Media training is a must if you want to maximise your PR wins

In a media interview, it’s the journalist’s job to get the story. As an interviewee, it’s your job to make sure it’s the right one. 

From the moment you take your seat — even for a relatively tame chat about a B2B tech product launch — everything that comes out of your mouth has to be spot on. 

That’s not just in terms of delivery but story-telling, messaging, soundbites, usable quotes, tone of voice, accuracy, and relevance. 

Getting all that right is no walk in the park — especially with the added pressure of a live interview. That’s why being effective in media interviews isn’t about being able to make up stuff on the hoof. Nor is it about parroting a script. 

Instead, it involves having the wherewithal to take control of an interview so you can deliver your story in the best way possible. But you can only do that if you’re prepared. And that means you need to: 

Know your audience — not just the journalist, but also their publication and their audience. 

Simplify your messaging — have two or three core points or messages you want to communicate. Any more and you’re in danger of muddying the water.

Know your stuff — make sure you can lay your hands on supporting facts and figures. But remember…

Make your story human — data is powerful, but personal anecdotes and real-world examples make your message more relatable and memorable.

Keep it simple — avoid jargon and technical terms. Speak in a way that’s easy for a broad audience to understand.

Be concise — journalists need soundbites. Memorable phrases that pack a punch are always preferable to long-winded explanations.

Learn to take control of an interview — after all, while journalists have free reign over the questions they ask, you have total say over the answers.  

These points may sound simple enough, but being an effective communicator takes practise. 

Good spokespeople don’t just know their message inside out — they also adapt to their audience and turn tricky questions into positive messaging opportunities. 

But the very best spokespeople do it effortlessly, as if it’s the most natural thing in the world. 

That’s why it’s so important to distil, hone, and test your story ahead of time to make sure it’s good enough to get the coverage it deserves. 

And that’s what we do at Wildfire. Our award-winning PR is shaped by strategic thinking, bold ideas, exceptional content, and stand-out results. And that includes ensuring that our clients know what to expect when we line up media interviews. It’s why we don’t just offer media training — we positively encourage it. 

To find out more, get in touch here.