“Extra, Extra, Read All About It”

This post is part 3 of an ongoing Apprentice Challenge for B5media Business Channel Bloggers. Our first challenge: Bring in the Dough: Yielding Wealth In Your Own Business, and part 2, Facing the Lead Dilemna in Your Small Business.  Feel free to take this journey with us! Enjoy!

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The local newspaper just called:  they would like to do a feature on Kay and her business.  Kay is excited but nervous.  She has heard all kinds of stories about being misquoted and misrepresented.  She had been give all kinds of advice from don’t talk too much about your personal life to don’t talk too much about the business.  She’s not sure how to keep it focused and she’s worried about the questions:  what if they ask her about her brother’s jail time (it was a small time drug charge and wasn’t in the paper but who knows what the media has dug up)?  She needs help.  She’s asked for your five best interview tips – from preparing for the interview to follow-up.  She doesn’t want more than five because she’s already overwhelmed.

What do  you say?  How should a business owner best present him or her self and the business in the media?

There are five things you can do to ensure that your interview, and the aftermath, helps your business:

1. Create a press kit.
2. Obtain reporter’s questions.
3. Prepare and rehearse possible answers.
4. Position yourself as a professional and an expert.
5. Use the story in your marketing. 

Remember, the story the reporter writes begins before you sit down for an interview, and the impact of the story can continue long after the story appears. For a more in-depth look at effectively using each of the above suggestions, continue reading.

1. Create a Press Kit. Include the following information in your press kit:

• Background and History About Your Business
• Your Bio
• Additional Story Ideas
• Testimonials From Customers

Highlight information regarding your efforts to keep your products safe, especially the lead test information, and include a well-crafted press release about your business for the reporter to use verbatim, if he or she desires.

Once it’s done, do the following with the press kit:

• Email the File to the Reporter Ahead of Time to provide him/her with background information (if the reporter has it digitally, it’s much more likely to be used)
• Bring a just-in-case copy on CD to the interview
• Use it to study up for the interview
• Put it on your Web site

2. Obtain the Reporter’s Questions.  Ask politely for some of the questions the reporter might have. Contact the reporter ahead of time, letting him or her know that you are interested in giving the reporter the best possible interview. Some things to find out:

• The main thrust of the story
• Special information the reporter would like
• Whether anyone else is being interviewed for the article
• How long the interview is likely to last
• General questions the reporter might ask

A reporter is unlikely to give you the complete list of questions he or she plans to ask, but you can get an idea, ahead of time, what is likely to come up. As a local business story it’s doubtful that the reporter is looking for a personal expose (your brother, for example), but the lead scare is a potential hook, so what you do proactively is critical.
 
3. Prepare and Rehearse Possible Answers.  Think of answers to possible questions. In addition to those the reporter submits, consider other questions that might come up. Think of worst-scenario questions (like those regarding your brother), and come up with good answers.

When considering answers, remember that it’s ok to gently deflect a question so that you can give information you want included.  For example, if you are asked a personal question, say, “That’s a good question.  In my business…”  Use this bridging technique to highlight the positive about your business.

Assemble interesting narratives, as well as short, quotable “sound bites” that can help you focus examples on how you test your products out with your kids, and how you focus on safety.

Two possible examples of narratives that include good sound bites:

“Kids are only young once.  As a busy Mom who found time to share my love of cooking with my kids, I want to make it easy for others to make it a good experience.  The aprons and chef’s hats help set the mood for fun and adventure. They make cooking a special occasion.”

“Who better to be in charge of quality control, safety and keeping clothes clean than a Mom?  As Chief Safety Officer, I make sure these products are made from quality, fire-retardant materials that contain no lead.  And as Chief Tidiness Officer, I’ve tested everything with my kids and I wearing our Sunday best, to make sure the aprons and hats protect the kids’ clothing from most messes.” 

Ask friends and relatives to act as an interviewer, Give them a list of questions to ask you during the practice and ask them to ask any additional questions. Videotape the sessions to check your body language and other issues. This will increase your confidence and help you feel more relaxed, so you can better engage the reporter on a personal and genuine level.

Preparation Power Tip: Consider hiring an interview coach to help.  

4. Position Yourself as a Professional and an Expert. Show your professionalism by:

• Politely thanking the reporter for the opportunity, and be polite
• Chatting a little bit after, keeping in mind that there is no such thing as “off the record”
• Asking when the interview is likely to come out so you can watch for it (many reporters have a pet peeve about being asked to “send a copy,” so avoid that)
• After the interview comes out, sending a thank you note

Remember: a good journalist won’t accept gifts (conflict of interest), but a note of appreciation is always acceptable, and it will predispose the reporter toward you next time she or he needs an “expert.”

Let the reporter know that you are always available to help with local business-related items. This can lead you into a position to be someone the reporter goes to when commentary or information is needed, even if the story isn’t about you specifically.  

5. Use the Story in Marketing.  ASSUMING the story turns out well, obtain permission from the paper to include copies in your press kit. Here are some additional ways the story could be helpful in the future:

• Send it to craft magazines to let them know that you have “arrived”.
• Blow it up poster size to display any time you have a booth or you present your products.
• Include a link to the article on your web site.
• An interview is more than just answering questions. When properly undertaken, an interview is the chance for you to market your business, and it can be used over and over again to promote your products.

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*Meet the Business Channel Bloggers behind this team post: Accounting Solver, Biz Chicks Rule, Brandcurve, Common Sense PR, Copyblogger, Doing Biz Abroad, Greener Assets, Interview Chatter, Leadership Turn, Linked Intelligence, Project Management 411, Second Life Pros, Small Business Boomers, Successful Blog, The Golden Pencil, Yielding Wealth