You’re wrapping up an interview with a journalist when they turn to your executive spokesperson and ask:
"Is there anything else you’d like to add that I didn’t ask?"
Your executive replies, “Nope, I think we covered it.”
And your heart sinks.
Would your Chief Marketing Officer turn down free advertising? Would your Chief Financial Officer ignore an opportunity to erase outstanding invoices? Of course not. So why would a PR professional let a golden opportunity for additional media exposure slip away?
That closing question is potential free earned media. It’s a chance to reinforce a key message, extend the story, and make it more compelling. Next time your spokesperson is asked for any additional comments, here are five powerful ways to maximize the opportunity.
1. Cite Data
Numbers add credibility and can reinforce your spokesperson’s talking points. Ensure you have an entire section of compelling statistics in every media brief to back up key messages and add color to your narrative. Whether it’s about the impact of an initiative, industry trends, or a surprising data point, hard numbers resonate with journalists and can make your story more newsworthy.
Pro tip: If you’re lacking fresh data, quickly search for top news and research of the day by scouring data-heavy newsletters from outlets like Morning Consult, Pew Research Center or LinkedIn News.
2. Reiterate, but Say It Better
Take a key point you’ve already made and refine it. Offering a sharper, more polished soundbite gives journalists stronger quotes to work with, increasing the likelihood of your message being used in the final story.
3. Tie It to Current Events
Make your news matter by connecting it to what’s happening in the world. Whether it’s a cultural shift, economic trend or industry development, framing your message within a larger context makes it more relevant and engaging.
Attention attracts more attention, so apply the same urgency to writing media briefs as you do when crafting a pitch. Executive spokespeople often don’t have the time to stay fully informed on the latest news and social media discussions. It’s your responsibility to bridge the gap—connecting global and social developments to the business, and ultimately, to the conversation between the reporter and your spokesperson.
4. Remind Them of Your Momentum
Journalists don’t keep track of your company’s growth, earnings, or latest innovations—you do. Use this moment to highlight recent successes, exciting milestones, or upcoming initiatives that reinforce the company’s trajectory.
For instance, your spokesperson might say, “I’d like to highlight that this launch comes during a period of rapid growth for our company—just last month, we surpassed $900 million in earnings for the first time,” or “This is the inaugural project from our newly-formed data science team, established in March. They’re currently developing an AI tool set to launch next week, and we’d love to offer you a sneak peek in beta.” Framing responses this way helps keep the dialogue open between the journalist and your company for future conversations.
5. Give Credit Where It’s Due
A well-placed shoutout can go a long way. Acknowledge the teams, partners, or individuals who helped contribute to the news coverage. If their names make it into the final piece, it’s not just great PR—it’s lasting recognition for the people who helped make it happen. Plus, their appreciation will last longer than any media recognition.
Bonus Tip
As a last resort, if you're the PR rep sitting in on the interview and there's nothing left to add, use the opportunity to ask the reporter if they need any assets for their piece. Often, journalists rely on stock images, old headshots, or no visuals at all—not out of laziness, but due to time and resource constraints. Many upload their own stories into content management systems without graphic design support, so anticipating their needs can be helpful. Let them know if you have an image or video ready and can format it to fit their CMS.
Use the closing question in an interview as a strategic opportunity to reinforce a narrative, add value to a story and leave a lasting impression. Your spokesperson should always have a response ready—because in PR you earn every word.
Linda Zebian is Senior Director, Communications at Muck Rack.