4 qualities every effective spokesperson must possess

Just because an executive is charismatic on Zoom doesn’t mean they should be the one answering questions on national news. The same goes for a business leader who has all the numbers and grasps all the facts.

Charm and knowledge are great assets to have when speaking to the media, but they alone aren’t enough to make someone an effective spokesperson capable of shaping how regulators, stakeholders and the public view the company. Representing an organization, after all, is about more than merely delivering information while looking good on camera.

A new course on Ragan Training titled “Building and Training Effective Media Spokespeople” outlines the four characteristics every good spokesperson should possess.

If the audience doesn’t believe the person speaking, it doesn’t matter what they’re saying. They might as well not be saying anything at all.

A good spokesperson needs credibility. They need to be trustworthy. They need to occupy a position within the company that gives them authority to speak on the topic at hand.

If a spokesperson doesn’t come across as an expert who knows what they’re talking about, their message — whatever it might be — won’t land.