Fortune smiles on the prepared.  That's particularly true when it comes to media interviews.  However, not all public relations consultants understand this universal law and believe in winging it.
 
Make preparation a public relations tactic for any media interview.  Whether it's a stand-up, phone, or in-studio interview -- friendly or unfriendly -- preparation will determine how you influence the readers/viewers.  That influence will be positive or negative; there is no in-between.
 
Before you conduct a media interview, whether it's your first or 100th, here are some public relations tips that greatly increase your odds of being successful:
 
- Do Internet research on the reporter's past stories to see how deep his or her knowledge is on the subject and what angles the stories followed.
 
- Do Internet research on your issue.  Determine who else is reporting on this topic and how that matches up with your position?  Determine where your prospective audience stands on the issue?
 
- Craft two to three main communications points you want to get across in the interview.  Tactfully work them into the interview.
 
- Conduct mock interviews with your public relations agency.
 
- Prepare by speaking in short sound bites -- avoid long, rambling stories.  The tighter the better.  Try to condense your thoughts into their most potent, descriptive words.  A reporter is only allotted so many words and so much time, so make it easy for him or her.  This also cuts down on the chances of being misquoted and damaging your public relations efforts.
 
- Prepare by using bridging statements when needed.  There will be times when a reporter knows little about your profession or the issue he or she is asked to cover.  Or, the reporter may have bad research information from the Internet, which is loaded with good, bad and misleading information.  A bridging statement gets you past those potentially damaging questions and refocuses the interview on what's important.  This is not dodging a question.  It is helping the reporter get the story correct.
 
- Prepare for the unexpected.  Never tear off the mic and storm away.  No one has pulled this off in a professional manner.  Better to hold your ground, stay on message and maintain your composure and professionalism -- most likely the media is on a tighter deadline than you are. 
 
- Prepare for the pre-interview chit-chat phase.  Establish rapport with the reporter before the interview.  Remember, the whole interaction is on-the-record.  Avoid talking about anything you don't want repeated in the paper or on TV. 
 
Put yourself in the reporter's shoes.  If an expert gives you great quotes or analyses which easily fall into place, chances are you'll call that person again.  However, if an interviewee speaks in jargon with rambling, incoherent sentences, you'll never call that person back because you'll find someone just as good who understands your needs.
 
Are you torturing or helping reporters with your media prep habits?