Your PR team needs to get up to speed on media training. What’s the best way to make that happen?

Prior to media training it's essential to consider key messaging and understand what it is that you want to communicate, otherwise you are just creating noise, rather than impact. In our media training, we train that every media engagement is an opportunity to share a key message (we call them rocks) and not just to answer the question. If you go into a media interview without knowing what you want to say, you will never be able to say it. This isn't about evading or avoiding the questions, but it is about taking control of the direction of an interview and using it for a specific purpose.

Start by actually following the journalists and media outlets (mastheads, programs, segments) you want to reach. Read what they write, watch the stories they air, follow them on social media. Be in service to them and their readers, and then you can be in service to your target audiences, your enterprise and your stakeholders. Respect their independence, their time and their deadlines. And understand they are out to get a story, not to get you.

Understanding what it is that you want to say, and communicate is going to be very important. Often times, we are so eager to get Media. We don't properly take the time to break things down on a granular level per campaign. The more detailed you are in the beginning, the happier PR people will be with you in the long run. Everyone is busy, which means no one has the time to figure out what you're trying to say. Have your communication down packed before you reach out to Media.

I agree with this. I also believe it is as simple as making media training a necessity and a quarterly incentive every year for PR teams. It’s a good investment.

Understand the landscape of media Read on media training and watch videos Create a framework for yourself and implement the learning

I think it’s important to consider former journalists for media training. No one knows better how to deal with journalists than people who have worn both hats. I also have discovered media training outlets that will tell your staff that the media is out to get you, and instead of instilling confidence and helping your team realize that they can successfully engage, they instill fear. That’s the opposite of what you need. So it’s important to ask them about their communication philosophy and how they approach the training.

Media training is not a one-and-done proposition. It's a journey we all start from different locations. Like flexing a muscle it's something that has to be done or practiced frequently, with feedback and coaching along the way in order to grow and improve. So a good media training partner should be able to show you not only examples of interviews that have gone well, but different strategies for helping clients with no, a little and a lot of experience, as well as how they help those clients on an ongoing basis to continually develop and achieve strategic goals through media engagement.

Choosing the right media training provider is pivotal. Opt for one with a deep understanding of your sector, demonstrated by their track record and client feedback. Customization is key; ensure their programs align with your specific goals. The right partnership enhances your team's media prowess and adapts to evolving communication landscapes.

Sometimes it is helpful to have someone with experience in a different niche or area come in for media training. It helps to entertain a different perspective that might bring new lines of media questioning that can help diversify your responses and overall crisis communications.

When setting up media training, picking the right provider is crucial. Aim for someone with a solid track record, possibly a current or former journalist who knows your client's field, whether it's banking or the alcohol industry. Remember, being knowledgeable about media doesn't automatically make someone a good trainer. It's worth chatting with peers to find a provider who really matches your client's needs. If your client is new to the media world, you'll want a trainer who can guide them from the basics to more advanced skills. The goal is to ensure your client's training is as effective and tailored as possible.

Considering media training as an investment rather than an expense is key because it significantly boosts your organization's reputation and media presence. When setting up your budget, it's important to keep it realistic and adaptable. The cost of media training can vary widely based on several factors such as the trainer's expertise, the length and type of the training, where it's held, and how many people are attending. You'll want to ensure you're getting good value without overspending, so it's worth looking into cost-saving options. This could mean negotiating better rates, sharing the training (and therefore costs) with another department or organization, or opting for virtual sessions which can often be more budget-friendly.

Media is expensive! So know your goal. Is it to get on the local news? Is it to get published in magazines and news papers? Knowing what you want to do will help you determine a budget. Press release distribution costs about a $1,000 alone. So know what you want to spend. A good media person is minimum $3,000 a month. And that's on the low end. So if you can't afford that, use methods to get to the writers and people that cover the news. Every magazine, newspaper, news channel websites have submissions emails. Use them.

Think in hybrid models! Investing in the right media training is crucial for amplifying your team's communication impact. Prioritize programs that align with your goals and don't compromise on quality for cost. Explore innovative, cost-effective solutions like hybrid models or partnerships to maximize value. Strategic investment in media training transcends budget constraints, ensuring your team is equipped to navigate the media landscape effectively.

It's an investment as all training is .. More than the cost is what you get back as ROI is important. Such activities should be looked at as an investment rather than expense. A good agency conducting specialized media training will always ask for a premium.

Die Kosten für Medienschulungen können stark variieren. Vielleicht können sie dem Anbieter im Gegenzug Sichtbarkeit geben und damit ein gutes Package verhandeln.

To keep the team interested in this learning opportunity, clearly defined objectives are essential. If not, you could be pressuring the group to view it as a diversion from their productive work hours.

Não adianta fazer media training sem a adesão mental do cliente. É mero gasto de dinheiro. Para ser investimento, é necessário que os treinados estejam cientes de que os inputs e insights que ganharão serão úteis para toda vida profissional, e não apenas para o ambiente corporativo em que estão no momento. Se tais condições estiverem presentes, o treinamento fluirá de maneira mais fácil e os aspectos técnicos serão absorvidos. É muito comum executivos perderem tempo com media training por não estarem totalmente conscientes de que precisam deste recurso.

I find it hard to keep staff's attention for a long duration of media training. We like to incorporate some upcoming projects, or maybe even past projects that were done more manually ~ give the brain cells a bit of diversion , while introducing a new project

Ask the media trainer for advice on how to engage the delegates in advance. If they're any good they'll have a number of resources to warm people up. The delegates may or may not have time to use them but they'll at least start thinking about the session a little and be aware the trainer is considering them before actually arriving.

Mache eine klare Agenda und stimme diese mit den Teilnehmern ab. Sei klar und konsistent über die Erwartungen und die Ergebnisse. Frage nach jedem Modul die Zufriedenheit der Gruppe ab.

The best way to keep spokespeople up-to-speed is to track ongoing issues and show videos of others taking on hardball issues. Showing your company rep examples of how things were handled correctly or incorrectly will give them reference points when they’re in the hot seat.

After media training staff, I like to put them on camera for internal purposes as much as possible. Giving them a safe space to keep practicing the skills they’ve learned, get more feedback and keep growing is important. The more often they engage in an interview and experience a camera in their face, the more confident they get… and that’s half the battle. Making sure they feel confident so they can focus on what’s coming out of their mouth instead of what they’re doing with their hands. :)

The sooner your delegates are able to give real interviews after their training, the better as this helps to embed the lessons learned. Consider giving them a short rehearsal ahead of any interview, so they can practise answers.

Media training is a skill and like any new skill you are trying to perfect, it's important to keep practicing. Knowledgeable leaders tend to revisit media training exercises to keep their skills sharp and improve their talking points. We like to record clients during a mock interview and then walk through the replay to identify areas of improvement. It's proven to be a useful tactic in acknowledging patterns and tightening answers.

This is so crucial. Our media training courses will cover a multitude of areas, but implementing what we impart to the people we train can never be overemphasised. Taking ownership of an interview, using taught tactics to simplify your key messages, being able to ‘bridge’ across from interviewer question to the answer you want to give are the key take-aways to hone, fine tune and practice, practice, practice.

Currently there is a convergence between PR & social media The PR fraternity needs to upskill themselves in social media, digital media as well In my team the PR Manager is also responsible for social media & influencer marketing There is a constant need for all Marcom professionals to keep upskilling - while there will be domain experts available for specific execution - it’s best to have an understanding of what needs to be addressed & what kind of domain expert is needed

Ongoing learning has never been so crucial as it is today…and tomorrow! Media is indeed an ever changing territory and you certainly need to keep up to date, but refreshing your skills has become much easier with the amazing offer of free courses and webinars online. People are also more inclined to share knowledge and information. So if you are passionate about the subject, learning can be fun these days!

Staying updated on the changing landscapes in media industry is crucial for your PR team and continuous learning by attending workshops, webinars, and conferences focused on media training. Look for events that cover the latest trends, technologies, and best practices in the media industry.

Le monde de la presse, principalement à cause de l'impact et de l'évolution rapide de l'internet (environnement et outils) requiert une formation continue pour, selon l'expression désignée, être à la page. Le media training est donc une nécessité pour une bonne gestion des relations presse de votre structure.

After applying knowledge there is room to analyze results and create hypothesis in order to improve what went wrong and even better what went great to make it awesome next time. AB testing basic areas of performance by changing copies, creatives, CTA etc

Start small with the goal of engaging local media. Every company has a story to tell and that story is almost always of interest locally. You can’t become international without first being interesting to your home audience.

Building relationships with journalists is a great way to ensure media training isn't wasted. Take your executive / leader to coffee with key journalists and ensure they turn up with story ideas.

Consume media critically. Watch a television bulletin. Listen to the radio. Make a point of buying a different newspaper every week. Take notes and present your findings to your colleagues. Develop a media intelligence.

It’s important to recognize that more than PR leaders can benefit from media training. Who are the executives in your organization who have a unique perspective on your story? Consider expanding the roster of media ready staff so you can extend the opportunities for interviews.

I believe it is good to record participants when they are being interviewed by the course leader. This is because people often use their hands and make other gestures more than they think. Also, recording is a very good way to look at one's own performance and evaluate. The most important thing is to focus on the core message and how it is delivered.