Rob Biesenbach’s Post

Knowing When to Say No: Should You Occasionally Decline Media Interviews? Navigating media requests can be challenging, especially during sensitive times for your company. You might wonder, “Why would I ever decline an interview?” Let’s explore a scenario that illustrates the importance of knowing when to hold back. Imagine your company is facing an internal crisis, and leadership has not yet come up with a clear strategy. As news of the situation leaks, reporters start reaching out for comments. In this case, politely declining the interview can be a smart move. Here’s why: Lack of a Defined Plan: Without a clear direction from leadership, your comments might not align with the company’s future strategy. Evolving Situations: The circumstances can change rapidly. Premature comments may lead to misinformation, which can damage your organization's credibility. Influx situations like these are clear indicators that it’s better to pause before immediately engaging with the media. Maintaining communication with your media contacts for future follow-ups is a good strategy. Other valid reasons to decline media interviews may include: Ongoing Legal Proceedings: Legal considerations can prevent you from commenting. Improper Spokesperson: If you’re not the right person to address the issue, it’s best to step back. Lack of Preparation: Being unprepared can lead to miscommunication and harm your image and reputation. Knowing when to step back can not only protect your company’s reputation but also strengthen your relationships with the media. When you do engage, you can provide insightful and informed comments that reflect your organization’s image, values and perspective. Remember, it’s okay to say no. Prioritize thoughtful communication over “hastiness”, and your media interactions will become much more effective. #MediaRelations #CrisisCommunication #PublicRelations #MediaStrategy #BusinessCommunication #PRfirm #PRservices

A busy executive might see meeting the media as painful and frustrating. A process can alter your thinking. Consider Keith, a CEO in London. An industry magazine invited him to do a profile interview. Keith was defensive. He told his Head of Communications, “Tell them to send me the questions. And if they say no, I’ll refuse to do the interview.” Keith’s Head of Comms said: “This is a great opportunity. It will be a straightforward conversation about your background and vision for the company.” So, a time slot was fixed. A date agreed. The Head of Comms did her pre-interview prep. On the day Keith was due to give the interview, he “jumped on a plane to China!” Keith’s Head of Comms was livid! She blagged a “hard luck story about the CEO”. It didn’t work. When she spoke to Keith in China, he said: “I was afraid that I’d stuff up the interview and embarrass myself.” Impostor syndrome kicked in. Keith saw himself failing. He thought he wasn’t good enough to do the interview. And because of that, the CEO threw away a golden opportunity. Keith’s no-show handed free brand recognition to a competitor.  The moral of the story is: You don’t need to know all of the questions. You just need to know YOUR story. And then you can work out your most compelling comment. Choose it, and say it first! When you do that, you’ll take charge of an interview. P.S. What’s your brand story?

When you “assume” you make an ASS out of U and ME Sometimes, in hiring processes, I'm guilty of assuming that we’re all talking the same language when it comes to basic skills & competencies. I’ll often hear hiring managers say “I’m looking for good communication skills” for their new team member, and we assume that we agree what good communication looks and sounds like. Good communication? Well what’s that exactly? 🤔 ~ Ability to command a room in meetings? ~ Can talk to senior leaders about complex topics? ~ Have copy writing skills for creative emails? ~ Have good spelling and grammar? If we assume that we have the same understanding of skills, we risk measuring the candidate with different yardsticks. And the consequence might be that we hire the wrong people, OR we miss talent when it's under our noses. Clear up what feels like the obvious with questions like: ⚫ What does that mean for you? ⚫ Can you share your understanding of that so we’re on the same page? ⚫ What are the challenges they’re likely to face that make this skill important? ⚫ How would someone do this badly? Define this, and you'll have a great shot and improving the quality of your interviews 🌟 Have you made any blinding assumptions lately? 👇 ---------------------------------------------------------------- I’m Natalie 👋 I’m a Talent Acquisition specialist and I help companies hire exceptional talent in an efficient, fair, and kind way 📧

As a communication practitioner, effectively disseminating information to the public and stakeholders often involves engaging with media outlets at various levels. When preparing a CEO, spokesperson or other authority figure for a media interview, here are some key steps I recommend: 1.    Confirm the interview details: Ensure you have the date, time, expected length, and type of story the reporter will be working on. 2.    Brief the interviewee: Provide the key points and information you have shared with the reporter ahead of time. This helps align the messaging. 3.    Research the reporter: Understand the reporter's background, knowledge, and typical interview style to anticipate the types of questions they may ask (many reporters in the Ethiopian media landscape do not specialize in specific issues, and it is good to give them preliminary information.) 4.    Leverage branding: Make sure the interviewee's environment features your organization's branding (e.g. backdrops, banners, digital screens) to reinforce your visual identity. 5.    Provide talking points: Give the interviewee a thoughtful set of key messages and potential responses to common or difficult questions. This serves as a useful framework for the discussion. 6.    Conduct practice interviews: Run through sample questions and answers to help the interviewee feel prepared and confident. The goal is to equip your spokesperson with the information, tools and confidence to deliver your organization's messages effectively during the media interview. Remember that a little preparation can go a long way in ensuring a successful interaction. #interview #spokespeson #mediainterview

Do you have a favorite question to ask the job interviewer? One that you always ask that allows you to decide if a company is right for you. As the hirer for our Chicago PR team, at the end of the interview, I always asked “What questions do you have for me?” This is a pretty standard and normal question, right? This is what I was hoping for in the answer: Someone who went a little above and beyond, researched our company, and asked a question like this: -I see that you work with <client x>. What do you do for them?  (a little research about our clients) Or like this: -I see you have both a content marketing and a PR team. How do you decide which department handles a particular piece of content? (a little research in our About Us section) Instead of this: -What does a typical day look like? (No research, generic question) What I was looking for was someone to be *proactive*. Being proactive was the #1 attribute I looked for in a team member. It was a category on the employee’s (& my) annual performance review. I couldn’t ask the question directly, ie “Are you proactive?” More than likely, they would have told me a well-rehearsed case study. I wanted them to *show me* they were proactive by asking me a question that took a little bit of proactivity, in this case — a little research into our company. This question helped me separate the contenders from the pretenders. Now your turn: Is there a key question that helps decide if the company is right for you?

Interview tips from a PR pro coming at you! Why three messages? Having three prepared messages for a media interview is a hot tip because it helps the interviewee stay focused, ensures they deliver essential information effectively, and it’ll improve the overall impact of the interview. Here’s why it’s particularly helpful: 1. Clarity and Focus: By defining three key points, the interviewee can cut through potential distractions and stay aligned with their core message. This focus helps avoid wandering off-topic, which can weaken the interview's impact. 2. Audience Retention: Audiences remember concise, repeated messages more easily. By sticking to three primary messages, interviewees increase the likelihood that viewers or readers retain the most important takeaways. 3. Media Control: Journalists often steer conversations in unexpected directions (sneaky!). Having pre-set messages allows the interviewee to bring responses back to their main points, subtly steering the narrative and ensuring their agenda isn’t lost. This approach is especially helpful in high-stakes or high-pressure settings where clarity and brevity are crucial for a memorable and effective delivery!

When it comes to being a 👩💻 hiring manager, I have been told by recruiters that I am a tough grader 👩🎓 Particularly when hiring another comms professional, I have ☁ sky-high ☀ expectations when it comes to how prepared, thoughtful and confident people are when that walk through my (virtual) door. Why? Because I firmly believe that the 📏 rules of a good job interview are also the 📏 ones that apply to a media interview 📰 Know your key message 📜 Have credible proof points 🔢 Do your research 📚 and PRACTICE ⚾ 🧢 Lastly, if you don't want it to be tomorrow's headline (or the interviewer's final impression), DON'T SAY IT! Even if being in front of reporters is NOT your thing (it's certainly not mine...), in communications these skills are the foundation of numerous specialties (i.e. preparing executives to answer questions during a town hall 👩💼 👨💼) Even if you THINK you know your stuff, take the time to prepare and practice for every. single. interview. (and networking meeting if I'm being honest). Know yourself 👩🎨, know your stuff 👩🔬 and PRACTICE ⚽ #interviewingskills #communicationscareer #interviewpractice #hiringmanagers

There are some “media interview non-negotiables” that every good PR practitioner knows. We should do a better job of teaching executives to understand them, too. ⚖️ Here are a few of mine: 🚫 We can’t ask to see the reporter’s interview questions in advance. 🛑 We can’t vet a story before it’s published. That’s a no-go. ❌ We can’t ask to remove quotes or sections of an interview if an executive misspoke. ✅ We can only request changes to a story for factual errors. Why are these non-negotiable? They protect our – and the organization’s – relationship with the reporter. 🤝 Some outlets and reporters have publicly shamed companies who make these requests. How can we best manage the outcome? 📋 Prepare thoroughly. 🕵️ Work with PR pros. We research the reporters and outlets, anticipate questions, and prepare executives for interviews. 🔍 Operate that everything said is “on the record.” Don’t say it if you don’t want to see it in the story. 🎯 Media training isn’t a “nice to have”—it’s essential to success. Please don’t ask us to skip it. What are your media interview non-negotiables? #MediaRelations #PRTips #ExecutiveTraining #MediaTraining #PublicRelations #PRBestPractices #CrisisCommunications #ReputationManagement

Ever freeze up at the thought of a media interview? You're not alone. My first one was an accidental disaster! In 2005, I chatted away with a journalist, not realizing it was an actual interview. Talk about a rookie mistake! But fast forward through 1000+ media interactions for a listed company, and preparing hundreds of CEOs for high-level media interviews, I've cracked the code. Want to nail your next media appearance? Here's my battle-tested 7-step checklist: 1️⃣ Prepare and Rehearse: Never wing it. Get clear on your goals, key messages, and potential questions. Practice on camera. 2️⃣ Give it Your Full Attention: Don't rush. Allow time to compose yourself before and debrief after. 3️⃣ Body Language, Presence, and Energy: Bring your A-game and connect with your interviewer. 4️⃣ An Interview is not a Conversation: Take charge. Be a spokesperson, not just an "answerperson." 5️⃣ Stick to the Battle Plan: Have a clear objective and guide the conversation back to it if needed. 6️⃣ My Story First: Frame the interview by getting your narrative out early. 7️⃣ Reiterate Your Key Message: End strong. Repeat your main point - it's what people will remember. Don't let media interviews intimidate you. With the right preparation, you can turn anxiety into opportunity. ❓What's your biggest media relations challenge? ♻ Please share to help your network and follow me Oliver Aust for daily tips on leadership communication.

Are you running for office? Are you talking to the media? Here are some media interview tips to help you convey your message confidently. #MediaTraining #MediaTips #Messaging https://lnkd.in/gp-PQaSF