Remember Columbo? The TV detective who always shuffled around in a crumpled trench coat like he was completely out of his depth.
The twist, of course, was that he wasn’t confused at all. It was all an act to help him get the evidence he needed from the unsuspecting and overconfident perpetrator.
He’d seemingly bumble his way through a case, asking innocuous questions until, with a signature, “Just one more thing…,” he’d reveal that he’d been in control all along.
Now, what does any of this have to do with PR? Good question – quite a bit, actually.
The pressure to be ‘smart’ in PR
In B2B and corporate PR, there can be a significant pressure to impress clients and demonstrate a knowledge of their world, especially those who you need to buy into your strategy and become brand spokespeople.
That pressure often results in PR professionals aiming to prove they know everything about the client’s industry: the latest trends, the lingo, the big issues.
Of course, having a solid understanding of the sector is vital. You need to speak the language if you’re going to develop comms that successfully position your client as a leader in its space.
But the irony is that, sometimes the urge to sound smart can get in the way of actually uncovering valuable insights. And that’s where asking ‘basic’ questions, just like Columbo, can come into play.
Why smart questions can be dumb
When you’re talking to industry experts, ‘smart questions’ can actually be a hindrance.
A smart question often leads the conversation in a specific direction, narrowing down the responses you get. You can find yourself fishing for the answers you, by default of your specificity, already expect.
That can be valuable for crafting a quick media statement, but not so great if you’re trying to uncover new angles or spot the hidden stories.
Yet it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that asking smart questions is the most important part of an interview. Sometimes it’s about appearing knowledgeable or, being brutal, seeking approval (“That’s a good question!”). But smart questions can be limiting – they steer you towards what you already know or expect.
Instead, it’s the questions that might seem ‘basic’ that can open the door to fresh insights. They strip away assumptions and give the expert the freedom to explore different perspectives. These are the questions that often lead to the “aha” moments in PR.
What makes a ‘basic question’ great?
What does a great ‘basic’ question look like? Typically it’s simple, open-ended, and doesn’t assume too much. It gives space for broader, more honest answers. Some examples include:
- “Explain this to me like I barely know anything about the subject?”
- “Is there anything actually new or interesting about this issue?”
- “What will really happen if what people are saying does come true?”
- “Is there some angle here that I’m not even seeing?”
It’s not about showing off pre-existing knowledge. Instead, basic questions subtly force the interviewee to think differently or explain things in a more accessible way. If you don’t throw jargon into the conversation, you’re less likely to get jargon back.
Don’t worry about sounding clueless just because your questions aren’t packed with insider lingo or layered with nuance. The real respect will come when your interviewee realises you’ve wittily drawn out something fresh and insightful – think Emily Maitlis, minus the confrontation.
Be curious, not just smart
When it comes down to it, great insights gathering isn’t about appearing smart; it’s about being smart in getting what you need.
The willingness to ask something that could seem ‘basic’ can be the very thing that leads to a breakthrough. So, stop overthinking whether you sound intelligent in front of your client contacts when the real task at hand is to extract their expertise. Ask the basic questions. It’s the intelligent thing to do.
Now, ready to take it to the next step? Try out the Louis Theroux ‘awkward long pause’ to glean even more shiny insights.