Why everyone needs media training
The speed at which video content - and self-producing video content - has become normal for professionals and business owners across all industries is nothing short of staggering. Once the realm of only a select number of industries, the expectation is that most people will be regular and proficient content producers - and be comfortable with a camera, Iphone or microphone in their face.
Most of us, in some form or another, will be required (if they haven’t already) to produce written and visual content to represent a personal or business brand.
Yet it remains one of the most nerve-wracking experiences in a workplace for most. The good news? You can do something about it - and you should.
Enter media training.
Yes, media training is typically sought out when someone has a fairly immediate interest in doing media - whether that be a TV or radio interview, a podcast interview or appearing in a print or online article. But media training - good media training, that is, can be an incredibly useful development tool across a number of different skill sets. Want more confidence producing your own social media content? Want to understand how someone in your industry managed to score that media feature? Want to know how you can turn your first radio interview into one of many? You guessed it. Good media training will take you through all of that, and more.
The expert in anything was once a beginner.
Like anything, media performances are unlikely to be something you’ll be good at immediately. It takes work and time. Similarly, very few people are innately comfortable talking to an Iphone camera, selfie style, for that post on LinkedIn or Instagram. It’s ok - you’re not meant to be good at it straight away. Simple verbal and non verbal communication techniques, and some camera, lighting and preparation techniques make the world of difference. And the even better news is that these skills will translate across areas outside of media, for the better.
The world of media is a moving beast.
That’s why we love it at Leverage - the media industry has changed enormously over the last 3 years, let alone the last 10 or 20. It’s a highly dynamic landscape and if you don’t understand it, you won’t keep up with it and you won’t be able to succeed in it. The good news is it’s like learning anything new - once you know how to read the landscape, you won’t forget. Our number one tip here? Dig deeper than the common myths or misconceptions about the media. What you see is really just the tip of the iceberg.
Everyone’s a broadcaster.
So whilst we’re not saying that everyone is producing content of the same quality, accuracy or credibility, the fact is more people are producing content now than ever. The incredible capabilities of our digital devices mean that we can not only shoot video in high definition, we can distribute that content far and wide. As video continues to grow as the most powerful and engaging format of content, more and more businesses and brands are using it to engage with their customers and wider audiences. But this also makes the importance of good quality content greater than ever - you don’t want to just add to the noise.
When opportunity comes knocking, you want to be ready.
You may not have an immediate desire to get into the media. It might be something on the horizon, something you’ll do when you have more time or inclination. But how do you want to feel if, one day, an opportunity to take part in a live interview, print or online feature is presented? Put yourself in the best position to be ready and able to capitalise on an interview or feature that could be a game-changer for your business or brand. You won’t regret it.