What to Do When the Phone Rings

How to prepare for and respond to phone interviews

The majority of news media interviews are conducted via telephone or by email. This one-on-one phone interview training is for those who need a refresher course on how to “stay on message” during phone or email interviews. The course is especially useful for staffers who have participated in the “Know What to Say – and How to Say It,” or other spokesperson/media training workshops.

Prior to the mock interview, we will email each participant to identify a specific project or issue he or she currently is working on, and to schedule the hour-long phone coaching. That call will include a primer on working with the news media, a review of key messages, and a 15-minute interview, followed by a critique of message delivery. The training, including response to the initial email, interview and critique, requires a time commitment of approximately 1- 1/2 hours from each participant.

Participants will receive a follow-up email critique of their interviews along with a customized EPA Spokesperson/Media Tip Sheet.