Mar 13 07
CommTips #6: Media/Blog Interviews
By Maureen Taylor
So you’ve been asked to handle a blog or press interview, what do you do? Here are some very top-level ideas to consider:
- Remember that the person who is interviewing you is not the audience, but instead, the filter to your audience.
- Get your message to no more than three ideas and then stay on message
- Use the “Three ‘Bs” that help you to stay on message: bridging, blocking and breaking.
- Bridging - Answer the question no matter what they’re asking, keep it short, then bridge back to your three ideas.
- Blocking - If asked something you shouldn’t or can’t answer, use words like “I didn’t come prepared to address that issue, but if you’d like more on that, I’m glad to get someone who can or get back with you later.” Then bridge back to your three ideas.
- Breaking - If and when you sense that the reporter is annoyed with your staying on-message or keeps asking the same questions again and again, stop the interview and use words like “I sense that I’m not giving you the information you need. What are you looking for?” This helps clarify what they are doing.
So there you have it. Stay on message and adopt the three Bs, bridging, blocking and breaking. The next time you’re asked to talk with the New York Times, you’ll be ready for anything.
[...] Host Renn Vara also covers a CommTip - you’ve been asked to be interviewed for a blog or a podcast. What do you do? How do you manage that interview to stay on message? Renn covers the tips of “bridging,” “blocking” and “breaking.” [...]