CGM blog: The value of being a go-to guy

24 Mar CGM blog: The value of being a go-to guy

Being a media spokesman for your industry can add huge value to your profile.

People tend to view experts who regularly appear in the media differently. Your peers respect the fact you’ve stood up for their industry and its ethics, values and overall state of play. Potential customers recognise your name and are more likely to feel assured to do business with you.

You may not have chosen to do an interview to gain a competitive edge – but delivering commanding and confident media interviews can only enhance your business reputation.

That’s if you do it well, of course. As a working journalist I had a contacts book crammed with copper-bottom industry experts I knew would deliver good soundbites and concise comment.

But many more were once only interviewees who have long been scrubbed off my ‘go to’ list.

So how do you become the former and not the latter? The answer is media training.

Becoming a media go-to guy isn’t just about spouting forth on any given subject. It is about learning to deliver accurate, incisive and interesting comment. It’s about having good diction and being confident and credible so listeners, viewers and readers believe in you.

Being merely knowledgeable isn’t enough. You need to be plausible, to get on message and to understand the precise needs of differing media and their wants and expectations.

It is about making the effort to learn a little so you can make a lot.

The stakes are high. Learning to deliver a speech, conduct a media interview or write concise and consistent copy are key facets of modern business communications that any serious business leader should consider.

Developing these skills can enhance your reputation. Do it badly or slink in the shadows with a can’t be bothered attitude – and, well, I guess you can’t moan if that phone never does ring.

You won’t be a go-to guy, the media will have gone elsewhere – probably a more savvy competitor.

Chris Green is CGM’s managing director and a former author and broadcaster. CGM provides a range of executive media training courses. For further details visit our spring/summer 2014 programme click here.