How to Prepare for a Media Interview

It may seem obvious to many individuals that their media goals are to spread their message and utilize the media as a medium to do so, while targeting whoever is watching the show. While this is indeed a goal for many seeking or accepting a media opportunity, it is crucial to have a specific goal in mind, including identifying the desired audience. This approach will provide a more comprehensive and actionable plan for achieving success.

What does it mean to define your media opportunity? Let’s consider a hypothetical scenario.

Imagine the Founder/CEO of a fintech startup that uses AI to create personal budgets wants to promote their product on a show. At this stage, they are ready to scale and reach a larger audience. The top choices for them include SquawkBox, Bloomberg, and Yahoo! Finance, but they ultimately decide on the latter due to its retail audience makeup.

Some people might think, “I’ll just appear and answer any questions they have about the product.” While this approach isn’t necessarily wrong, it leaves a lot on the table. Preparation for the interview is almost as important as the execution.

First, let’s define the target audience. It’s not as simple as speaking to anyone viewing the segment. Just like advertisers segment their target audience, you should do the same. Trying to address everyone at once won’t resonate with any specific segment or audience. In this case, the fintech startup is not seeking funding, so their messaging doesn’t need to cater to investors. They are looking for customers, and that’s who they should speak to.

Second, what is the goal of the interview? It’s important to ask this question because the CEO being interviewed shouldn’t let the host dictate what they say. This is where talking points become critical in determining the key messages the CEO should convey. Therefore, some goals for this interview could be:

1. Highlight how Company X saves customers’ time by leveraging AI to simplify budgeting.
2. Mention Company X’s patented technology that makes expense tracking easier compared to competing applications.
3. Enhance brand trust by promoting transparency in the pricing model.

By explicitly outlining the interview goals (i.e., delivering these strong statements), you can develop messaging points and anticipate potential questions that align with these answers. Additionally, rehearsing and practicing these lines will reinforce their delivery during the interview. Moreover, having objective metrics will allow you to assess the opportunity.

Media opportunities are challenging to come by, especially for smaller and lesser-known companies. It is crucial to prepare and generate as much value as possible. With the prevalence of social media, clipping and amplifying the segment can significantly contribute to promoting your message.

Remember, it’s not just about speaking to your audience; it’s about defining your audience. Similarly, don’t make the goal of your media appearance merely getting interviewed; instead, define it.