How Business Owners Can Prepare For Their First Media Interviews

January 08, 2020  /  Ronke Lawal

Being invited to undertake a media interview in whichever form it takes is exciting and it means that your business’ media relations strategy is working but quite often business owners do not prepare in a way that allows them to make an impact with their interview.  If you are invited to be interviewed on television, radio, magazines, blogs, podcasts or any other media platform, it is crucial that you are prepared. Many businesses and entrepreneurs seek media profiling as a way to enhance their brand visibility and credibility, so getting a media interview right can really ensure that you build and maintain your reputation within your industry.

Here are a few tips to help you prepare for your first media interview:

Media training – it is definitely worth investing in an expert to media train you before you undertake a media interview, this is particularly important for any video or audio interview but you may find that you need to seek advice on making the most of written interviews too.  Do not underestimate the value of getting the right training before you step into the spotlight. Ariatu PR offers media training services as well as an eGuide which is more indepth than this piece.

Be ready for the response – Remember that everything you say whether it is written or recorded can make or break your brand particularly in a digital age where interviews can have an even wider reach than ever before, you can go viral for all the right reasons or you could even have a PR crisis. Be ready for any level of exposure – good or bad. Whilst you might not become famous, there is a possibility that you might receive a lot of attention in a short space of time so make sure that you prepare yourself for any newfound attention. Take the time to assess the motives of the media channel that is sharing your story or interview too; some have good intentions but some also see your story as part of their  media cycle and you should not take it personally if they do not support you after the interview.

Take a moment to review yourself – if you know that you will be the face of your business or you have become a subject matter expert in your sector then make sure you take the time to review your performance, watch/listen/read – don’t bury your head in the sand because it feels embarrassing. If you want to do better then you need to know better, and knowing better means reviewing your progress and undertaking critical analysis and being open to feedback. You should also consider investing in your personal brand and public speaking skills as they can help you when positioning yourself for media interviews.

In this video I provide even more tips and guidance on preparing for a media interview.

How Serie A Completely Missed The Mark in Challenging Anti-Black Racism

December 26, 2019  /  Ariatu PR

In 2019 The Italian Football league Serie A launched an anti-racism campaign called “No To Racism” which ended up missing the mark completely by featuring monkeys as symbolic of the idea that “we are all monkeys”. It was not only insensitive but reflected a lack of foresight. It reflected how a lack of real inclusion can have a negative impact on even the most “well-intentioned” campaigns.

Social listening as well as stakeholder consultations would have led to a more informed decision and that decision should have been that this artwork is insensitive and a major distraction from the issue its trying to address - Ronke Lawal, Ariatu PR

Read more here: https://www.prweek.com/article/1669327/use-monkeys-serie-anti-racism-campaign-tone-deaf-hurtful-bame-community#

tags / PR crisis

Key Communications for a No Deal Brexit

October 17, 2019  /  Ariatu PR

Ariatu PR Founder, Ronke Lawal offers key PR and Communications advice and top tips in the event of a no deal Brexit on the Chartered Institute of PR’s YouTube channel,

Public Relations can make a huge difference in how you handle uncertainty amongst customers in the event of a No Deal Brexit. Ronke Lawal gives her advice on how to be prepared.
A lot of small businesses are going to face consequences as the result of a No Deal Brexit. Ronke Lawal shares her advice on how to prepare a Crisis Comms strategy.

How Entrepreneurs can Improve their Relationship with Social Media

October 07, 2019  /  Ronke Lawal

Entrepreneurs and social media haven't always been the best combination and it is such a shame. I have always encouraged my PR clients and anyone who has sought advice from me in business to get to grips with social media. All entrepreneurs should get to grips with social media as a means of promoting their businesses as well as a way to showcase their own personal brand. By understanding social media, entrepreneurs can understand which platforms work best for them, what to use and what not to use for this business brands. It also gives them the opportunity to share their own stories without having to necessarily wait for traditional media to profile their businesses. Social media is powerful and not understanding or liking it is no longer an excuse to not use it because when used correctly social media can lead to more business. Social media has been known enhance reputations as well as damage them so understanding its power is essential.

According to research by Dr. Molly Wasko and Carlene Cassidy of The UAB Collat School of Business, many business owners are hesitant to jump onto the social media bandwagon. Their infographic sheds light on why entrepreneurs hesitate when it comes to using social and how they can overcome their fears by easing into Facebook, Twitter and other social media worlds:

UAB-Entrepreneurs-Social-Media.jpg

How Entrepreneurs can use Social Media Without Losing their Minds.

September 30, 2019  /  Ronke Lawal

Too often people complain that  they can't keep up with social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter but when using social media for business remember that your intention has to be clear, you do not have to be on every single platform in order to make an impact. If you focus on the platforms that your customers/clients engage with you the most on and the social media platform which can make an impact on your business brand you will see that using social media can be a great way to raise your brand visibility. It really is not complicated but some people spend too much time trying to over-complicate things. Remember that there are plenty of tools out there to help you to automate and manage your social media platforms find one that suits your needs; here are just a few recommendations:

  • Buffer - A dynamic multi-platform social media platform, very easy to use and great for automation

  • TweetDeck - Twitter management platform which allows you to manage multiple accounts, really good if you are a big twitter fan

  • HootSuite - Social media management platform which allows you to manage multiple accounts.

  • Dlvr.it - a powerful automation platform which allows you to share content

  • Commun.it - a community management platform which allows you to engage with your follows and monitor your list of followers/who you follow.

Much like anything in life once you learn how to use  a platform and get into the habit of using it (mindfully) you will start to see an impact without feeling overwhelming. Remember you control social media, don't let it control you!

In this video I provide some straightforward advice on how to use social media mindfully without becoming overwhelmed by it!