Spokesperson/Media Training Workshops

Our media training program has bolstered the confidence and improved the communications performance for countless business and community leaders, elected officials, athletes/coaches and others as they face cameras, microphones, notepads and live audiences.

The Guthrie/Mayes team consists of professionals who have extensive background as television and newspaper editors and reporters.  Their experience enables them to provide insight on every aspect of traditional and social media relations – including conducting news conferences, one-on-one interviews and crisis communications.

Training focuses on “controlling” the interview, whether it is print, TV or radio.  We run through various techniques on how to attain this; however, a major component is “having clear-cut messages” going into the interview.  We spend a lot of time on “concept of message” and “message development.”

We put trainees through mock interviews, both TV and print.  With our background as professional journalists, we do our homework and make these sessions as real as possible, i.e., ask substantive questions that could come up in a media interview.  We record each interview, then critique – paying close attention to body language and how questions are answered, as well as provide the techniques as to how to get your message across.

While we call this “media training,” in reality, it’s “communications training.”  What we teach can be used in all forms of communication, whether it’s media, conducting a meeting with employees, talking to the boss, or giving an impromptu presentation/speech.

We work to make participants “comfortable” with the idea of conducting interviews.  At the same time, we want them to understand that they need to be “proactive” with their messages/information.  Media interviews are the best possible way to get your message out to thousands, in some cases, millions, of stakeholders.