Media training teaches the concept of identifying your “3 key messages.” In other words, what are the 3 most important things to communicate during your interview with the reporter?
But what exactly is a key message? Is it a vignette? Is it a topic of conversation? Is it a set of words that incorporate more spin than truth? Is it a set of verbatim words that incorporate both the truth and the quotes?
In my world, it’s a set of verbatim words that incorporate both the truth and the quotes. But many media trainers teach only bullet points and talking points. I call this “The Myth of the 3 Key Messages”.
Let’s put it in the context of an American political candidate in a debate with his opponent. The discussion moderator might ask a question like, “Please give me your opinion on education.”
The candidate, whose strategist may have determined that the key messages should be solely about energy, economics and international relations, is left with nothing to say. So the candidate will BS for 50 seconds of a 60-second response and then conclude by saying, “Education is important and you can get more details on my website.”
That’s such a bull!
When you give a spokesperson or executive only bullet points and talking points for an interview, you give them license to improvise. Have you ever seen someone who can really improvise well? They are few and far between. The person improvising is doing what? They are flying it! And when you fly, you crash and burn.
You should start an interview with 3 key AREAS you want to talk about. For each of those areas, you should have learned and internalized several prewritten sentences that are also highly quotable sentences. Then each of those 3 areas should have 3 key messages of their own, that are well written, internalized and quotable. And possibly, each of those 3 key messages will have 3 more messages to accompany them.
Think of your conversation as a large live oak tree like the one you see in the south. Imagine that tree with a huge study trunk and 3 large branches. Your “Tree Trunk Message” should consist of 2 sentences that anchor the entire conversation. These are the first words out of your mouth when the reporter asks the first question, and they provide context for the entire conversation. Both prizes must be quoted.
Then write 2 more sentences for each of those 3 large branches that grow from the trunk of the tree. These awards should also be highly citable and will add a few more general facts and point out other important areas you may want to talk about.
Now add 3 branches to each of the large branches. Then add 3 branches to each of the limbs. Then add 3 leaves to each of the branches. Ultimately, just as a tree sprouts branches, twigs, and leaves, your conversation needs to generate additional sentences with a little more detail. Draw it. If you can visualize the tree, you will begin to understand how the conversation grows.
In our visualization, the leaves represent great detail while the trunk of the tree and the 3 branches symbolize very basic facts. If you take the time to fill your tree with verbatim and quotable sentences that you internalize, your next interview will be the easiest of all. Basically, your populated tree has created an entire conversation, and an interview should be a conversation. I should tell a story.
The conversation tree analogy has prepared us to tell our story in the inverted pyramid style, the same style reporters use when they write.
Is this easy? No. Is preparation needed? Absolutely. How much preparation? An interview is as important as any business. If you could put a dollar for every word that comes out of your mouth, would you make money or lose money?
Bottom line: Know what you want to say, say it word for word, and be prepared to tell a story.