Mastering

Media

Embracing public relations is a great way to significantly elevate your visibility and reputation in the community. Here, you'll learn how to adeptly navigate interview requests, understand the nuances of different media formats, and present yourself with confidence and poise on camera.

Our agents and listings have appeared locally & nationally in 2023.

Reporters (especially TV reporters) are often working on a very tight deadline and will often reach out on very short notice with an interview request. If you are approached by a reporter and receive a request, here are the steps to take.

• Clarify what the story is about. Don’t be afraid to ask questions to get more details about the angle of the story.
  

• Clarify if it is a live interview or if it will be taped.
  

• You can also ask for a list of questions or topics that will be covered in the interview. Some reporters won’t want to do this, but many will, and it doesn’t hurt to ask.
  

• Contact John Kurtz immediately – john.kurtz@reecenichols.com or 913-269-1713. He will advise whether or not to do the interview (most often the answer will be yes), help you prepare, and help promote your appearance.
  

Interview Differences by Medium

If you do an interview with a TV station, they will more than likely only be pulling short clips from the interview to use on-air. Don’t worry if you stumble over a word or two; they will edit that out. You don’t need to pressure yourself to be perfect in a TV interview.

One exception to this is if you’re going on a TV morning show. Those interviews are often live and aired in full.

These short clips from President and CEO Mike Frazier and two buyers were pulled from 15-minute interviews.

example of President & CEO Mike Frazier doing a live interview with the Fox 4 Morning Show

Print interviews will most often be like TV interviews. The reporter is likely looking for quotes to pull out to use in a story – unless they specifically mention that it’s a full Q&A.

These quotes from Director of Community Affairs Fabian Gayosso were pulled from a 30-minute interview

A radio interview will often be live and aired in full. Best practice would be to clarify with the station how they will be using it.

Interview Tips

Single out the three most important pieces of information you want to convey in your answers during the interview and make sure to mention all three. It doesn’t hurt at all to repeat some of them.

• For example, if you’re asked, “What is the market like right now?” Your answer could include:
  

• Inventory issues have made it a seller’s market.
  

• Buyers should still get in right now because prices aren’t going down.
  

• Buyers can always refinance if rates drop.
  

Brooke Nelson does an excellent job of sticking to her three points in this clip: KMBC 9

If you’re asked a negative question, zoom out and reference the big picture when possible.

• For example, your answer to “Why are sales down in Kansas City right now?” could be:
  

• “Most brokerages across the country are down compared to a couple of years ago, but ReeceNichols is still far and away the market leader in Kansas City.”
  

• You can also redirect their question. For example, “I can’t speak for our competitors, but I can tell you that ReeceNichols…”
  

Less is more. The more concise your answers are, the better. TV stations will typically only use 5-15-second clips, for example. The longer you talk, the more likely it is that they will pull a clip from you that is outside of the message you want to get across.

It’s okay to tell a reporter you don’t know the answer to their question, and you can find the answer and send it to them after the interview.

• It’s much better to do this than to say something you don’t know is accurate or that might be counter to the message you’re trying to get across just because you’re stumped.
  

Be aware that everything you say before, during, or after the interview can be considered on the record by the reporter (unless you specifically tell them that what you’re about to say is off the record). Nothing to stress too much about, but don’t give them any information you wouldn’t want in the story while you’re chatting before or after the interview.

• Body Language

• Maintain good posture. Sitting or standing up straight conveys confidence.
  

• Use hand gestures naturally but try to keep them from becoming excessive or going out of the view of the camera.
  

• Voice and Speech

• Speak clearly and at a moderate, controlled pace. If you’re nervous (which is completely natural), you will tend to speed up your answers. Consciously thinking about slowing it down will help you relax.
  

• Take a moment to pause after being asked a question. It will give you a second to gather your thoughts before answering.
  

• Where to Look

• If you’re being interviewed, look at the reporter asking the questions, not the camera. They will likely give you this same advice before the interview if you forget.
  

• If you’re filming yourself for a video to put on social media, make sure to look directly into the camera. Consistent eye contact will build trust with your audience.
  

• What to Wear

• Wear solid, non-distracting colors like blues, grays, earth tones, and pastels. They look great on camera and won’t direct attention away from your words.
  

• Keep accessories simple to avoid distractions. Subtle necklaces or earrings are fine, but avoid anything overly shiny or noisy.
  

• Avoid patterns and overly bright colors, if possible.
  

Be Proactive!

• Reach out to John Kurtz – john.kurtz@reecenichols.com or 913-269-1713 if you have an idea for a potential story that can be pitched to TV, newspapers, social media, etc.
  

• These can be stories about market trends you’re seeing, trends in certain areas of neighborhoods, human interest stories about buyers or sellers, philanthropic work you’re doing, or anything else you think would be of interest.
  

• If you have a high-profile luxury listing or a particularly unique listing, there are also opportunities to get local and national press coverage for those.
  

• John will help fine-tune a pitch for you and can use his connections with local media outlets to help get you coverage.
  

• John can also help get some extra promotion through the ReeceNichols social media channels.
  

Social Media

Maintaining a strong social media presence is an easy way to consistently produce positive PR for yourself and stay in front of clients and potential clients. Make sure to check out Simply Social and Raul’s Video Tips to get an in-depth look at the best practices.

Any Questions?

contact us!

Marketing@ReeceNichols.com

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