Independent Banker - May 2019 - 31

CELEBRAT ING
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Know your audience. If you're
doing a TV interview,
watch
the show beforehand. If you're being
interviewed for a newspaper, magazine
or website, read it fi rst. You can
even research the journalist to get an
idea of their style.
Know what you want to say.
Whether you have a week's notice
or just a few minutes, take the time to
write down three to fi ve key points that
you want to make. Take a fact sheet
about the bank with you. It's easy for
your mind to go blank when you're in
the spotlight.
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Don't prioritize how you'll
look on camera. " People always
wonder: 'Where do I put my hands?'
'Where do I look?' " Schmidt says. " The
journalist can tell you that. Talk the
way you would talk to someone in a
restaurant or at a networking mixer.
What you most need to have prepared
is that message. "
Get to the point. The average
soundbite is between eight and
12 seconds long, so that may be all the
time you have to say what you want to
say. Start with what matters most.
Speak slowly and in short,
succinct sentences. Say what
you planned to say, then stop. Don't
hit the journalist with a wall of information.
" It's a little like a meal where
they give you an appetizer, and then
the next course and the next course, "
Schmidt explains, " as opposed to a
buff et where you have all the food and
you don't know exactly where to start.
Too many people try to throw it all out,
then they say, 'The journalist didn't get
at all what I was saying.' " Don't leave
room for misinterpretation.
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Keep confidential information
confidential. Don't overshare,
even if it's off the record.
Prove your point. If you're
worried about coming across
as trustworthy, give examples of how
well the bank has performed in the
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past. Use stories or case studies, but
remember to keep them short.
Take time to think. On bad
news days, it's easy to imagine
reporters beating down your door.
First of all, that's unlikely to happen.
Secondly, if it does, you have the right
to say, " I have a client call. I'll be with
you in 10 minutes. " Take your time
to think your answers through. In the
same vein, don't take cold calls. Take
a number and call the journalist back.
Show you care. Always lead
with compassion. If there has
been a data breach, for example, start
by saying, " We take our customers'
security very seriously. "
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Take control. When bad news
is breaking, make sure your
community hears it from you fi rst. Use
Facebook or other social media to tell
customers what you know and what
you are doing. Update them regularly.
Remember: Every customer has the
potential to be a news outlet. " If they
have a bad customer service experience
at your bank, " Schmidt points out, " they
can put it out to all of their followers,
and suddenly you have a potential crisis
or a potential obstacle that has nothing
to do with the media. That's why your
message has to be there all the time. "
Roshan McArthur is a writer
in California.
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Connect with us
ibtapps.com
512.616.1100
Adaptable
options
for a
better
core
experience
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But respond promptly.
When it comes to damage
control, however, time is of the
essence. Schmidt says, " It used to be
that people would say, 'I'll get back to
you by the end of the business day.'
You can't do that because with social
media, that gives potentially an entire
business day where a message could
get out of your control. The best thing
you can do is say, 'Here's what we
know, here's what we are looking into,
and here's when we will provide an
update.' And then provide the update. "
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Independent Banker - May 2019

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