Being interviewed by the media can be very intimidating for some people. It’s even more daunting if there’s a chance the reporter might ask you something that could put you or your business on the “hot seat”. You don’t want to answer in a way that exacerbates the problem or reflects negatively on you or your business. But you don’t want to avoid questions by saying “No comment”, either. You need to be prepared.

Recently, I was working with a client that was preparing to open a new business location. This particular organization had gone through some tough times recently. The initial problem was brought on by a former leader of that organization. Unfortunately, it was perceived by some people in the community that the members of the organization responded publicly and inappropriately bringing additional woes upon the group.

As the organization had made some positive changes and was “re-launching”, we knew that what had transpired between the organization and local government would be among the interview questions.

I assumed the role of the interviewer and wrote down a number of questions that I would ask. I thought of easy questions, tough questions and tricky questions that could trip up the interviewee. I then prepared a response to each question along with notes about how to respond if pressed further.

I forwarded that list of questions to the people I knew would be interviewed. Because I have all interview inquiries directed through me, I can refer the media to the people suited to address certain topics. I was able to ask each reporter what their slant was and then determine who to direct them to. In most instances, reporters don’t have a problem with this approach because it helps be more efficient and productive.

And what do you know? …the reporters asked nearly every question I had outlined. I heard back from the interviewees after the interviews that they answered the questions just as I had scripted and they felt comfortable doing so. When I read the stories in the media, I was delighted to see that we were actually able to control the interview rather than the media.

If you are preparing to be interviewed for a story and you have some time, here are a few tips that I suggest…

1. Ask yourself the hard questions, be as outrageous as possible

2. Write out answers/responses to each of these questions

3. Practice the interview with a friend or colleague and play both the interviewer and interviewee roles to get both perspectives

4. If the interview is by phone, use your notes. If it’s in person, memorize your responses

5. Take time to answer tough questions rather than offer a knee-jerk response

6. Remain calm. If you get angry or flustered, ask for a moment to gather your thoughts

7. You may need to have your attorney present if this is a legal issue

8. Never say, “No comment”.  Simply respond, “I don’t have that information available right now. But I’ll get back to you when I do.”

Remember, the better prepared you are…the easier the interview.