Don't make these 10 media mistakes!

Dealing with media is a complicated thing. Make sure your spokespersons don't make these common mistakes during interviews:  

1. The myopic executive spokesperson – Your CEO goes into a media interview assuming she is owed and deserves editorial coverage. Because her subject matter is near and dear, she automatically assumes it will also be newsworthy to the reporter and publication. This is a dangerous leap that should not be made. Work with your executives to help them understand how reporters might interpret your news in a different way. Anticipate hard questions in advance and be prepared. And train your spokesperson to understand the reality of how and why interviews turn into actual ink. Great coverage is earned, not owed.
2. Mr. Gobbledygook strikes again – Your CTO spokesperson is a deeply knowledgeable emissary for your company, but he quickly loses most reporters in a river of tech talk. You have two courses of action to offset this kind of spokesperson: (A) make sure you only line him up with reporters who can walk the tech walk and follow along or (B) you can proactively arm your technical spokesperson with a message path that starts simply at a high level and then gradually gets more complicated if – and only if – the reporter has the ability and interest to follow along.
3. Ms. Self-Important - Your CEO doesn't think she should invest her valuable time talking with reporters who aren't at the highest levels at a publication. Talk to a staff reporter? No way! Only Managing Editors or Senior Editors will do for this busy executive. While this attitude may have merit for certain types of companies and stories, it can also be a formula for missed media opportunities. Your CEO needs to understand that today's staff reporter is tomorrow's Editor-in-Chief. The time she invests with a reporter-on-the-rise may pay dividends short term with a great story inclusion and long term when the reporter moves to another publication or assumes more responsibility.
4. Mr. "I've got all day" - Your VP Marketing forgets that reporters are busy people facing an endless parade of vendors eager to spin their stories and promote their wares. During interviews, he doesn't inquire about the amount of time available for the interview; he just acts like the reporter has all day. Make sure your spokesperson asks – up front – how much time the reporter has before beginning. The reporter will really appreciate this sensitivity and your spokesperson will have the foresight to zero-in on the most important points if time is short.
5. Ms. Drone On - Some spokespersons just can't take a breath. They talk and talk and talk and assume the reporter is following along and is still interested. Big mistake! Train him/her to be sensitive to reading the reporter's interest levels throughout media interviews. If the pen goes down or the typing stops, the reporter has mentally checked out. Look for the obvious signs! Train your spokesperson to pepper his or her dialogue with "does this make sense?" and "is this what you're looking for?" type comments to keep interviews on track.
6. Mr. Roboto - Your CFO is all business. He launches into the media interview without any attempt at small talk or social interaction with the reporter. Teach your spokesperson the value of the personal touch. A little bit of up front dialogue about the weather or a family photo on the reporter's desk, can pay dividends in helping the reporter become genuinely engaged in the interview. After all this is an interview, not an interrogation.
7. Ms. Clueless - Your company founder goes into an interview without advance familiarity with the publication or reporter. She asks questions or makes comments that make it obvious she doesn't read the magazine. This is not a good way to engage with the press! Make certain they read recent stories written by the reporter. Then train your spokesperson to bring up recent stories during interviews to make a point or draw analogies. This is Dale Carnegie 101: convey interest in what other people do and they become more receptive to you.
8. Accurate & brief, but boring - Some spokespersons know their subject matter and can talk concisely, but they're still boring. Solution? Arm this type of spokesperson with sound bites that convert "regular talk" to "memorable talk." Work with your spokesperson to create clever ways of saying the same thing. Leverage analogies and metaphors. Convert tepid language to colorful "I get it" examples. And pay very careful attention to word choice.
9. I am a rock, I am an island - Your spokesperson only talks about her company, her products, her services, her customers. Reporters don't think that way! They are trained to cover entire categories and all the products and companies within those categories. Their perspective is always big picture. Make certain your spokesperson can frame her message within a competitive context.
10. Mr. Dangerous Name Dropper - Reporters will always ask your spokesperson for customers they can contact to validate your story. Some executives throw out customer names to make their point, but mess up in one very critical way: the names they've thrown out to the reporter aren't customers who will talk to the media. Teach your spokesperson why this approach will backfire. Identify customers in advance who will be able to play ball with reporters. Then give your executive the pertinent contact information for each "active customer reference" including email addresses and phone numbers.