In our last post on media training, we discussed the entire process of getting spokespeople “camera ready.” But to get the most value out of media training, trainees must “fail forward” by making and learning from their mistakes to enhance their growth.
For the second half of our Q&A on media training, PR Return’s Kraig Smith (KS) and Nick Olsen (NO) focused on the mistakes and the lessons they provide.
Q: What is a common mistake most interviewees make in an interview with the media?
KS: The most common problem is the visual presentation. People aren’t used to looking at themselves on camera. They may be unaware of nervous habits which can distract reporters in an interview. Seeing these on camera will help interviewees break these habits. They become their own harshest critics.
NO: Believing that something is “off the record” is a big mistake. While many reporters seek information on background, the reality is that a spokesperson is putting their trust in a reporter to keep the comments out of print. It’s not common practice for reporters to break this trust as, it harms their reputation and burns sources, but all it takes is one comment that was supposed to be “off the record” appearing in print to cause serious headaches for a spokesperson and the company they represent.
Q: What is the best way to provide feedback for mock interviews?
NO: You need to let the spokesperson see/hear the interview. As Kraig mentioned, most people are their own worst critic and will self-correct issues when shown their performance. Video/audio doesn’t lie, and most people want to put their best foot forward.
KS: We pause playback often, talk about things done well and opportunities for improvement, and then try to reinforce that feedback during the next round of practice. If they’re not doing the training themselves, the PR people who will facilitate future interviews must be in the room and actively participating. Each subsequent interview provides an opportunity to extend that training and improve a spokesperson’s skills. At PR Return, during interviews, we look for opportunities to positively reinforce effective behaviors and to share constructive feedback when spokespeople could do better.
Q: What is the best advice you can offer anyone going through media training?
KS: Don’t stress out over the mock interview. Your team is creating a safe space for you to make mistakes. In the real world, mistakes can hurt, but in a controlled environment with your PR counsel, mistakes are good. People shouldn’t hold back because they’re afraid they will say something wrong.
NO: Just because a session ends doesn’t mean everything will be perfect from here on out. Practice makes perfect. Review the tips and feedback provided in the session before an interview and keep working to improve.
Q: What is a piece of advice you can offer that isn’t common knowledge to interviewees?
KS: The people who know a topic the best aren’t always the best people to speak about it. Interviewees should be trained to speak in sound bites or top-down format. Reporters should leave with just a few key takeaways from the interaction, and a summarize-explain-summarize format often works well.
NO: “No comment” is still a comment, and a terrible one at that. It’s better to acknowledge the question, answer it briefly and bridge to a subject you want to discuss.
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