Media Musing #3
by Steve Bennett
A recent training session at an IT company began with this loaded question: "Steve, who's a bigger pain for a media coach — a salesperson or an engineer?"
"Actually," I replied with a smile, "it's a tie — salespeople and engineers can be equally difficult to train. But for very different reasons."
As it turned out, at the morning training session for a large hardware maker, two of the four participants were salespeople and two were engineers. My response launched a wave of laughter and friendly ribbing. (Apparently, the two contingencies had placed a gentleman's bet before the session.) After assuring everyone that many salespeople and engineers do indeed become fine spokespeople, I explained my thinking.
Salespeople want to sell. They want to persuade. They want to develop a convincing argument from the ground up. They want to "close on the objection." All of this is natural. However, it's the exact opposite of what a spokesperson must do during a media interview.
Journalists and others in the media don't want to endure sales pitches; they simply want to be informed. They also immediately discount puffery and hype. Some become annoyed or cut an interview short if an interviewee persists in wearing a salesperson's hat.
"But aren't you in effect 'selling' the interviewer on your product, service, or company?" you might ask. The answer is yes, but it's a soft sell. The key is to let the journalist come to the conclusion that your product, service, or company is indeed the "best," the "most," or however you want to position yourself. And you do that by providing information - facts, figures, customer benefits, and examples that support the idea that you're the company to watch in your market space. In short, when it comes to media interviews, salespeople need to tell 'em, not sell 'em.
Okay, so salespeople frequently lay it on too thick. How do engineers go about undermining their effectiveness during media interviews? By being too honest and discussing every aspect of their products - warts and all. Some engineers behave in interviews as if they're participating in a symposium where they can freely share ideas and provide information for the benefit of the entire industry.
To be sure, an engineer's passion for technology is an asset that can make for dynamic interviews. But it can become a liability when an engineer volunteers information about bugs, design flaws, fixes in progress, near disasters (that were solved with brilliant technical fixes), and worse. Often, engineers are aghast when they see themselves quoted (accurately) about their products' flaws and deficiencies. And so are their superiors!
The solution? Remember the old World War II saying, "Loose lips sink ships," and don't volunteer information unnecessarily. Then, when you do talk, focus on substantial competitive advantages and customer benefits that your product has to offer. In short, stick to the good stuff and keep the bad to yourself.
Yes, salespeople and engineers make me earn my keep as a media trainer. But they've also turned into some of my best success stories!
Steve Bennett is a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based media trainer who specializes in helping spokespeople of technology and science companies deliver effective strategic messages to: the trade, business, and consumer media; analysts; stakeholders; and the public. You can reach him at steve@mediamentor.com or by calling 617-492-0442.
Copyright © 1998-2005 Steve Bennett. Permission is granted to reprint this article in whole or in part, provided that you attribute the material to Steve Bennett, Media Mentor (steve@mediamentor.com).
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