How Media Training Works
Smart Connections PR’s comprehensive media training teaches top corporate executives, spokespersons, and media representatives to successfully deliver key messages to national, regional, and local broadcast media, along with various online and internal presentations. Prior to training, we work with corporate and internal teams to craft messaging and sample questions to be used throughout the sessions. Media training for television is conducted either at a corporate office, broadcast production studio, or virtually.
Overcoming anxiety, showing positive body language, and understanding your audience are all great tools for webinars and live-streaming events, which are taking place more than ever before. Regardless of your role as the go-to representative inside your organization, media training skills will provide the confidence needed to be extremely effective.
Face to face training
For non-virtual training, we simulate actual television interviews, providing training for both a remote interview or an in-person interview where a reporter comes to your location. We work with spokespersons on how to pivot when asked about irrelevant topics or questions outside the scope of the interview, along with best practices for conducting broadcast interviews, effective message delivery, ideal length of answers, and attire recommendations. Alongside professional television crews, mock interviews are conducted with television cameras, pro lighting, lapel (lav) microphones, and earpieces. We can record both interviews and provide playback for instant critiques.
Virtual training
Today, more and more interviews are conducted virtually via Zoom, Skype, or an alternate digital platform. Our team works with spokespersons on what makes a professional (or virtual) background, lighting from a home office, framing of the shot, the importance of a strong and secure internet connection, along with all media training best practices mentioned above. To simulate actual television and satellite interviews, we do recommend that training is conducted in a non-virtual format.
What You'll Learn
- The role as the interviewee
- The role of the host, reporter, or writer
- What a message is and how to incorporate a message into an answer
- How to handle tough questions
- Nonverbal communications
- How to take control of an interview
- How to incorporate stories and examples into an interview
- How to approach phone, radio, in-person and on-camera interviews
- Basic television terminology
- Attire suggestions
We have been working with Smart Connections for just over a year and I could not be more impressed with the level of service and expertise that Jo, Dina and their team have provided. We operate a growing cloud technology business internationally and when looking for ways to up our brand recognition and differentiate ourselves in the market, we were referred to Smart. The team is truly an extension of my own marketing and communications group, seamlessly integrating with and supporting our organization at all levels to help us achieve our goals. We have increased our share of voice in the market and more than 10x our media placements and interviews over the past year. - January 2024
CTERA has been working with Smart Connections PR for many years and I have had the pleasure of working with Jo and Dina for the last few. They are now responsible for our global PR strategy and are constantly providing us with opportunities to participate in contributed articles, supporting our product news, and identifying and helping us win many industry awards. They know CTERA and they know our industry and the key players and that makes it very easy to work with them to help promote our brand worldwide. They are very organized and maintain a comprehensive PR plan that we review and manage regularly. They are an absolute pleasure to work with. - January 2024
The Smart Connections PR team brought SimpliVity out of stealth mode in 2012. Smart Connections rolled out a PR program with short notice and was able to connect us to the media and analysts we needed to know, and the high-level coverage followed. I appreciate Smart Connections’ efforts in helping make SimpliVity synonymous with the term hyperconverged.
I have worked with Joanne and Dina at Smart Connections PR for many years, and am always inspired by their great communication, hands-on and action-based approach to PR. Smart Connections PR is a boutique firm that feels like it’s much larger than it is. The value I have gotten from our relationship is unparalleled. The internal feedback I regularly receive on Joanne’s and Dina’s work is always top notch – they help make me look good and make my job much easier. I highly recommend this experienced B2B PR team to any organization looking for a high impact PR firm that gets things done
Smart Connections PR’s media training team, with more than 20-years of broadcast television experience, uses a customized, results-driven approach that has helped guide some of the most well-known brands and corporations in America.
These professionally trained spokespersons have delivered successful messages on national and international television and cable networks, local affiliate television stations throughout the U.S., leading online publications, and internally at corporate conferences, webinars, and virtual presentations.
At Smart Communications PR, we leverage years of expertise in honing effective communication skills. Executives must shine in media interviews — their narratives shape the public perception. Our immersive training ensures confidence and articulation, vital for impactful interactions in today's dynamic media landscape.
