Post Interview Best Practices

Your job as spokesperson isn’t over just because the interview is. What goes on in-between interviews is almost as important as the interviews themselves. Here are a few important things a spokesperson can do to learn from their performance, and to better prepare for the next media encounter.

1. Track Your Professional Performance. Make sure you carefully watch your interview, or read the story and analyze how you did. Did your key messages come across in your quotes? Did the story result in positive or negative coverage for your organization? Most importantly, is the article accurate? If not, you can contact the journalist or publication to correct information.
2. Track Your Personal Performance. Take stock of how you came across on camera or in print. What did you think of yourself? Did you come across as confident or nervous? If the interview was broadcast on television, how did you look and sound? Was your body language open or closed? Did you make eye contact with the journalist? Did you have any noticeable tics? Did you repeat yourself? Use the answers to these questions to focus on addressing those areas before the next interview. Maybe you needed more time to prepare; perhaps there was an issue you weren’t as prepared for as you’d like. Use these learnings to your advantage for next time.
3. If You Made a Mistake: Even after the story has appeared, it is a good idea to contact the journalist if you notice that a factual error has been reported. Setting the record straight is an important step, as facts from older news stories are often used in future stories. You’re not likely going to get a correction but you can prevent the error from becoming a bigger issue and build a rapport with the journalist by reaching out at the same time.