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It’s another day and you pull up behind your desk, fire up the computer and down a jolt of your favorite caffeinated beverage. Out of the blue, the phone rings or the inbox jingles. You’ve been asked for an interview.
Holy smokes! What now? After your hat size deflates once again to normal, take a few steps back and relax. Interviews are simply another way for you to reach your audience, albeit through the third party known as the interviewer.
Interviews are something of a symbiotic relationship between an interviewer and the interviewee. The interviewer needs quotes and quips for their story or show. The interviewee needs the visibility (hopefully positive visibility).
An interview can do absolutely nothing for you from a promotional point-of-view, or jump start your visibility in a significant way. Like most things, it’s important to have a goal. A secondary goal or two isn’t a bad idea, either. The most important thing is to not screw it up. And that’s what this post is all about.
This installment is pretty general with regard to the media, but the core principles work across several channels. By “the media,” I mean newspaper reporters, freelance or staff writers for magazines, trade publications and similar print publications. The media also includes radio and television, as well as podcasts, YouTube videos, blogs, book authors and website content writers.
Before The Interview
- Do your homework. Read, listen or watch where the interview will be published. Gain a decent understanding of the outlet.
- Get a handle on the audience and what’s important to them.
- When possible, get the interview questions in advance, or at least the topics.
- Gather facts, figures and other info to support your points.
- Provide a summary for the interview, when possible.
- Put your points in perspective for the interviewer. In other words, is it an industry trend or perhaps something innovative? Is it a common problem? How many people are affected? Is there a deadline? You get the idea.
During the Interview
- Relax. You’re the expert.
- Avoid professional or trade jargon. Keep to lay terms as much as possible.
- Tell stories and use anecdotes to punctuate your points.
- Think before you speak.
- Keep your responses as brief as possible while still getting the point across. Think headlines rather than monologues.
- Speak in complete thoughts. Things get edited out … like the question or other key information.
- Stick to the point and try to not go off on any tangents.
- If it’s a face-to-face interview, be sure to make eye-contact.
- Clearly identify facts and opinions. They’re different.
- State the most important info first, then fill it out as needed.
- Avoid hypothetical situations.
- Be friendly, but don’t joke.
- Don’t say anything that you wouldn’t want to appear before the entire world.
- Be honest. If you don’t know an answer, tell them you’ll find out and get back to them.
- Don’t speculate.
- Don’t say something “off the record.” There’s usually no such thing.
- Avoid saying, “no comment.” Instead, take a breath and try to frame your answer with an explanation (e.g. “I’m sorry, but I’m bound by a nondisclosure agreement with respect to …”
- Don’t over react or get angry. Keep your cool.
- Close by reemphasizing your main point in a clear manner.
After the Interview
After you leave the studio, meeting place, hang up the phone or hit the send button, you’re not quite finished.
- Follow up with any promised information and/or resources.
- Send the interviewer a thank you email. Better yet, mail a handwritten note thanking them.
- Share the interview with your audience via email links, reprints, etc.
- Post the interview, or a link, on your Website, blog and e-newsletter. Mention it on social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
- If appropriate, include a mention in your bio, speaker one sheet and other outlets.
