TJ Walker explains when to give reporters quick sound bites and when to refuse. Small-business owners can improvise; executives at big companies should follow protocol and avoid ad-hoc comments on serious matters like bankruptcy. Prepare multiple brief sound bites and rehearse them first.
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Pete writes in with the following question. TJ what do you do if a reporter calls and says, I just need a quick sound bite from you? Well, Pete, the answer is it depends entirely what the subject is and the relative stakes. Now, let's say you are a small business, a solo consultant, a solo practitioner, and the reporter is calling just to get your sense of an industry issue or a trend issue or just a perspective that really pulls on your expertise. In that case, no, you don't have to go through the traditional brainstorm of three messages. Come up with your best three handful of sound bites for each one. Have them all written out. You want to be quick, fast, and really useful to the reporter. In that case, and what I do in my own business, since I'm a small business, I have to look at the risk reward situation. For me, the biggest risk is I don't get in the story, one of my competitors does. So I'm much more worried about not getting in the story than saying something wrong or bad or damaging because I've never encountered an interview like that that could be damaging to me. So in that case, I would try to just be as interesting as possible to the reporter, track what the reporter is saying, respond by giving genuine insights that pull on my expertise and sprinkling them with sound bites throughout, and be creating sound bites on the fly. Now, this is sort of an advanced tip. It's not for everyone, it's not for newbies, but that's what I do in that situation. And if you have a small business and you've dealt with a media before, that's probably your best strategy. Now, if a reporter calls up and says, just need a quick sound bite, I understand your company is going to be filing for bankruptcy tomorrow. Well, I wouldn't necessarily comment and give them a quick sound bite if that's the situation. You're a representative ahead of investor relations or a CEO or top executive at a publicly traded company. I mean, it's wildly risky. The stories about you, it could be incredibly negative and damaging. If you're with any big company and there are policies that you have to go through checkpoints, then that's not the way to go. So you have to look at the subject matter, the possible benefits, pluses and minuses to doing the interview before you decide. But as I mentioned, if you feel comfortable with the situation, the story isn't really about you and it's really just an opportunity for you. Either get your expertise in the story or not. In that case, I would dispense with the traditional I'll call you back. Brainstorm on three message points, sound bites. Be all prepared. Rehearse, practice, and do it. I would. Just go ahead and do it. Good luck, Pete.
