Your Public Best - Lillian Brown [93]
Don’t get upset if your interviewer has not really read your book; often, he or she must do several interviews back to back and cannot possibly be as well prepared for each interview with book authors as you would like.
It may sound obvious, but during the interview, don’t forget to mention the title of your book several times, and make sure that someone—you or the interviewer—holds it up to the camera.
Jot down hard-to-remember statistics on a card that you can keep in your pocket. Get to feel at home with cameras, microphones, crowds, and media confusion. Learn to ignore the distractions and concentrate on the information you wish to impart.
BEING A SPOKESPERSON
To become a successful spokesperson for your corporation, congressional committee, or organization, you will need media experience and effective media skills.
The following are among the goals you should strive for in becoming an effective spokesperson: You will work closely with the officials and executives of your organization to determine company policy and to become an expert in your field. Members of the press will seek you out as a reliable news source, because they can count on you to be open, cooperative, and accurate. You will work to establish and maintain ongoing relationships with key members of the press who specialize in your area—such as politics, science, education, or business. Thus, when your press releases arrive, they will not be consigned unopened to the wastebasket. When you call a press conference, the press will attend and cover it. If the media needs an expert to appear on TV or radio, they will call you, knowing that you will be an effective guest. You will work long, hard hours to establish this reputation for integrity, but it will all be worth it.
If you are the president of a corporation, you may decide to become your own spokesperson. You may do some television or radio spots. However, do not yield to the temptation to put yourself out in front unless you and your associates are convinced that you are the best possible person available. Test tape your material in advance so that you can be honestly critical of your performance. Don’t throw yourself open to criticism from your employees just because you have the power to put yourself on the air. On the other hand, there are many examples of the “fearless leader”—such as Lee Iacocca—who have become very successful in being identified with the corporate image.
Corporate Crisis Planning
You may find yourself in a situation in which you have to respond to a crisis, such as a nuclear accident, chemical explosion, fatal accident, hotel fire, or drug poisoning. Anticipate the things that could go wrong in your individual situation, and formulate a plan for effective response.
Work out in advance the various roles your personnel will play; know your company policy and agree beforehand on what your basic response will be and who has the responsibility for checking the facts.
Do not make a public statement until you have correct information that has been checked and verified. It is better to say the information is not yet available than to make what later turns out to be a false or indefensible statement. Once news has hit the newsstand or airwaves, it’s impossible to recall; corrections just never seem to have the same impact as the original news.
As you have further news bulletins to issue, don’t delay in getting them to the press. Reporters appreciate your speeding updates to them, and this will help you to establish your corporation’s and your own reputation as news sources sensitive to the needs of the press.
Also, during such crises, reporters appreciate your passing out any written materials as handouts—background information, policy statements of your organization, drawings or maps of a geographical area, press releases, or copies of the statement read by the spokesperson during a press conference.
Printed materials help reporters