This year I had the pleasure of conducting several virtual media trainings for nearly 100 individuals in both large groups and small intimate settings. I worked with an international organization that has chapters across the world. They needed the trainings to help their leadership improve its impact when conducting media interviews.  The task was an exciting challenge and allowed me to engage with a variety of professionals who were eager to learn how to execute solid interviews.  Whether they were in Ottawa, Canada, or Palm Beach, Florida, there were some ubiquitous questions I heard every training. Below, I share those questions and my responses in hopes I can help clients and friends of The M Network.

1). Should I use a virtual background or not?

I won’t use the word “hate,” but I very much dislike virtual backgrounds.  While there might be occasions when you have no choice to use them, I feel like they cheapen the message.  Again, my personal perspective.  I prefer a clean almost boring background with a splash of color from a flower or book, or a nondescript piece of art.  That’s it.  Corners of rooms or offices add nice dimension.  Bottom line: go for a live background anytime you can.

2). What is the best way to say “no” to an interview?

It’s hard to fully answer this question without knowledge of the exact situation, but in general, if your organization is unable do an interview for any reason, or doesn’t want to do an interview, help the reporter out:

• consider doing a background only interview
• suggest someone else who might be a better fit to answer questions

If, however, you don’t want to do an interview because it would open you or your organization up to questions you simply don’t want to answer, then here are things to keep in mind to forward good relationships with media:

• As a rule, have someone respond to the reporter, even if it’s not you. This reinforces that your brand or organization is responsive and well-run.
• Consider an email response. There is usually something helpful you can say in an email that, for example, shows expertise in your field.

In a recent situation, a client that works to end homelessness was asked by a reporter to comment on a circulating video that caught a police arrest of a man who claimed to be homeless and was caught stealing at a grocery store. The take-down was rough. With details still not confirmed, no facts from authorities, and a very, very tight deadline for comment, we recommended a response that highlighted the client’s area of expertise (social services) as opposed to focusing on the decisions made by police.  This allowed the client to be responsive, yet “stay in their lane” as a subject expert.  We emailed the client’s response to avoid the possibility of an open-ended interview on camera.  The comment became part of the overall story that made air and the reporter was grateful for the added content.

If you find yourself in a similar situation, can you comment appropriately in a tangential but relevant manner?  Can you provide a response that is relevant to the topic but allows you to opine on your area of expertise?

With the above in mind, make the right decision for your organization. If that means it’s not advisable to comment, then that’s for you to decide, but remember no response is a response.

3). What are good transitional phrases to use?

In our training, we go over the value of using relevant transitional phrases to help direct the interview into and out of important points you want to make.  I’ve been adding to this list my entire career.  Dr. Fauci is a good example of a thought-leader, albeit controversial to some, who has mastered the use of transitional phrases.  Can you pick out the one he uses here?

Meanwhile, here are just a few transitional phrases from the list I share in trainings.

• Let me put that into perspective…
• What people really want to know is…
• What people ask me all the time is…
• That’s not my area of expertise, but what I could tell you is…

When and how to use transitional phrases effectively and in ways that don’t make you appear evasive is a skill that takes practice and repetition.  If our team at The M Network can help you master this skill, let us know!  And if you have a question you want to ask a team of communications experts, let me know – lisa@m.network.