By Elena Verlee
A media interview can cause even the most confident person to feel butterflies in their stomach and sweat in their palms.
Last year, I had a client CEO doing a TV interview in New York above the Nasdaq trading floor.
For him it was both a dream come true, and a nightmare scenario.
He was so nervous, I hesitated telling him it was a live media interview!
We practiced together the day before, and he told me he practiced by himself that same evening until he felt a sense of ease.
The next day, he nailed the media interview.
If you have a nervous spokesperson, help them conquer that fear using the 33 tips in this new media training infographic I created in partnership with Udemy.
Nail a Media Interview with These Tips
In addition to the tips in the infographic, below are five extra tips specifically for a spokesperson who will be interviewed on video or on television.
- Wear the Right Outfit. Avoid wearing stripes, complicated patterns, or colors that match the chair you’ll be sitting on. A solid, jewel tone works best.
- Wear Makeup. Both men and women benefit from wearing a little makeup for the interview. A little can go a long way to even out skin tone and eliminate shine from sweat.
- Ask About the Framing. Will it be a full body shot, just the head and shoulders, or a headshot? Using hand gestures once in a while is important even in a head-only frame, so you appear more animated and don’t look like a talking head.
- Practice on a Webcam (or a Post-it note stuck on the wall). This is a great way to prepare if the interviewee will be talking straight into a camera with hosts in another location.
- Nail the Opening Statement. Come up with an opening statement that gets the interview going right away. If you’re not asked a direct question, take charge by being polite and acknowledging your host then get a message point in there such as, “Thanks (host name), for the opportunity to talk about (topic or key message).”
Check out the full infographic below to ensure every media interview will go smoothly, and your spokesperson will enjoy the experience with confidence.
image credit: Shutterstock