In most cases media training and communication training can be a valuable investment.
Media Training can significantly benefit you if your current position or future aspirations, involve engaging with journalists and answering their questions. It can help your business and personal brand by teaching you to speak with confidence, stay on message and answer questions.
But it’s important to understand that modern media and communication training can help in other areas of professional development. The tips and techniques in media training will help you with presentations, business conversations, stakeholder meetings, conferences and any other interaction where the way you speak (and what you say) is important.
If you are a leader, or aspire to be one, you could benefit from media training and/or communication training.

There are a lot of different media training options and there isn’t a one size fits all answer.
Firstly, you should consider whether you would benefit from one on one training, a small group session, or a large group session. It can sometimes be difficult for leaders to be vulnerable in a room with their staff. However, some businesses prefer to learn together. You need to consider the trainees, and the most effective way for them to learn. A ThinkBox Media trainer can help you with this decision.

Next, think about what you want to achieve from this session. Our Media Training, Crisis Media Training, Communication Training, and Perfect Presentations Training courses have been developed over many years working with people across many industries, but no two sessions are the same. We cherry pick the suitable lessons across all our courses to create the one that fits you. This means your session will likely be a bespoke blend of the listed courses – created with industry specific examples and working to achieving your individual goal.

Modern Media Training is so much more than what it has traditionally been. It still is a specialised training session run by a skilled trainer and camera operator to teach you the skills you need to benefit from media interviews. But the best media training also helps you with other corporate communication opportunities like presentations, conferences, stakeholder meetings and interviews. At its core, media training helps you to communicate with an audience. Traditionally it will teach you how to answer questions and stay on message. You will learn how to overcome nerves and use tone and language to improve your performance.

The most important part of any media training session will be the practical element. A journalist and camera operator will set up in your training room, so you can practice mock interviews with real scenarios in a safe environment. The more information you can give your trainer about real world scenarios, the more useful you will find this part of the session. It is not unusual for media trainers to sign Non-Disclosure Agreements if the nature of these scenarios is controversial.

If you require Crisis Media Training, your session will include interviews about a crisis within your business.
If you require communication training or presentation training, your trainer will replicate your scenario so you can practice effectively. This might mean we hire a hall, bring in a lectern, set up some staging, or hire other equipment that best replicates the scenario you might face.

Communication training can help you get your message across with confidence. Communication training will teach you how to be persuasive, and help with those critical conversations and interviews. It will teach you what to say and how to say it. Importantly it will teach you how to handle tricky questions and move the conversation to a more comfortable place.

The most important part of a communication training session will be the practical element, where you trainer will mock up a real life scenario. This might mean we hire a hall, bring in a lectern, set up some staging, or hire other equipment that best replicates the scenario you might face. This will be your opportunity to build your confidence by practicing your delivery, tone, language, performance and messaging.

ThinkBox Media communication training differs from other more general communication training as we have cherry picked the most valuable lessons from our extensive Media training catalogue, and developed a corporate course that works in the real world.

There’s a suggestion that about 75% of people fear public speaking. So if you’re one of them, know that you’re not alone!

Presentation training will teach you how to structure your presentation so the messages stick. You’ll practice how to engage an audience, how to tell a story or use props and slides. Presentation training will teach you how to handle tricky questions and annoying interruptions. How to start with impact, and finish with the audience wanting more. Pause and emphasis are hugely effective tools in any public speaking, so you’ll get the opportunity to practice using them in the right way.

We receive hundreds of emails and calls from people who don’t know where to start. The first thing you need to do is consider what you want to achieve. Why are you looking into media or communication training?

Do you want to:

• Become a polished media performer?
• Survive an upcoming crisis with your leadership, or business, intact?
• Promote your brand through media opportunities?
• Defend your position through media?
• Present with confidence at your next conference?
• Perform well in a panel discussion?
• Teach your team how to communicate the company message?

Once you have worked out where you want to end, ThinkBox Media will work out where you need to start.

Different training sessions have different content, and therefore run different durations. In general, we find the most effective session takes about four hours (but we can tailor shorter sessions for those who need it).

Some clients require longer sessions to achieve their goals, especially in large groups. In this case we might suggest a seven- or eight-hour session. We strongly recommend long sessions like this are run over two days to prevent fatigue (it can get pretty intense!).

Most people follow up their initial media training session with refresher sessions. The refresher session will run about two hours. Although every client is different, we find most clients request bi-annual refreshers.

Media training can cost anything from $1000 right up to $20 000, depending on the trainer, the quality, the format and the number of people. Normally, you get what you pay for. There is no value in the cheapest option if it is a complete waste. So do you research, read reviews, get references and ask around.

One on One sessions are often necessary for senior executives and leaders, but it is also the most expensive way to train. The most obvious way to fit a team into your budget is to consider group sessions, which provide more value ‘per person’.

If business has a single person requiring training, it’s wise to consider forming an industry group to offset some of the costs. Think about which of your peers or colleagues might be interested. This is also a great approach to bring various stakeholders to a single training ahead of a big announcement or problem.

Your trainer will work with you or your team beforehand to create the course. It would be beneficial for you or your team to let them know:

• Your goals and objectives
• Prior media experience (including links to performances)
• Scenarios that you might face (the more realistic they are, the better)
• Messaging (if it has been developed)

All the other preparation is handled by your trainer. You need to turn up on time (so you’re not feeling stressed) and block out the session time in your diary (so you are not distracted by other office events). Start the session with an open mind and willing to learn, we’ll do the rest.

Pretty much all of them! If you’re in an industry that ever has to communicate with media, stakeholders or an audience of any sort – then chances are you’re in an industry that could benefit from media training or communication training. Obviously some industries lend themselves to crisis media training more than others. But if you employ people, teach people, or care for people, - you probably need some media training, communication training, or crisis training. If you sell, manufacture, construct or dig things up – chances are you could benefit from media training, communication training, or crisis training. If you look after money or data, it pays to prepare.

Most of our client base is confidential but we work with many industries including: Mining, Construction, Health, Education, Aged Care, Not For Profit, Science, Politics, Retail, Technology.