Public Relations – Strategic Ways To Get Quoted
If you want to get quoted in the media, learn to talk in sound bites. It’s the single most effective way of transmitting a message. In this age of headline news, you must appeal to people with short attention spans and limited time. So regardless of what you have to say, say it quickly and with impact.In my years of media training and coaching, I’ve seen interviewees make the same mistake again and again: “I’m very smart; thus, everyone wants to listen to me tell them how smart I am.”
Wrong. Few of us have the time or inclination to stay tuned in for more than a few minutes. We skim articles, maybe read the text under subheads, and keep our finger on the remote at all times.
So, how do you get your message heard?
The answer is the KISS principle – Keep It Simple (for) Sound bites. By remembering the following three tips when talking to reporters, you can control the message and improve the odds it will be heard.
1.Write down your main points – and limit the number to just three or four.
This requires preparation. Before an interview, consider the primary points you want to make. You may think you know them off the top of your head but just wait until the reporter doesn’t ask you, “Hey, what are the major points you want to make?”
The truth is that it’s hard to gather your thoughts and communicate effectively when you’re trying to respond earnestly and honestly to questions. If you write down your major points beforehand and practice saying them, you’ll be prepared to state them over and over.
2.Say your main points over and over.
(See tip #1.) The more you say it, the greater the chance the reporter will use it. This is not to suggest that you should be devious, unresponsive or aloof. Just remember that all questions lead back to your key messages. Or, in other words, “That’s a great question, but the real issue is…”
3.Be prepared to give a closing statement.
Ninety-nine percent of the time at the end of an interview, a reporter will ask, “Is there anything else I’ve forgotten to ask you or that you’d like to share with me?” This is the perfect time to restate your key points.
While these tips may seem like common sense, when you’re under the gun it’s hard to be articulate and persuasive. It’s human nature to want to answer any and all questions. Just remember that you can be informative and send your key messages at the same time.
Karen Preiss Miller is a partner in JKP Group, a marketing communications consulting company. For more tips, visit this site
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Tags: media, relations, training, courses, public
