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The Media Trainers®

4220 Cove Court, NE
Marietta, GA 30067
770-971-6619

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It can feel like the rat-tat-tat of a Gatling gun. A barrage of questions for you to sort through. More often, it’s typically two, maybe three at one time, or with enough of a pause between each for you to react and barely start answering, only to be interrupted again with another barrage. (Interviewing evaluates the close cousin to Multiple Questions, the Interrupted Answer, next month.) In normal conversation, you’d probably make sure you answer each one, or all the ones you can remember. But in interviewing, there’s another technique, more favorable to you.

Angie Howard

Pay Attention

First thing, remember, this is not a conversation. Otherwise, you can get sucked into the speed and flow of the situation and answer reflexively, instead of thoughtfully.

A classic case in point happened a few years ago to the Toys-R-Us CEO at the time, John Eyler. Appearing on Fox News Channel’s Your World with Neil Cavuto to talk about very good news regarding company earnings, Eyler got caught in verbal buzz saw.

A sample of some of the give and take:
Cavuto:	"That was the big beef right?"
Eyler:	"Oh, of course."
Cavuto:	"People kept saying service stunk?"
Eyler:	"Of course."
Cavuto:	"Those loud, fluorescent lights and all that." "You’re not running out of stuff anymore. That used to be a big problem."
Eyler:	"Not running out of stuff."
Cavuto:	Can we make sure that’s not going to happen?

Click the Icon to play the video

The Media Trainers® Re–winder Reminder:

Resist the reflex to react to every question, suggestion or accusation, simply listen quietly.
Select the question you like best, or that gives you an opportunity to advance your messages.
After you’ve answered that one question, you can then put the ball back in the interviewer’s court. Ask what else he/she wanted to know. That gives you more time to think, and forces him/her to remember what they asked. Plus, if the original questions had an edge to them, this time they may come back a little softer.

The Media Trainers®, LLC, has a Tough Questions eBook on our Web site that you can download free for easy reference.

Email us your comments.
What’s your reaction to these performances? Which executives perform best on camera and which ones are awful?

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Over 25 years of local & network news reporting and management experience
- Comprehensive knowledge of how media work and how to work with the media
- Managed more than 50 people
- Able to spot and develop talent
  - Hired and developed syndicated talk hosts Sean Hannity and Clark Howard and several news reporters who have gone on to network positions
  - Successfully molded and directed individuals into award winning broadcasters; more than 40 international, national, regional and statewide awards
- An understanding of running a business
  - Managed a seven figure budget
Deep experience in customized training
- TMT has conducted more than 450 workshops and consulting sessions with over 90 clients. Workshops are designed around the needs of each participant based on:
  - Their specific role inside the organization
  - Their available time for training
  - Their comfort level
  - Their level of experience dealing with the media
  - The type of interview(s) they will be doing
- Depending on your needs, our training will include:
  - Media skills built around The Media Trainers® 10 Rules of Interviewing™.
  - Tough questions preparations focusing on the most difficult inquiries reporters are apt to make.
  - Message development that gets your team "on message" to avert a crisis, diffuse an issue or promote your company.
  - Role playing, mock interviews and video clips drawn from our extensive library.
Attention to detail
- A Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company executive:
  - "A training program where somebody spoke our language, prepared materials that reflected our business needs, and gave us just the right amount of useful materials."
- A Coca-Cola Company executive:
  - "I was significantly impressed by the pertinent and well-researched, well prepared questions. Much better than my Proctor & Gamble training."
- A Southern Company executive:
  - "I believe that this training was right on target to what we needed. The trainer was well prepared, not only for our industry, but also our project subject matter. Thanks!"
- A Georgia Power Company executive:
  - "Trainer obviously knows our business and was excellent in identifying the areas we may be presented with while dealing with the media."
- A Mirant executive:
  - "I was very impressed with the prep work done by the trainer relating to our business. Our industry is complex and he quickly adjusted to our local (Canada) issues."
- An AGL Resources executive:
  - "Your training is straightforward and completely accomplished my objectives. Thank you for the open, honest feedback and relaying real life experiences."
Exclusive Tools Transferred to You
- Through hundreds of training sessions and constant refinement, we have developed a set of proprietary media and communications training tools that are fast and easy to use. Our kit creates message structure, and makes your communications tangible and focused on results. Proprietary communications tools include:
  - TMT's 10 Rules of Interviewing™
  - TMT's Exposure Grid™
  - TMT's 30 Minute News Interview Planner™

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