Media Training for Frontline Employees

Your organization never gets a second chance to make a first impression. Any comment or action by an employee can be communicated to millions of people via the cell phone video, Twitter, Facebook and more. It’s critical that frontline staff know how to interact professionally with the news media, customers and general public.

Staff should avoid answering detailed questions or giving media interviews, but saying “no comment” or “I’m not allowed to talk to you” sends the wrong message. This interactive workshop prepares frontline staff to handle questions from the media and public, including how to:

• Understand how reporters do their jobs
   
• Handle phone calls from reporters, customers and the public in a positive manner
   
• Follow established procedures for working with the media and public, including how to maintain control over a physical location such as a construction site or company property.
   
• Refer reporters' questions to your organization's spokesperson in a firm, but polite manner
   
• Understand how to deal with persistent or aggressive reporters in a crisis
   
• Develop brief, positive and consistent responses to customer questions
   
• Follow company policy for communicating about your organization on social media sites, such as Facebook or Twitter
  
• Communicate information about company media procedures to other staff members. Workshop handouts include a one-page desk reference with tips for handling media on-site and on the telephone, plus “talking points” for an employee meeting about media procedures.