5 things Business Executives (or those that want to be) can learn from Media Training

Anyone in the public eye knows the value of media training. It provides them with the confidence to handle the media, but more importantly, awareness of how the media operates and what they are after.

Whether it is a positive scenario to report on, or something has come to light that taints your brand, business or character, media training can have a profound impact on the situation and outcome.

Yet surprisingly, so many key employees haven’t undertaken any formal training in this area.

So, here’s 5 things that media training can teach you:

  1. The importance of your key messages and audience

If you don’t know what you’re talking about then everything else is irrelevant.

Understanding the key messages you want to convey is critical. It is advised to have no more than 5 in order to present a strong and focussed message. How you present these will depend on the audience you are wanting to target, and we will help craft these for every scenario.

  1. You learn how to speak & how you look when you speak

You might have what you’re going to say down pat, but if you can’t deliver it then your messages will be lost.

Your tone and use of words say a lot about you, but so does your body language. In front of a camera, nothing is missed. From how you sound and what you say, to the visible slump of your shoulders, rubbing of your hands and darting of your eyes. Polishing these areas is far better practiced before the event than doing your rehearsal “live”.

  1. Preparation for good and bad scenarios

So you look good, sound good and you’ve got your key messages tailored to your audience. Confidence is high, until you are hit with a question you weren’t expecting. It could be something you were unaware of or a question that strikes a nerve. How do you handle it? Practicing for negative situations or surprise questions is where media training makes a real difference.

  1. How to control an interview

Media training gives you the skills to guide and steer the direction of  an interview using your key messages. Journalists are asking questions in order to write a story. So learn how to give the journalists the right information to get the story you want written.

  1. Assume the camera is always rolling

Media training is all about becoming more comfortable in front of the camera and microphone. But it’s important to understand that comfort shouldn’t breed complacency. At all times you need to understand what you say and do before and after an interview can be used in a story. If you can see the camera, it can see and record you! Understanding that the microphone is always on and the camera is always rolling will keep you focussed on getting the right messaging out there.

 

Whether you’re already dealing with the media, or about to start a new position that requires you to do so, media training will help you understand the media, develop your spokesperson skills and give you the confidence to be effective in interviews.

For more information on media training and how it could help you, contact the Livewire Productions team on 07 3367 8179.