6 Solid Interviewing Tips

You'll get more in-depth insights for your blogging...and other marketing

Imagine questioning a President of the United States...in front of an audience (including other reporters). I've gotta admit--even as someone who'd already interviewed senators, leading biz experts, and renowned healthcare providers (among others)--I rehearsed the whole night before.

Thanks to the way I introduced myself, Bush '43 fell over laughing...and then gave me newsworthy answers to my two questions.

Anyone who wants to generate blogs and other postings that grab more interest than news items alone, needs to use five simple steps.

Getting beyond the obvious

It can be very difficult to get truly amazing answers to interview questions. Even folks who are trained in this area can sometimes find their respondent equally well trained in bland, basic, answers, like just a "Yes," or "I don't know."

Some interviewers can be great pushers. Check out videos of legendary CBS reporter Edward R. Murrow, or Sam Donaldson. The latter was for years ABC News' political reporter and renowned for hitting leaders with tough questions.

But there are others who--while also pretty tough questioners--knew ways to enter the interview in a?friendlier voice. Barbara Walters, who became a celebrity herself (in an era when many women were still at home or in "traditional" jobs like nursing and teaching) taught a great interview technique: start off with seemingly friendly--even silly--questions to get subjects relaxed--and then really hit them!

The rest of your steps

You just read step number one for solid interviewing: Figure out the technique that works for you.

Interviewing's critical of course. But to truly succeed, there are five other things you need do to generate exciting blogs:

TIP #2: Determine your target(s)--This assumes you've refined your interviewing technique. And it's relatively easy when you're questioning one person at a time; e.g., a president; a healthcare biz leader; a renowned industry pro, or a consumer who used your product or service.

But what if you'll be interviewing numerous people, like?handling a focus group or some kind of round table? You could start by saying, "Please raise your hand when you'd like to comment, and let each person finish their statement."

Of course, then listen carefully and don't be afraid to ask participants to repeat themselves. And always make sure these (indeed, any interviews) are recorded.

TIP #3: Research...and double-check--What kind of background do you need? Stats? Ideas about experts to include? Some kind of history?

The good news about researching nowadays is that there are so many sources for solid background info. The bad news? There are so many sources!

My greatest disaster wasn't that long ago. I was zipping along with a new client, in my sixth month creating some savvy online stories for them. I turned in my latest assignment and my editors sent me back a horrifying message: they couldn't confirm my sources' expertise.

And because they couldn't, they wouldn't give me a chance to redo the story. Despite my solid portfolio of previous work, they fired me.

Now folks, I swear. As always, I researched very carefully to find creditable health experts to include. I have no idea why my editors felt they'd turned out to be "unreliable".

I stress this is the only time--in over 25+ years of reporting--that I've ever had sources deemed inaccurate or?dubious in any way. But as you can see, with today's resources it's easy for anyone to be tricked into using resources that others might label unreliable.

TIP #4: Figure out questions--How much do you really know about the interviewee? Oh, we can get background from LinkedIn and profiles on someone's website. But if you really want to elicit solid answers to your questions, you've got to find more in-depth insights beforehand.

You should be able to find stories online about anyone considered a leader in their field. If those stories more than just press releases, those leaders may have expressed reasons why they do or don't believe in euthanasia, environmental topics, or other issues.

Also look up folks who can add to your subject's POV--or are even in opposition. You'll see in the next step how important this can be.

TIP #5: Remember follow-ups! Now that you've figured out solid questions, be patient and listen carefully. With the right questions, your subjects will say why they are on a certain side of that issue. E.g, "I think every American has a right to euthanasia because......." and they fill in the rest.

If the response sounds like some automatic, blasé answer, make sure you've prepped for that. Ask follow-ups that glean more details.

Recall the previous advice about finding others' viewpoints? It's another way to get that additional, often more solid, info. If your subject agrees, they're likely to feel more comfortable and add more in-depth insights on their own.

Even if the POV you offer is from your subject's opposition, that's not necessarily a negative.Your interviewee could be riled up enough to leave prepped answers and provide a more entertaining, informative, response.

TIP #6: Watch out for rewrites--So you've created?topics, researched for background, and conducted interviews. All you have to do is write. Right?

Well, yes. But sometimes the trickiest part of writing is not the first draft, but the rewrites.

First there are your own ideas. "Oh, I bet I could find better stats on heart attacks in America." Or, "Gee, it needs a snappier intro (or ending, or transitions, or...)." That alone can have many writers rewriting a zillion times.

I built the health reporting team for one company and still remember the last writer we'd brought in. (I had already added two more besides myself.) We were seriously getting ready to fire that last team member. Why? 'Cause she kept researching and rewriting despite repeated requests to meet her deadline. She did great work...but was keeping everyone--me (her editor), the editorial director, the assigned medical reviewer, and so many others--delayed in meeting their own deadlines for final submission that she was about to get fired. (She actually did get fired...but so did many others 'cause of the '09 recession!)

And then there's external feedback. Most news outlets or company media liaisons ask you to send quotes back to get confirmations/corrections. Just be sure you tell your subjects they can only make true corrections; no suddenly added extra quotes, stats, etc. Otherwise they could dole out tons of new info. Even if it's interesting, you'd have to spend so much extra time rewriting...and then confirming everything all over again.

Trust that these six pointers bring you some snappy insights for your next blog--and/or case study, magazine feature, and other materials. Let me know what you develop. ###

If you'd like more specific ideas on how to glean insights for your communications, then contact Wendy Meyeroff. If she can help Johns Hopkins, Merck, CBS, Sears, Good Housekeeping, Zerex Automotive, MacUser, and so many others with insightful storytelling for B2B and B2C materials, you know she can help you.