Get Featured On Tv: 3 More Steps To Getting Interviewed On Television
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For an entrepreneur or author, getting featured on TV can be a great credibility and confidence booster. It establishes you as an expert in your field, and shows others that you can speak intelligently on the subject matter that you know so well.
Plus, its kind of fun to see yourself on television, right?
So, how does an entrepreneur or author get featured on TV? A few months back, we gave you three strategiesto get started with this blog post. It was such a hit, were now back for more.
Here are 3 more ways to get featured on TV:
Post A Demo Interview On Your Website
National TV show producers need to make sure that youre mediagenic. They want to see that you know how to dress, handle yourself in a tight-time frame, entertain, enlighten and inform in 10-20 second sound bites all while being completely natural and engaging.
You want to have an example of you interacting in a TV interview or a mock one so you can pass the pre-audition and then move on to the actual audition.
Its OK to create a mock one if you havent yet done any media appearances. If a producer sees that youre capable and lively then theyll most likely move forward to the next step the audition.
Create a sizzle reel
Later, when you have a series of interviews you can cut them together into a sizzle reel so producers can see clips of the best of the best and get the total picture of your capabilities.
Help shape the show
Typically the process works like this: a producer and publicist discuss some topics and story angles and then the producer gets on the phone with the client so they can hear the kind of responses the potential media guest will give and to bat around ideas and shape the show.
You have to be fluid with your topic and think like a producer in helping to layout a visually dramatic, fast-paced, enthralling show.
Work On Your Sound Bites:
If you have a clear idea about the topic on which the interview would be based, take some time to think about the key points you would like to emphasize upon. Even if the interview lasts for 15 minutes, the TV channel will reduce it to two or three minutes. So keep your views to the point and work on sound bites that will help viewers associate you with your message.
If you rehearse beforehand and know what you are going to speak on screen, it will help you perform better during the course of the TV interview. A little practice will also help you have a proper voice. You will be able to know where you need to modulate your tone or alter your volume. You must remember that since every bit that you speak can make a great impact on screen, proper modulation and control is a must on your part.
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Pay Attention To Your Body Language:
Body language is of maximum importance when you are being interviewed on the TV. This is because there are countless people watching you and any wrong gesture or body language can be viewed by the masses. If its your first TV interview, then you are likely to feel nervous. But dont show it on your face. Maintain eye contact with the moderator/interviewer and dont overuse your hand gestures. You can keep them on your lap if you have a habit of using them. Be alert and try to avoid itching, scratching or digging for gold. You need to remember that you are being watched by millions and any small error can be embarrassing.
To Get Podcast Radio And Free Tv Interviews Here Are Steps To Take To Build Your Publicity Effort For Your Company Book Or Public Relations Clients:
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Tips And Tricks For A Successful Broadcast Interview
Dress:
- Dress conservatively. For men, a dark suit and blue shirt. Avoid loud ties or ties with small patterns. For women, wear a dark outfit in solid colors.
- Dont wear white on camera.
- Men should unbutton their suit jacket while seated, button it when standing. Sitting on the back of the suit jacket will help create a wrinkle-free line.
- Most studios are cold until lights are on. Then they become quite warm. Mid-weight clothing is the best choice.
- Dont wear large, shiny or noisy jewelry.\
- Wear contact lenses, instead of glasses. If you wear glasses, non-reflective lenses are best. Avoid light-sensitive glasses.
- If offered makeup, accept it. Men should consider shaving close to airtime. Women should apply a matte finish to avoid a shiny face, with blush and eye makeup only slightly heavier than normal.
Tips For Broadcast Interviews
Radio interviews can usually be done over the phone, but on occasion, you may be called into a studio. Make sure you are in a quiet place without background noise where you wont be disturbed to take the call. Have your notes ready in front of you so that you dont panic and forget your message. Your umms and ahhs can be edited out if the interview is a recording, but best to try and keep them to a minimum if possible. For your first few, it may be a good idea to practise with family members and friends.
TV interviews can be especially daunting if you are new to them. Here are some tips that I give to my clients who are facing the exciting prospect of a TV interview.
Not everyone is a natural at radio or TV, but there is no denying that nothing beats the thrill of seeing yourself on TV or hearing your voice on the radio for the first time, and the time after that, and the time after that!
Good luck you may even discover a hidden talent!
Kerry McDuling
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Create A Pitch That Works
Now that you’ve done the work to look like a great on-air guest, it’s time to craft a pitch. A pitch is typically a short email that you’ll send to a TODAY show producer with your segment idea. It doesn’t have to be fancy, just give the following:
- Quick bio
- Segment idea
- Why the segment is important
- Who it appeals to
- Link to your previous television experience
- Contact info
How do you know who to pitch? Start searching on LinkedIn or Twitter to find folks with the job title TODAY show producer and send them an email. If they don’t respond, try again a few days later. After 3x emails, give it a rest. They aren’t interested.
Pr Tips For Doing A Tv Interview
by David Powell | Jun 1, 2019 | Insights
For Public Relations professionals and PR clients, conducting a TV interview is high risk, high reward stuff. Being interviewed for TV is a true test of your communications skills under pressure so its important you are as ready as you can be. Here are our top 6 tips for preparing and getting it right in front of the cameras.
Relevant Insights
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Live Or Taped It Doesnt Really Matter
TV interviews come in two main flavors: those that happen in real time and those that are recorded before the actual program runs.
A live spot may feel like the more stressful of the two. After all, you dont have room for error. Youve got one shot, and you cant screw it up.
In a taped interview, on the other hand, mistakes you make can be edited out.
Thats the theory, anyway.
But in practice, even when TV producers pre-record their interviews, you cant rely on them to smooth out your flubs in the editing process .
So whether the segment is live or taped, you should be prepared to nail it on the first take. The tips below will make sure youre set up to succeed.
Never Wing It Practice What Youre Going To Say
Goes without saying? Were saying it anyway! Use whatever time is available to practice what you plan on saying. Even if you only have 10 minutes, those 10 minutes could be the difference between nailing your message and not quite getting it right. Obviously, the more time you have to prepare the better, but even if the clock is ticking, find somewhere quiet an empty office, the restroom, even a quiet corner of the TV or radio studio toget your storystraight.The more comfortable you are with what youre saying, the more convincing youll be.
Its important too that you dont stay completely in your head during this crucial period of rehearsal. You need to know that your messages sound right that your meaning is clear that your choice of words wont make you stumble or obscure what youre really getting at. The only way to do that is to practice out loud better yet, in front of a colleague or friend so you can fine-tune your verbal delivery for maximum effect.
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You Booked An Interview Now What
1. Know what questions to ask, so you can prepare for the interview.
Most producers will give you an overview, but they are short on time and may forget to give you all the little details. If you are positioning yourself as a Go To Expert they expect you to be on-camera ready and be able to talk about your topic without much prep.
Here are some things you should ask:
-Will it be a live, taped, in studio, or an on location interview?
-Will you be on your own or part of a panel?
-Is it a morning show segment or part of a reporters story?
-How long will the interview be?
Why are these important? Each one changes the dynamic of the interview and knowing these things will help you prepare effectively and know what to expect.
For example, this segment was for a morning show. Originally it was going to be a live sit down interview with a news anchor, but then it switched to a live talk back where she was sitting in another room and the anchor asked her questions.
Why the last minute change?
Insider Media Tip:This was a production issue. The interview following her was on the studio set with a group of people, so they needed to put her in a different location for variety and timing.
Insider Media Lingo: IFB stands for interruptible feedback. In basic terms, an IFB is the earpiece that anchors/reporters/hosts wear to get cues, feedback or direction from their control rooms.
2. Act Like A Producer and Provide Value
3. Be Prepared To Go Long or Short On Time During The Interview
Tips For A Tv Interview Guest
1) The main point is to be relaxed enough to come across naturally. Thats sure easy to say, but for some folks, thats their main hurdle. A good interviewer can help the guest be comfortable, but even so, some guests freeze when the cameras go on. If that is a potential problem for you, one thing to do is put all your attention on the interviewer and focus on the conversation, which should help you ignore the cameras. If you are able to take a short walk before the interview, that can be beneficial.
2) Knowing the material that you are going to be interviewed about is another way to support coming across naturally. However, even if you have a list of talking points from the interviewer beforehand, dont try to memorize what you will say, which can make you appear stiff and unnatural. Just answer the questions as you would in a regular conversation.
4) The interviewer may have some notes during the discussion, but you wont. Unless its necessary to cite a specific reference as part of your interview, dont bring notes onto the set. The information you are imparting as part of a TV interview should come from your head , not prepared notes. In fact, bringing anything on the set can be distracting to the audience. For example, even if you are the author of a book, which is the subject of the interview, in many cases it will be the host who will physically handle the book itself and present it to the viewers.
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Every Question Is A New Question
Often, before an interview, you will have spoken to the reporter either on the phone or while the camera operator has been setting up their equipment. You will feel as though you’ve imparted a great deal of information to the reporter, which you likely have. However, you have not actually spoken to the viewer yet. One phrase that should be banned from most interviews is, “As I said earlier”. Another is “again”. You may find yourself wanting to use these phrases because you’ve already answered the reporter’s question before the actual interview. But the viewer wasn’t there during that exchange. To say, “…as I said earlier” will leave the viewer wondering what they might have missed. I’ve often reminded interview subjects about this. It also creates more work in the post-production side of things when those words need to be edited out.
Wear Clothes That Look Neat And Make You Feel Comfortable:
Opt for clothes that will make you feel comfortable and help you to create a positive image. Avoid shirts that come with checks or stripes. They often cause distraction for most TV viewers. Avoid colors like bright red and white as well. Instead, opt for dark colors or beige.
Dont wear a hat unless you are attending a sports related TV interview. In case you have a receding hairline, apply a bit of baby powder to do away with the shine. Dont wear any type of jewelry as it can distract your audience.
If you are comfortable in the attire you have selected for the television interview, it will make you feel happy and confident. Confidence is a major ingredient in the success of a television interview. Selecting outfits that look good on you make the audience concentrate you rather than get distracted. Hence, you need to be extremely careful about these choices while attending a television interview.
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You Can Use Your Interview On My Station To Attract And Seek Out More Interviews
The best way to pitch yourself as a guest is to show you were already interviewed on a legitimate media outlet using station call letters, and sharing AUDIO of the actual interview.
This is not for everyone, but if you have a business, trade, publication, cause, charity, network marketing business, book, website, passion project, or you just want to be heardlocking up an interview on the radio station that was home to Howard Stern, Glenn Beck, Bill OReilly, Opie & Anthony, Mancow, Jonathan Brandmeier, Loveline, Adam Carolla, Tom Leykis, Penn Jillette, Michael Savage and many more is HUGE for YOU.
So heres what Im going to do.
Conducting A Good Television Interview
A TV interview can be as simple as asking questions of people on the street, or it can be as involved as a one-on-one, sit-down discussion with the president. Getting good answers in a TV interview can make a news story come to life and build your reputation as a probing journalist. Build your skills so that you can lead the people you interview into giving you the information you want with simple TV interview tips every news media professional can use.
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Tips For Live Interviews
1. Do your homework.
Study up on the topic and know any recent developments. Be familiar with details numbers, statistics, or technical terms to include in your questioning. Research what the person has said in the past and what other people have said about them.
2. Be ready to ask follow-up questions to get better answers.
3. Be flexible and change your plans.
Live interviews have a limited amount of time. Make sure youre the one in command of the interview and dont hesitate to drive it from one point to the other, changing subjects as needed.
Go into an interview with specific questions that need to get answered. You can start with the most timely or important ones first.
Listen closely to responses, and be prepared if need be to change plans, drop your questions and really dive into what the person just said, or sometimes more importantly, what they didnt say.
I can be most confident and best think on my feet when Im the most prepared. I love walking into an interview knowing that I can put down my notes and just be in the moment. Once it starts, I tune out all distractions and just laser focus in on two things what the interview subject is saying and the time cues from the control room. In that five or 10 minutes, nothing else exists.
Julia Boorstin
