Radio and podcast interviews are a great way to gain exposure for your business, product or brand. I’m a huge fan of them because you can give them an eternal life through social media.
Anytime you are a guest on a radio show or podcast you have the opportunity to share what you are doing with the world. Since it may live on forever on the Internet, make sure you know how to give a great interview.
Below are ten steps to giving a great interview.
1) Know the Show – make sure you are familiar with the show you are going to be a guest on. Listen to prior episodes so you get a feel for how the host likes to conduct an interview. Is it question and answer? Conversational? Be comfortable with the format before you’re recording the show.
2) What’s the Topic? – that might sound crazy but make sure you know the topic the host wants to interview about. You might think it’s on a certain topic and the host might think it’s on something else. You don’t want to have dead air because you prepared for a different topic.
3) Be Prepared – on that note, once you know the topic, make sure you are prepared for answers on the topic. You want to be able to provide great information and if you’re prepared, you can’t go wrong.
4) Provide Questions – a great way to be prepared for the interview is to offer to provide questions ahead of time. This can be a great framework for the host and provides you a way to get the message out that you want to get out to their audience.
5) Don’t Read Answers – if you do provide question ahead of time to the host, never prepare and read responses. Prepare your answers and know what you’re going to say but don’t read the responses.
6) Speak in Sound Bites – when preparing your answers, make sure you respond on your topic in bite-sized nuggets. No one wants to hear you ramble on and on and on. Give your host responses in short, concise sound bites.
7) Give Good Content – make sure that the information you provide to the audience is good, quality information. You are a guest on the show because the host feels you have something to provide their followers.
8) Never Sell – You are not a guest on the show to sell your products or services. Every radio host knows you are giving your expertise and your time and they will reward you by allowing you to talk about your services, website, social media, and book if you have one. Let the host ask you about this though so you don’t appear to be “salesy.”
9) Send a headshot and bio – most hosts will ask for this ahead of time but if for some reason they forget, be proactive and get them a headshot and short bio. They will be promoting your show and you want to be represented in the best possible light. Provide them with what you want them to use and how you want them to describe you.
10) Have Water – You’re not on TV so no one can see you during your interview. Keep water handy. Interviews can range in time from 8 minutes to 60 minutes. A 30 to 60 minute interview can leave you with a very dry mouth. Keep a glass of water close by to keep you refreshed during your interview.
These tips should help you have a very successful radio or podcast interview. Let me know what you think and if you have any other tips.
To Your PR Success,
