Interview Tips For Creating A Media Frenzy

Do you want all your hard work to make connections with the media to go up in smoke for you and your brand? Can you afford for your PR team to spend time finding you exposure, only to have you blow it during the interview?

You spent all this time writing a great book, or building an expert body of knowledge, why would you cut corners now? We will not even talk about those who pawn off this important piece of the marketing equation to their part-time untrained staff or interns.

The impression you give right at the beginning of an interview has a everything to do with the words you use, the way you deliver those words, and how they are received. Some of the biggest misconceptions I have overheard being expressed about how to give a good interview have been disappointing. Everyone wants to get the best results from their time spent being interviewed as an expert. While that might sound like a basic “duh moment,” here are important points where many people make mistakes in those precious moments during an interview.

Misconceptions of media interviews

• It’s not that simple.
• It’s more than answering questions.
• It is equal parts of talent in both the interviewer and the interviewee: Are you being your best in that equation?

The best place to start is to ask, “Where could I be making mistakes?” This allows you to increase your ability to give better interviews by eliminating the most common mistakes.

Think about WHY you are there and the role you play

Whether you are an author promoting your book, a business professional with a valued area of knowledge, or a speaker thinking, “I speak for a living, this is a piece of cake.” Ok, we got all of that out of your head, those common mistakes many people make. Now let’s steer your boat in the right direction. Ask yourself, “Why am I here?” How will you give the best impression to receive good PR?

Positive impact from interviews

• What will they do for you?
• Why do you want them?
• Where do folks go wrong?

There are a lot of moving pieces to an interview that in an instant can make or break your impression with the listeners. We think if we know what we are talking about, people will automatically believe us, like us and take our advice. Believing that statement could land you in a pot of boiling oil.

First off, you cannot control if you get a talented interviewer OR can you?

• Did you do your homework?
• Did you listen to their style before you went on air with him or her?
• Did you recognize where and how you will need to adapt to the interviewer’s manner in order to gain the most “mojo” from your interview?

This is a precarious and very important point to evaluate, the person interviewing you. That person can like you or not. Have you thought about the benefits of him or her liking you?

Yes, you might only be there for 5-10 minutes at the most, but the impression you give interviewer and the better you make him or her look (yes, I said they better you make the interviewer look), the more likely that person will continue talking about you after you have gone.

Which type of experience would you rather create? One that leaves the interviewer continuing to bring you up that day in additional conversations (expanding your exposure), or one that leaves the interviewer saying to the producer “Never bring that person on my show again.”? How are you remembering to make everyone a brand ambassador to your message – the interviewer as well as the listeners? You will thank me for this one over and over.

Do the Work
Craft as powerful an interview skill
as you crafted your book, your body of knowledge
and your speaking style.

Image Credits: [Jeff Balke / Flickr] [Jakko / Flickr]