No
athlete likes to lose. So what do you do for a competition? You
prepare yourself to win. The same goes for media interviews. The
best interviewees create win-win situations. You can communicate
your agenda by issuing a clear, specific message. On the other side,
having their byline with a top story satisfies the media.
Preparing
yourself to win in an interview is critical. It’s a waste to simply
show up and answer the reporter’s questions. By doing that, you
lose all the power. In this world where bad publicity spreads in
nanoseconds, there’s a lot at stake! Protect yourself with an IRA.
No, this didn’t just become a financial planning seminar. This IRA
is a tool for reputation management.
Influence.
Exert influence over the direction and tone of the interview
and the ultimate story. Do this by entering with a sharply focused
agenda. Ask yourself what one thing you want the audience to remember
most. Practice saying aloud in a concise sentence. In the interview,
look for ways to incorporate it often enough so that it has
to be used.
Responsible.
Make yourself responsible for the accurate picture the story paints.
No one else will do this for you. It’s your reputation at stake,
so make it your responsibility to get your facts right, be clear
and memorable.
Accountable.
You hear all the time, "It’s a free country, I can say whatever
I want." That’s true, but you better be accountable for it.
Sometimes that will mean saying you’re sorry and living with the
results. Make sure you don’t place blame, but be accountable for
finding a solution to a problem you may have contributed to.
To
help you with your IRA, you can also use this checklist to
prepare for your winning interview:
- What
do you want to achieve with this interview?
- Define
your agenda.
- What
don’t you want to happen?
- What
tone do you want to create?
- Who
else will be interviewed?
- Anticipate
tough and predictable questions.
- What
stories, examples, analogies can you use to make yourself more
interesting, unique and memorable?
Obviously,
you may not need to go to great lengths to prepare for every
interview. But if you want to create that win-win situation with
the media, make the most of an interview by knowing your agenda
and finding ways to communicate it.
For
more in-depth information, order the tape series Power
Training: How to Win at the Media Game and our Pocket
Guide to Avoiding Misquotes here at the Sports Media Challenge
website!
