In the second of our series on the best way to media-train, let’s get deeper into how terrific trainees behave. If you missed part one, go here.

Driving the Trend Train

Ultimately, our goal for our media training is that it results in spokespeople able to talk about their company, product and themselves (uh-huh, selves) in the context of many emerging trends. If we’re leading trends, we are not following fads.

The definition of “trend” evolved from just the latest clothing fashion to include business processes, R&D, and even accounting practices. So effective media training becomes about delivering messages and insightful commentary and not that dreaded found knowledge on what’s coming around the bend.

Yes, Sir, Sergeant!

Public relations doesn’t look to the military for guidance—until now. Any DI worth his salt knows you can’t train a troop until you disavow them of emotional baggage. Can’t train until you break ‘em of their bad habits.

Similarly we PR dudes had better use trends to show CEOs they don’t know everything and listening to their team is essential to advancing a corporate objective. While they are at it, go beyond listening and take advice. Their ears are closer to what’s happening than yours.

Spokespeople arrive for media training carrying a ton of Media I Know luggage. They’ve met journalists—have reporters as family friends or casual dalliances—and think media training doesn’t apply when speaking with these folks. An astute trainer will explain that all reporters have a job, and while one can argue about a columnist’s or commentator’s level of objectivity, it is always true that reporting about the story is not doing anyone a favor.

And voila! Here we are at trends once more. When your spokesperson places their messages in the context of developing trends, they demonstrate innovation and leadership and chutzpah. They give reporters bona fide information, help them to write or broadcast a story with significant impact to their beloved audience (your spokesperson’s audience too—duh!).

One Size Fits None

There are principles of media training (bridging and flagging, controlling an interview, tricks to minimize “um,” what to wear, how not to fidget, what’s correct eye contact, et al) that are true constants without which we would be lost forever. This is a primary component within trainings I conduct.

Ultimately, media training is neither shrink-wrapped nor off the shelf. It is ¼ science and ¾ art. It requires preparation and confidence from the trainer—that lion you are dealing with can be tamed, damn-it. It involves huge dollops of research in the forms of media audits and interviews with customers and reporters plus a sincere understand of budding trends, is more important than you think! In our firm we say without that we are whistling our own air.

Find out who you’re dealing with and what they need to be saying. And you can’t fail. Because…

After the Lights Switch Off

Media training requires us to lay a strong foundation with a session that covers the fundamentals, followed by thorough preparation for each interview and analysis after the meetings are over. More than those ubiquitous briefing books, effectual preparation entails providing talking points based on messaging that turn out to be ultimately relevant to the media outlet(s). Story angles created without spokesperson involvement aren’t angles but vacuum packaging.

And that’s the fact we most of us forget. To merely talk about how cool someone/something is, is useless. And it fades fast.

To Recap This Stuff You Poured Through

1. Never forget the fundamentals. Not a single ditty.
2. Incorporate a lot of emerging trends into all training.
3. CEOs who say they don’t need training need it most.
4. Insight and opinion into the above emerging trends is more useful than all found information on planet E.
5. Superlative media training must be personalized and researched via audits and more.
6. Media training is a never-ending process. So do it, again, please.
7. Like everything in our lives, training and being trained requires experience. I’ve been doing this for 110 years.

Please re-read the above for inspiration. It certainly helps me before any bolstered-for training. Oh, and call me in the morning.

Everyday, RLM is doing training of high-level and in-need executives. Laermer is available by phoning 212 741 5106 X 225, or running to training@RLMpr.com