You’ve determined your company’s compelling story. But before pitching it to journalists who can’t wait to share it with the world (or at least your local market), you must make an important decision: Who would give the interview?
Plenty of minds that excel at business and are attached to fancy titles don’t do well in interviews. Some businesses feel compelled to put their bosses front and center with journalists and several of those executives over the years sent me into sleep mode. Some at the top are at the bottom in personality. And that’s OK. We all have our strengths and weaknesses. But you don’t want to offer a journalist someone knee deep in industry lingo who can’t connect with the public. You certainly don’t want someone talking to the media who is gruff and naturally defensive. As any sports fan knows, just because someone can afford to buy a football team doesn’t mean he or she should be the face of the team.
Watch Andy the miner in our video Nearly One Mile Underground. He is not the CEO, but he is an excellent example of someone who can help sell a message. And most journalists prefer to interview someone in the trenches rather than a suit in the corner office. If the boss offers the best of both worlds, so be it!
1. Personality: Choose someone outgoing who speaks with energy and passion and doesn’t find speaking to reporters nerve-racking.
2. Genuine: Find a spokesperson who journalists will believe genuinely loves the company and feels invested in its success.
3. Smart: Select someone who can speak from the heart without sounding like he or she has memorized a trail of talking points. But your choice must be smart enough to adjust to tough or unexpected questions and to realize what words would lead to an embarrassing experience.
4. Appearance: Being genuine doesn’t mean being a slob. We all know good executives and employees who disguise themselves as fools in fashion. Some journalists judge a book by its cover, so find someone who at a minimum appreciates a tucked-in shirt.
5. Story: Find someone with a good story to tell. Why did that person join the company? How did it change their life? What are their really cool experiences? I found some well-spoken people with all the key messages only slightly more interesting than a press release. Most journalists want to focus on people. Give them someone interesting and they’ll likely give you a good story about your business.