MEDIA TIPS By Beverly Mahone, Media Coach/Consultant
Tip # 1: How to Master your Media Interview
To master the media interview, you shouldn’t focus so much on the fact that you’re being interviewed by a talk show host and will be heard by hundreds—maybe even thousands–of people. Instead, approach the experience as a conversation with a friend. Just imagine you are talking to one person about something you are very passionate about. A good interviewer will always ask the right questions that will elicit information for the listening audience.
Tip #2: Build a Media Plan
Identify the radio and or television shows you would like to be interviewed on. Listen to those programs so you can get an idea of the interviewing style of the host. Find out the kind of topics he or she tends to focus on to see if you would be a good fit for their show. The worst thing you can do is send an email or media release to someone who focuses on politics and you want to talk about gardening. Also, it certainly doesn’t hurt to let the host know you listened to a particular show and how much you enjoyed it as you pitch yourself as a guest. Some people may call it “brown-nosing.” I say “It works!”
Don’t limit yourself to just the stations in your immediate area. Make sure you cover as much territory as possible. Remember, radio interviews can be done over the telephone.
Another thing: If you know you’re going to be on vacation in a particular area on a specific date, contact the stations in that market and let them know you’ll be available. You don’t have to tell them you’re on vacation—just that you’ll be in the area. And don’t be afraid to hype up the fact that the Host is getting a great opportunity to interview you.
Don’t forget about newspapers. Find out if they have a guest columnist slot and see how you can get an article placed there. Also, write a Letter to the Editor regarding an issue that might be related to your book (or business) and make sure you use your author or business signature at the end.
Tip #3: Don’t Focus only on the “Big Fish”
My mother used to say “Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket.” What that means in this case is don’t spend all of your time and energy focusing on trying to get on Oprah. Sure, it’s everyone’s dream to be on her show or any one of the other major national talk shows but until that happens, you need to spread yourself around. Just because you may live in Texas doesn’t mean you can’t do an interview in California. Remember, many interviews are now conducted over the telephone. Another thing: Expose yourself to the “little fish of the sea.” By that I mean, don’t rule out your local media no matter how small it might be. Also, there are plenty of internet radio station hosts who would love to have you as a guest on their shows and you never know who might be listening to help you get your big break.
Tip #4: Perseverance
Don’t get discouraged when you send a note asking for an interview and you don’t get an immediate response. You must realize that there are hundreds—maybe even thousands of other people just like you—who are looking for media exposure. Producers and radio/TV hosts have to sift through a lot of mail on a daily basis so be patient. A good idea might be to follow-up with a phone call in about a week after you’ve sent your materials to see if it has been received. During the conversation you can try to get a better idea of how quickly someone will get back to you. Then be sure to FOLLOW UP AGAIN with an email thanking the person for taking your call and the fact that you look forward to hearing from them in the near future.
Tip #5: Leave a Lasting Impression
There’s an old saying: You have less than a minute to make a lasting impression. Your impression can be good or bad. Whether it’s over the telephone or through your media release, you must capture the attention of the interviewer immediately through your words. Convey yourself as confident but not arrogant. Show your three P’s: Personality, Passion and Purpose.
As a radio and television journalist, I have done literally thousands of media interviews over the past 25 years. I have now put my expertise to work by establishing my own media coaching and consulting business called Soul Solutions/Talk2Bev where I teach clients the mechanics of preparing for media interviews.
To learn more about how to land and prepare for a successful media interview, please visit my website: http://www.talk2bev.com and sign up for my four-week media teleclass called “Your Time to Shine!”
Copyright© 2007 Beverly Mahone
Beverly will be speaking at the Women’s Media Summit on October 18th at 4:30 pm. Her program is entitled Who are YOU…and why should the media care? To read more it and the rest of the summit sessions, visit: http://www.womensmediasummit.com/about-the-sessions/
To register go to http://womensmediasummit.com/register/
