Media Interviews: 7 Tips to Use During Every News and Media Interview

Interviews with the media can be one of the fastest ways to build credibility and visibility for you and your company. However, the interview can be stressful, even for the most experienced spokesperson.

The good news is that by following these seven tips, you can make every interview a success:

1. Be yourself: attractive, lively and entertaining. This is especially important on television and radio, both entertainment media. The more attractive it is, the easier it will be for the interviewer to produce an interesting piece for their audience. Remember, you are in the spotlight, so act accordingly.
2. Arrive early for the interview: your contact with the media will often be rushed and under great pressure. By arriving early for your appearance, you will receive a better reception from the staff making them more comfortable. Arriving early also gives you a chance to get comfortable in the interview environment, meet the production staff and the interviewer. These connections will ensure a better interview.
3. There is no such thing as off the record: From the moment you arrive for your interview until you leave, be professional and mindful of your comments and presence. There’s nothing worse than making a comment that you think is off the record and then seeing or hearing about it on the news. Remember, if it comes out of your mouth, it’s a quotable comment.
4. Stick to your journal: deliver your message points backed by proof points. If the interviewer strays off topic, block the question by simply going back to the key points of your message.
5. Don’t guess or anticipate: if you don’t know the answer to a question, say you don’t know. You may want to offer to find an answer or provide a resource. However, if you make this type of offer, you must follow up on it in a timely manner.
6. Be nice to everyone, especially the staff behind the scenes.: The people behind the scenes are often the ones who finish the story and may or may not make you look good. For example, if a spokesperson is rude to a photographer, he may choose a less than flattering shot for the print. I saw this firsthand when I staged a publicity shoot at Busch Gardens with a Hollywood celebrity. She was extremely rude to a local news photographer during the shoot. The photographer selected a photo from the shoot that was extremely unflattering to the actress for publication in the local newspaper and the Associated Press National News.
7. Bring background information with you: The interviewer may not have thoroughly checked your background. Anything he can do to focus his interview and help the interviewer is always appreciated. Just be brief.

Media interviews are an effective way to reach and build credibility with a wide audience. By seeking out specific media outlets, preparing for the interview, and doing your best during the interview, you can quickly become an in-demand media resource and spokesperson.