How to prepare executives for interviews?

Getting an interview with a media channel for the executive or the representative of the company is like striking the high notes. Interviews give a chance to present your brand, and company representatives are the ideal leaders of the organization. This way, you can boost brand trustworthiness, resolve catastrophe, and improve sales. Though experienced company representatives make errors often during the interviews. Precisely why you need media coaching.

Even a public speaking training would help, as delivering a speech on the stage and overseeing interviews are almost alike. These training and coaching sessions train the executives and spokespersons of the organization in the following manner:

• Messages in bullets: Executives lead a hectic life and do not all the time in their hands. Their daily activities consist of high-level tasks. However, during interviews, they are expected to know the details. Some coaches give the executives a booklet to read before the meeting. This strategy cannot help a person. Providing too much material is not useful. A helpful preparation document should not include anything more than three bullet points which revolves around the concerned topic.

• Supporting tool: While giving an interview, everything should be said by way of a message. Nonetheless, you do not want to sound fake as if reading a prepared script. This is where the message support tool is useful. The message support tool includes stories and stats. Stories shared should be a personal experience, narratives, and studies conducted. Stats, on the other hand, are typically numbers.

• Worksheets: Celebrity coach ensures to create a message worksheet, which consists of three messages –stories, stats, and sound bites for celebrities. This way, the PR manager can exclusively focus on the objective behind the interview. If you are doing a phone interview, the star can keep their pointers in front of them and mark off the answers already mentioned.

• Indirect answers: In daily circumstances, we are likely to give the ‘what’ answers. For example, if someone asks how the weather conditions are, the right answer would be current weather and the degrees. Though appropriate every day, it would be unacceptable in an interview. Executives should be able to answer the ‘why’ behind the question.

• Keep it simple: This is not only appropriate for media interviews but also public speaking course. Be it interviews or speeches, keep it short and straightforward. Try being in the spotlight for 30 to 45 seconds at one go. This way, you can emphasize the key points and make sure the reporter picks the correct message from your answer. Practice briefness and respond simply. If possible, have a simulated interview before being part of a real one. You can try and avoid with long and complicated answers.
• Reach out the target audience: If possible, skip demographics and focus on the psychology of the audience. Before practicing the interview, imagine who your target audience is.

Before celebrities participate in an interview, it is advisable to seek the help of a celebrity coach as they know how to guide you through the entire process.