How do you avoid saying the wrong thing in a media interview?
Practice out loud on video before any interview. Make your mistakes in rehearsal, not on live TV, radio, print, podcast, or social, where the whole world can see how you did.
The way to avoid saying the wrong thing in a media interview is not to memorize a script. It is to practice, practice, practice, until your key messages come out cleanly even under pressure.
Do not let the real interview be your first rep
If the first time you deliver a media interview is the actual interview itself, you are not setting yourself up for success. That is a huge risk. Rehearse out loud, on video, before any TV, print, radio, social, blog, or podcast appearance. Make the mistakes in rehearsal, before doing an interview the entire world can see.
Why the stakes are higher than ever
That is the moment we are in: the entire world can see whether you did a great job or fell on your face, and the clip lives forever. Recorded practice is what lets you find your fumbles privately, tighten your messages, and walk in confident that you have already said it well.
What good practice includes
- Reps on camera with realistic, even hostile, questions.
- Clear key messages you can bridge back to when a question goes sideways.
- Playback and feedback, so you fix the real issues instead of guessing.