Media interview guidelines

By Tina L. Pugliese, APR, Pugliese Public Relations

Media interviews need not be frightening. In fact, knowing how to get your message across to the media can do a lot to actually promote your business. The secret is to be prepared.

You must go into every media encounter with your own messages—two or three points that you want to get across regardless of the questions you are asked. What that message is depends a lot on who is reading/viewing/hearing the interview and when. You must tailor your messages for that audience in terminology they can easily understand.

Each media outlet has their own requirements. Print/online interviews, for example, are much harder than broadcast despite their lack of intimidating cameras and recorders. Print reporters take advantage of this seemingly conversational approach and can keep you chatting for hours if you let them. You must set the guidelines for the interview: who will speak for your company, on what issues, where and when.

Radio interviews offer an opportunity to narrowly focus your message to a particular demographic or niche audience reached by the station you are on. On call-in shows you will have plenty of time to deliver your messages, even from the comfort of your own home, as stations now can have guests by phone as well as callers.

Television is perhaps the most challenging of the media because of its brevity, complexity and reach. Even a lengthy interview may be distilled down to a sound bite of but a few seconds. But, with training, you would be surprised at how much information can be conveyed in that limited time and how well you can control what gets electronically quoted from your interview. Being a visual medium you will want to keep viewers focused on your message rather than your flashy attire, ineffective body language or glances off-camera.

Tina L. Pugliese, APR is an executive coach and counselor for Pugliese Public Relations, a communications firm in Boynton Beach, Florida. Pugliese is an accredited member of the Public Relations Society of America, and is the author of the book, Public Relations for Pharmacists, and e-books, Marketing Your Business for Success, How To Work With The Media, and Public Relations Manual — A Guide for Entrepreneurs.  She can be reached at (561) 889-3575 and by email at Tina@PugliesePR.com.  Her web site is www.PugliesePR.com. 

Article excerpted from e-book, Public Relations Manual — A Guide for Entrepreneurs, by Tina L. Pugliese, APR.