By Debra Locker, President, Debra Locker Group
Between running a business, managing a team and keeping customers happy and relaxed, how do you spread the word about your brand? Talk with the media.
As a business owner, you are your own best public relations person. You are an expert in your field. It is your obligation to talk with the media. It is your opportunity. If you don’t talk, believe me, someone else will.
With that said – and, no surprise – it’s not as simple as calling The Wall Street Journal and landing a feature article. A well-executed PR program requires many steps and, thus, a great deal of time and attention.
A primary key to earning coverage is mastering the media interview. It’s also a primary source of stress for the interviewee. I’ve spent more than 25 years in front of, behind and / or preparing people to be on camera. Of course, not all interviews are on camera. However, television interviews elicit the most fear and require the most prep work.
The different formats for being on camera include:
- Live in studio or on location
- Live-to-tape – Prerecorded segments that air unedited. Treat them as if they are live.
- Edited/packaged – Shortened clips of what you are saying are edited together.
- Promotional – Commercials, brand videos, etc. It’s likely you pay for these; therefore, you control the message.
The approach for each scenario varies. Live
interviews offer the advantage of allowing the audience to see your full
exchange and personality without having your words edited. When you are live, you can correct something if you
say it incorrectly; however, you can’t ask for a do over.
What
happens when you are in front of the camera? I’ll cover that in my next
article.
About the author – Debra is the President of Debra Locker Group, which she founded in 2008. The boutique agency specializes in lifestyle, spa, wellness and beauty. Clients are featured on “The TODAY Show,” “The Doctors,” in SHAPE, Marie Claire, The New York Times; to name only a few outlets. Debra has been part of the spa industry since 2001, which is when she began as the PR Director for the International SPA Association. More may be found on www.DebraLockerGroup.com, @DebraLockerGroup on Instagram & Facebook, and Debra Locker Griffin on LinkedIn.
