By Rogério Artoni*
Q&A, or Questions and Answers, is a tool commonly used in media relations. This document, sometimes confidential, contains possible questions and also probable answers to many issues in a company, service or product.
To each action with the press it is possible to prepare a Q&A that predicts likely questions which a journalist can ask. This way, the spokesperson is more prepared for an interview and is not caught by surprise when there is a complicated question to answer. To prepare a Q&A is very important to keep in mind what a journalist can ask about a specific subject. For instance, imagine that a company has caught fire and that there will be a press conference.
By the time the collective is open for interviews, there may be questions that the spokesperson cannot answer. This is the moment when the Q&A will be useful as it will have the answer ready, so that the spokesperson does not say anything that may undermine the company. Each company can have several Q&A prepared for specific situations: an institutional one, one for crises, one for each product or service, one only to human resource issues, among other cases that arise and require a contact with the press.
To be as strategic as possible, this document must be answered in together with the media relations, the communication department of the company and often even with the legal department. It is also important that the spokesperson has in mind all the answers provided in the Q&A so that the information is aligned with the strategies of the company. Check this article if you want to understand more about the positive impacts of media relations on business results.
* Rogério Artoni is a director at Race Communications – PR agency in Brazil.
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