This week, cameras surrounded the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team (USMNT) for more than just its World Cup match against Iran. While all major sports teams and players hold press conferences ahead of a big game, USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter and team captain Tyler Adams faced questions ranging far beyond team strategies and tactics used on the soccer field.

Unprecedented political tension surrounded this year’s match against Iran, which prompted  media questions that no coach or player is typically equipped to answer. What started as a pre-match news conference quickly turned into a reminder of the importance of media training, with reporters repeatedly ignoring Berhalter and Adams’ efforts to focus solely on soccer.

At one point during the news conference, an Iranian journalist questioned Adams, a vocal supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement, about his representation of the U.S. despite its “discrimination against black people.”

Tyler Adams mispronounced Iran and was called out by an Iranian journalist – who followed up with a question on discrimination in the United States.

His response: An all time classy answer- Captain & Leader. #USMNT 👏 pic.twitter.com/pELQmBttPl

— Stu Holden (@stuholden) November 28, 2022

Adams responded in a calm and thoughtful manner. Coach Berhalter faced similar politically motivated questioning not relevant to his role or title. Both men navigated the difficult questions in a professional way. It is clear they prepared for the worst. Their preparation paid off.

Recently, I attended a North Carolina Public Relations Society of America conference. The event kicked off with a panel of Raleigh-area journalists who answered the question, “How can PR professionals do better?” One-by-one journalists echoed each other with the same answer: “When I ask a question, just give me the answer.” They were referring to a delicate dance often required when addressing a question you either can’t answer or don’t have the facts to answer. Ironically, in a following keynote session about media training, the speaker reminded everyone of the way Henry Kissinger once famously opened a news conference by asking, “Does anyone have any questions for my answers?”

Realistically, there will always be some questions that cannot be answered. That does not mean media will not ask them. Rather than worry if they ask, prepare for when they ask by investing in media training. Focused training will prepare you to not only survive an interview, but to thrive during the toughest of engagements.

At NP Strategy, former journalists lead our training sessions. They know how the media operates, how they might ask the difficult questions and how the pressure to make a profit is impacting news coverage today. Whether you’re getting ready for your next media interview, community presentation, or networking event, take the time to thoughtfully prepare and practice.  We know the U.S. soccer team’s practice on – and off – the field prepared them for this challenging World Cup event.

Have you ever wanted to say, “no comment”? It’s an easy answer to an unwanted media inquiry, but “no comment” is not very effective — and in today’s digital world, can actually be viewed as an admission of guilt.

Instead of saying “no comment,” you could say something that doesn’t give much away. Though that approach is not ideal at conveying your side of the story, it can avoid the risk of looking like you’re saying, “I’m guilty.”

For example, let’s say a former employee sues your company and then calls the media. A responsible journalist is going to want to try and get both sides to any story, so the reporter calls the main company phone line and asks for someone to comment. At NP Strategy, we work with a lot of lawyers handling all kinds of litigation.  Our first step is to always contact the lawyer or lead executive, get the facts, and then swiftly write a short general statement. In this example, one answer could be, “We just received the lawsuit in question and our legal team is currently reviewing the allegations.  We won’t be able to answer any questions until at least this review is complete.” In this scenario, you haven’t promised to eventually respond, refuted the employee allegations or divulged legal strategic tactics, and you avoided saying “no comment.” This is important because the court of public opinion can convict you a lot quicker than the actual legal court.

Another down side to responding “no comment” is that you are allowing someone else to tell your story. It is better for you to respond in a different manner than opening up the floor for someone else to write the narrative. You are giving up control of the story because the media will undoubtedly publish interviews with people who do have something to say, potentially even your competitors, along with your no comment response.

You do not want to be seen as a gatekeeper or someone who is trying to cover up something. You want to be seen as someone who is friendly with media so you will have a good reputation.

So the next time the media rings regarding litigation or some unwanted situation consider sending a short emailed response that says something, while giving nothing away.

By Camryn Hipp

Communicating your brand is all about telling its story and it’s important to do it the right way. Strong storytelling is a way to establish brand awareness, build trust and establish your brand as an industry thought leader.

Telling your story is an opportunity to highlight what sets your organization apart from the others. In addition to including the ‘who’ and ‘what’ of what you do, sharing your mission is the ‘why’ and an essential piece that will elevate your brand and showcase why it’s unique.

When crafting the story of your brand, keep it real, genuine and meaningful. It’s important to convey your message appropriately and set the right tone. While an overly emotional message may be effective for one brand, it may not work for your organization. Keep it simple, stick to your core values and let your story flow from there.

Once you’ve developed your story, the next step is figuring out the best way to tell it. Videography and photography are both effective and can be deployed in various ways—posted on your website, social media channels, advertising, etcetera.  For this to work, make it a priority to identify your target audience so you can devise the best plan.

Your brand story is an essential part of your organization and will serve as the foundation to your communication strategy.

At NPS+ we are proud of our large and growing team. We collaborate, brainstorm and attend meetings together. We wear our NPS nametags without hesitation and are quick to tell people where we work.

In this day and age being a part of a team is only part of your career, especially if your daily life is spent in the world of marketing, public relations or strategic communications. It may feel unnatural, braggadocios or like you are “cheating” on your company if you also work towards creating your own professional brand. However, personal branding is a way to establish and reinforce the work you are doing in your organization and beyond.

Here are three ways to get your brand off the ground floor.

1) Be strategic when you say “yes.” Asked to sit on a board but you aren’t passionate about the mission of the group? Instead, engage with a cause that you can get behind. By being strategic with your “yes” you are building the most authentic version of your brand. This will allow you to speak freely and share with others about the work you are involved in away from your desk.

2) Network beyond your immediate team. It is so easy to simply put our heads down and look at our phones or shut our office doors. Instead, make it a point to introduce yourself to someone you don’t know while riding in the elevator, walking to your car or waiting in line for lunch. A simple, “Hi I am Beverly Bowers and I work at NP Strategy,” can open up a world of opportunity. Remember, people promote the people they know, trust and see out in the community.

3) Smile for the camera! Think about how often you scroll day after day through LinkedIn looking at what people’s successes and professional updates entail. Those same people are also scrolling! Post the board retreat picture, write about a behind the scenes event with a client and showcase your first huge client partnership. This reminds people what you are capable of and may jog their brain of what your area of expertise is. It only takes one person to look at your social media channels to think “I need to reach out about engaging in their team’s services!”

Cultivating a brand isn’t just for your business. In fact, when built strategically, a personal brand can lead to impactful change in your personal and professional life.

NP Strategy (NPS+), a strategic communications firm providing crisis, media and public relations assistance, welcomes Denada Jackson to the growing team.  Jackson, an award winning public relations expert with established roots in the Charlotte area, will serve as a NPS+ Senior Advisor.

“Denada’s relationships and dynamic background will immediately add value our clients and our team,” said Heather (Hoopes) Matthews, CEO of NP Strategy. “We look forward to growing our client base and our offices throughout North and South Carolina.”

Jackson joins NP Strategy after serving the City of Charlotte for seven years in a number of different roles. Most recently, Jackson worked closely with Mayor Vi Lyles and the Charlotte City Council to provide communications support, event and relationship management and also played an integral role coordinating initiatives with the White House and North Carolina Governor’s Office.

“I’m excited to join NP Strategy to offer my unique problem-solving ability and passion for storytelling to help clients thrive in the current marketplace,” Jackson said. “I look forward to accessing its deep bench of resources to grow public, private and nonprofit organizations in Charlotte and across North and South Carolina.”

A recognized community leader with a passion for youth empowerment and education, Jackson is currently a board member of the Thomas Davis Defending Dreams Foundation, which provides free programs and educational opportunities for underserved youth. Among her many professional achievements, Jackson received the Women in Business Award from the Charlotte Business Journal in 2017.

The Charlotte native graduated from North Carolina A&T State University with a degree in journalism and mass communications. Jackson is the fourth new team member to join NPS+ since August 1st.