Pile-Of-Cash
Supergirl-1024x577
We often hear, “Media training – is it really that important?” Our answer - an emphatic yes - never waivers. Just look at the race for the 2016 presidency, where a lack of quality media training has produced some cringe-worthy moments for candidates (red and blue alike) who can’t stop putting their collective feet in their mouths.
Donald Trump’s “small” loan
Trump recently said in a Today interview that he can relate to the average American, and that his father, Fred Trump, gave him a “small” loan to get his start in real estate. That loan was $1 million.
Hillary Clinton’s three-words
While visiting a historic black church in Missouri to discuss religion, racism and access to education for African Americans, Clinton uttered the phrase “all lives matter,” oft-used as pushback to the "black lives matter" movement.
Jeb Bush’s super slip-up
During a recent interview, Mr. Bush was asked a trivial “Who is your favorite superhero and why?" His initial response was a good one: "I'm kind of old school. I like the old school guys like Batman…” But then he quipped “I saw that Supergirl is on TV when I was working out this morning…she looked pretty hot."
Lincoln Chafee’s strange excuse
When asked about his 2000 vote for the repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act, considered by many a contributor to the 2008 financial crash, Chaffe responded “Glass-Steagall was my very first vote. I had just arrived. My dad had died in office. I was appointed to the office.”
Mike Huckabee needs a cold shower
Sharing his views on the growing social acceptance of transgender people, Huckabee said “When it came time to take showers in PE, I’m pretty sure that I would have found my feminine side and said, ‘Coach, I think I’d rather shower with the girls today.’”
Throwback bonus: The Dean scream
Howard Dean's campaign suffered a staggering blow when a last-minute surge by rivals John Kerry and John Edwards led to a disappointing third-place finish in the 2004 Iowa Democratic caucuses. Making matters worse, he followed with a loud outburst that reinforced the media narrative that Dean was a loose cannon.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6i-gYRAwM0
Certainly avoidable, these gaffes provide valuable lessons for PR pros on the tried and true tips for executive media training:
Stick to your messaging: Know your talking points inside and out and effectively communicate your strategic messages during interviews.
Keep it short: Provide responses in a comprehensive yet concise manner. In a 24-news cycle, that one misstep could cost a lot of backlash.
Silence is golden: Take time to consider your response, never being afraid “check on that and get back to you” if need be.
To learn a bit more on PReturn’s media training sessions, and all other services we provide, visit us on our new website.