Aggressive advertising and marketing, why not media relations?

The most opportune moment for a business executive in an interview with a reporter should be when the reporter looks up after a furious bout of note taking and asks, "Is there anything else I should know?" Another version of the question, "Those were all my questions. Is there anything else you would like to add?"

In almost all business settings - from new business presentations, to budget reviews, to job interviews, to internal meetings - this is one of the golden questions presenters anticipate. And if it's not asked, good communicators figure out a way to summarize their key points or bring up a subject that has not yet been raised.

Yet rarely do people being interviewed by the press seize upon this last question as a similar opportunity. Survival instincts take over, not the possible business advantage. So, when confronted with the best - and easiest - question of the interview, the silent cartoon bubble pops up in most executives' brains with the simple comment: "Well, I haven't gotten myself into trouble yet. I'm outta here." The subsequent verbalized response is, "No, I think that covers it. I appreciate your time."

While this may be an effective response, the problem is that the executive has missed a golden opportunity to communicate a key message, one that has better than average odds of being quoted or used in an article. The downside is that any response opens up a whole new line of questions. But if managers would prepare for the press as well as they do for most other business interactions, the last question should never throw them.

Spokespersons use many reasons to not take advantage of the question. These include unfamiliarity with the interview process, loss of control, not knowing enough about the reporter and the article, and the inability to view final copy before it appears. Based upon experience with large and small companies, associations and government agencies, I have found that the primary driver of the non-response to the last question is in the reality that most corporate and organizational cultures do not put a high premium on good quotes or positive articles. Managers are generally not rewarded in promotions, bonuses and recognition for positive articles and quotes. And, most managers can tell you about someone whose career got sidetracked or derailed because of a negative news article or quote.

So, for a manager, scientist, or executive to work better throughout the entire interview, corporations, partnerships and associations must develop a stronger understanding of what reporters and journalism are all about, as well as a tolerance of the occasional article or quote that is not as flattering as they would like.

As a reporter, even on an investigative piece, I always asked the last open-ended question. I genuinely wanted to learn the information a spokesperson or subject matter expert desired to communicate. I really didn't expect the people I interviewed to self-immolate by volunteering negative information or agree to skeptical reporter questions or criticisms from detractors. It's the rare - and not easily forgotten - interview when a reporter gains juicy quotes from a denial.

In fact, it's deadline pressure that works in both the reporter's and the spokesperson's favor. When one is confronted with limited time to pull a story together, the two easiest places to find quotes are the first answer and the last answer. It's the old rule of primacy and immediacy.

Here are a few suggestions on how to take better advantage of the last question - or any questions a reporter may ask:

* Have a clear idea of what you want to communicate in an interview. Back up general statements with facts and examples.

* Don't be afraid to ask the reporter questions, i.e., to substantiate facts, to find out who else he or she has talked to. This will help you to position your responses.

* When asked if you want to add anything, either repeat a point or bring up one of the points that the reporter didn't ask about.

* If a reporter forgets to ask if you want to add anything, jump in with either a summary statement or one of the points that wasn't covered.

Like most other aspects of marketing and proactive communication, success in news media interviews is directly related to your ability to prepare, anticipate and practice.

Andrew D. Gilman is president, CommCore Consulting Group, Washington, D.C.