A free tutorial from Expertise Marketing LLC on preparing for and managing media interviews. Includes a look at anticipating questions and developing major points, etiquette tips and how-to’s. Graphics and text in a 10-page presentation.

1. Managing Media Interviews
© Expertise Marketing, LLC,
All rights reserved. For reprint permission, contact the authors.

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AGENDA
• Preparation is a MUST
• Anticipating questions
• What is a good story?
• Developing your major points
• Meeting the media
• “War Stories”

3. 3
Preparation is a must . . .
• Find out who the interviewer is and research
his or her media channel
• What subject will be discussed?
• How much time will be needed?
• Appropriateness of the interview?
. . . Decide what you want the
interview to do for YOU

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Anticipating questions
• Know the media channel and the interviewer
• Get a thorough understanding of the subject
and angle
• Draft your answers
• Gather as much information as possible
• Role play
• Remember that you know more than the
interviewer

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What is a good story?
• Essentials of any narrative: Balance
– Structure + Conflict
– Problem + Resolution
– Rising + Falling Action (Climax + Denouement)
– Threat + Reassurance
• Draw significance from the facts:
– “Why?”
– “So what?”
• “A clearly focused and forcefully stated point
of view that is accurately passed along to
viewers / readers.”

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Developing your major points
• Define your own objective
• Create a 1-2 point theme or statement
• Carefully broaden the interviewer’s narrow
question
• Don’t be self-serving

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Managing media interviews
• You are not at the interviewer’s mercy
• Assume you are being taped
• Use the interviewer’s name often
• Reduce external distractions
• Clarify the time allotted for the interview
• Try to let the interviewer end the interview,
but if it goes too long, excuse yourself
• Understand the interviewer may be on a
deadline
-- Etiquette --

8. 8
Managing media interviews,
cont’d
• Put your conclusion FIRST
• Be brief! Use sound bytes
• Be realistic
• Stay within your area of expertise
• Avoid professional jargon
• Keep control of the interview
• Don’t be evasive
-- How-Tos --

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Managing media interviews,
cont’d
• No bluffing
• Don’t talk “off the record”
• Don’t try to answer hypothetical questions
• Local news isn’t local
• When in doubt, tell the truth
• Engage in post-interview relationship-
building
• Prep for print interviews the same as for web,
radio or TV, but understand that the flow and
format is fundamentally different
-- More How-Tos --

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(T) 1.978.287.4444
(E) slowe@expertisemarketing.com
(W) www.expertisemarketing.com
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