What a media training session actually covers
A media training session is not like a communication class. It is a simulation: cameras rolling, a journalist across from you, and tough questions asked without warning. A typical session covers four key areas.
First, crafting key messages: what are the three ideas the executive wants the journalist to remember? These messages must be formulated before the interview, not during it. Next, handling challenging questions: off-topic queries, rhetorical traps, and disputed figures. Media training teaches you how to respond without being thrown off course.
The third area is body language: eye contact, posture, hand gestures, and speaking pace. On video, non-verbal communication is just as important as the verbal. Finally, the bridging technique: the ability to steer the conversation back to your key messages even when the question asked doesn't invite it. This is the most difficult skill to master, and the most useful.
Why it is critical for a tech founder
For a tech founder, a poorly prepared interview has two immediate consequences. Either the message fails to land, and the journalist leaves with a different angle than intended. Or, the stance taken is clumsy and creates a problem where there wasn't one before.
The media context makes the situation worse: a journalist has 20 minutes of interview time to write an 800-word article. They will select the most striking quotes, not the most nuanced ones. An unprepared founder provides material they cannot control.
Conversely, a trained executive knows exactly what to say in the first 30 seconds, how to answer questions about the competition without compromising themselves, and how to turn a hostile question into an opportunity to deliver their message.
What we see with our clients
Executives who have never done media training have a systematic reflex: they answer the question asked. This seems logical, but it is precisely the problem. A journalist asks the questions that interest them, not the ones that serve the founder's interests.
The concrete result: the interview focuses on the fundraising, not the product. Or it dwells on an industry controversy rather than the company's traction. The executive leaves the human interaction feeling satisfied, but the article doesn't say what they wanted it to.
After a rigorous media training session, the same founder will consistently return to their two or three key messages, regardless of the question asked. This is a skill that can be learned, not a personality trait.
Media training and PR: how they work together
Media training is one component of a PR strategy, not a standalone tool. It is useless if the executive has no media opportunities. Conversely, media opportunities are less effective if the executive isn't trained to turn them into meaningful results.
The logical order: first, define the key messages and speaking strategy; second, train the executive to deliver them; third, open discussions with journalists. Reversing this order exposes the founder to interviews that yield little or no value.
To learn more about media preparation: TV, radio, and podcast media training and How executives prepare for their interviews.
