So back to media training…
Today I want to focus on what the training entails so that you have a clearer idea of the benefits. Media training involves learning how the media works – from the structure of a publishing house, to what journalists want, and everything in between. It is important for you to understand this so that when you are dealing with a PR agency or person you have a clearer idea of what it is they are doing and why. What exactly does the editor do? What is the difference between a freelancer and a staff journalist?
The course also involves learning how to work with the media. This again is important so that you know when to contact them, when their deadlines are, and how to get them to write about you. Finally you learn interviewing techniques and what ‘off the record’ really means. Is there such a thing as ‘off the record’? In media training we say ‘no’! Any journalist worth their salt, even if he has switched off the recorder, will remember what you said off the record and use it as long as it is the truth.
Remember, it should not be a hard sell. If it is then the product/service cannot be that good. It is better to use wit and charm than force, to get a journalist to see you and hear you out.
Trust me if you are not armed with the above knowledge you could end up in a pickle. The most memorable interviews are the ones in which the interviewee made a fool of themselves or said the wrong thing. This is what people prefer to remember. Believe me it is easy to do – a slip of the tongue or the use of the wrong word is all it takes. Coaching makes you think a lot more before you respond.