Every company or organization should designate a spokesperson for times of crisis or general information dissemination.
That person will normally be someone who comes from the corporate communications division but if your company is smaller or less formal, it may simply be the head of marketing or the owner. If you are new to a spokesperson role, here are a few things to remember about your role and responsibilities:
• Credible source
You are a credible source and the face of the company. Take that seriously. You are held to a high standard and media will expect you to be straight forward and available to them when they have questions.
• Represent the company
You represent the company so like it or not, you under more scrutiny them most employees. Always keep you composure when interviewing. Don’t get angry or use course language with a reporter. Stay calm if you feel caught off guard or ambushed by a reporter. Create positive talking points out of negative reporter questions whenever possible.
• Make the organization “human”
The company needs you to make the emotional connection with the audience. It’s up to you to make the organization “human” and gain the audience trust. Be factual, interesting and open.
• In a crisis, you are the “voice”
When interviewing about negative occurrences, you are the “voice” of the company. Be as believable and sincere as possible. Set the tone for the story and don’t repeat negative words or phrases. Don’t accept unfair or untrue statement but set the record straight in a calm and coordinated manner.
It is not an easy task to be a spokesperson for a company or organization. Seek out personalized training from a media professional to better succeed at this responsibility.