Which of the following would you consider a trick question:
A. “What’s your annual revenue?”
B. “I know you feel uncomfortable commenting on that topic, but how about telling me off the record?”
C. “What’s the worst business mistake you’ve ever made, and what have you learned from it?”
Take a minute and actually write your answer on a piece of paper. A, B or C, or any combination of the above?
As a former journalist, I’ve asked those three questions many times. Now, let’s see if you’re right.
A. What’s your annual revenue?
This is not a trick question. If your company is publicly held, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t answer it.
If you’re not publicly held, don’t sweat it. Just give a range (“over $500,000 in sales”) or explain that you’d rather not provide that information for competitive reasons.
Many business stories, particularly those about small businesses, state that the owner declined to offer sales and revenue figures. Not answering won’t kill the story, even in business journals. (See “How to Use Business Journals to Tell Your Story.”)
B. “I know you feel uncomfortable commenting on that topic, but how about telling me off the record?”
This can be a trick question. But it’s also a very dangerous question. So pat yourself on the back if you chose B.
If you spill the beans to a reporter you do not know or trust and it’s “off the record,” it might show up in print.
A reporter might take something you’ve given him and run it past two other sources. If those sources confirm the information on the record, the reporter might use it. Policies on using information obtained off the record differ among media outlets. But why take chances?
Also, experienced reporters who pry off-the-record information out of you will sometimes wheel and deal and try to get you to agree to let them use parts of it. Before you know it, they’ve talked you into using all the material on the record.
Sometimes sources find it necessary to talk off the record in cases where they want to flag a favorite reporter to something that will be happening, like a major announcement, and to explain the background so the reporter will be ready to write about it when the story breaks.
Understand, however, that the 24-hour news cycle makes “exclusives” more of a risk to the source. If it’s a major story and you promise it to a reporter, but the editor doesn’t think the story is very good, she might bury it in the back of the newpaper. That can alienate other reporters who you want to c over it.
These days, many companies break news by writing about it at their blogs, and then tweeting the headline and linking to the blog post so that all media can have the story at the same time.
If, for whatever reason, you’re inclined to give the story to a reporter you know and trust, do this only if you’re experienced dealing with the media. I prefer that companies break their own news at their blogs. (See “The Dangerous Hidden Secrets of Print and Broadcast Reporters.”)
C. “What’s the worst business mistake you ever made, and what have you learned from it?”
This is not a trick question, so don’t be embarrassed or get rattled. Everyone has a worst business mistake.
Anticipate this question and prepare your response. The media love to help their readers and viewers avoid other people’s mistakes. Rather than just identifying the blunder, explain how others can avoid making it.
If your mind goes blank when the reporter asks this question, don’t blurt out the first thing that pops into your head. Ask, “May I take a minute to think about the answer?” Or you can say, “Can we revisit this question later?”
Reporters usually don’t mind waiting.
Learn about more questions, trick and otherwise, in my “Special Report #2: Questions You Can Expect a Reporter to Ask During an Interview (Including Nasty, Hostile Ones).”
What other trick questions have reporters asked you? If you disagree with my advice, challenge me.
“If your mind goes blank when the reporter asks this question … Ask, ‘May I take a minute to think about the answer?’ Or you can say, ‘Can we revisit this question later?’
Love that advice. I’ve never had a source say that to me during an interview, but I certainly wouldn’t mind of one did. I think it’s a great idea. Thought-out answers can lead to good quotes.
That’s right. Journalists ask questions for one reason: they want the answers.
Asking for extra time to think about the question shows a respect for the journalist.
I like to use this trick: I pretend I am a human billboard when being interviewed. What would I post on that billboard for everyone in the world to see? If I am asked a question that would include information that I would not post on that billboard, I simply state that I’m not prepared to answer that question. I admit that the question makes me uncomfortable, which has, in my experience, brought forth a rephrased and a more welcoming question.
Anne, this is a great tip.
PR people often advise, “Don’t say anything you wouldn’t want to show up on the front page of a newspaper.” Your billboard example takes this one step further.
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