Interviews are a great opportunity to gain visbility.
Before you are interviewed, it is key to prepare.
So here are a few key principles to consider for your interview preparation.
Key principles
Work on your confidence
Prepare 5/6 themes to use during the interview
Be able to answer each question in 30 seconds
Use simple language and avoid jargon
Paint pictures with your words
Be energetic and enthusiastic
Get your key messages out
The bridging technique
If you are asked a tricky question or you are put on the spot, you can use a very simple ABC bridging technique as follows:
A – Address and acknowledge the issue that arises from the interview
B – Bridge away from the issue
C – Control the audience’s attention with a compelling story.
Remember that the interview is not an informal conversation, it is a performance. So alway focus on your audience, not the interviewer, even if he or she will try to distract you from your key messages.
Interview preparation
Before giving your availability for the interview, do your homework and try and answer most of these questions:
What’s in it for you?
Who is asking for an interview and why?
Who is the main audience?
Is the interview for radio, TV or print? The formats are very different from medium to medium
Is it live, recorded or ‘as live’?
Are there other guests? Perhaps competitors participating to the interview?
Congratulations on securing your interview. Prepare for it and remember to work on your key messages.
In summary
Know your facts
Emphasise key messages
Use simple language
Control your body language and tone of voice
Stay calm
Correct any possible misrepresentation
Get positive news proactively
Use the interview as an opportunity
Good luck! And thank you for reading.
If you need advice on your media training, please feel free to get in touch at info@intelligoconsulting.co.uk