The Globe Can Spin; You Must Not

[by Howard Fencl, Hennes Communications] I recently returned from a media training assignment in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and had a communications revelation: whatever your corner of the world, whatever your language, to gain the upper hand in a news interview, you must arm yourself with clear, quotable messages, you must believe them, and you must deliver them frequently.

In the past month, we’ve drilled trainees on-camera from China, Malaysia, Cambodia, Singapore, Australia, Belgium, Amsterdam and Ireland. And in years past, I’ve media trained hundreds of Nokia spokespeople hailing from every continent (except Antarctica). The aim is always the same: that every participant leaves training confident that they have the tools to take control of any crisis or controversial issue.

The leitmotif? It’s always preparation. Even with sirens wailing and the media breaking into programming with a live shot at your front gate, spending just a few minutes preparing messages can mean the difference between your portrayal as a villain ducking the media – or as a vindicator telling the truth and working to resolve issues for the good of those you serve.

Why? Because messages are the “takeaway” you want for your key audiences. They must be conversational, easily understood, and “quotable” by the media. They are a tool to help your audience grasp exactly what you intend, rather than draw their own conclusions from a pile of information. Repeating them early in interviews and often throughout increases the chance that reporters will include your messages in their stories. Above all, messages must be true. Reporters – and audiences – can spot “spin” a mile away and will quickly call you out on it in their stories and all over social media. And as I’ve observed firsthand – that’s true whether you’re from Kankakee or Kuala Lumpur.