Quick guide to maximizing interview success

By Lisa Lapin

1. Have a message.  Think in advance about the most important things you want to convey in the interview. If you were given a quote of only two or three sentences in the story – which is quite likely – what would you want them to be? During the interview, try to return to these core messages repeatedly.
   
   
2. Anticipate challenging questions. Reporters need concise answers, so think about likely questions in advance and formulate answers in your mind. Write notes if it helps. Use the answers to tie back to your core messages.
   
   
3. Educate, don’t just respond. Simply answering a narrow, specific question may be missing an opportunity to educate a reporterabout the broader context of an issue or to convey a broader set of messages about it. Feel free to show that the topic is part of alarger issue, or has a history, or can be viewed from multiple angles other than the one from which the reporter is approaching it.
   
   
4. Keep it simple. Unless you are dealing with a specialty/trade/niche news outlet, use terminology that most members of the generalpublic would understand. Speak simply and concisely. Don’t get into process details or other “inside baseball” – instead, go for examples and anecdotes that bring your key points to life.
   
   
5. Remember that you’re representing your organization. In your comments and demeanor, embody the professionalism andcommitment to excellence that are such important components of your organization’s values.
   
   

What if…?

… you’re not ready? Don’t feel obligated to respond on the spot when a reporter calls. Ask if you can get back to the reporter at a better time;just remember to ask for his or her deadline, and be respectful of that deadline.

… you’re not the right person? Suggest the right person to speak on the issue (and give that person a heads-up so he or she anticipatesthe reporter’s call).

… a reporter asks you to go “off the record” or “on background”? Don’t. Different reporters may use these terms in different ways, and your comments can still be traceable back to you. Keep everything candid, straightforward, and “on the record.”

… you don’t know an answer? It’s fine to acknowledge that you don’t. Say you will look into the question and respond soon. This is acompletely appropriate response.

Lisa Lapin is the founder of Lapin Strategy and a Senior Associate with the Peterson Rudgers Group, serving as an advisor to higher education and non-profit organizations on strategic planning, public affairs, communications and marketing. Previously, she was Vice President for Communications at Stanford University and the J. Paul Getty Trust.