• "I’ve worked with McGrath/Power for more than 10 years at companies in the enterprise and consumer technology markets – all with the same excellent results – driving awareness and delivering new customers – and bottom-line impact. The agency has been a trusted strategic partner at each of my companies and their value add cannot be overstated."

    - Phil Underwood

    Vice President, IPLocks

  • "PR is a very important function for our company as we operate in a crowded market with several aggressive competitors. Since we’ve worked with McGrath/Power, the change in our overall visibility has been significant and has helped move our business forward."

    - Jim Pante

    CEO, Tablus

  • "McGrath/Power has played in instrumental role in launching TiVo, helping us create the DVR product category and establishing the TiVo brand as synonymous with personal TV. The agency has great experience in both consumer and technology, which helped bring our story to life and influence our target audiences. I’ve worked with numerous agencies during my career and the TiVo launch with McGrath/Power was one of the most powerful public relations campaigns I’ve been involved with."

    - Ed MacBeth

    VP Marketing, TiVo

  • "I would recommend Jonathan and McGrath/Power to anyone wanting an exceptional, intelligent PR and Communications partner. I’ve worked directly with Jonathan for several years and at two start-ups – his quality of work is extraordinary and unique in his industry."

    - Shaun Coleman

    Co-Founder, Reconnex

  • "I’ve been impressed with McGrath/Power each time I’ve brought the agency on board as my strategic public relations partner. The agency’s ability to align the PR function with the goals of our company was key in driving business success factors, whether an acquisition or a major corporate repositioning. Beyond that, knowing that I have both the agency’s management team and skilled tacticians each playing an active role on my program enables me to have the perfect balance of strategic planning and successful program implementation."

    - Ed Murrer

    VP Marketing, Xcert
    (acquired by RSA Security)

  • "Your work exceeded my wildest expectations, and I thank you. We met with virtually every major business, consumer and tech publication that mattered and I made a dozen significant VC and carrier contacts through your efforts. From a messaging point of view, our story is crisp, clean, simple and above all, easy to relate to and clearly understood by our target audiences and the press that writes for them – a far cry from when I first approached you. I know that on this day I am your happiest client and most enthusiastic supporter. In fact, I don’t feel like a client at all. I feel like McGrath/Power is an integral part of the EasyReach team."

    - John Stossel

    CEO, EasyReach

  • "McGrath/Power played a critical role in establishing our MailStation email appliance as an important consumer electronics offering for those without a personal computer. The MailStation public relations effort helped reposition our company in the CE space and was a key driver in our acquisition by EarthLink. I was just as pleased to refer McGrath/Power to EarthLink to provide that company with PR activities surrounding the MailStation as I was to work alongside their team."

    - Tim Dooley

    Senior Vice President, CIDCO

  • "McGrath/Power is our strategic communications partner for technology issues in the United States and the agency has demonstrated its ability to get our message heard in that very noisy market."

    - Jon Earl

    Senior Group Media Relations Manager, Vodafone Group Plc

  • "McGrath/Power provided essential strategic PR counsel and consistently solid results over the nine years we partnered with them at Intellisync. They took us from start-up through IPO and beyond while always providing fresh perspective and proactive input."

    - Brad Rowe

    Founder,
    Intellisync Corporation

Media Relations Training: Dos and Don’ts for Speaking on the Record

Learn the keys to a successful media interview or event – and how to build long-term relationships with media professionals.


Whether you’re an executive, spokesperson or communications officer for your company, chances are you’ll be tapped for a media interview or on-air spot during your career – and when it happens, you’ll want to have the benefit of media relations training.

In fact, no matter how much you know about your company’s new product launch or the latest industry trends, you need media relations skills training to translate that knowledge into clear, compelling information for your target audience. So before you’re placed in front of the camera or on the record, check out these dos and don’ts – you’ll be on your way to giving spot-on sound bites and perfectly poised quotes in no time:

  • Do emphasize your key messages. Use trigger words to highlight the importance of your main points before launching into them. Cues such as “The most important feature of this product is...” or “The key benefit of this strategy is...” will help the reporter recognize that you’re about to say something he or she needs to take note of.
  • Don’t answer if you don’t understand. If you’re confused by a reporter’s question, don’t be afraid to say so – or pause for a moment to think before answering. Asking a reporter to repeat the question or having the room go silent for a moment is always a better option than giving a confusing or incorrect answer.
  • Do tell the truth. This includes stretching, coloring or sidestepping the truth, not just outright falsehoods. While it’s often tempting to exaggerate the facts, this media interview technique is unlikely to result in building a positive relationship with the media.
  • Don’t try to wing it. Many interviewees feel as if they need to reply to every question a reporter asks, no matter what. In truth, good media relations training includes knowing when to simply tell a reporter that you’re not sure. However, if you’re faced with a question you can’t answer, make sure you offer to get back to the reporter at a later date.
  • Do repeat yourself. When preparing for media interviews, practice repeating your key messages at least twice. During the interview, this will help the reporter recognize their significance, so they’ll be more likely to end up in the final story.
  • Don’t be negative or curt. From the topics you address to your tone of voice, always keep your interview positive. This includes leading with positive information first, as well as avoiding terse responses such as “no comment.” You’ll make a better impression on the reporter, and if it’s an electronic interview, on the audience as well.
  • Do follow up with answers. Even a well-rehearsed and highly informed interviewee can have trouble answering a detailed question on the spot. But one of the most important rules of media relations training is to always follow up with the reporter after the fact to answer any lingering questions.

Following these media relations training tips will do more than make your interview a success. You’ll also foster positive relationships with the media professionals you meet – so the next time a big story hits, you’ll be the first person they call on.

Media relations training is just one of the services we offer at McGrath/Power. As a strategic public relations and communications firm, we’re experts at navigating every aspect of today’s fast-paced communications landscape. Contact us today to learn how to make our media relations skills training and other services work for you.