Lights, camera, action!

So you get a call from a local news station and they want to interview you.

How do you stop from looking like this?

There are a couple easy tips that can help you give a strong interview.

1.  Know the reporter/market
A little research ahead of time can give you a big insight into how the interview will go.  Does the reporter like to ask surprise questions, are they fair, do they attack and try to get reactions? 

Having a basic understanding of a reporters story should help you formulate your messages and responses.

If you get the chance, talk with the reporter before the interview.  This will give you a better repore and you will feel more comfortable around them so when the cameras are rolling you're not speaking to a complete stranger.

Also keep in mind the audience.  Who will be watching this story?  If a story is just going to play in the local area should give you interview a different tone than one that might play throughout the country.

2.  Know where you are
When you agree to an interview, know where it's going to be held.  Scout the location out ahead of time.  Is there a billboard in the background that might be embarassing, are you close to traffic or railroad tracks that might be hard to speak over, is there a lot of foot traffic that will be distracting?  If the location doesn't work for you, don't be afriad to suggest one that does. 

Keep in mind what the interview is about and the tone you want to set.  If you're talking about your new green initiatives, make sure there is no visible garbage in sight and that recycling cans are in plain view.  You're painting a picture with the location, make sure it's one that augments your story and not one that contradicts it.

While talking to the reporter, remember to turn off your cell phone and if you see a friend, don't yell out to them.  You want the reporter on your side for the best possible story, so give them 100 percent of your attention.

3.  Don't just answer a question
You cannot just answer a reporters questions, you have to give a response.  A response is something they could isolate and play as a clip.  You have to try and work their question back into your answer. 

If a reporter were to ask "How many jobs will this initiative create?" and you simply answer "1,000," then you haven't given them anything usable.  They can't run a clip of you simply saying 1,000, you need to work the question back into the response and have information ready. 

This is your chance to do a free commercial highlighting your work and why it's important.  "The people of Delaware are ready to work and this initiative started by Sen. Carper will create over 1,000 jobs for the local area." 

You need to know the image you want to convey, work out a couple sentences that convey that message and then figure out how to work them into your answers.

Something like:

We are working with local, state and federal agencies to ensure a thorough and efficient investigation is conducted to determine the cause of the accident and ensure that something like this doesn't happen again.

or

Being good stewards of the environment is a major concern and serious commitment for the company name.

Once you have a list of messages you would like to run, practice saying them.  Make them sound natural and like something you would actually say so when you are on camera, you don't sound like you are reading off of cue cards.

Figure out some questions the reporter may ask and then work these statements into your answers.

4.  Don't get angry
Many people know the line "Don't make me angry, you wouldn't like me when I'm angry."  It's a famous line from the tv series The Incredible Hulk where, when angered, a scientist would turn into a large hulking monster and destroy everything around him. 

In a TV interview, the reporter may do things that get under your skin or annoy you.  You have to remember that if you lose your temper, they don't have to show the 20 minutes of the reporter making you angry, they can just show your reaction and then you come off as unprofessional.  Be calm, collected and have facts ready. 

5.  State the obvious, do not speculate and DO NOT LIE
You may not be comfortable being the spokesperson for your company, but don't be afraid to state the obvious.  If you are in front of the burning wreckage of an aircraft, don't be afraid to say that "Yes, an aircraft did crash today, other than that I don't have any information."

If you're standing in front of the burning wreckage and asked if a plane crashed and you say "I don't know," you 've just lost all future credibility. 

Don't speculate.  If a plane crashed, there could be a million reasons why it crashed, but don't guess or speculate or offer suggestions on how it could have happened.  This could raise a myraid of negative questions and speculation on the state of your company before the truth is ever discovered.

If a reporter asks a question that is out of your area of expertise, don't be afraid to say I don't know.  Just make sure to follow it up with a referral.  If you are a pilot and the reporter asks you a question on aircraft maintenance schedules, be frank.  Tell them you don't know, but you would gladly get someone who could get them an answer.  If you just guess or speak off the cuff you risk being wrong and your entire credibility comes into question. 

Don't say "No comment."  This makes it seem like you are hiding something.  If you can't speak on it until an investigation is done, tell the reporter that.  If you can't speak on it because you are not a subject matter expert, tell them that and offer to find someone who is. 

Some people may remember the Iraqi Information Minister Muhammed Saeed al-Sahaf, he claimed there were no American troops in Baghdad two days before the city fell to US forces.  He made huge and obvious lies.  Once this happened, any credibility he had was quickly lost and he became a huge joke in the U.S. 

6. Pracitce, Practice, Practice
When you find out you are going to be interviewed, write up some questions you expect to be asked and practice answering them.  Get other people to ask you the question and film yourself answering so you can see your inflection and tone.  Keep practicing right up until it's time for the interview so you sound natural and relaxed instead of wooden, and stiff. 

If the interview is being recorded and you stumble on an answer or feel like you are saying filler words like um and aw, don't be afraid to ask to start over.  You want to present the best image possible to the public.  Take a breath, think about what you want to say, exhale and then remember all the practicing you did and let the words just flow naturally out of you as if you are talking to a friend.

7.  Seeing as how the V.P. is such a V.I.P., shouldn't we keep the P.C. on the Q.T.? 'Cause if it leaks to the V.C. he could end up M.I.A., and then we'd all be put out in K.P.
Try to avoid acronyms and complicated technical terms when possible.  Just because you've explained what an acronym stands for earlier, doesn't mean that a reporter will use every quote you say and you risk losing your message in a fog of letters, and once you've lost a crowd it can be twice as much work to try and get their attention back.

8.  One last look

Before you go on camera remember to have someone give you one last look over to make sure your tie isn't crooked or your suit isn't hanging oddly on you. 

Always look at the reporter, not the camera and remember to stick with the tone of the story.  Don't smile at a plane crash and don't look grim at a ribbon cutting ceremony.