3700 media message points

Media relationships 201: Seven Steps For Success1. Know your media2. Localize 3. Be available/responsive 4. Be honest and fair 5. Be sensitive to deadlines 6. Be persistent, not annoying7. Be wary of offering free stuff

If There is One Thing You Remember• Have Message Points.• Three is a magic number.• If you can have the message points

in front of you, do it.• This is great for phone interviews.• It an also help you with Skype

Presentation Ideas That Apply To Interviews Too • Assume there will be a good cop.• Assume there will be a bad cop. • Prepare your message points.• Assume someone will ask you a question

out of left field.• Be extemporaneous, not a memorizer.• Create fonts for the back of the room.

Six ways to answer questions• Open with a Short Answer• Eyes on the Message Points• Pick One Question: If asked multiple questions,

answer the easiest one

Six ways to answer questions• NEVER Repeat Negative Words• Eliminate Complexity• It’s OK to say, “I don’t know” BUT then bridge to

your message points.

Make messaging workthree is the magic number

Build a bridge• Reporters tend to ask

questions that come out of left field.

• Building a bridge gets you back on track.

Build a bridgesome examples….• What’s important to remember…• Let me just add…• That brings up an good point…• That information is confidential,

however I can tell you…• That’s an interesting question.

From our perspective….

Plant a flag• Some reporters don’t pay attention

to what you’re saying during an interview.

• In some cases, the person writing the story isn’t even the person talking to you.

Plant a flagexamples• “Say name of reporter….that’s a

great question.” The fact is…• I can’t stress this enough…• I hope you’ll remember this… • The one thing I hope

your readers will remember is….

After the interview

• Watch, listen, or read your coverage.

• Be nice.• Promote yourself.