Scored an interview with a tech journalist? Here’s how to come out unscathed

So you’ve sent the perfect email pitch, and have set up an interview with the tech journalist. Now comes the next challenge: telling a compelling story.

While writing skills matter in a good article, a lot falls on the interviewee. Reporters, after all, write based on facts, and if there’s little to go on, there’s nothing we can do to spruce it up.

So knowing what the media finds compelling helps. Here are some tips to help you prepare for your impending interview:

Before

Understand the media’s priorities

For startups, press coverage builds credibility. It tells readers that the company is alive and well, and attracts the attention of investors as well as potential users.

Journalists have different aims however. Our priority is not to follow your company’s branding guidelines to the T. It’s to inform, educate, and entertain our readers.

The difference in priorities can be a source of tension for both parties, especially since newsmakers frequently expect the media to give free publicity without understanding its primary obligation to readers.

Understand why you’re being interviewed

Self-awareness is important when contacting the press, and an email pitch is a great way to think about how you can be interesting to journalists. Generally, interviewees can be categorized in the following ways, and the more buttons you press, the better:

The Newsmaker: You are interesting because of something you or your company did. Perhaps you’ve managed to get funding from prominent investors, or you’ve developed a product that’s new in the industry. When preparing for the interview, anticipate questions pertaining to the news point.

The Martyr: You have suffered for your cause, and have the battle scars to show. You have stories of hardship and failure to tell, and lessons to share. Your personal experiences are your most valuable assets, and they’re goldmines to journalists.

The Seer: You have a knack for communicating ideas and your point-of-view in clear and fresh manner. You drop nuggets of insight easily, and are opinionated about every new development in the industry. Journalists would love to call you to add color and context to an existing story.

During

Supply interesting quotes

After

The media is a double-edged sword