Press Briefing and Interview Mantras Part I

Be sure of your facts
If you plan to make claims about any product or services, make absolutely sure beforehand that what you say cannot be successfully challenged, otherwise both you and your organisation will appear unprofessional to journalists and you will create a bad impression for the future.

Be available
Someone who is rarely available to journalists will obviously never get a word in print or on air. Furthermore, if you are never "available", you will just irritate the media. On the other hand, avoid answering "off the cuff" and never agree to a spontaneous question and answer session on the telephone. Take the journalist's number, promise to call back – collect your wits and make sure you do call back within minutes. For live interviews, prepare responses to the questions you are likely to be asked.

Know your brief and stick to it
Most journalists are simply after the facts. Brief yourself thoroughly before talking to the journalist and have all the facts at your fingertips. Don't ramble or drift off the brief and never offer those "juicy company titbits" which could overshadow the main message you are trying to get across in the interview.

Be there on time
If you've agreed to see a journalist or take part in a telephone interview, make sure you do so. There's nothing more infuriating for a reporter than being kept waiting. If you must cancel try and allow plenty of notice. Avoid sending a substitute who will probably not have your depth of knowledge and will be unable to conduct the interview with authority. The reporter is bound to feel short-changed. Interviews can go wrong. Remember the tremendous coverage skilled self-publicists, such as Richard Branson, conjure up from well-orchestrated interviews.

Don't "promote" company jokes
Most companies have inside jokes about their products and personnel activities. Don't share the joke with the press. This could create a sensation among the media and result in bad press for the company.