25-40% of all lead generation comes from earned media. This refers to things like word of mouth or press exposure.
With such a high return on this kind of media, you need to be ready to take full advantage of any opportunity that presents itself. You need to be able to speak clearly, carefully answer questions, and get your key message across no matter what is going on around you.
The best way to learn how to do this is through media training. This is especially important for the founders of a company who need to be seen as the highest-level experts.
But with little time to spare, it’s easy for things like media training to be pushed to the side.
In this post, we’ll go over 3 big reasons founders need to make media training a priority.
Keep reading to learn more.
1. Avoid Awkward Moments
Speaking in front of a live camera can be intimidating and disorienting. If you’re not prepared for it, it’s easy to get thrown off and either forget what you’re meant to say or misstate something entirely.
It can be almost painful to watch someone struggle through an interview, and it can cause people to lose confidence in you and your company. It can also lead to very awkward moments if you misspeak and wind up saying something that sounds very different than what you meant.
2. More Memorable and Effective Storytelling
There is an art to putting together a story or message and in order for people to buy in it has to be told effectively.
When you present your key message effectively people will pay more attention to what you’re saying, and will even remember it more after you’re done speaking. If you don’t it will be difficult to catch anyone’s attention at all, and any attention you do catch may be negative.
For training in this kind of storytelling, hiring a corporate communications consultant to help you like the ones at https://www.sunshinemedianetwork.com/corporate-communications-consultant/ can be an invaluable investment.
3. Learn How to Control the Interview
There are reporters out there who will do their best to trick or trap an interviewee into saying something that they don’t mean. When you receive training in pr communications one of the things you’ll learn is how to control an interview so this doesn’t happen to you.
You will learn how to always bring the conversation back to the key message, how to answer questions without falling into any traps, and that it’s not your job to fill any silences.
When you’re confident in your ability to manage these situations, you’ll be ready to take advantage of any opportunity for earned media. And you’ll be able to keep the exposure positive.
Begin Media Training Today
Every member of your team should have media training, especially the founders. As a founder, you need to be confident in your abilities to handle the media, a pitch meeting, or any other business communications.
For more tips like this, check out the posts in our business category!
