You're allowed an agenda
Guy Clapperton MCIPR
The media trainer that helps you avoid being misquoted, misunderstood or misrepresented. My team will ensure you get value out of speaking to the press.
So often in media training sessions I find delegates veer either to one extreme or another. Either they want to ignore a journalist's questions - or those of a podcaster or other media professional - and steamroller their agenda through regardless or they think that's going to annoy the journalist so instead they think they should meekly answer the questions and do nothing else. I've shown videos of people steering interviews round to their point and been told that this is brilliant or that it's really irritating because they're not answering the question.
We always advise our clients to find a middle ground. In no other business conversation would you (or your client if you're in comms) go in unprepared and without an agenda. Nor would you assume you should go in all guns blazing and ignore everyone else's needs, it's all about finding the middle ground, answer the questions but be aware the journalist needs to know where you're coming from and why.
Journalists are brilliant at assuming they have the right to ask anything and in a free country that's perfectly correct. You, however, are allowed to make whatever point you wish. Journalists will be coming to you because of your expertise, your view, your company's perspective. Make sure you deliver it.
Guy Clapperton
Video tip: we're not out to get you
Do your clients need help with delivering their messages? You've paved the way but need them put through their paces with a camera? That's where we come in - do get in touch through LinkedIn or drop VA Lindsay Simons, [email protected], a note.
See you in a fortnight.
Regards
Guy
Founder of Central Press Brazil & UK | Journalist I Reputation management specialist
4 个月Excellent approach! When a spokesperson engages with a journalist, they should have a thorough briefing on the subject at hand and be well-prepared to answer questions. It is also the journalist's responsibility to ask the right questions to obtain the desired responses.
I do PR, digital PR and animations - so you don't have to.
4 个月I think the worst examples of it being done in a grating way are politicians, particularly ministers or shadow ministers, where they often ignore the question completely. I've never worked in government comms but they seem to advertise for staff a lot, so maybe people get fed up of this sort of coaching. Agree though, your client is there for a reason - be that expertise/hawking something/whatever - so they should realise their importance to the thing.