2014 was a busy year for  Conscious PR Inc. So, with all that extra media time under our belts, we thought we would share our thoughts on mastering the media. If you would rather not be within a mile’s radius of a TV camera or recorder, this blog will help you.

Many small businesses do not have a lot of staff members – if any –so the key spokesperson for the company is the owner or CEO. When it was just me running my business, being asked to write an article or guest post was never a problem because my words could speak on my behalf. Over time, the requests for on-camera interviews came and I had to put into practice the same tips I would give to my clients.

Talking to media about your business, opinions on industry facts and trends is a great opportunity to indirectly promote your business and be seen as an expert.

Getting Help with Your Gab

If the idea of speaking in front of a group of people or a camera lens scares you, realize that it’s your own fear trying to engage your Fight or Flight response. And it’s a fear that can be conquered. Contact a public speaking coach or the Public Relations company  for help. They will be able to give you valuable feedback, including where your strengths lie and what you might need to work on. Mock interviews will definitely help with feeling more at ease when the interview time comes.

Even the Pros Need Practice

Even people who seem like a natural fit to talk to media or a crowd need practice. Perhaps their answers go on for too long and away from the original question, and they need help nailing down their key messages. You don’t need to look far for real life examples of high profile people in the news or online communicating in a negative way, or worse, lying.

Even if you are a seasoned pro, if it’s been a while since you’ve done a real or mock interview, it doesn’t hurt to ask for a consultation and get feedback that you can use to improve your presence.

5 Tips to Nail the Interview

Here are five tips that we give to our clients (and ourselves!) on nailing the interview:

1. Try to relax as much as possible. Focus on the person who is asking the questions, rather than the camera or who else is around. We are, after all, simply humans speaking with each other. It’s better to be authentic and not be perfect, rather than hear from a robot.
2. Answer questions briefly and directly. If you feel a key message can be integrated as part of your answer, do it, but ensure you don’t spend more than 20 or 30 seconds answering the question.
3. The truth prevails. Always state facts and back up general statements with statistics relevant to your business or industry. Don’t be afraid to admit if you can’t answer a question.
4. Never say “no comment” as it will seem as if you or your company has something to hide.
5. Keep your cool. If a media person or outlet has said or published something incorrectly, correct them or contact your PR consultant to communicate the correct facts.

As your company grows, there may be a tendency to pass off the job of public speaking to a Marketing Director. However, keep in mind people want to hear from the leaders who control the direction of a company, so try and keep yourself available to communicate with media and the public.

Happy speaking!