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Welcome to “Media Point”, the RCI Media Training newsletter. Each issue features techniques for handling tough media interviews, building relationships with reporters, and a host of insider tips on how reporters operate. We offer tips and techniques for doing presentations as well. |
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You’re a Grand Ole Flag
If there’s one thing you need to remember about flagging, it’s that enlisting this effective interview tool is like waving a flag to signal the most important points you want to make with a reporter or audience. (Hint – this was an example of flagging.)
Flagging is the best way to reiterate your key messages and greatly increases the odds they’re heard and covered by the press. It’s an excellent technique to help you drive the interview and keep the reporter focused on your news, the way you want to see it covered. Imagine you’re in an interview and you’ve just outlined extensively a new product and its benefits to consumers. You see the reporter glazing over with information overload and on the verge of tuning you out. Don’t throw in the towel or start waving the white flag of surrender. Take charge by flagging your core message, even if you’ve said it before. Here’s an example of what an executive, who’s about to lose a reporter’s attention, might do to get the focus back on his key messages. Executive: We’ve covered a lot of ground in a short amount of time this morning. Before you go, let me quickly touch on the three key elements of our announcement. First, it’s a first-of-its-kind product that will forever change the way Americans shop for groceries. Second, there are no fees associated with the program, and, in fact, the product is designed to actually cut the average weekly grocery bill by as much as 10%. And finally, it’s a real win-win. The product is designed to dramatically streamline the back office process and enable most grocery store chains to hire additional employees with the newfound savings in operational costs. The grand ole stars and stripes will get baseball fans standing during the seventh inning stretch. In the same way, an effective interview flag is sure to get a reporter’s attention. Try it when you next present at a meeting and see what happens. We guarantee half the people in the room will pick up their pens and start writing. By flagging the key points you want to make with the media, you have virtually ensured that your core messages will make it into the reporter’s notebook or computer, or the TV news crew’s videotape. In a live interview, flagging guarantees that your key messages make their way directly to your audience. Here are some examples:
Flagging is also a good technique to use during phone interviews, when body language doesn’t help and it’s easy for the reporter to get distracted.
It’s important, however, to wave your flag subtly and conversationally so the reporter views it as your way of helping her or him navigate through the information discussed. Check out upcoming issues of Media Point for more information on these and other important interview skills and techniques. Subscribe | View Archives |
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In this section, we'll recommend Media Training or PR related books - and other books we've enjoyed reading. This month's recommendation:The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding by Al Reis and Laura Reis The trouble with recommending books about branding, marketing or public relations is that they tend to be out of date almost as soon as they are printed because of the speed with which the marketing and communications world is evolving. But anyone who has read the Reis's book, The Fall of Advertising, The Rise of PR, knows the authors know their stuff and, better still, believe in the power of PR. This book is three years old and, we have to admit, we haven't read it yet. But it's on our list and we're confident about recommending it here. Your comments are always welcome! |
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We’d love your feedback on the newsletter and anything else you want to chat with us about. Email us at info@rcimediatraining.com.
Media Point is brought to you by Renault CommunicationsLearn more: www.rcimediatraining.com | 404.378.7259 |
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