Shape of Things

It’s late Friday afternoon and you’re thinking about the weekend.  The phone rings and it’s a reporter from the local newspaper with an unexpected question about your company’s financial status.

No matter how well-prepared you think you are, there’s always the chance of this kind of phone call. Here are a few guidelines to help you through a media call, whether it’s positive or negative.

• You don’t have to answer the question on the spot. If you aren’t prepared, tell the reporter you’ll call him or her back. That way you have time to formulate a complete answer.
• Don’t leave the reporter hanging; if you cannot help right away, provide updates and let him or her know you are working on answers.
• If you feel that you are not qualified to answer the question, find the person in your company who is and coach him or her on a good answer as quickly as possible. Be sure to sit in on the interview so that you can handle any follow-up questions.
• If you will be the one answering the question, be sure you have met with the experts at your company and formulate three or four talking points before calling the reporter back. One question always leads to another, so be sure to stick to these points.
• If the question is one that you cannot answer, never say “no comment.” This sounds as if you are trying to hide something. Reporters tend to respond better if you simply say, “I can’t answer that question at this time, but I will be sure to contact you if or when I am able.”

Most of all, be helpful. Don’t succumb to pressure or sow the seeds of an adversarial relationship.