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Pass The Media Test With Basic Crisis Handling Media Skills
There is an age old sales technique which involves turning the objection, or turning the negative. It refers to a simple but effective process of taking an objection from a prospective client, providing empathy with the negative and reinforcing it with a positive. Although dealing with crisis handling or any tough situation in the media can be more challenging, a similar principle can be used.
The modern media can be aggressive in its approach to breaking news stories and this can create tough situations if the buck stops with you in the event of a crisis. Often one person has to represent an entire organisation and confidence is essential in portraying a positive message in the face of adversity.
We all see company representatives on TV defending themselves, or their organisations and there is a marked difference between people who go into a tough media situation with an attitude of defensiveness and those who go in with a calm, confident and positive attitude. By definition crisis media handling is never easy, however media skills can be applied to ensure you and your company come over in the best possible light.
One of the core media skills to employ in crisis handling is that of flexibility and versatility. During a period of crisis for your organisation there will be enquiries and interest coming from all forms of media and those with effective media skills will understand each respective medium in order to respond accordingly and project a unified and accessible response across the board.
Good crisis media skills training will show you the difference between live and recorded interviews and how you need to adapt for each. It will also give you a thorough grounding in studio etiquette, whether that might be a television or radio studio. Bright lights, microphones and being surrounded by interviewers and crew can be daunting, especially when coupled with having to address a difficult subject. Practising your media skills in a similar environment and being put through your paces in advance will be invaluable when it comes to the real thing.
Good preparation before a media interview will always improve your chances of getting the right messages across in the right way. Thinking in advance about the questions you may come up against will allow you to prepare clear, succinct and non-defensive responses, rather than having to think too much on the spot. Of course, in a crisis, the media can roll into action very quickly requiring you to respond with very little preparation time. For this reason, it is essential for an organisation to have thought carefully about what crises may occur and to prepare for them. The truly well-prepared company incorporates a media relations element in its crisis plan, and includes this element in any 'crisis rehearsals' that are held.
Learning how to communicate with journalists is one of the important media skills. Many seasoned journalists have techniques they employ to trap people and the only way to prepare for this is by experience, or in the safe environment of media skills training. It is said that in life we learn more about ourselves when our backs are to the wall - the same is true with professional life. Media skills training will put you though realistic experiences of crisis handling situations, giving you the confidence, practice and techniques to ensure you can: explain events clearly at short notice, stay in control of the situation, reinforce positive yet realistic messages, show empathy and avoid legal pitfalls.
If a company representative portrays empathy and is professional and cooperative in handling a crisis, the publicity generated by that crisis can become positive. With the aggressive approach the media takes, this intended message can become marred, so being prepared by employing basic media skills is the only way to safeguard your message. This better positions you to turn the negative crisis into a positive media opportunity.
About the Author Dominic Donaldson worked for years as a news correspondent and is a leading consultant in media skills contributing regularly to a wide range of publications on the subject.
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