What Melissa McCarthy (as Sean Spicer) Can Teach You About Media Coaching

For this week's blog, there was no doubt in my mind that SNL skit with Melissa McCarthy, appearing as Press Secretary Sean Spicer, was a perfect -- and hilarious -- segue into some bigger lessons. 

While the tables are turned here - On SNL the press secretary is grilling reporters, while this piece is geared towards spokespeople responding to reporter's questions, the key takeaways for media spokespeople are the same:

1. Stay Calm: While you may face a "gotcha question" or feel ruffled inside, it's important that they never see you sweat (figuratively, and in the case of Zuckerberg, literally). 

2. Stay on Message: Write down key points (3 max) and deliver them clearly and concisely (via quotable quotes). Be sure to answer the reporter's questions in a manner that will build a positive long-term relationship, using stats and annecdotes to support your narrative. 

3. Stand firm on Accuracy: Don’t allow yourself to be paraphrased inaccurately. If a reporter says: “So in other words…” followed by something that doesn't align with your statement, your response should be “No, that’s not right. What I said was…” or “No. Think of it this way…”