Spokespeople training, a key element to achieve visibility in high value media
In the business world, brand reputation has become one of the most valuable actives. Achieving an effective and coherent communication strategy for our company is fundamental to build and maintain the brand’s image over time.
When a company designs a communication plan, they must consider that there are many elements that communicate: from the corporative website to the very employees.
Brand identity vs Brand image
For starters, we must not confuse brand identity with brand image. Brand identity refers to what the company wants to convey when communicating, whereas corporate image refers to what the audiences perceive about the brand.
Alining brand identity and brand image isn’t always easy, as there are many factors of a company that ‘communicates outwardly’. The role of the spokesperson before the media is one of the elements with high visibility before the media, which we can’t neglect if we want to achieve a good corporate image.
Generally speaking, it is communication and PR agencies that are in charge of coordinating all the elements that a company relies on to convey its values adequately to achieve the desired image. And in that task, spokespeople play a key role.
What does being a spokesperson before media involve?
The spokesperson: someone who is responsible of representing the company
A spokesperson is the person who is responsible and authorized to represent and communicate on behalf of the company. They convey the voice of a company. In other words, they are the visible face that humanizes the organization, they give it a visible identity and strengthen the bond between the company and the audience, conveying its philosophy and values in a close and authentic way in front of the media.
It is very likely that you are as familiar with personalities like Amancio Ortega or Elon Musk. as you are with their companies. They have acted as the visible face of their companies, and everything they do or say has a repercussion on the brand image people have of them (without going further, many experts point out that Tesla’s drop in sales was caused by Elon Musk’s recent political actions).
Who can be a good spokesperson? The principles of a good spokesperson
Are spokespeople born or made? It is clear that every person has innate aptitudes, but there are some skills that can be developed with practice. At LF Channel we believe that every good spokesperson must fulfill these three principles:
1. Know the company firsthand.
Knowing its origins, values, philosophy… The spokesperson must feel that ‘the company is theirs’ and know it better than its very founder (in case it isn’t them). It is indispensable for the spokesperson to exude a feeling of belongingness and an absolute trust towards the project they are a part of. This first point is essential for a professional to become a great corporate spokesperson.
2. Act as an extension of the company.
This means that, during their exposure to the media, the values and positions they will convey will not be their own as an individual, but the company’s, which they are representing. Spokespeople sometimes give too subjective personal opinions about certain aspects (politics, current events…) and they forget that, once they are speaking to the media, they are the speaker of a whole company.
3. A good spokesperson is made, not born.
The ability to communicate clearly, convey empathy and create proximity with the media is not an exclusive gift, but a skill that can be learnt and perfected through practice and dedication. An effective spokesperson is made with constant preparation and a commitment to continuous improvement.
It is necessary to have protocols and training materials, as a lack of preparation can have negative consequences for both the spokesperson and the organization they represent.
Advice to speak before the media
Control and confidence:
First of all, a good spokesperson has to be empathetic, remain calm in the face of criticism or adverse situations and possess communication skills that will allow them to convey clear messages that are aligned with the brand’s identity. On top of that, non-verbal communication, such as gestures and attitude, are key aspects to convey a confident and credible image before the media.
Simple and clear messages:
A good spokesperson must communicate clearly and directly. To achieve that, their speech must avoid unnecessary technicisms, always highlight the company’s strengths and be able to redirect any hard questions towards positive messages about the company. An effective technique is the use of concrete examples to catch the audience’s attention, as stories and practical cases are much more memorable than theory.
Study every opportunity with the media:
A solid training is key to any spokesperson. Interviews can cause stressful situations and, without appropriate training, it can lead to mistakes. That is why it is fundamental to structure arguments correctly and to rehearse as many times as needed to answer question confidently.
A good training does not only help project confidence and naturality but also helps minimize the risk of hesitation or insecurities. Furthermore, it is important to keep up to date with current news to better contextualize messages and respond in a relevant way.
Media training – The preparation to stand out in the media
If you want to work on your image and get training to be a good media communicator, you can take a spokesperson training session (also known as media training). It is a course to work on and develop the communication skills that are needed to speak on behalf of your company before journalists, and be able to face press conferences, interviews or any kind of event where a lot of media are present.
The goal of this spokesperson training is to improve the interaction with the media in a clear, effective and approachable manner.
This kind of training is not only targeted at senior executives but it can also benefit other professionals in the company, who might be of interest to the media because of their specialization in other specific areas, such as the representatives of Human Resources, Operations, Finance, and of course, Communication and Marketing departments.
Media training is becoming more and more relevant, as companies look for a more direct, strategic and human approach to communication. On top of that, with the emergence of social media and other more interactive formats, such as podcasts, a spokesperson requires specific training to convey an appropriate corporate image on every kind of channel.
What will you learn in a spokesperson training session
Communication agencies, such as expert consultants in brand communication, have a great deal of experience in spokespeople training.
What will you learn in a media training session? Among others…
You will consolidate your knowledge of your company and give a personalized voice to your corporate messages. Even if you already know the company you work for well, you need to be able to structure corporate messages and prepare your own personalized speech every time you make an intervention in the media.
You will learn the rules of the game and the ‘red lines’ for a spokesperson within a company.
You will understand how the media works: how they work, what their structure and business model is, what a journalist needs for a quality interview…. this knowledge will allow you to create more meaningful relationships with the media.
At LF Channel we have been preparing media training sessions for more than 20 years, for CEOs and managers of major Spanish and international companies. Our training workshop usually includes two parts, which we always prepare carefully in a personalized way:
- First, a theoretical block, in which we learn about the media landscape and the spokesperson’s role as part of a communication strategy. On top of that, we will provide useful advice and tips for public speaking depending on the specific medium we are faced with (TV, radio, podcast…), as well as some mistakes to avoid.
- Secondly, we put everything we have learned into practice. A journalist from a well-known media will interview you, as a ‘simulation’. We will record the mock interview and then we will analyze your answers together and prepare an improvement plan.
If your company needs to improve its relationship with the media, enhance its reputation or prepare its spokespeople to effectively communicate, a PR and communication agency can help you out. Our expert team offers personalized media training and communication strategies tailored to your needs. Contact us here for more information.
