Why you should pass on that radio interview!
May 3, 2015 by Dr. Letitia Wright
Filed under Featured Articles, Front Page
Great, you’ve finally got a call to do a radio show interview! This is what you’ve been waiting for to secure widespread exposure of your heartfelt topic of choice. It’s the type of discussion that you expect to lay a path toward resolution, giving you a much needed experience of the peace of mind you’ve campaigned for since the incident that has changed the quality of your life.
However, what you want, expect or intend from the interview may be completely crushed if you haven’t cleared vital pre-interview areas of attention. It may become the foundation of “why you should pass on that radio interview.”
Begin your interview preparation with listening to at least 3 episodes of the program. Make sure the culture of the show matches your specific topic. Programs celebrating technology advances in air-driven “hammer guns,” may not match your issue with the labeling of genetically modified foods.
Do you have any idea about who the audience is? We often focus on the audience’s size instead of its listeners mindset. This valuable “who” can determine your acceptance or rejection of an offer for a radio interview.
Very important, have you created a way for people to connect with you beyond, “go to my website?” In this age of mobile marketing, you need multiple ways to connect via text messaging and social media.
Another point, you don’t have anything to share except stories of your clients. The interview is not an advertisement for you as an individual. Also, to assure the best audio quality, do not plan on doing the interview in your car while you drive. Plus, do not plan on doing the interview with your family and friends all around you. Respect the listeners by devoting your full attention to the interview.
Finally, your show-prep should include some discussion with the host or producer. You don’t know what they want to talk about, you assume its your topic – always ask. Check in, you never know what they have in mind, it could be even better than what you planned.
All of these points should illustrate the importance of profession “coaching” whenever you have an opportunity to interact with the media. The very same professional support often emphasized on WPTV every month. Watch people in the latest news cycle present their perspective to get the powerful or weak impact of preparation for interviews with the media.