Effective media engagement is fundamental for protecting and enhancing corporate reputation, but it continues to be a daunting prospect for many executives. Fear of saying the wrong thing and it then being immortalised in print can deter even the smartest communicators. As always, preparation is key – well-crafted, bespoke media training is essential.
It will build your confidence and equip you with the skills required handle tough questions and to articulate key messages clearly and concisely, so you can build trust and credibility with important stakeholders. Crucially, media training will help you control the narrative, even in the face of aggressive or ill-informed questioning.
When we prepare clients for media engagement, we draw on the extensive skills of senior Directors who were formerly journalists at global media brands. This knowledge of the newsroom and analytical mindset is critical in helping identify and develop the key points that will enthuse the journalist and encourage them to write about your business.
If print and digital media engagement can be daunting, then broadcast opportunities can be doubly so. TV and radio offer direct access to huge audiences, enabling you to communicate your vision and success to a broad range of stakeholders. But the prospect of fumbling the ball on a live feed can spook people into declining out of often misplaced fears.
Most broadcast opportunities are designed to leverage your knowledge and expertise on a subject, rather than to directly challenge you. Learning to leverage your voice and posture for delivery will add authority to your appearances. When it comes to financial results or a crisis, we have dedicated specialist training available to manage risk and support success.
Broadcasters welcome guests with clear and interesting viewpoints – and if you demonstrate clear articulation of a position, you are likely to be invited back for future discussions or interviews. With live broadcast interview opportunities multiplying, practice sessions will substantially boost confidence and clarity, allowing you to hone your key points for punchy delivery within the confines of a compressed broadcast interview format.
At the same time, longer-form podcast content is also rising in popularity and can provide a highly effective platform for conveying the business narrative and generating deeper engagement with your brand and its values. The less formal, more discursive and anecdotal format of the podcast allows for a greater level of storytelling that incorporates anecdotes and examples that can bring your business and its values to life.
Media engagement is a lot less daunting when you have been fully trained, dedicated time to preparation, and feel confident in both your knowledge and your ability to share it. You never know, you might even enjoy it.
If you want to learn more about media engagament, then get in touch.
If you’d like to know how Houston can help you, get in touch with our team