Writing down your key messages

Mental health is a complicated and wide-ranging subject. Working out your key points - or key messages, helps you keep the interview on track and make the points that matter most to you.

Rethink key message

A key message is a point you want the audience to remember. Rethink will ask you to try and get across one of our key messages during the interview. This will be connected to your experiences and the interview, and is likely to be a point of view you share.

Emma Harding says:

"Rethink will contact those who would enjoy the experience. Though Rethink arranges the interview, it is your story you are telling and you can choose what to say and not say.

Rethink has never put pressure on anyone to ‘plug’ them but they can help you prepare if you are unsure of what to say – I have found their fact sheets invaluable for live radio. They are also very good at going with you to a studio to balance your nerves."

Key messages form

  • What would your three key messages be for an interview?
  • What is the Rethink key message for your interview?

Use this key messages form to make a note of the points that matter most to you (53 kb) [doc]

Pre-interview preparation tips form media volunteers:

Stuart Baker-Brown finds this approach helpful:

“I always prepare answers and write them down – usually long paragraphs which contain lots of information which I work down to punchy sentences.

I always stick to my own point of view and experiences and make it as punchy as possible to help capture the attention of those who read or listen to what is reported.

Once I have found out the general questions which need answering, I then work out a ‘spine’ to my answers – the key message I wish to get across which is based around the questions that the media wish me to answer.

I have learnt that keeping to a central core of answers and a strong message is much more effective than trying to get many messages across in one go. It also works better for the reader/listener.

This is very much helped by ascertaining the questions needing answering and then writing down my answers I wish to give, working to the key message I wish to get across. I will then cut the answers down into bullet points and always have them close by for reference,and then do my best to keep to that message.”

Use this form to make a note of the things you think you could do to help you prepare for an interview (60 kb) [doc]