Holding a successful press interview

Chameleon's Top 10 tips for a successful press interview:

1. When being interviewed, it can be easy to be distracted by the direction the conversation takes. To ensure that you get your point across, think about the maximum three key messages that you'd convey during the discussion and focus on weaving these into the conversation.
2. Make sure the journalist is clear on the basic facts by remembering the who, what, why, where and when for the story as well as how and how much if appropriate.
3. Should any problem areas arise in the discussion, try to address these succinctly and move quickly on to more positive angles to help steer the journalist away from focussing too heavily on the negative.
4. It's important to do your homework on both the journalist and the publication before the interview. If a journalist is working to an extremely tight deadline, don't risk wasting valuable interview time by making too much small talk or delaying the time of the interview. Be aware of any affiliates or biases the publication may have to avoid 'putting your foot in it' by saying something that could antagonise.
5. It's important to get your point across early on in the interview. Not only will this help steer discussions but avoids the risk of time running out before you have a chance to communicate your key messages.
6. When surrounded by people who work in the same industry, it's easy to forget that terms and jargon that may be used on a daily basis aren't necessarily going to be understood by people who are not working directly in the same company or industry. If you do have to use acronyms, be sure to clarify what they stand for to avoid any confusion.
7. An interview is an opportunity to really educate a journalist about your company and its values - beyond simply its product or service offering. It will help them gain a better understanding of the organisation; make them more empathetic to the business to form the basis of a longer term relationship.
8. If you don't know the basic facts and figures for the organisation you represent then it will undermine your credibility as a spokesperson as a whole.
9. Make sure the journalist knows that you are an expert in your field and that they need to take note of what you say. Tell them briefly about your role, career history and any industry-body positions held to illustrate your credibility and that you know your stuff.
10. At the end of the interview, take the opportunity to re-iterate and clarify your key points. Not only will this remind the journalist of them, but will leave them something to ponder once the interview is over.

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