At the end of my last blog I had asked when you’re doing media training for more than one person from the same client, should you let all of them in the room when you’re grilling the first candidate? Or should you conduct that tough first mock interview one at a time?
I’ve done both. Starting with fairly innocuous media questions and working progressively to the toughest ones relevant to the client. I’ve had all the spokesperson candidates in the room at one time and I’ve also done it one by one.
Here are my thoughts. If you put all the trainees in the room, it becomes vividly apparent to the observers how tough and important the task of spokesperson can be. They see themselves on the hot seat and they immediately learn from the fumblings of whoever is going first. You can spend hours teaching people the rules of media engagement. But having them watch a colleague face the media music (or a reasonable facsimile) really drives it home.
However, putting everyone in the room together can be embarrassing, particularly to the poor soul who goes first. Your spokespeople are usually senior executives and it can be embarrassing for the individual on the hot seat. It may make sense to do individual training—but it will never be as impactful on the trainee as watching a peer go through the initial torment of the tough interview.
On the other hand, I have to point out that on several occasions I have watched clients come through with flying colors and even learned a thing or two myself.
One other note in selecting spokespeople, particularly when you are trying to place them on television interviews. Television producers—whether they admit it or not—like to have attractive people on camera. I remember visiting Fox News with one of my agency account executives and a physician spokesperson for a major OTC drug company. The account exec was a middle aged handsome man who had even done some TV commercials. When the producer met the three of us, she lit up and immediately asked if the account exec was the doctor. When the doctor introduced himself, the bulb dimmed.