So you just got booked for your first radio/video interview!! All
media opportunities are great for creating brand awareness and
possibly expanding your fan base. Making sure you have a set plan for
how you approach the interview is just as important for you as it is
for the interviewer. Gracie Lavign shares some tips on how to be a
better radio guest in her PR Newswire column Dear Gracie that can apply
to any type of recorded interview.
Gracie did a wonderful job with touching different points associated with each tip and included advice from other experts. You can check out full article for more details but in the meantime check out some of the main points I gathered from her post.
1. Preparation: Background on Radio Station
- Find out about your interviewer, the show, and the audience by looking at the show’s website.
- Listen to the show! Determine what you can expect from the interviewer- common questions, topic focus, sense of humor…
- Make sure they can say your name correctly! CLEARLY write it down, phonetically if you have to, and make sure they know your position, company name, or anything else that would be important for them to know.
2. Preparation: What to Say
- Consider having some notes about talk points that you don’t want to forget. Simple words or phrases, not paragraphs
- Expect to expand on answers. Nobody wants to hear a yes/no interview, take opportunities to let your personality shine through.
3. Promotional Information
- Don’t forget why you are there! Probably to promote something so make sure the audience knows what IT is. Use the name of the book, album, event, etc.
- Don’t be super secretive. Know what is worth sharing to get people interested and if you can’t share certain information let people know when they will be able to find out.
4. Concise Responses, Simple Words
- The people that are usually seen as intelligent are able to make their message clear for ALL people to understand. Don’t get caught up on using your higher level vocabulary.
- At the same time, don’t use a crazy amount of slang. When people don’t know what you are talking about they tend to tune you out.
- Keep your answer around a couple sentences to encourage a better conversation.
5. Descriptive Language
- Create images with your words. People relate to and remember what they can visualize.
- Remember to use the interviewer’s name from time to time. It’s a conversation and I think it helps establish your comfort level.
6. Voice Control
- If there are things you know you will have to say, practice them out loud to make sure you know if anything will trip you up.
- Project your voice with authority, don’t scream. Don’t stray to far from your normal speaking voice but make sure what you say sounds good on tape. I would suggest recording yourself on your computer and hearing how you sound….you might be surprised!
- Don’t be monotone…Try to have the same type of normal fluctuations in your tone that you have during a conversation
- If you’re tired FAKE IT! Nobody cares about you being tired and your voice will make them want to turn you off. Be engaged and sound like you are enjoying yourself. Smile with your voice
- If you naturally speak fast slow your pace a little.
- Have water on hand just in case your voice gets scratchy.
- Never use a cell phone for a phone interview, use a land-line.
7. Pauses and Stumbles
- Leave out the ummm, uhhh, like, you know, etc. phrases as space fillers. It’s ok to pause sometimes
- See if you can get the questions ahead of time so that you can be prepared and avoid space fillers.
- Don’t be thrown off by stumbles, they happen to the best of us! If it seems right, make a joke then go back to what you were saying.
8. Enthusiasm
- It’s not only what you say but HOW you say it. Make sure your voice is telling the listeners what you really mean.
- Have fun! Nobody says “OMG so and so is my favorite artist; he’s so serious and has the personality of toilet paper!” Give supporters, and potential supporters, a reason to like you by expressing your character.
- Remain courteous, thankful, and professional.
9. Wrapping Up
- As the interview comes to an end share your website, twitter handle, or whatever else can help people connect to you.
- Contact the host and producer after the interview to thank them for the opportunity
- If you enjoyed the experience, let them know! You want them to know that you would be interested in returning.
- Promote the interview on your social networking sites and webpage before and after.
I added in some bullet points as they came to mind. What do you think
about the tips? Do you have any to share?
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