If Oprah called tomorrow, or Larry King, or the “Today” Show, and wanted to book you for an appearance later this week, would you be scurrying around at the last minute trying to find a media trainer?
What about that New York Times reporter you’ve been pitching for two years? If he called to interview you, would you be ready?
If Oprah called, would you be practicing your sound bites between making travel arrangements to Chicago and shopping for something to wear on the big day?
Here’s a quick tip from Jess Todtfeld, president of Media Training Worldwide, who worked as a producer on “FOX & Friends” for seven years:
One way to craft great sound bites is to use rehetorical questions. Reporters like rhetorical questions because they break up the structure of their stories. And during broadcast interviews, they make viewers really think.
Examples:
“Are you better off today than you were four years ago?”
“Are we going to face a possible bankruptcy next year?”
“Why has the governor betrayed the faith of the voters?”
The one thing all of these questions have in common, Jess says, is that they aren’t real questions. They aren’t expressions uttered by someone seeking new information. They’re rhetorical questions, meaning they’re simply a way of making a point in the form of asking a question. The question doesn’t have to be answered in order for the point to be made.
Jess knows at least a dozen other ways to create compelling sound bites. He’ll arm you with all of them and give you valuable on-camera experience and a critique during PR Leads’ daylong media training on Friday, Aug. 1, in New York City. This session is perfect for speakers attending the National Speakers Association convention that weekend in New York and for anybody else who will be in the area.
I spoke at an event with Jess two years ago and I watched him work his on-stage magic with members of the audience. This promises to be a fun, information-packed session with practical experience in front of a camera. But only 20 people can attend.
Sign up for “Media Training for Experts and Authorities Workshop–From Sound Bites to Messages That Make The Media Take Notice.”
By the way, Dan Janal, president of PR Leads, the sponsoring company, is attending the media training as a student. He’s publishing a book soon on how to negotiate, and he says he needs to learn sound bites for his many upcoming media interviews.