Every four years, we are treated to the spectacle of journalists and moderators asking tough, pointed questions of presidential candidates, only to have the candidates completely ignore the questions and launching into their pre-planned talking points.
And every four years, corporate spokespeople wonder — is that how I’m supposed to answer questions I don’t like? By ignoring them?
No, says Tripp Frohlichstein, media interview trainer and master of media messaging. Not only shouldn’t corporate spokespeople follow this mistaken model, Frohlichstein believes that politicians are ill-served by this tactic as well.
“What politicians are doing is not serving their purpose,” he says. “Why do you think people hate politicians? In part, it’s because they don’t answer questions directly.”
Frohlichstein believes that if politicians really wanted to connect with the public, they would “be themselves. They would be honest and direct. I think the public wants a straight-shooter.”
That goes for business spokespeople as well. It’s never a good idea for business spokespeople to ignore the questions they are being asked and instead only repeat their sound-bites. You’ve got at least acknowledge the question and if you don’t want to answer, say so.
