Note from Lee: I don’t want to have all the fun blogging here at Online Marketing Blog so 3 of our TopRank and M&O team members will begin offering practical tips related to blogging and public relations each week. Thomas McMahon will offer blogging tips and Karen Sams will be joined by Jolina Pettice in contributing tips on media relations and online PR.
Media interviews that result in published articles are excellent opportunities for companies to reach their target audience. While preparing for the interview, it’s important not to forget the ‘little things’ that can have a big impact on how your company is represented.
Here is a little tip to help make your interview with the media more successful.
During journalist interviews, it’s very common for interviewees to fall into a habit of saying, ‘we do this’ and ‘we do that’. The problem is that ‘we’ is not your company name!
When companies have invested significant amounts of time and money into a brand, it’s important to make reference to that brand during publicity opportunities. Otherwise, the company might be referred to generically in the article and that does not help build a brand nor does it make it easy for readers to remember your company name.
An interview is as much about how you say things as it is about what you say. Put on the spot, most interviewees have just enough company knowledge to answer questions, but don’t often have the presence of mind to consider things like messaging and brand. For this reason, it‚Äôs important to allocate time to practice the little things like making reference to your company name.
For example, “Our company, Company X, specializes in……” or “At Company Z, we believe that….”. This is especially helpful when trying to get media coverage in a written article. The mention of the company name reinforces your brand with the journalist and in turn with the readership. This tip isn’t just for print media interviews, the same applies to TV and Radio. No matter what the media, just don’t over do it.
Welcome to the Online Marketing Blog Jolina. Thanks for the info on using your brand or company name in media interviews. Hope to hear more about getting those interviews in the first place as I know you’re a real pro when it comes to that.
Good point, Jolina. I mentioned it on Common Sense PR:
http://commonsensepr.com
Excellent point about mentioning the company name rather than we, we, we. Interviews should be well thought out opportunities to position a company. Far too often representatives from an organization don’t put enough thought into what they are doing. One recommendation I often make to my clients is to get some media coaching. This will help prepare even the most inexperienced person for great opportunities.
Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer