresher is a good place to start.  For more information about media training and working with journalists, read the blog posts below:

“10 Lessons Learned from the Campaign” Webinar from PRDaily & Brad Phillips

The Great Debate: Know Your Spokesperson’s Strengths and Weaknesses

Mastering the Interview