"An Interview is Not a 'Tennis Match!'"

They’re the words that so many of us long to hear – “We’d like to have you join us for an interview!” I believe that it’s a universal human need to connect with a wider audience, so we can share the ideas and wisdom that we’re passionate about with others.?When a journalist invites us to join them for an interview – whether it’s on NBC’s “Today” show or a friend’s new podcast – that is indeed “music to our ears.” For those of us in the public relations field, where I’ve spent the past 15 years following a 20-year career as a network television news producer, it’s the epitome of a “win-win” relationship.?“The Media” – that mysterious, all-powerful, faceless entity – is an “insatiable beast” when it comes to the need for new content, and anyone seeking more public awareness for their book, business or non-profit organization have very compatible needs, and when they come together it can be a beautiful thing!

If you’ve found yourself in that enviable position of being the subject of a media interview, it’s a natural reaction to celebrate the invitation, and metaphorically “fasten your seatbelt” for whatever they reporter or news anchor may “throw at you.” “I wonder what the first question is going to be,” you think to yourself.?After welcoming the audience back to the show and a brief introduction, your “interrogator” throws the first question at you. Zoom! Here it comes! “I hope I can ‘hit it back’ effectively with an awesome, succinct answer,” you think to yourself. And before you’ve even had a chance to figuratively “catch your breath,” here comes the next question. Zoom! By now you’re probably anticipating what I’m going to say about this spontaneous, rather acrobatic way of handling a media interview.?My advice: It doesn’t have to be this way, and – in fact – it shouldn’t be this way.?An interview is NOT ‘a tennis match’ – with each question flying at you, “over the net” from directions that are hard to predict, a test of your reflexes to see if you can ‘hit it back’ each time.

Instead, the media outlet that has requested an interview with you – yes, even an influential national show like NBC’s “Today” show – is actually grateful to you for helping them serve their need.?The staff of a show like this has an unspoken duty to provide their community with helpful information, inspiring stories about our fellow human beings, and engaging entertainment. In return, you have the opportunity to have a few “free” minutes on the air, seen by a vast nationwide audience of millions of viewers. (When you consider the huge sums spent on advertising, you’ll know that this “earned media” is quite valuable indeed.)

Here are a few suggestions that I often offer my clients and the students in my “Do-It-Yourself Public Relations” online course, and you may find these ideas helpful too.

·??????Arrive for the interview with one “key point” in mind. Give yourself permission to comfortably “weave it in” to your response to the interviewer’s first question.

·??????Remember that you can use phrases like “You know what I found surprising when I was writing my book?” and “One thing that my clients mention more than any other is…” and so on, to lead into an idea that you believe your audience will appreciate, regardless of the question being asked.

·??????Offer what my talented and tireless executive producer at ABC’s “Good Morning America,” Shelley Ross, always called ‘a nugget’ – an actionable idea that viewers/ listeners/readers can put into practice in their life … for which they will be glad they caught your interview!

·??????Remember to give the audience a way to have the equivalent of “a second encounter” with you, so that some portion of your audience doesn’t just leave the interview, never to give you a second thought! Perhaps you have a checklist of some kind, or a free chapter of your book, or an interesting blog post you can share with your audience.

Much like Superman’s “kryptonite,” the most formidable obstacle to reaching a wider audience with your message is being “stuck in vagueness,” rather than moving forward with specific ideas and actions in mind.?That’s the reason I wrote a concise, “Jump Start Guide to Do-It-Yourself Public Relations” containing several strategic ideas that can be implemented right away. If you’d like a copy of this free guide, just DM me the phrase “free guide,” and I’ll get it to you right away!?

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