Many companies don’t take full advantage of their media visibility because they don’t get their key messages through. Others struggle with getting earned media coverage because they don’t know how to make themselves attractive. Making the most out of your media attention is one of the hardest things to master and where most come up short. Luckily, it’s easy to fix this with media training! Helping key spokespersons understand how the media works and how to talk to them should be an integral part of every company’s communications process. Here are four reasons why every company should invest in media training:
discover great pitching angles
One of the biggest challenges in companies is finding great ideas. There might be lots of content ideas, but do they have enough exciting angles for the media? The answer is usually no. Especially in PR, the most crucial part of the process is recognizing angles that truly interest journalists. So, take off your content marketing hat and start thinking like a journalist.
Do you have multiple experts who contribute to your company’s thought leadership? That’s good, but are they the right individuals to represent your brand? If you haven’t invested time in media training and thought leadership strategy, they most likely aren’t.
GET YOUR KEY MESSAGES ACROSS
You will also learn how to effectively communicate your company’s key messages by identifying your thought leaders and the main topics in media training. Many companies receive media attention, but often, stories fail to deliver the right value. In other words, their thought leaders need help to emphasize their key messages. In media training, your PR partner will teach you what to say and how to respond. Each interview requires a specific strategy and meticulous preparation ahead of time.
BE prepared for crisis situations
Every company encounters risky situations, and, let’s face it, journalists are eager to uncover these types of issues. That’s why you should be well-prepared for any kind of question. In media training, you learn how to develop a crisis communication plan and, more importantly, prepare your spokespersons to tackle challenging questions they can encounter in interviews.
Identify potential crisis communication situations and compile a list of well-crafted answers to questions you are likely to face. This way, you can prevent negative publicity or transform potentially harmful situations into positive publicity.
