A reporter calls and wants a quick interview on an issue, product, trend, or even a crisis. You want to help, but you don’t feel qualified to speak. You need to find a spokesperson. Let’s correct a couple of misconceptions right away. Your spokesperson does not have to be silver-tongued. The public wants credibility, not slickness. Also, your public relations professional should only be the spokesperson as a last resort. The PR person might be perceived by the public as hiding something.

Qualifications of Your Spokesperson

You should select the person who is the most knowledgeable about the requested topic, and someone who can translate that knowledge into understandable language. Remember that the person only has a few seconds to make his/her point, so the message must be understandable. The spokesperson should be able to think on his/her feet. When reporters ask questions the spokesperson does not expect, your reputation is at stake.

The spokesperson must be able to deliver your message in an interesting way. Otherwise, the reporter will not use it, or if it is used, the audience will be put to sleep. Your spokesperson must be somebody who does not get angry or flustered on camera. It is easy for the audience to recognize anger or frustration when the camera is shooting a close-up. Keeping cool under fire helps protect your image.

Know the Media

The spokesperson must also be able to develop a good rapport with reporters. Giving reporters what they need, or finding out answers when they are not readily available, is a key to the spokesperson-reporter relationship. Your spokesperson should have a good knowledge of what a reporter wants. This comes from proper media training and experience. A spokesperson is your focal point in a media campaign, special event, and crisis. Having the qualities mentioned here will lend credibility during those critical moments.

Al’s advice:

  1. A spokesperson must be knowledgeable and easy to understand.
  2. A spokesperson should be ready to think on his/her feet.
  3. A spokesperson must give interesting responses.
  4. A spokesperson must resist anger and frustration while being interviewed.
  5. A spokesperson must develop a good rapport with reporters.

Al Rothstein is a media trainer and consultant with Al Rothstein Media Services, Inc. For information, call (800) 453-6352, mediabrain@rothsteinmedia.com. Visit our web site at www.rothsteinmedia.com.