Martin Khor: Keep calm and smile during doorstop interviews

It is difficult to answer journalists' questions in a doorstop, especially after emerging from a meeting with members of the Council of Eminent Persons (CEP) on sensitive trade and economic questions.

But our shortlisted candidate for the Hong Bao Media Savvy Awards this week was calm and all smiles.

And this is one of the reasons why we are nominating him for Best Online Interview, in association with Shootsta.

Read on below for our detailed assessment of his doorstop:

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The Hong Bao Media Savvy Awards 2018 resumes with our second round of nominations. At the same time, Hong Bao Media has launched the awards in Malaysia and fine-tuned the categories to:

• Best Broadcast Interview
• Best Online Interview, in association with Shootsta
• Best Conference Presentation
• Best Live Webcast

We launched the Hong Bao Media Savvy Awards to recognise senior local leaders for their communications skills, and to showcase authentic and credible home-grown communicators.

These are shining examples for other local business leaders, and to build a culture of excellence in communication, to maximise the potential of Asian companies in the Asian Century.

Each week until October 31, 2018, we are shortlisting a local corporate figure who has demonstrated excellence in a media appearance for the Hong Bao Media Savvy Awards 2018.

Click on the link below to enter yourself or another Senior Business Leader.

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1. Calm - Despite starting with "very frightening, so many people" as he emerged from the buidling, Khor kept his cool for the rest of the doorstop. It helped that he was prepared, without revealing specifics about the questions he was asked by CEP members, which might have compromised the confidential nature of the briefing.
2. Brand - As a spokesperson, you should make it a point to mention your brand name where appropriate. Khor did so at the beginning of the doorstop interview without making it sound like a sales pitch. Branding is one of the main reasons why executives take part in media interviews. It is a tangible business outcome from having an active media profile.
3. Key message - Despite the spontaneous nature of the interview, Khor provided viewers with both valuable insights and concise examples, without forgetting about his key messages (watch the full video and see if you are able to pick a few).

Watch Mark run through the dos and dont's in the associated video.