I’ve previously stated why media training is important. Today at the Wisconsin Early Stage Symposium, I sat on a panel that talked about messaging and saw firsthand what can go wrong.
A woman from the audience stood up to talk about her product, and it was clear that she was struggling. When asked twice about her qualifications in producing the product, she failed to truly answer the question, saying how the guy who came up with the idea didn’t want to deal with the liabilities and just wanted to sit in his basement and collect royalties.
I’m both surprised and not surprised by that response. How a person can’t even say something simple like “because I believe in this product’s value to society” is baffling, yet it happens ALL THE TIME.
I felt bad for this woman, because her inability to speak clearly and concisely was getting in the way of an otherwise wonderful product. That could hurt her in terms of marketing and attracting investors. I hope she hires a consultant to help her with her messaging strategy!