If a reporter called you today, would you respond well?

Earlier this week I observed an engaging and dynamic media training seminar conducted by The Ammerman Experience.  Ken Haseley, Senior Counselor with Ammerman, shared invaluable tips on how to make media interviews successful.  (Thanks, Ken, for an excellent presentation!)

Ken Haseley stressed the importance of going into an interview with your own agenda in mind–a list of points that you want to get across.  Don’t let the reporter completely control the interview.  Rather, during the interview, look for opportunities to segue to one of your key messages–and then use tight, crisp and memorable sentences to communicate it.

As mentioned in this blog before, stories can really vitalize mundane messages.  Ken similarly recommends using stories, anecdotes, analogies, examples, illustrations and compelling data.  These “sparklers” (as Ken aptly called them) will make your points memorable; because they are so interesting, the press very well may quote them.

And, as noted in Tips for Lawyers on Working with the Press, don’t just sit back and wait for a reporter to contact you.  Articulate your points, make them memorable with good stories, and pitch them to appropriate media sources.