7 Mistakes Founders and CEOs Make When Talking to the Media (and How to Avoid Them)

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Key Takeaways You don’t have to answer every question, but you do need to know your expertise and communicate it clearly. Prepare three key messages, lead with your main point, and avoid unnecessary jargon. Journalists want useful insights, not sales pitches. Credibility and preparation are essential. Being a successful CEO doesn’t automatically make you a great media spokesperson. I’ve coached executives across financial services and other professional industries who can lead organizations, navigate complex challenges and command a boardroom, yet struggle to communicate effectively with journalists. Even the most accomplished executives can undermine their credibility by talking too much, making unsupported claims or turning interviews into sales pitches. Fortunately, these mistakes are avoidable. Here are seven I see most often and how to prevent them. 1. Thinking you have to be an expert on everything One of the biggest misconceptions executives have is that they must answer every question a journalist asks. You don’t. Even when a question relates to your industry, it may fall outside your specific expertise. Rather than guessing, say, “I’m not the best person to answer that, but I can connect you with someone who is,” or “That’s outside my area of expertise, but what I can tell you is…” Journalists don’t expect you to know everything. They do expect you to know what you’re talking about. Of course, declining to speculate isn’t the same as evading a legitimate, difficult question about your business. 2. Talking too much before getting to the point A journalist asks a straightforward question, and the executive launches into a five-minute explanation filled with background, caveats and unnecessary details. By the time they make their point, the reporter may have lost interest or run out of time. My advice? Lead with the headline. Answer the question directly in one or two sentences, then stop. If the journalist wants more, offer an anecdote or compelling example that illustrates your point. Journalists love stories, but don’t bury your main message beneath layers of explanation. If the reporter remembers only one sentence, make sure it’s the one that matters. 3. Failing to prepare 3 key messages Before every media interview, I coach clients to identify three key messages they want to communicate. Not 10. Not 15. Three. These might relate to your business, expertise, product or the issue being discussed. Ask yourself: If only three things I say make it into the story, what should they be? Even when a journalist calls unexpectedly on deadline, it’s reasonable to ask, “Can I call you back in five minutes?” Use that time to organize your thoughts, assuming the reporter’s deadline allows it. Don’t be afraid to reinforce important messages naturally throughout the conversation. Preparation isn’t about memorizing a script; it’s about knowing what matters before the interview begins. 4. Using jargon and underestimating the journalist Financial services, healthcare, biotechnology and other specialized industries are filled with acronyms, credentials and technical terminology. But just because a term is familiar to you doesn’t mean the journalist understands it. I encourage executives to explain complicated concepts as though they’re talking to a family member around the dinner table. Could your mother, grandmother or 10-year-old understand your point? If not, simplify it. And don’t confuse a journalist’s unfamiliarity with industry terminology for a lack of intelligence. Reporters cover multiple subjects, often under tight deadlines. A question that seems obvious to you may be exactly what their readers need answered. You’re the subject-matter expert. Help them understand. 5. Turning the interview into a commercial A media interview isn’t a sales presentation. Journalists aren’t interviewing you to hear how wonderful your company is. They’re looking for information, perspective and insights that help them tell a compelling story. Statements like “We’re the best in the industry” or “Our firm offers unparalleled service” aren’t particularly useful. Excessive self-promotion can immediately undermine your credibility. Instead, share a surprising insight, explain an emerging trend, offer a contrarian perspective or provide a real-world example. It’s fine to provide background about your firm, but don’t hijack the conversation with a commercial. The best media sources make the journalist’s story better, not their own company sound bigger. 6. Making claims you can’t substantiate Unsupported statistics, exaggerated claims and overconfident predictions can quickly damage your credibility, especially when discussing financial markets, economic conditions or other complex subjects where forecasts are inherently uncertain. If you cite a statistic, know where it came from and be prepared to provide the source. If you’re making a prediction, distinguish your opinion from established fact. And if you don’t know an answer, say so. There’s nothing wrong with telling a reporter, “I don’t have that figure in front of me, but I can check and follow up.” Journalists remember sources they can trust. Don’t give them a reason to question yours. 7. Forgetting that everything you say could become part of the story When speaking with a journalist, assume you’re on the record. That includes casual remarks, offhand observations and comments made before or after the formal interview. I strongly caution executives about going “off the record.” Many misunderstand what that means or assume they can declare something off the record after saying it. They can’t. Such arrangements require mutual agreement before information is shared, and I generally advise clients to avoid them unless there’s a compelling reason and clearly established terms. The safest approach is simple: Don’t say anything to a journalist that you wouldn’t be comfortable seeing in print or hearing repeated publicly. The best interviews are conversations, not performances A successful media interview isn’t about demonstrating how intelligent you are, answering every question perfectly or finding opportunities to promote your business. It’s about being a credible, knowledgeable and useful source. The best spokespeople prepare without sounding rehearsed, offer insights rather than commercials and know when to stop talking. Ultimately, being quotable isn’t about saying more. It’s about having something meaningful to say and knowing how to say it clearly.