Media: "Talking Business"
Audiences are Not Analysts
Whether you’re being interviewed for TV, radio or print, you should always remember you’re talking to a general audience. One of the most common mistakes business people make is assuming too much knowledge on the part of the reporter and the audience. Unless it’s the one and only trade publication for your industry, remember people really don’t know much at all about your business.
This rule goes double for TV. Think about the average audience watching CNBC. In front of the television are people like your mother, brother, or neighbor. Unless the person actually is your mother, chances are 100 to 1 that lady doesn’t know much about your company, and unless she owns the stock, she doesn’t care.
Executives often make the mistake of speaking to reporters as if they are analysts. Analysts follow your industry. They are paid to care (a little) about you. Television, radio and even trade and business journalists are not. They don’t get paid to do anything but find and write what they think are stories that interest their audience.
If you don’t have something interesting to say to reporters you won’t be invited back, unless your company is red hot. When you do get interviewed, if your message doesn’t grab people, you are squandering a great opportunity for positive press.
Here’s some background on reporters:
• Most went to journalism school. Most don’t go to business school; they pick up what they know through reporting.
• Most have never worked in any business except the media, so in general they don’t
understand a whole lot about how business works. This doesn’t mean they aren’t smart – they just haven’t had the same experiences you have had.
• Even if they follow your industry or company, they don’t do so for long. A reporter from a trade journal may be on her first assignment. A reporter who interviews you today will in all likelihood get a job with a different publication six months from now.
• Some reporters are freelancers writing for numerous publications. Because of competition and the proliferation of web sites and magazines, this is truer today than ever in our history.
• Reporters move from one city to another and one television or radio station or publication to another. This is considered a good thing. They move up and get paid more but they often don’t have years to get to know a city or an industry.
• Reporters have an allergic reaction to business and technical jargon. If you use it, they stop listening, just like normal people. That means they may miss what you say unless they stop you and ask you to explain. The best reporters will stop you, because they know it’s the best way to write clear, concise, interesting stories.
What do the media want?
The media like “cool trends” and cutting edge ideas. They want to know what’s happening now.
The best way to get interviewed a lot, or generate positive press is to talk about these trends.
How do you come up with those ideas? It’s simple. Ask yourself, what are our customers, clients, colleagues and people in the industry talking about? What’s the buzz?
You also need to tell a story. Think about your customers, clients or end users. What’s
happening to them? What have they told you lately that is worth noting? Why are they using your products? What problem does it solve for them? Talk about them, not you, and reporters will be all ears.
Preparing for your interview
To prepare for a media interview, take a few extra steps, beyond what you would do as an executive preparing for an analyst call.
• Think about a few “cool messages” that explain trends or what’s new.
• Talk about strategy – don’t give away anything proprietary; just talk in general terms about what is driving trends or decisions.
• Tell stories about how clients and customers use products or services or the impact it has on them – this is how people understand why you matter as a company and what value you add to the world.
• Take every opportunity to work these cool messages and stories into the interview, no matter what you are asked – reporters actually appreciate it when you add value to the interview – it makes them look smart.
• Eliminate the jargon and speak in plain English. People think you are a genius when you can explain complicated things in a simple way.