Ever heard the saying, “It’s not what you say, but how you say it?” If not, you may want to brush up on your media basics before hitting primetime.

Step 1: Repeat yourself

Repeat yourself. Start by telling them what you’re going to tell them. Then tell them. Then tell them what you told them.

Step 2: Keep it short and simple

Keep your comments short — around the five-second mark — and give them a definitive end.

Step 3: Be yourself

Be yourself—don’t fake it. If you’re the elbow-patch-wearing academic type, avoid the overalls and folksy phrases.

Step 4: Sip from a glass of water

Since you can’t talk while you’re drinking, use a sip to add a dramatic pause, collect your thoughts, or simply shut yourself up.

Step 5: Leave some space

Leave a small pause before and after the sentence or phrase that’s most important. This space gives it an air of gravity, and makes it easy for the news media to edit around it.

Step 6: Don't plagiarize

Don’t plagiarize. Ever. You’ll never live it down.

Step 7: Repeat yourself

Did we mention this? Repeat yourself.

Step 8: Use gestures

Rehearse three or four powerful gestures and use them sparingly to add emphasis to your most important points. Alternate your moves.

Step 9: Smile

Sell it with a smile, but as with all emotions, save your pearly whites for an appropriate moment.

Step 10: Repeat yourself

Repeat yourself. Repeat yourself. Repeat yourself. Repeat yourself…