This interview with CEO Lonny Kocina, published on Critical Mention’s blog, came about in part because the reporter had listened to his interview on Forbes Books Radio and wanted to know more about “The CEO’s Guide to Marketing” and the SAM 6® six-step marketing process.
This happens quite often. When we contact the media about our clients’ stories, one of the first things reporters may do is Google the products to see what else has been reported. When they find a breadth of stories, it helps to legitimize the product and demonstrates the audiences’ receptiveness. This is why we recommend pursuing a variety of media opportunities using multiple angles, especially when the product is new to the market.
When you’re doing media interviews, you must be ready for anything. Some reporters take time for pleasantries. Others are on tight deadlines and just trying to crank out their work. For this Critical Mention article, Kocina spent about an hour on the phone with the reporter. “She was very flattering about the book. She loved its clarity,” he recalls. She then followed up by sending Kocina a list of questions to complete her article.
Kocina used the code sheet he’d developed for “The CEO’s Guide to Marketing”, step 2 in SAM 6, at each phase of this interview. Code sheets contain your keywords, who your market is, your primary value points and the brand statement that you want communicated in each media opportunity. “It worked beautifully and removed the stress of doing the interview. Without the code sheet, it would have been easy to get off point. With the code sheet, it was just as easy to bend the question back to what I wanted to say.”
He also used a technique we employ when our writers help our clients draft interview responses. “If a reporter sends you questions, send additional notes with all of your key phrases,” advises Kocina. “They might end up using your supplementary quotes and information in their final piece.”
We’d love to talk with you about building your library of media interviews, and how to extend the reach and longevity of each story. Give us a call at 952-697-5220 or use this contact form for a free consultation.
