All kids have been guilty of hiding things in their closets or under their mattresses so their parents or siblings wouldn’t find them.
When you’re putting yourself on TV, everything in your closet and under your mattress is fair game. So, you have to be prepared for any and all of the uncomfortable questions the host may ask to unearth whatever it is you might be trying to hide.
I can’t stress this enough – if it’s that kind of segment or host, they will ask you those questions. So, be prepared for them, especially if you’re a public company. Anything that is public information, they will ask you about.
The first thing you need to do is dig deep and anticipate the questions you fear most. Think about all the possibilities, run through the segment in your head, and anticipate the questions you fear the most.
If there’s more than one question you fear, write them all down!
Then, figure out how you are going to respond to those questions. You will need to have very clear answers that eliminate any room for interpretation. Ideally, you should have at least two canned responses ready per question. That way, you can be prepared no matter how the segment goes or what angle they try to take.
Your canned responses should empower you to turn the question around and redirect the conversation to where you want it to go. Practice them and make sure they serve that purpose. 
If your stock prices are down…If your oil prices are high…If your supply-and-demand chain is messed up…
What do you want your customers to know?
Your responses should prove to your audience that you’re able to handle the situation and that you value your customers above all else.
You might say, “Listen, we are here for our customers and value customer service so we are providing extra effort to remedy the situation.” Then, tell your audience exactly what your company is doing to fix the situation.
If it takes extra time to deliver your services, you need to make sure your customers still feel valued. What are you doing to ensure your customers feel valued?
Uncomfortable questions can shine a spotlight on you, so make sure you’re prepared for the lighting with great responses.
