Five Tips for a Top Media Training Session

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Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be interviewed by the press? More and more these days, the press are bloggers who also can be your friends, family and your neighbors! But, what happens when that blogger also turns out to be a writer for Bloomberg, who then turns out to be a reporter for Bloomberg TV? Well, it’s your time to really shine.  If you’re reading this, perhaps you’re looking for Tips on Avoiding Media Mishaps. However, this post is for current and potential clients looking to get the the most out of their upcoming media training session!

Here are 5 Tips for a Top Media Training Session:

  1. Share your stories: Watch and read old interviews you’ve participated in. Bring the clips to the trainer of print articles you liked/did not like. What was wrong with it? What was your best/worst experience with the press? Share this with the trainer so you can assess and avoid the same situation again.
  2. Trust the camera: The camera doesn’t lie. Watch yourself with a keen eye during the playback session. Discuss what can be done differently, accept the feedback and go back and try it again. We are often our own worst critics, however, a trainer has the skills to help you move beyond the negative self talk and come up with solutions to be a more effective communicator.
  3. Turn off the noise: Try – just try – to focus on the training. Imagine you are really in a press interview. What is it like to work with a journalist? Turn off cell phones, complete your texts and get to work. This may be your first (and last?) time you ever get to work with the press.
  4. Appearance does matter: Wear an outfit that you believe will appear well on camera. This is practice for the real thing. This includes hair, make-up and attire. Wear solid colors, not too much jewelry, no patterns or prints and avoid t-shirts (even if you are practicing for print interviews – appearance and professionalism is important).
  5. Prep yourself and your team: Prior to the session, prepare yourself – or your team — with the right messages: Do you know what you want to say about your company? How about your product, tech or APP launch? So many clients walk into the training and don’t understand this time is about delivering the message. If you need time to develop the message, schedule a separate session and get those messages in place prior to a media training.

Ideally, you will also match yourself or your client with the right trainer: Is the trainer the right person for you? Are you able to take advice from a man, a woman? Do you need broadcast TV preparation?  Do you want to hear the truth? Do you need to have a current news reporter giving you advice? Find a trainer that fits in with your needs. Understand that many trainers have news backgrounds, and while that helps polishing up for an on-air/print interview, often these trainers don’t have the experience of working with companies and understanding their needs from an interview. On the other hand, does the trainer have PR experience? If that’s the case, ask if they have any experience serving as a spokesperson.

Personality matches do matter. Watch on-air clips or read print articles of the trainer and ask yourself, “Is this someone that I would want to give me honest and direct feedback, and can I take it from them?” If the answer is “yes” you’ve got yourself a partner to help you navigate the press for the day, and well beyond.

Binay Curtis is a media professional with more than 20 years of experience working in front of and behind the camera. She’s not shy at telling the truth and learning from her own mistakes as well. Follow Binay @Galaxysix around the web.

 

Avoid Media Mishaps/0 Comments/in , , , , , , , /by

 

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How do media mishaps take place? Take a look at this video of David Letterman’s Top Media Mishaps and see for yourself the hilarious ramblings of some prominent people and some tips on how to avoid them.  These are fun to watch, but do you wonder, “How the hell could someone say that?”  Personally, I have said things off the cuff and can’t believe that it came out of my mouth after I’ve said it during regular conversations. If you’re in Communications, have you ever sat next to your client and can’t believe what came out of his/her mouth during a meeting with a reporter?  If you’re a reporter, are you just as stunned? Most of my media training clients have a horror story from working with the press.

Mishaps take place when people don’t take the time to practice and prepare for an important interview, presentation or conversation. When executives believe they know everything there is to know about working with the press and don’t need to be trained. I call it “the know-it-all” – we’ve all met that person!

One prominent CEO with a VC backed Internet Company refused to be part of a media training session claiming, “I know everything there is to know about my company. No one has ever asked me a question about my company that I could not answer.” Later the same CEO was in a broadcast studio, lights in his eyes, staring at the camera for a satellite interview, IFB all hooked up and he said to me, “Binay, can we practice before the interview?”

How can we convince executives they need training? My simple gut response is to let them fail. That will definitely convince them they need training and certainly the fastest and most effective way. While I stand by that theory, there are a couple of other ways to bring light onto this subject matter. First, explain to your executive that training for the media is like training for sports. Would you ever play in an important baseball game or the Olympics without intense training? I think not. A media opportunity is your chance to make it great, or, quite simply, to lose the game.

Another idea to add to your arsenal is to conduct an “at-home” session utilizing the iPhone or iPad camera. Record your executive answering a few questions and have them watch it. During this time, the executive will watch the playback and may get the feeling some professional help is in order. Usually we are our own worst critics and once executives see themselves on camera they usually come to terms with their need for a professional training.

At the end of the day, the best way to avoid media mishaps is to practice and prepare.  Below are a few simple tips and tricks to avoid the most common mishaps:

  1. Think before you speak: As you take a look at the CEO of Lululemon, he didn’t have a clear message. He said, “The pants don’t fit everyone.” A public relations professional will tell you to have 3-5 message points, but practicing them out loud is equally as vital. Use your iPhone/iPad camera and practice delivering the message to friends and colleagues. Does it sound ok? How does the message get conveyed if taken out of context? Are you sending the right message utilizing effective verbal and non-verbal skills? How will the public respond? Not well in the Lululemon example.
  2. Know the format: This is especially true for broadcast, however, media is merging now. A blog post can have a video next to it because the reporter may have you answer a few questions and record it. Before you dismiss the importance of broadcast training, consider how much video is becoming integrated into everything online. Master effective delivery across all mediums to truly avoid media mishaps.
  3. Preparation is key: Try to determine each and every possible question before working with a reporter. You don’t need to memorize the answers, but it’s certainly a good way to be caught off-guard, like Former President Bush was in the video example

Whether you go with a professional trainer or just practice on your own, it can be the key to success or failure.  Practice a variety of messages and formats and watch yourself before taking it to the public! Usually, the spokesperson on camera will be his/her own worst critic.

Binay Curtis— Binay Curtis has two decades of experience as a media coach working with celebrities, CEOs, company spokespeople and the financial community. As a top trainer in the Silicon Valley, Curtis has worked with Apple, Fenwick & West, Mozilla, OpenTable, Plum District and Yahoo! At the end of the day, her clients can be heard saying, “Wow, that was really helpful,” despite the fact they didn’t want to do the training in the first place! You can find her on any of your favorite social media networks and at www.galaxysix.com.

*This blog has also appeared on The Bulldog Reporter.

 

Tick Tock…Let Your Passion Make You Rock!

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What makes you tick? Besides my family and Crossfit, I get excited about helping people improve during my media training sessions.  Last week, I had the honor of media training several extremely intelligent executives with one of the leading companies in the Silicon Valley. We talked a lot about how to find passion in the message you deliver. How can you get enthusiastic about something that you do all day long?

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First, figure out what makes you tick. Why are you at your job today? What is really exciting about your launch/product/app? What part of your job do you talk about most outside of work? Yep, think of 3 things that excite you about it, and if you can’t, well…don’t talk to the media then! Write down those 3 things when you are psyched about them – keep them on a notepad.

It starts with…

  • “I am most excited about…”
  • “This APP is so cool because it…”
  • “Other people are going to love this because…”

When (IF) you get there, share your knowledge and passion with the press.

Lastly, don’t forget to try it out during a practice interview session.

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Make sure you are being genuine so you feel confident delivering the message, repeatedly. Remember media trainers have their own techniques and you should find the right one for you and your company. My goal is to make sure that spokespeople are confident with the message and delivery so they can share their knowledge, passion and enthusiasm with the public and the press.

Ok…3-2-1. GO!