As a winery in BC, you can be called upon by the media at any time. Be ready!

1. Mastering theaste g t e
Media CallMedia Call
Leeann Froese
@lfroese @townhallbrands

2. IntroductionIntroduction
Why are we here?y
You can be faced by the press
or captured on social media at any time
Take this as an opportunity
But how can you
feel comfortable?feel comfortable?

3. The Media’s RoleThe Media s Role
- Hard vs. soft
- To be objective
- To inform the public
- To be a “watchdog”
- To ask the questions:
5 Ws and How

4. Publicity earned media
Paid media is advertising
Publicity – earned media
g
What the press can do:
– An independent third party endorsement
– Spread awareness
– FREE exposure!
– Which can help sell

5. About MediaAbout Media
- Canadians who follow the news tend to getg
their information from more than one source.
- TV, radio, newspapers and magazines or online
- Online includes news sites, blogs and social

6. Types of Media TVTypes of Media - TV
- Entertainment and image-driveng
- A visual medium to get your message across
- Very limited time – events are condensed and
magnified
- 15 or 30 second quotes
Studio appearances 5 mins- Studio appearances 5 mins
- TV appearances require
alertness and concentration

7. Types of Media RadioTypes of Media - Radio
- If hard news, usually fast and often distracting, y g
- Little time to establish rapport with the interviewer
- Your message is limited to
what is heard
- Be precise with language

8. Types of Media Print / BlogTypes of Media – Print / Blog
- This is one of the most common for the wine industryy
- More opportunity for rapport with interviewer
- Some control is lost because the reporter interprets your
body language and wordsbody language and words
- The reporter tries to tell both
sides of the story, so there
is more room for details
and quotes

9. Types of Media OnlineTypes of Media – Online
- A strong medium – most people underg p p
30 years of age get their news online
- Virtually all media outlets put their news on their web
thi i l d hi f di d idpages – this includes archives of audio and video
- An exciting way to
spread your messagespread your message
to millions

10. When the Media Calls
Tips for handling the query and getting
When the Media Calls
Tips for handling the query and getting
your message out

11. Media Contact ProtocolMedia Contact Protocol
The best practice in responding to a journalist’s call:
Ask the reporter
1. what the deadline is
2 what the questions are2. what the questions are
3. what the story is about
and then call back with the information
as soon as possibleas soon as possible.
This allows time to gather your
d l tmessages and locate your
spokesperson.

12. Why Would the Media Call?Why Would the Media Call?
In addition to information, for,
– Confirmation: prices, SKU numbers,
availability
– They call for photos!
– Comments or quotes
For “expert” opinion– For expert opinion
– For reaction
– ClarificationClarification
– An update on facts

13. You Want the Media to CallYou Want the Media to Call.
Why?
- The media can communicate your message
- The message is credible and direct
- Exposure can provide an edge over your competitorsExposure can provide an edge over your competitors
IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER:
Th di ’ l i NOT th t f f i d- The media’s role is NOT that of your friend
- The media’s job is not to “sell” your side of the story
- The media’s job is not to provide positive publicity to helpj p p p y p
you “sell” your product

14. SoSo…
When the Media Calls…

15. Be Prepared to Be Interviewed
- Treat media as a priority and use a checklist.
Be Prepared to Be Interviewed
p y
- If the query comes directly to you, make your own
determinations.
- Tell the reporter you are
occupied at the moment
but will return the callbut will return the call
in 15 minutes.

16. Interview Preparation Checklist
Get the following essential information from the reporter:
Interview Preparation Checklist
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– Name of reporter, phone number and media outlet
– Focus of requested interview
– Other interview subjects for the story
– Reporter’s deadline
f– Amount of time required,
location etc

17. Be Ready to Delivery
Your Messages
- Every interview is an opportunity to present your
messages.
Th b it ti l t ifi- These messages may be situational to a specific
occasion or topic, or messages may be more of a
strategic nature.g
- Let’s look at some do’s and don'ts

18. Deliver Your MessagesDeliver Your Messages
- No matter what the reporter’s agenda, you havep g , y
yours.
- The reporter may not lead questioning in thisThe reporter may not lead questioning in this
direction. It is perfectly legitimate to use and answer
to an unrelated question as a launch to your
message.
- Use the interview as an opportunity to deliver your
main points

19. Deliver Your Messages
- Based on available space and time, the
Deliver Your Messages
p ,
interviewer is looking for only a fraction to use.
- Appreciating this simple fact is actually an aid to
tti thgetting the message across.
- Stick to your messages.

20. Just Answer the Question
- One word may be a perfect answer.
Just Answer the Question
y p
- Short answers are less likely to be misquoted and
more likely to provide a punchy quote.
The short appropriate answer carries its own- The short, appropriate answer carries its own
message of authority and decisiveness.
- Remember that an interview is a professional
h d t i t th tiexchange, and your part is to answer the questions..

21. There’s No Such Thing asg
“off the record”
- What comes out of your mouth cannot be put back in.
- Do not believe that the reporter who offers anonymity if
you give some information.
- The reporter is not your friend!- The reporter is not your friend!

22. Don’t Take It PersonallyDon t Take It Personally
- The interview is a professional exchange of
i f tiinformation.
- The media has a job to do, and you have to giveThe media has a job to do, and you have to give
them something worthy.

23. Trade Jargon
- For mainstream or hard news, assume the
Trade Jargon
,
interviewer and audience know little about the
subject
M t t li t Thi t i l- Most reporters are generalists. This puts a special
onus on you to use common language to describe
your area of expertise.
- If you need to use terminology that the public won’t
understand, then quickly follow it with a plain
language descriptionlanguage description

24. But Let’s Talk Trade
- On the flip side, if you are interviewed by true wine
But Let s Talk Trade
p , y y
journalists, they may know more than you
- Wine writers and judges tend to have a much
l b l ti d i i f llmore global perspective and review wines from all
over the world
- What if the last person they interviewed wasWhat if the last person they interviewed was
Michel Chapoutier or the managing director of
Mouton Rothschild? Consider their knowledge
base and let it keep you humblebase, and let it keep you humble.

25. Never Say “No Comment”Never Say No Comment
- It invites suspicion.It invites suspicion.
- If you are constrained for reasons of confidentiality,
say so. Spell out exactly why you cannot address a
subject.
- If you don’t have the information
to answer a question say so andto answer a question, say so, and
try to get it. Interviews are not
the time to fear appearing that
d ’t k it llyou don’t know it all.

26. Never Lie orNever Lie or
Make Something Up
- Better to say you cannot answer a question at this
time.
- Lies come back to haunt. Always.

27. Body LanguageBody Language
- Keep eye contactKeep eye contact
- Look at the interviewer, not the camera
- When seated sit straight upWhen seated, sit straight up
- Avoid using humour,
irony or sarcasmirony or sarcasm

28. Common Mistakes
- Giving additional publicity to bad news
by trying to rebuttaly y g
- Treating reporters as your buddies
- Not getting back to a reporter when you
id ldsaid you would
- Not tailoring the communication
to the audienceto the audience

29. Review the Don’tsReview - the Don ts
- Never say “No Comment”
- “No comment” is a comment!
A di t ti- Answer a direct question.
- Never say anything is “off the record”Never say anything is off the record
- There is no such thing

30. Review the Do’sReview - the Do s
Be aware of the deadline- Be aware of the deadline
- It’s OK to point out errors
- Keep the interview message driven,
not questions-driven
- Remember, YOU are the expert on your wines
- This can provide a big opportunity to lead

31. I t i St t iInterview Strategies
OK – the interview is booked: now what?
- Consider the deadlines
- Consider the audience
- Designate the right spokesperson – this is where
your PR people come inyour PR people come in.
- Know your story
- Determine key pointsy p

32. The Sound BiteThe Sound Bite
- A very short piece taken from an interview by thosey p y
who edit the interview to be the most important point.
- A short phrase or sentence that deftly captures theA short phrase or sentence that deftly captures the
essence of what the speaker is trying to say
Make your message as concise as possible- Make your message as concise as possible
- More time? Expand.
- Still more time? Colour the responseStill more time? Colour the response.

33. The Sound BiteThe Sound Bite

34. A side noteA side note…

35. Interview Strategies
So how do we get to our sound bite?
Interview Strategies
- So… how do we get to our sound bite?
- Or at the very least, how do we get our message
across?
Use your Main Media Messages

36. Main Media MessagesMain Media Messages
- Your main points – key message, key facts.
- All roads should lead back to your MMM. This is theAll roads should lead back to your MMM. This is the
reason you do an interview.
- There will be no doubt in anyone’s
mind about what you stand for.

37. Triple MTriple M
- MMM reflects the critical information you want toy
convey
- Usually three thoughts – all can remember
- Review your brand to build your MMM
• It’s the “so what” of your message
f• Meaningful to your target audience – has to be worthy
• Tells them what you want them to learn or do

38. Main messages for BC WineMain messages for BC Wine
Key Positioning Statements:y g
• The BC wine industry is writing its own history. With
each new achievement and accolade, we continue to
lidif l th b t i i i thsolidify ourselves among the best wine regions in the
world.
• The Wines of British Columbia are as diverse as theThe Wines of British Columbia are as diverse as the
regions in which they are grown.
• The Wines of British Columbia reflect the stories of the
l d h th d th l hland where the grapes are grown and the people who
craft them.

39. Main messagesMain messages
Key Messages ideas. Weave these into your story.y g y y
• Buy local – farm-to-table
• Hand-crafted
• Consumer loyalty
• Regional diversity
f• Local message – grown here, harvested here, crafted
here
• Diverse experiencesDiverse experiences

40. A thought on messagesA thought on messages
Celebrate BC and your neighbours as you celebratey g y
yourself.
Make the bigger picture party of your story.
Fake example:
1 We are the first to open a winery located food cart1. We are the first to open a winery located food cart
2. We are located on Westside Wine Trail
3 This is one of the many diverse areas in BC Wine3. This is one of the many diverse areas in BC Wine
Country

41. Let’s Review Strategies
- Use your MMM and give your key messages
Let s Review Strategies
y g y y g
- Stop.
- Be Quotable
- Make your response memorable by being quotable
- Avoid Jargon

42. Now let’s hear from the media side ofNow let s hear from the media side of
things…