Successful media trainers know that being prepared for the media is much, much more than just Q&A rehearsal. Of course, it’s important to practise media interview skills, but effective training sessions deliver a deeper understanding of the media agenda and ensures that key messages really do resonate.
It’s important to look behind the glossy websites and glowing testimonials before deciding where to invest in a media training course.
Winning The Media Game
At Media Manoeuvres, we talk about ‘Playing the Media Game to Win’. So, let’s stick with the sporting analogy when comparing different types of media training. A good coach can’t just come along on a game day and tell you what you should have done. It’s as simple as that. You don’t want a commentator giving a post-game critique. You want a coach that prepares you for the big day!
When you’re being coached for a sport, you expect your coach to spend time with you before the big game and to understand a bit more about how you play. They need to train you in some basic drills, and they need to help you find your most effective tactics in the pressure of the game. A good coach will train a player how to make their own moves, think on their feet and stay in the game, even when the opponent seems to have all the control.
Developing Your Game Plan
The media playing field is constantly shifting, so anybody who takes to the field needs to have the latest rule book and a solid game plan.
At Media Manoeuvres, we have all of that, plus experienced, passionate media trainers who’ve spent many years honing their own media skills in interviews, presentation, and coaching. Our training services give you a competitive edge and the combined expertise of decades of experience.
High-quality media training starts with invaluable communication theory. We break down the ways in which some people perform well, and some miss their mark. We introduce useful techniques to help each trainee with the development of key messages, crisis management and the presentation skills they need to make the best impression across print, radio, news stories and social media. We focus on developing skills that help you stay in control of real-life media opportunities.
A spokesperson can’t just memorise a script and deliver it as briefed by their company’s communications experts. This would be like sending a sports team out with every move carefully choreographed before the game starts. It doesn’t work. The game takes unexpected twists and turns.
Each player needs to be given the chance to read the play and perform to their strengths. We invest time in understanding and communicating the theory, we test it in practice interviews and other practical applications, and it pays off when playing the media game.
