Do you ever wonder how to keep reporters interested and engaged during a briefing? On today’s episode of ConnectThe2, co-hosts Millie and Rich speak with editors, analysts and journalists about the importance of capturing and holding a reporter's attention during an interview.
Connect2’s approach…
At Connect2 Communications, Millie and Rich encourage their clients to be the best storytellers they can be and to put these storytelling skills to use when interviewing with reporters. Throughout the years, Millie and Rich have asked their fair share of reporters, “What makes an interview stand out to you?” and on today’s episode, they reveal their favorite answers. Stick around for an inside scoop on how to pique a reporter's interest.
Clint Boulton’s take on the importance of narrative...
Clint Boulton, Senior Writer at CIO.com, explains how a narrative can make or break an interview. If the interviewee (i.e. CIO, CTO, etc.) tells a compelling narrative in an interview or briefing, it will immediately capture an editor's attention.
Tara Seals dives into her biggest pet peeves…
Tara Seals, Editor at Threatpost, describes her annoyance with vendor specific messaging. Tara uses the example of tech companies that are often so “hellbent” on selling their product, they completely ignore the actual story that reporters and editors are interested in writing.
Eric Savitz speaks on compelling stories...
Eric Savitz, Editor for Barrons, illustrates what a compelling story can do to spark a reporter's interest. Eric explains how most interviews are repetitive and lack a key message. He reveals that the best way to leave an impression in an interview is to add an engaging storytelling element.
Julie Kunstler raves about two-way conversations…
Julie Kunstler, Analyst with Omdia, reveals her main frustration with briefings: ignoring the analyst. Julie explains how important it is to converse with the analyst you are briefing. Both parties can benefit from getting a well-rounded view of the issue or story at hand.
Dean Takahashi shares a memorable interview…
Dean Takahashi, Journalist for Venturebeat, shares a memorable interview with his old professor about the ethics of video games. Dean explains that an interview where there is back and forth between both parties keeps the journalist interested and creates a story the writer is excited to tell.
Hear more…
If you've enjoyed these takeaways, be sure to listen to the full interviews linked below. Also, be sure to listen to, rate and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, iHeartRadio or Soundcloud.
Quotes
“Part of marketing and publicizing your company's products and ultimately receiving earned media coverage, involves conducting interviews or briefings with reporters.” (0:18-0:28 | Millie)
“And this goes all the way back to anthropology. We, as humans, relate to stories more than anything else in terms of a communication perspective.” (02:29-02:40 | Clint Boulton)
“My biggest pet peeve is when people insist on being vendor specific when you are actually trying to talk to them about general trends and you just want general insight to things.” (04:18-04:27 | Tara Seals)
“You are just looking for some element to latch on to that gets through the clutter.” (07:12-07:17 | Eric Savitz)
“Rather than focusing on the technology, I try to understand how they are defining the problem.” (08:50-08:55 | Julie Kunstler)
“The reason why I wish they would ask me what I think or how I look at it is I think they could get more out of the briefing and the conversation. It becomes more interactive, which leads to deeper involvement.” (09:52- 10:07 | Julie Kunstler)
Learn more about Connect2 Communications:
Website: https://www.connect2comm.com/
Podcast home page: https://www.connect2comm.com/podcast
Twitter handle: @Connect2_Comm
Instagram handle: @connect2_comm