Attending a media training course is an invaluable opportunity for anyone needing to handle interviews, press conferences, or crisis situations.
To maximise the benefits, careful preparation and follow-up in the days after completing the course are essential. Here are some practical steps to ensure you make the most of your time on the course and continue improving your skills afterward.
Preparing for Your Course
Start by familiarising yourself with the key topics likely to be in the media training course . Review any recent media interviews involving your industry or organisation and take note of how public figures handle difficult questions or unexpected situations.
Consider what you personally want to achieve from the course. Whether you are looking to improve your on-camera presence or better manage crisis media situations, having clear objectives will help you focus and ask relevant questions during the training.
You can also reflect on past experiences where you may have struggled, so you can address specific challenges with your trainer.
Practice Makes Perfect
After the course, it is vital to keep practising the skills you have learned. Media training is about more than theoretical knowledge. It’s about developing practical confidence and agility under pressure.
- Practising mock interviews with a colleague or recording yourself answering questions can help you become more comfortable with the techniques covered during training.
- Regularly watching news broadcasts or panel discussions and analysing how different speakers present themselves can also reinforce good habits.
- Observe how experienced speakers deal with difficult questions, maintain composure, and stay on message.
Local and Radio Interviews
Local and radio media interviews provide an excellent opportunity to hone your abilities without the pressure of a national or televised audience. Reach out to smaller outlets, particularly those related to your field or industry, and offer to give interviews or commentary on relevant topics.
Radio interviews, in particular, are a useful stepping stone to more high pressure interviews. Since they focus purely on verbal communication, they allow you to sharpen your ability to deliver concise, clear answers without worrying about body language or visual presentation. As your confidence grows, you can gradually progress to more high-profile interviews.
Learn from the Experts
time to watch seasoned professionals who handle media interviews with ease, especially those in high-pressure situations. Whether they are political leaders, corporate spokespeople, or crisis communication experts, their approaches can be very useful.
- Look at how these figures use tone, pace, and non-verbal communication to deliver their message effectively.
- Notice how they engage with interviewers, redirect tough questions, and keep their responses aligned with key messaging.
- By observing these techniques, you can integrate the best practices into your own media appearances.
Let Your Comms Team Know You’re Ready
Finally, it’s important to inform your organisation’s communications team that you are ready to handle media engagements. Many organisations rely on a pool of media-trained individuals to represent them in interviews, press events, and crisis situations.
Letting the team know you’ve completed the training and are keen to participate means you’re likely to be called upon when opportunities arise.
The communications team can also offer ongoing feedback and guidance, helping you refine your skills in real-world scenarios. Staying involved with the team ensures you remain visible and continue to practise your new abilities.