Home
>
Public Relations
>
Top Ten Tips For Great Sound Bites

Top Ten Tips For Great Sound Bites

If you're an online business using public relations (PR) to help increase traffic at your site, you've found a great way to gain exposure at little cost. And before you know it, the day will come when you are invited to do an interview with a reporter. It's exciting, but scary. What do you do? How do you prepare?

First, be prepared when the telephone rings. If you sent out a release recently, have it at your fingertips.

Get some information yourself before you answer any questions: Ask the reporter:

* his or her name?
* the name of the news outlet?
* his or her phone number?
* what exactly is the story they are working on?
* are they coming on-site to do the interview or will this be a phone interview?

Then buy yourself some time. If this is an onsite interview, it you'll already have time to prepare. If it's a phone interview, you need to ask for the extra time you need to get ready.

Most reporters deadlines aren't immediate but within a couple of hours. Ask the reporter what his or her deadline is. If you have some time tell them you'll call them back in 15 minutes or half-hour, so you can gather what you need.

Here's some tips to get you ready for your 15 minutes (or more) of fame.

Before the interview:

1. Practice your answers to the questions that will most likely be asked - both the easy and the difficult ones. Prepare and practice so your statements will flow smoothly.

2.Consider the main messages that you want the audience to receive. Make a list of three major points, and practice saying these three points to yourself until you can speak them smoothly and confidently, without stumbling.

3. Be prepared to tell brief anecdotes and short stories. Find a way to mix one or more of your three main marketing messages into each anecdote.

4. Avoid trying to be humorous or telling negative stories. Both will most likely backfire, making you look like the fool.

During the interview:

5. Try to include your three main points as much as possible. Your interview is likely to be edited prior to publishing or broadcasting. By repeating your main points, you reduce the possibility that your preferred message will be edited out.

6. Speak in plain English. Remember the average newspaper's reading level is at grade six. Using jargon or trying to sound more important or educated by using big words will only make it hard to use your sound bites or quotes.

7. Don't lie. Ever. If you don't know the answer to a question, say so, but offer to find out the answer and get back to the reporter.

8. Remember, there really is no such thing as 'off the record.' Everything you say to a reporter is fair game to use. Don't say anything to a reporter you wouldn't want everyone in the world to know about!

9. When you've made your point, stop talking. Silence by a reporter could mean two things: either they are taking notes and haven't caught up with what you're saying, or it's a tactic to get you to say more than you want to reveal.

10. Don't ask if you can see the story before it goes to print. It's the most insulting thing you can do to a reporter. After all, they are the experts in their jobs, you are not. How would you feel if someone challenged your expertise?

Shannon Cherry, APR, MA helps businesses, entrepreneurs and nonprofit organizations to be heard. She's a marketing communications and public relations expert with more than 15 years experience and the owner of Cherry Communications. Subscribe today for Be Heard! a FREE biweekly ezine and get the FREE special report: "Be the Big Fish: Three No-Cost Publicity Tactics to Help You Be Heard." Go to: http://www.cherrycommunications.com/freereport.htm

custom home cleaning Wilmette ..

In The News:

Scammers create fake Evite invitations that mimic legitimate event emails, requiring users to verify senders and use antivirus software for protection.

The new Apple Watch hypertension feature passively monitors blood pressure patterns over 30 days using sensors to detect chronic high blood pressure signs.

Chrome extension spyware disguised as a free VPN service highlights security risks after it captured private browsing data from trusted sites.

New research shows how fatty acids in cooking oil can safely dissolve and recover silver from circuit boards without harmful chemicals or environmental damage.

The Fox News AI newsletter gives you information on the latest AI technology advancements, and about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Anthropic investigates alarming AI abuse case where hacker automated entire cybercrime campaign using Claude, stealing sensitive data from defense and healthcare firms.

TikTok, Meta and YouTube restrict Charlie Kirk shooting videos with age gates and warnings while X faces criticism for allowing continued circulation.

Cybercriminals use fake troubleshooting websites to trick Mac users into running terminal commands that install Shamos malware through ClickFix tactics.

San Francisco startup Fable launches Showrunner, an AI platform dubbed the 'Netflix of AI' that generates animated episodes from text descriptions with Amazon support.

Apple raised iPhone prices for some models despite receiving tariff relief from President Donald Trump, with the new lineup starting at $799 for the base model.

A two-story 3D concrete printed home in Western Australia demonstrates faster construction methods that could reshape American housing amid rising costs.

Credit scores remain important during retirement for insurance rates and housing applications, while seniors become prime targets for identity theft and financial scams.

Scammers now send unexpected packages with QR codes that redirect victims to fraudulent websites or download malicious software to steal sensitive information.

Meeting AI tools record private conversations alongside work discussions, creating privacy risks that can be managed with proper settings and awareness.

Hotel privacy concerns are valid but rare, with methods to detect hidden tech using smartphone flashlights, mirror tests and scanning apps.

Improve your Wi-Fi speed and reliability with 10 simple router optimization tips that don't require special apps or expensive subscriptions.

A Columbia University breach exposed names, Social Security numbers and academic records of nearly 869,000 people, with notifications beginning in August.

Rental car drivers use AI-powered apps like Proofr to protect themselves from unfair damage fees as major companies deploy automated inspection tools.

Fox News' AI newsletter brings you the latest on technology advancements around artificial intelligence.

OnTrac data breach between April 13-15, 2025, exposed personal information of over 40,000 people including Social Security numbers and medical records.

A woman named Wika announces her engagement to an AI chatbot sparking worldwide debate about virtual relationships and technology.

The notorious people search site National Public Data relaunches despite a previous breach affecting 3 billion individuals, raising fresh privacy concerns.

Revolutionary TRAUMAGEL gel controls life-threatening bleeding from gunshot wounds and traumatic injuries, helping first responders prevent prehospital deaths.

Protect your home network by enabling proper encryption, creating strong passwords, checking connected devices and using VPN and antivirus software.

The Navy's solar-powered Skydweller drone flew nonstop for 73 hours in Mississippi, proving renewable energy can power long-endurance military missions.

Top Ten Tips For Great Sound Bites

Public Relations