Generate Interest
Before considering approaching journalists with a story idea from your business, it’s always worth investigating all angles that could lend your material that extra oomph. Consider what the public is already interested in because this adds value from a media perspective. Think about upcoming topics such as national holidays, events that generate a lot of press, and what’s happening in the world of entertainment -can you jump onto one of these topics and surf the wave of popularity? It is also worth exploring trending topics from the core pillars of social media, as these platforms will inform you about what the public is currently talking about. Twitter and Google trends provide a wealth of valuable intel you can learn from.
Pitch Using Media Language
Journalists are incredibly busy people, tasked with time-sensitive workloads and overflowing inboxes. It’s critical to keep this in mind when you approach them and do whatever you can to work within the parameters of this context. This means the easier you can make their jobs the better! Ensure that your pitch email is a ready-made news story. Research the style of language the outlet you are pitching uses and craft an email title that reads like a headline they might have written themselves. Keep the pitch short, concise, and filled with the relevant information the journalist can lift to craft a broadcast interview from.
Leverage The Latest Research
Facts and stats are the backbones of any newsworthy story, and they lend gravitas to your pitch. Providing research also becomes a data resource that other journalists can reference -making it easier for your story to be picked up by other news outlets. If you don’t have your own data on your given topic to reference, websites such as StudyFinds.org provide all of the latest study data on a range of areas arranged by category.
Keep The Brand Messaging Consistent
Your brand messaging should be informed by your brand identity and the research that fortifies the story. This should be boiled down into succinct quotable phrases that can be delivered concisely and backed up with facts. The language that matches the style of your brand messaging across the board will reinforce who you are and what you represent to your audience and encourage memorability. Use keywords that will enhance the SEO performance of your topic for journalists that pick up your news offering as well as aid the success of post-interview marketing exposure for your brand.
Choose The Right Spokesperson
Once your news story is prepared, choosing the right person to showcase it and represent your brand is vital. Consider your people in terms of who is naturally engaging, great at public speaking, passionate about the subject matter, and willing to be coached in delivering the perfect broadcast interview. Think about examples where you have watched a great live interview and what components made it successful. Your brand advocate will need to come across as warm, personable, comfortable in front of the camera, and knowledgeable about the subject matter.
Utilize Leading Answers
For many broadcast interviews, the intended questions will be provided in advance allowing your spokesperson to prepare. It is important to anticipate how to make the interview flow naturally so the audience is not distracted by any awkward exchanges. A good trick to remember is to keep the answers concise and not try to deliver all of the information in one go. Practice answers that give the interviewer the opportunity to elaborate and ask further questions, so the exchange has a more comfortable and conversational feel.
Practice, Practice, Practice!
A broadcast interview can be a nerve-wracking event for even the most confident of executives, and most people are inexperienced in working in front of a camera. So practice is key, not just for message delivery, but also demeanour -you don’t want distracting body language to undermine the credibility of what you are trying to convey. A good practice technique is to role play the interview and film it, this will show you how your spokesperson comes across on camera and will allow you to work on anything that is less than positive.
Broadcast interviews can be intimidating, but following our journalist contact’s tips is a great start to adding these opportunities to your regular marketing strategy and enhancing your brand’s profile. Before long you will be comfortable and confident in front of that camera!
