It’s every interviewee’s nightmare – getting caught out very publicly in a media interview, but for Sainsbury’s CEO, Mike Coupe, this nightmare became a reality yesterday.
While waiting for an interview with ITV, the retail chief was caught singing ‘We’re in the Money’ – a somewhat unfortunate choice of song following the multi-billion pound merger with Asda!
You could argue that the clip should never have entered the public domain since it was ‘off-camera’, but as any PR will tell you, if there’s a mic in front of you, consider yourself ‘live’!
Aside from supplying your key spokespeople with a playlist of appropriate songs to hum off-camera (!), here are some more tips to help achieve what you want from a media interview, whilst avoiding any potential gaffes.
- Find a good location
Finding a comfortable and quiet location for your interview will help you to relax and get the best out of the call. So avoid noisy public areas like train vestibules or coffee shops.
Both you and the journalist can be put off by the background noise and if the nature of what you are discussing is sensitive, you may feel uncomfortable talking openly in a public space.
- Prepare your spiel
Get your PR to find out as much as possible about the person interviewing you and what they want to get out of the call, so that you can prepare as well as possible in advance.
Rehearse your elevator pitch – can you describe who you are and what your organisation does, succinctly?
Think about your own motives for the call and what you want to get out of it on behalf of your organisation, but try not to be too obvious about dropping these in. It’s important to answer what you are being asked, rather than simply spouting what you’ve rehearsed.
Also think about some of the more difficult questions that you might be asked on the call, so that you prepare for how you might respond.
- Admit if you’re not sure
There’s no shame in not knowing the answer to a question, so admit if you don’t know something – it looks much more professional than waffling around an issue.
You might explain that it’s not your area of expertise, but that you could find out and get back to them.
The same goes if you don’t understand the question or what the journalist is trying to achieve – just ask for clarification.
Admittedly, this is easier in a telephone interview for print than a live interview for broadcast but will help both parties to get what they want.
- Be succinct, but engaging with it
Strike a balance between a conversation (which helps make you feel comfortable) and getting the job done.
Don’t get into technical detail or jargon, but don’t be too colloquial either – think about how your organisation would want to be represented and stick closely to that, whilst ensuring that you use an engaging tone.
Most of all, remember that whatever you say, even if off the record, could end up in print or broadcast without your editorial input.
- Consider the publication or media
Interviewing techniques vary from journalist to journalist and publication to publication. If you’re being interviewed for broadcast, you may be asked two-part questions to encourage you to talk for longer blocks of time, but be conscious of answers such as ‘yeah’ or ‘uh-huh.’
When interviewed for print, the questions might be shorter so more concise answers would help and you can afford to be more conversational in tone.
- Endure awkward silences
Nobody likes the sensation of an awkward silence and for this reason it’s a technique employed by some journalists to get you to talk more.
If you have finished what you want to say, don’t be tempted to fill the silence. Take a sip of your drink as a potential tactic to avoid this, and potentially saying too much!
- Ask what happens next
If your PR is not on the call with you, at the end of the call ask if they need anything else and what happens next.
If it’s for written editorial, you’re not likely to see a proof before print, so it’s not worth asking! However, if it’s paid-for advertorial, ask when to expect to see the draft for approval.
If the journalist wants to follow up afterwards via email, provide your email address, but be sure to keep your PR in the loop before going back with any additional detail.
- What to wear
If interviewing for TV or a vlog, be sure to dress appropriately – both to represent your organisation in the best light and avoid any problems with issues such as too many patterns or colours as it can distract viewers and interviewers alike.
If asked to wear make-up (men included), accept the offer as it will help to make you look less washed out on TV.
- Avoid no comment
Try to answer all questions that you have been asked.
If you are asked something you don’t particularly want to answer, ideally you’ll have prepared for the question, so answer it as well as you can.
Try not to come across as defensive, angry or annoyed through your tone or facial expressions.
Keep calm and act professionally at all times – ultimately, the journalist is speaking to you because you are an expert in your area, they aren’t always looking for an ‘angle’.
- Follow up
Your PR should follow up with the journalist after the event to check they have everything they need.
If you have a close direct relationship with the journalist, do follow up direct, but keep your PR in the loop, as it demonstrates a joined-up approach.
Having to do media interviews can prove an incredibly daunting prospect, but with the right amount of preparation and some media training, you can achieve what you want, whilst giving the journalist what they need.
It’s all about putting in the leg work and remembering that whatever you say, do or sing (!) – whether before, during or after the interview – can become public.
For more information or advice to help with your PR or media requirements, don’t hesitate to get in touch.