Why do some executives appear confident and convincing in TV interviews, while others seem uncertain despite their professional expertise? Why do certain statements stick in our minds, while others are quickly forgotten? How do successful entrepreneurs manage to convey complex messages in a comprehensible way in just a few seconds?
The answer lies in professional media training. In today's media landscape, specialist knowledge alone is no longer enough – it's how you present your expertise that counts. Especially in Switzerland, where according to the IGEM Digimonitor 2025, over 6.3 million people regularly use digital media, a professional media presence is more important than ever for companies.
A brief hesitation, an uncertain glance, crossed arms—all of these send signals before you have even spoken a word. Although the often-cited Mehrabian rule is frequently misinterpreted, the importance of body language remains undisputed: according to a study by the University of Münster, body language has a very large influence on our perception of people, especially when it comes to first impressions.
In the Swiss business world, which is characterized by precision and trustworthiness, this first impression is particularly important.
The three pillars of nonverbal communication:
Posture and gestures form the foundation of your presentation. An upright, open posture signals competence and self-confidence. Avoid nervous gestures such as playing with your pen or frequently touching your face. Instead, use deliberate, calm hand movements to emphasize your statements.
Facial expressions and eye contact are your most direct connection to the audience. An authentic smile opens doors, while a fixed gaze creates distance. Eye contact is particularly challenging in camera interviews—look directly into the lens, not at the screen. This may feel unnatural at first, but it comes across as professional and engaging.
Physical presence is often underestimated. How you enter a room, where you position yourself, and how much distance you keep from the people you are talking to—all of this influences the impression you make. In Swiss companies, the rule is often: subtle understatement rather than exaggerated self-promotion.
Your voice conveys not only words, but also emotions, conviction, and credibility.
A voice that is too high signals nervousness. When under stress, many people tend to speak higher and faster. Conscious breathing and a deeper tone of voice, on the other hand, convey calmness and competence. Train yourself to find your optimal speaking voice—it is usually slightly deeper than your everyday voice.
Pace and pauses make all the difference. Speak deliberately slower than you would in normal conversation. What feels like slow motion to you often sounds just right to your listeners. Use pauses strategically—they give your words weight and give your audience time to process what you have said.
Modulation prevents monotony. Vary your pitch, volume, and speed to emphasize important points. In multilingual Switzerland, clear articulation is also crucial—speak clearly without sounding artificial.
A practical tip from our consulting practice: Record yourself and listen to the recording. Most people are surprised at how different their voice sounds compared to how they perceive it. This self-analysis is the first step toward improvement.
The call often comes as a surprise: a journalist wants a statement, preferably immediately.
This is where the wheat is separated from the chaff. Professionally prepared executives have their core messages ready and can respond confidently even under time pressure. The MAZ – Swiss School of Journalism emphasizes in its media training courses that preparation accounts for 80 percent of success.
Before the interview: Always clarify the context. What is it about? Who are the other interviewees? How long will the interview be? Will it be live or recorded? This information will determine your preparation strategy. Formulate a maximum of three key messages that you want to convey—no one can remember more than that anyway.
The Swiss media landscape has its own peculiarities. SRF prefers factual, well-founded statements. Private broadcasters such as TeleZüri or TeleBärn often seek local relevance. Business media such as the NZZ or the Handelszeitung expect precise figures and facts. Adapt your preparation accordingly.
During the interview: Answer the question directly, but take the opportunity to incorporate your message. The trick is to make it sound natural. Avoid jargon—what is common knowledge in your company may be incomprehensible to the audience.
Critical questions are not attacks, but opportunities. Stay calm, even if the journalist insists. A tried-and-tested principle: acknowledge valid points, correct misinformation objectively, and then steer the conversation back to your core message. In Switzerland's consensus-oriented culture, aggressive counterarguments are rarely well received.
After the interview: The conversation is over, but the microphone may still be on. Remain professional until you have left the studio. Too many careers have been damaged by careless after-comments.
Radio poses special challenges. Without visual support, your voice must do all the convincing.
The challenge begins with the technology. Most radio interviews today take place over the phone. Find a quiet room, use a headset for better sound quality, and stand up—your voice will sound more energetic when you stand.
Creating images in the mind is essential in radio. Use vivid language, concrete examples, and comparisons. Instead of saying, "We have developed an innovative product," say, "Our new system works like a digital concierge that is available to your customers around the clock."
The attention span on the radio is short. Get to the point quickly. A typical sound bite lasts 15 to 20 seconds – practice conveying your core message in this time. Swiss radio stations such as SRF, Energy, and Radio 24 often edit interviews down to a few concise statements.
An underestimated aspect: smile when you speak. It sounds paradoxical, but smiling noticeably changes your tone of voice and makes you more likable. Listeners intuitively sense whether you are enthusiastic about what you are doing or just going through the motions.
Newspaper interviews seem more relaxed—no time pressure, no cameras. But be careful: print journalists are often better listeners and tougher questioners.
Every word can be printed. The casual tone of conversation that print journalists like to encourage is a trap. Remain precise and consider how your statements might be taken out of context. In the Swiss press landscape, from the NZZ to the Tages-Anzeiger to Blick, each medium has its own tone. Adapt without compromising your principles.
Email interviews offer maximum control. You can carefully formulate your answers and have them proofread. Take advantage of this opportunity, but don't overdo it with polished PR phrases. Authenticity beats perfection.
The headline question is the litmus test: How would your statement look as a headline? Tabloid media in particular are looking for snappy quotes. "SME boss criticizes Federal Council" sells better than "Entrepreneur expresses nuanced opinion on economic policy." If you want attention, make sure your statements are headline-worthy—or deliberately avoid them if you want to steer clear of the spotlight.
Online media have an insatiable appetite for content. The temptation to express an opinion on every topic is great. Stick to your core competence. As a Swiss SME, you have expert knowledge in your field—use this authority instead of commenting on topics you know little about.
A crisis always comes at an inconvenient time. A product defect, a dissatisfied customer who goes public, a social media storm—suddenly you're in the spotlight, and every word you say is weighed carefully.
Speed beats perfection. In the digital age, negative news spreads in minutes. If you take too long to issue a statement, you leave the interpretation to others. Prepare key messages for various crisis scenarios—not to read them out, but as guidance in stressful situations.
Taking responsibility without admitting guilt is an art. "We take the allegations very seriously and are investigating the matter thoroughly" is better than hasty accusations or categorical denials. In Switzerland's culture of consensus, a sense of responsibility is valued, while evasiveness is severely punished.
Acknowledge emotions, remain objective. When people have been harmed, express sympathy. But don't get carried away with emotional knee-jerk reactions. "We deeply regret the incident" is appropriate, "We will hold those responsible to account" is often premature.
You can maintain control of the message by using the broken record principle: repeat your core message in different variations. Don't let the journalist lure you into side issues. If you don't know something, say so – and indicate when you will have more information.
Zoom interviews and podcast recordings have become the norm. Technical requirements have increased, while tolerance for poor quality has decreased.
Your home studio doesn't have to be expensive, but it does need to be well thought out. An external webcam at eye level, a USB microphone, good lighting from the front – these are investments of just a few hundred dollars that will give a professional impression. The background should be tidy, but not sterile. A bookshelf or a plant looks more appealing than a white wall.
Digital body language differs from analog body language. The image is smaller, so gestures need to be more subtle. Looking into the camera is even more important than in a TV studio—stick a small arrow next to the camera lens as a reminder. Turn off notifications and inform your roommates about the interview. Nothing destroys professionalism faster than a ringing phone or someone walking into the frame.
The Swiss media landscape is rapidly digitizing. Podcasts such as "Sternstunde Philosophie" and "Focus" reach hundreds of thousands of listeners. LinkedIn videos generate more reach than TV appearances. Instagram Lives are the new press conferences. Anyone who ignores these channels is wasting potential.
Swiss media culture has its own particular characteristics that need to be taken into account.
Multilingualism is part of everyday life. Can you repeat your statement in French? Do you understand the question in Swiss German? The media in French-speaking Switzerland operate differently than in German-speaking Switzerland, and in Ticino they operate differently again. Brand Affairs supports companies in striking the right tone in all parts of the country.
Modesty as a virtue shapes communication. While self-promotion is considered good form in other countries, excessive self-praise quickly comes across as unsympathetic in Switzerland. "We are one of the leading providers" goes down better than "We are the best." Let your achievements speak for themselves, backed up by facts and figures.
Federalism influences media relations. What works in Zurich may not work in Basel. Local references are worth their weight in gold. Mention regional partnerships, cantonal characteristics, and local success stories. Proximity to the audience is created through identification.
Timing is particularly important in Switzerland. Press conferences during carnival season? Interviews during school holidays? The Swiss agenda is full of pitfalls. Even the times of day can be tricky—many journalists are unavailable at lunchtime, and after 5 p.m. they are only available in emergencies.
Media training is like fitness training—without regular practice, you lose your form.
The elevator pitch exercise: Explain your company, product, or service in the time it takes to ride an elevator—a maximum of 30 seconds. Practice different versions for different target groups. These elevator pitches are worth their weight in gold when the phone suddenly rings and a journalist is on the line.
The mirror exercise sounds trivial, but it is effective. Speak in front of the mirror for five minutes every day. Pay attention to your facial expressions, gestures, and posture. Do you come across as convincing? Authentic? Likeable? The mirror doesn't lie.
Smartphone training is modern and practical. Record yourself on video while you make a statement. Most people are shocked the first time they see themselves on video—there is often a big discrepancy between how we perceive ourselves and how others perceive us. But this realization is the first step toward improvement.
Role-playing with colleagues simulates interview situations. One person plays the critical journalist, the other the interviewee. Switch roles—once you've been the journalist, you'll understand their perspective better. Increase the level of difficulty progressively, from friendly questions to aggressive confrontations.
Why should small and medium-sized enterprises in particular invest in media training?
The answer lies in leverage. A well-placed interview can generate more attention than expensive advertising campaigns. A confident appearance builds trust that no advertisement can buy. In Switzerland's relatively small economy, word of both successes and failures spreads quickly.
Visibility can be bought, credibility cannot. Earned media—i.e., editorial coverage—enjoys significantly higher trust among consumers than paid advertising. According to the Swiss Media Monitor, Swiss people particularly trust established media companies. An article in the NZZ or an interview on SRF is worth more than full-page ads.
Investing in media training pays off in many ways. Not only will you give better interviews, but you will also present more convincingly, negotiate more successfully, and appear more confident. The techniques you learn will help you in every conversation, whether with customers, investors, or employees.
Media training is also crisis prevention. Those who are prepared are less likely to panic. Those who know their messages don't get caught up in contradictions. Those who understand journalists are better able to deal with them. In an age when a careless statement can trigger a shitstorm, this is essential for survival.
Thanks to our many years of experience, we are familiar with the typical pitfalls.
Too much information is the most common mistake. In their enthusiasm for their own topic, many people tend to share all of their expertise. The audience tunes out. Less is more—focus on the essentials.
Technical jargon kills any message. What is everyday language in your company may be completely incomprehensible to outsiders. Translate complex concepts into simple language. Here's a test: would your grandmother understand what you are saying?
A lack of preparation always comes back to haunt you. "I'm good at improvising" is a dangerous overestimation of your abilities. Even experienced media professionals prepare thoroughly. Paradoxically, spontaneity often comes from good preparation—if you know your messages, you can build on them flexibly.
Defensive body language undermines your words. Crossed arms, evasive eye contact, leaning back—all of these signal insecurity or rejection. Often, those affected are unaware of this. The only thing that helps here is training and honest feedback.
How long does professional media training take? Basic training typically takes one day. For executives who regularly appear in front of the media, we recommend two days of intensive training with follow-up sessions. More important than the duration is the practical relevance—at least 70 percent of the training should consist of practical exercises.
Can media training be conducted online? Yes, online training is even more authentic, especially for digital media appearances. You practice in the environment in which you will later appear. For TV training, however, we recommend in-person training in a professional studio.
How much does media training cost in Switzerland? Prices vary greatly. Group training courses start at CHF 1,000 per person, while individual coaching for executives can cost several thousand francs. The investment is worth it—a failed interview can cost your company more than any training course.
How often should you refresh your media training? At least once a year, or every six months if you appear in the media regularly. The media landscape is changing rapidly, with new formats emerging and old ones disappearing. Stay on the ball.
What role does AI play in modern media training? AI tools can help with preparation, such as formulating key messages or analyzing speech patterns. However, they cannot replace practical training and human feedback. The future lies in combining AI-supported analysis with personal coaching.
What is the biggest mistake companies make when it comes to media appearances? They wait too long. Most companies only think about media training when an interview is coming up or a crisis is looming. By then, it is often too late for thorough preparation. Media training is like insurance—you should have it before you need it.
Would you like to professionalize your media presence and appear confident in front of the camera and microphone? Brand Affairs supports you in developing your individual strengths and communicating your messages effectively. With over 18 years of experience in media relations in Switzerland and our network of communication experts, we will prepare you optimally for your media appearances.
Contact us for a no-obligation consultation. Together, we will develop a customized media training program that suits your company and enables you to appear confident and convincing in any media situation.
