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The 10 Best Reminders for Successful TV Interviews

Define what a successful TV interview would look like and build from there We were surprised to find that an article we wrote 10 years ago on the subject of how to effectively prepare for TV interviews had recently risen again to become our most visited page on this website. We can't explain why things like that happen, but upon reviewing the content of the piece it occurred to us that an update is in order. So here are the new and improved top 10 tips for how to prepare for a TV interview. Imagine what success looks like. Answer these questions: 1) What do I want my audience to know? 2) What do I want my audience to believe? 3) What do I want my audience to do? If you answer these three questions, you have set clear and …


Media Training Fundamentals: Don't Name the Competition

Don't Give Your Competitor the Valuable Publicity You Earned. Keep It for Yourself! When we conduct mock interviews during a media training session, we often ask interview subjects to name two or three competitors who they admire. There are numerous iterations of essentially the same question. It can be naming the competitors who are keeping them up at night. Or perhaps it can be a question about the competitors who pose the greatest challenge over the next three to five years. It’s all a trick to see if the spokesperson being trained can be lured into naming competitors at all. We have found that it is common for an untrained spokesperson to fall for this simple trick and start rattling off names. Sometimes they speak more naturally and glowingly about the competition than they do about their own products and …


Top 10 Tips for Winning Your Next News Interview

Succeeding in news interviews comes down to preparation, practice and performance I was surprised when I reviewed the Google Analytics report for this site that an article I posted more than nine years ago, "Top 10 Tips for Preparing for a TV Interview," was again one of the most popular articles here. Not sure how or why that's the case, but everything changes over the course of a decade -- I don't know anyone who still uses a Blackberry! -- and I wanted to provide an update for those who are seeking PR advice prior to conducting a video interview. Before we get too far into this, let's pause for this brief commercial announcement: Contact DPK Public Relations to arrange Media Interview Skills Training today or call 800.596.8708. The biggest thing that has changed over that time is the rise of …


Dancing at the Edge of the Off-the-Record Cliff

We always devote a portion of our Media Interview Skills Training sessions to a discussion about going “off-the-record” with journalists. Our recommendation is the same today as it was 20 years ago: there is no such thing as “off-the-record.” Think of it as a cliff for your career. You can dance at the edge of that cliff and think you are in control. But there are many forces at play that can send you right over the edge no matter how confident you are. Splat. There goes your career. If you say something, you should be prepared to see it attributed to you in print. Even if you have a relationship with a journalist, that journalist’s job is to get a good story and tell that story. If you expect them to do otherwise, you are suggesting that what you …


Media Interview Fundamentals

Lessons from Our First Decade Training America's Spokespersons During our first 10 years, DPK Public Relations has been honored to train more than 1,000 spokespersons for organizations throughout Texas and across the United States. We have conducted training in top secret military installations and highly volatile chemical facilities. We have conducted one-on-one training for individuals shortly before major media opportunities and for large groups that were unlikely to ever be interviewed -- but who rightly embraced the training 'just in case.' Through it all, one thing has remained true: how you deliver information is just as important as what you say -- and research suggests how information is delivered can easily amplify the power of the information, or it can suck all the power out of it. The goal is to project confidence and positivity to reinforce that you are …


Lance Armstrong illustrates how to handle difficult journalists

As you might understand, Lance Armstrong doesn't like to be called "a cancer," so when a journalist who did just that in the past tried to pin him down at a news conference, Lance was none too pleased. It is a great example of how to take control and deliver your message no matter what.


Media Training Fundamental: Reporters Are Always Working

What is the role of a reporter and to whom is that reporter responsible? This is a question we tackle in most media training sessions because DPK Public Relations believes it is important for your spokespersons to understand the environment in which they will be attempting to deliver their messages.


DPK Public Relations Client, Saint Arnold Brewing, Featured on KTRK TV

How can your organization turn all the media's attention on the economy and possible recession into positive attention for you? In this article, we explain the importance of staying flexible to capitalize on changing circumstances.


The Value of On-Camera Media Interview Skills Training

We strongly recommend using a camera in media interview skills training sessions Because when it the total package – body language, facial expression, voice inflections and the tone and power of the voice all interact. The best way to expose a spokesperson to the areas that can be improved is by getting them to see and/or hear for themselves.