Marketing Interview Tips: What To Do Before Your Interview

Media businesses are being built in record numbers.

Today, anyone with a telephone, a computer and internet connection can build a media business with relatively little effort.  The result: hundreds of independent media producers are conducting marketing interviews with colleagues and experts.  And, there is no limit to potential interviewees.

This social media scape presents two main challenges for the interviewee:

1. To be interesting enough to hole the audience’s attention.
2. To get the listener or watcher to take a desired action.

Being interviewed is an opportunity for you to showcase your business, interest or cause.  However, to make the interview memorable and successful takes preparation.

Here are a few tips that you can use when preparing for every interview including virtual book tours, blog radio shows, live teleseminars, preview calls, as well as, traditional media appearances:

• Understand the goals and expectations of the interviewer.
• Familiarize yourself with the interviewer and their audience.
• Determine your goals for the interview.
• Develop your key message points.  Then, practice delivering them with a coach or colleague.
• Develop a list of potential questions and prepare answers – even those questions that you would rather avoid.  Again, practice, practice, practice…
• Determine your call to action. Make sure the interviewer understands your call to action and that they agree to let you mention it.
• Provide the interviewer with a suggested list of bullet points or questions that you would like to discuss.
• Stay focused and relaxed.
• If the interview is conducted off camera, you may have notes for reference.
• Be prepared for, and expect, surprises during the interview.  Surprises usually add interest.
• Provide your bio, photo and other information to the interviewer to help promote the interview.
• Promote the interview to your community.
• Speak to the interviewer before the interview to answer questions you may have or that they may have.

Know what you want to accomplish with the interview – do not just show up.  Approach every interview with clear goals so that you can prepare the interviewer and yourself for success.

Now, got get famous one interview at a time.

But first, leave a comment below and share this post with your community.

Amelia Brazell, Strategy Source, Inc.