How to overcome interview nerves and speak to the media
Have you ever been contacted by a journalist asking for a media interview, but been too scared to say “yes”?
Saying “no” is a lost opportunity to promote you and your brand for free. It costs nothing to do a media interview, but the benefits of having your story told in a newspaper, online, or on TV and radio far outweigh the negatives.
Fears of public speaking are well-documented, and natural spokespeople are rare. Even the confident media performers you see regularly on the TV news most likely didn’t know what to do when they first started. However, through media training you can learn how to overcome your fears, how to prepare for an interview, and how to be a clear, concise, and confident spokesperson.
Overcoming fear
Many people turn down interviews due to fear, but you shouldn’t let fear win.
At their core interviews are transactional. Journalists need information or quotes to complete their story and as a spokesperson you need your key messages to reach as wide an audience as possible.
Media interviews are important for a number of reasons, including:
1. Raising Awareness
Media interviews can help raise awareness about a topic, issue, or cause. By speaking to a reporter or journalist, you have the opportunity to share your expertise, insights, and opinions with a wider audience, which can help to educate and inform people.
2. Building credibility
Being interviewed by the media can help to build your credibility and establish you as an authority on a particular subject. This can be especially important if you’re trying to establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry or field.
3. Generating publicity
Media interviews can also help to generate publicity for you, your business, or your organisation. If you’re launching a new product or service, for example, a media interview can help to get the word out and attract attention.
4. Shaping the narrative
By doing a media interview, you have the opportunity to shape the narrative around a particular issue or topic. By presenting your perspective and opinions, you can help to steer the conversation in a particular direction and ensure that your voice is heard. This is vital during a crisis when you need to act quickly to try and minimise harm to your reputation.
Some of the biggest challenges people face when doing a media interview are staying calm, knowing where to look, and sticking to their key messaging.
Media training is the best way to prepare for media interviews as it will teach you how to respond to a wide variety of scenarios and give you the skills and techniques you need to conquer any interview.
Why do media training
Media training builds confidence and provides an opportunity to practice speaking to the media before you’re standing for real in front of a scrum of TV news cameras.
Some of the key skills you will learn in media training are how to:
- Overcome your nerves and fears,
- Speak concisely and with authority,
- Handle difficult questions
- Use the power of the pause,
- Understand the media, and
- Deliver your key messages with confidence.
Adoni Media’s Communications Director Clare Christensen developed her skills as a producer, reporter, and editor for two of Sydney’s major radio stations, as well as a producer for A Current Affair. She knows how being a good spokesperson can boost your brand.
“Journalists remember who is good talent. Those who speak clearly and confidently and know how to make a journo’s job easier are the ones who will likely be contacted to comment on future stories.”
“By building these relationships with the media, you can create valuable opportunities for both you and your organisation.
“With media training, you don’t have to worry about making a mistake – if anything, the training is where you need to make mistakes because you learn what not to do and how to overcome them.”
Adoni’s media training team are experienced PR professionals with strong media backgrounds who understand what journalists are looking for in an interview and how clients can stay in control. To give your spokespeople media training contact us and work with Australia’s most experienced team of media trainers.
