If union woes, the threat of product recalls or industrial accidents (among a wide range of other threats) are possible, the last thing your executives need to be concerned about is their performance, or the performance of key staffers, before media representatives.
What you say and how you say it are important when interacting with media. We prepare our clients thoroughly for meeting media deadlines, making sure that core messages are communicated confidently, and that sensitive information is presented carefully and correctly.
For example: GE Fanuc and York International Corporation executives were trained to deliver news and information confidently before groups of journalists during media tours.
And executives at the National Association of Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors received “Media Encounters” training, a fast-paced 1/2-day course that included videotaped interviews with “journalists” jockeying for answers to tough questions. By design, the course can be a bit intimidating. But instruction is purely supportive, leaving participants with an overwhelming sense of accomplishment and readiness for the real deal.
What about simpler trade show media opportunities? Will your staffers capably steer interviews? Are they prepared to discuss sensitive topics? Or know when to stop talking?
Within most organizations, there’s a diversity of expertise, too often untapped. Why? Because those professionals lack the confidence and skill to communicate with media one-to-one. It’s a talent that stems from experience and training, the kind of training we conduct routinely.
Trade shows are a natural venue for these opportunities, as are media tours, visits we can arrange for you, and telephone or online queries. Why settle for compromise with opportunities like these to promote your company’s technology or services?
