- What is media training?
- Who should be media trained?
- Why do they need media training?
- How do I chose the right media trainer?
- How do you conduct your media training workshops?
- How much time does media training take?
- What makes you different from other trainers?
- Where does the training take place?
- Is there an advantage to in-person vs online / telephone training?
- How do you prepare for training with a client?
- What happens after the training?
- How much does media training cost?
What is media training?
Media training teaches you how to use a media interview to your advantage. It’s not about lying, spin control or avoiding the question. And it’s not like going to charm school. Instead, media training helps you prepare a message that you want to get across in interviews, regardless of the questions you’re asked.
We teach you the journalists’ tricks of the trade and show you how to avoid those traps. We explain the subtle differences between print and broadcast interviews including satellite media tours, video conferencing, telephone and spot news interviews.
Most of all, we teach you how to control the delivery of information and give you the confidence to go into even the most adversarial of interviews.
Who should be media trained?
Anybody who is speaking with the media on behalf of your company or organization should be candidate for media training. Reporters are no longer satisfied with dealing with spokespersons or PR “flacks”. They want access to C-level executives, though you may find there are others in the organization who are better communicators.
Our counsel… train deep into your organization so you’ll have several people to chose among when the media comes calling. Some may be better for print than broadcast. Others could be more adept at trade interviews and still others for consumer or IR purposes.
Why do they need media training?
Because the stakes are too high to screw-up. An inappropriate or incorrect answer to a reporter’s question can lose you business, hurt your company’s market share or stock price… maybe even trigger investigations.
But a well-done interview can achieve just the opposite… gaining you business, new clients and higher profits. So don’t fear the media… use it to your advantage!
How do I chose the right media trainer?
Look for a trainer with working experience as a journalist / broadcaster. To prepare you for battle, you need the counsel of someone who knows the battlefield and how your opponent thinks. Look for someone who knows your industry and who will take the time to learn about your problems. Most of all, chose a trainer who is with you for the long-haul by offering you follow-up consultation after the initial training.
How do you conduct your media training workshops?
Our workshops can be conducted one-on-one or in small groups. There are two parts to each workshop… a presentation on the “best practices” of how to conduct successful interviews, illustrated with video clips… and intensive role-play interviews which are videotaped and critiqued.
How much time does media training take?
Generally, 2 -3 hours is enough for one person to start. We price our workshops by the half and full-day and can train anywhere from one to eight people in a day. See “What happens after the training?”
What makes you different from other trainers?
As former reporters, our emphasis is on replicating a typical interview… not playing “charm school”. Some trainers will waste your time showing you how to sit in a chair, apply make-up and smile. We’ll show you get your message across!
Some trainers have a “cookie cutter” approach to training where one size fits all. We treat each client as a unique set of issues and opportunities. Typically, we’ll spend as much time in preparation for a training as in the workshop itself.
When you work with us you’re working with award winning former reporters and News Directors with almost 40 years of experience in broadcasting, journalism and public relations.
Where does the training take place?
All we need is a small conference room with a TV. This can be at the client, their PR agency or a meeting room in a hotel.
Some media trainers make you come to them and use their expensive TV studios. We think that’s a waste of travel-time and money. We bring our own A/V equipment, including digital TV camera, to you and don’t overcharge you for fancy gear that isn’t necessary for training.
We can also train remotely via telephone or the web.
Is there an advantage to in-person vs online / telephone training?
In-person training is best if you’re likely to meet reporters face-to-face or on TV. But if your interviews will only be by telephone, for print media for example, training by phone or the web is usually enough… and is cheaper than in-person.
How do you prepare for training with a client?
We pride ourselves on our prep work. No two clients are the same, and neither is their training. We thoroughly research each client, their issues and concerns. We start with whatever material they or their PR agency sends us, then do our own digging. By the time of our workshop, we know more about the client than the average reporter. That helps us simulate typical and “worst case scenario” interviews.
What happens after the training?
Each trainee receives all of our training materials… PowerPoint handouts, training manual and a video of their sample interviews. Then, we remain on call for follow-up consultation by phone. We’re happy to rehearse further for interviews, critique tapes of real interviews or do anything else to help our clients feel more confident in facing the media. And we do this at no charge for 90 days.
How much does media training cost?
Good media training isn’t cheap and shouldn’t be measured as X dollars per hour.
A $2,000 Lasik eye surgery procedure takes less than a minute. That works out to $120,000 per hour. Clearly, what you’re paying for is the doctor’s experience, equipment (and, unfortunately, insurance). But the end result is better vision.
When we work with a client, we spend hours on research and preparation in addition to the time of training session. Our follow-up consultations by phone are free. We don’t charge extra for camera equipment or A/V gear. We don’t ask you to pay for our fancy TV studio, because we don’t have one.
For an exact rate quote, contact us.