The opportunities for architects to talk to the media have never been so plentiful. It’s hardly surprising then that as specialists in media training for architects we’re seeing increasing demand for our press, radio and TV media coaching courses.

TV and online outlets in particular are constantly looking for architects and designers who have exciting projects to showcase. Finding a good “talking head” to discuss an issue in the world of architecture, design and housing is another reason that journalists and producers are increasingly keen to speak to those who work for architecture firms.

Our media training courses for architects provide insights into what journalists are looking for when they do an interview for press, magazines, blogs, the radio, podcasts or TV. One essential factor is a good case study or example. We’re aware that architects, like other professionals, have to be careful about client confidentiality and so we provide tips for using case studies while keeping clients happy.

How architects can use case studies and examples during media interviews

More generally we look at the use of stories and examples and help our media training clients from architects’ firms to tell them well during media interviews.

Having looked at what makes a story in the architecture media. We start with a role play press interview. Because our media trainers are working journalists (operating under Non-Disclosure Agreements), they can carry out these press interviews exactly as they do in their day job. We’ll think about target media whether this is Dezeen, The Architects’ Journal, FT House & Home or the Evening Standard. Working with the practice’s inhouse comms team or the PR consultancy, we stress that each one has a different audience. The examples that you give and the language you use as an interviewee have to be relevant.

Gaining control, increasing confidence during media interviews

Our media trainers will then give the architect feedback on how they came across as well as recommendations for improvement. In particular, we’ll hone down messages and provide you with tips and techniques for maintaining control of the interview and avoiding that “Did I really say that?” moment when you see the final article.

For some architects this is enough. Their comms teams or PR agencies feel that they’ll only, realistically, do press interviews. That’s fine with us. As an agile, niche, agency we can offer smaller, shorter, more affordable media training courses for architects that the big, generalist agencies with their commoditised approach to media training can’t.

Vocal skills and body language for architects doing media interviews

If you want to go on and do radio or podcasts and TV interviews, we’ll then look at vocal skills and body language techniques. We also discuss apparently small but, in fact, very important issues such as where to look and what architects should wear during TV interviews.

Our experienced camera operators will introduce you to the world of TV and professional YouTube interviews. This means that when you come to do these interviews in the real world so much of the procedure and paraphernalia will be familiar. Sometimes we’ll do these interviews on site on a project to add authenticity. On other occasions it might be at the architects’ offices or we can provide high quality training rooms for you.

Chat to Communicate media

We’ve delivered media training courses to some of the best-known architecture firms in the world, helping their spokespeople to put across their messages, engage their audiences and control those interviews so that they can raise their profile and win new work.

We’d love to work with you. Please do give us a call on 07958239892 or email us: gareth@communicatemedia.com to see how we can help you.