11 Nov 2021
Make it easy on yourself...
So, you’ve agreed to do a formal one-to-one interview with a journalist. It’s a great opportunity to get over positive messages about your company or organization. You know how long you’ve got to talk to them―because you’ve already asked them (or certainly should have done) ‘How much time have we got for the interview?’
Although the journalist in question hasn’t provided you with any questions in advance (it’s not mandatory so don’t expect it) thanks to your advance enquiry they’ve sent over a useful shortlist of topics that they want to cover during the interview. So, at least you’ve got some idea what you’re likely to be asked.
Meanwhile, your advance preparation is progressing well. You’ve already decided what key messages you want to deliver, and you’ve started to memorize them, as well as learning the supporting narratives to back them up. You’ve put together a useful information pack on your company and its activities (including your latest annual report) so you can cut to the chase in the interview and not waste any unnecessary time on ‘background’ details. You’ve also put together some good high-quality images to go with it. Now what else can you do?
How about doing a dummy run? Get together with your PR advisor or market comms people and ask them to role play the part of the journalist. Then try answering the questions that you think you’ll be asked in the interview. Make it as real-life as possible, including watching the clock so you stay within time. Above-all-else imagine the worst question―that’s the one you DON’T want to be asked! It could be about poor financial performance, a product that’s proving less than successful with customers, or how a rival has overtaken you in the marketplace. Now start planning your answer, because as sure as the sun rises if you know that there’s an issue with your business, the chances are so will a journalist…and they’ll ask you about it. It’s their job.
Above-all-else, make it as lifelike as possible. Don’t see the questions in advance. Play it for real. Then sit down and critique your performance. Could you have answered that one better? Was there a better explanation to offer? Did you communicate effectively and concisely…or simply waffle on and lose your thread? A good tip is to record the interview and play it back to hear yourself in action. You might be surprised by those verbal tics you’ve never noticed before. Then do it all again until you’re fully on top of your brief.
Practice, if done well, really can make perfect. And that’s exactly why taking the time to prepare properly for an interview in advance, including conducting a dummy version of the real thing, can pay real dividends. If you already know how you want to answer the awkward questions, those left field ‘I didn’t see that coming’ queries, then when the real thing comes along hopefully you won’t be lost for words…