PR tips: how to prepare for a media interview

Small business owners and entrepreneurs understand the value of free publicity. Every Marketing Strategy and Marketing Plan should include public relations. Creating a public relations campaign that scores you interviews from the press is vital to Word of Mouth Marketing and bolsters any Social Media Plan.

My PR campaigns are often tied to current and relevant small business and internet marketing news. So when I wrote an article explaining the fallout from the credit crunch on small business owners trying to get funding, reporters came knocking.

If any journalist contacts you, be prepared. Luckily, when a journalist from Fortune Small Business Magazine contacted me, I knew enough to know I needed to prepare some talking points, but what other knowledge would I need to make the most of this opportunity?

I turned to my friend Joan Stewart, The Publicity Hound for help. Here is what she said.

Be aware of the type of media format the journalist is working for. Joan pointed out to me that my talking points for Broadcast media (Radio, TV, Podcast) would have a different edge than my talking points for print media. In a broadcast media situation, I would want to create sound bites that drove home my message. Broadcast media requires you to be clear and concise.

In this case, I am talking to a journalist from print media. Therefore, I am allowed a little bit more leeway to discuss my messages with the journalist.

To prepare, take these steps.

• First, you want to prepare a list of talking points. Create a key message. This message should align with both be reporters story and your angle.
• Next, you want to prepare three sub key messages that are interesting and relate back to your key message. Don’t however make the mistake of thinking that means your sub message is factual support for your key message or a repeat of it somehow. Your sub message needs to add value just as creatively as your key message.
• Create a list of tips for the reporter. Give references such as websites where readers or viewers can do further research.
• Have examples ready.

Before the interview closes, Joan listed questions I should be sure to ask the reporter.

1.      Do you need other sources?

2.      What other information do you need?

3.      Do you need a photo?

4.      Do you need a sidebar?*

5.      May I invite you to call on me in the future about these topics (insert your specialties here)?

In my case, I also wanted to make sure that the reporter would mention my website. So, I offered to make one of my relevant White Papers free to their readers with a password from the article. This drives traffic to my site, builds my list, and adds value for the reporter. This is one of my favorite Public Social Media tactics.

SIDEBAR: Sometimes reporters will have the space to do a “story within/related to a story”. This is called a sidebar. If you have a point that’s related to the story but would take a lot of space to explain, offer to write a sidebar for the reporter. Score some extra points!