Tools for Responding to Tough Questions Jennifer Vieweg, Corporate Affairs Manager Energy Corporation of America

Why Do We Need to Be Prepared? Doing it wrong… He was not prepared… he “winged it” Over confident Engaged in hypotheticals He relinquished control to the person asking the questions

Your Elevator Speech – Your Story Define who you are and what you do Create an attention-getting hook Explain what is important about the industry Issue a call to action Put it all together

My Elevator Speech “I am in corporate affairs for an oil and gas company headquartered here in Charleston. But our industry is not just about energy. Did you know that 96 percent of the things you touch every day include some sort of petroleum-based product? Your phone, your computer, your clothing, your car, your medicines… nearly everything you use has some sort of natural gas product in it. This is critical to our manufacturing industry in the U.S. After all, you can’t make plastic from the sun. Similarly, for the first time in my lifetime, energy independence is within our reach and shale gas development is critical to America’s pursuit of energy security. Within just a few years, North America could be able to support our own energy needs. That gives us a much stronger position on the world stage… we would no longer be at the mercy of countries who do not have our best interests in mind. We could reinvigorate domestic manufacturing and potentially bring a lot of our deployed troops home. Check out energyspeakswv.com if you still have questions.”

4 Key Points to Remember You have the information, so you have control Anticipate the questions; don’t “wing it” Never speculate Plug the Desk & Derrick Club and the industry

60-30-10 Rule 60 percent: body language 30 percent: nonverbal 10 percent: message content

Questions? Craft Your Elevator Speech Define who you are and what you do Create an attention-getting hook Explain what is important about the industry Issue a call to action Put it all together