5 incriminating gaffes to avoid in your next press interview
When fielding journalists’ questions—whether you’re talking to one reporter or conducting a televised press conference—don’t dig yourself into a hole. Here are some common blunders.
I recently came across this funny video clip from the television show “Judge Judy,“ which features a young man who just didn’t know when to stop talking.
When I finished laughing at the young man’s unwitting admission of guilt, I thought about the things spokespersons do that can lead an audience to shift their impressions of them from innocent to guilty—in mere moments.
In this article, you’ll see five ways spokespersons incriminate themselves and learn how to avoid their mistakes.
1. Voluntarily introducing unhelpful information
It’s sometimes a good idea to announce something unfavorable about your brand before it gets out. (Doing so can help you influence how the issue is framed.)
At other times, nervous spokespersons can’t help themselves from blurting something out that leads the reporter to think, “Wait, what did you say?!”
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