Media Training Top Quotes & Top Tips
The key to a great interview is preparation. This means actually blocking time out of your diary to anticipate, prepare and practice. Once you have done this, find a colleague to put you through your paces. As part of this preparation, clarify the angle of the journalist, recognise the audience and be clear about your messages.
In order to make your interview memorable you need to make your interview come alive with visual examples. It is these examples that will resonate with the audience and make your interview stand out.
I’ve included some of my favourite quotes on this page.
Media Training Top Tips
1. Set time aside to prepare
2. Plan and practise
3. Don’t take everything the journalist says at face value
4. Look tidy and smart
5. Be relevant to the audience
6. Be clear on your messages – less is often more
7. Don’t lose sight of your agenda when answering questions
8. Don’t speculate
9. Avoid jargon but remember examples and colour will make you memorable
10. Remember – an interview is a planned performance and not a casual conversation.
Finally, do not attempt any media interviews without the appropriate training.
“The questions don’t do the damage. Only the answers do,”
“Give me 6 hours to chop down a tree and I spend the first 4 sharpening the axe”
“If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll end up someplace else.”
“The most guileful amongst the reporters are those who appear friendly and smile and seem to be supportive. They are the ones who will seek to gut you on every occasion,”
“The secret of being boring is to say everything,”
“It’s not what you say it’s what they hear