Our clients are all over the airwaves this month with TV interviews from Connecticut to California – and nearly everything in between.
At Pitch PR, we excel at getting our clients that moment in the spotlight. But landing that coveted spot is just half the battle. Making the most out of the interview is critical as well. And often, when the lights go on – the mind goes blank.
Here are a few of our best preparation tips for TV.
1. Get the facts. Before you’re scheduled to go on, find out about the opportunity. Is it live? Taped? How long? A live interview means what you say, airs – there’s no stopping or going back. A taped interview gives the TV outlet the opportunity to edit your content. This means you don’t have to be perfect but it also means some of your most important messaging could end up being cut. TV time goes quickly. A live interview on-set is typically 3-4 minutes.
2. Tighten your message. You should be able to clearly describe your business in 20 seconds or less. What key points do you want to get in? There should be no more than 3. Eliminate aspects of your product or business that are less important – don’t waste time talking about insignificant details or the opportunity will end before you get to the good stuff.
3. Dress the part. If you’re a business expert giving investing advice, then a suit and tie makes sense. But if you’ve invented a new fitness product, you should be dressed in exercise attire. Watch the show before you go on to get a sense for what the hosts or anchors will be wearing. On many news sets, you’ll be sitting on a stool or chair with no desk in front, so there’s a good chance your whole outfit will be seen – including shoes. Avoid wearing all white or busy patterns as they don’t translate well on TV.
4. Breathe and slow down. Yes, the time goes fast and yes you want to get everything in. But racing in an interview will not make your message resonate with viewers. After each question, take just a second and then answer. Get the name of your business or product into your answer naturally. Think about speaking in ‘quotes’ (in TV, these are called ‘sound bites.’) You want short, compelling, interesting answers.
5. Add Visual Elements: Television is all about the visual element. As much as you can make your story more interesting, visually, you should. If you have product to show, bring a lot of it. If you have great graphics that compliment the interview, coordinate those with the producer beforehand. If there’s great video (in TV this is called b-roll), make sure to utilize that.
6. Website Help: Make sure the producer has your information, like website and phone # or where people can buy, to put up on the screen and also for their own website. Most TV stations now have highly active websites where they drive viewers and link your content directly. Check for accuracy beforehand.
7. Book Again: Once your interview is over, reconnect with the host and producer to see if there might be an opportunity to come back. This is especially true for those who are on in an ‘expert capacity.’ Are you able to cover another topic down the line? Is there another angle or timeliness to your information. Offer yourself up for a return interview with a specific topic in mind.
8. Leverage Your Appearance: Post the interview on your website, Tweet and Facebook about your appearance. Use the TV opportunity as a way to add credibility to your brand.
Ann Noder
CEO/President
Pitch Public Relations, LLC