How to Ace a TV Interview in 5 Steps
Getting ready for a TV interview can be a daunting task. As I was preparing for my upcoming interview, I thought I would share with you some tips and easy steps to follow.
1. Own it! You were asked to be interviewed because you are an expert in a certain field. When the nerves get the best of you, remind yourself that you have the knowledge, experience and expertise that the audience will benefit from.
2. Your messaging. Think ahead of time about your talking points, and how you can communicate them with clarity, confidence and enthusiasm. Your messaging is the most important aspect of your public appearance. It is a bridge between you and your audience, so you want to spend most of your time and energy on that, and keep it to the point. If the interviewer moves away from your topic, you can politely bring the conversation back on track by saying “Let’s get back to the real issue here”.
3. Your appearance. Consider your posture and gestures. Remember that the camera captures everything - make sure you are not slouching, that your shoulders are open and relaxed and your gestures are not too distracting - no hands flying in front of your face, and nothing grand and theatrical. Measured, smaller and elegant gestures are perfect for TV. Think about what you are going to wear - what style is the most appropriate for your appearance, what colors represent your brand, and what mood you’d like to convey in general. Solid colors are best, avoid patterns and loud colors as they can be distracting and can take attention away from your message. Blue is one of the best colors for TV; if you wear green make sure you won’t be on a green screen. Remember that we communicate with our appearance - clothes, body language, hairstyle - before we utter our first words.
4. Slow down and allow pauses. You will probably speak faster than you anticipate because of pressure and nerves. Make yourself slow down and remember to breathe. Breathing from your diaphragm will not only make you speak slower, and calm your nerves, but will also help support your voice.
5. Eye contact. You should know ahead of time if you should look at the interviewer or straight into the camera. General rule of TV is, if the person interviewing you is in the same room - look at them. If you are doing a “down the line” interview (meaning you are being interviewed remotely and the interview is in another location), you will need to look straight into the camera lens. If the interview is being conducted virtually on your computer, avoid looking at self-view or anything else. Looking straight into the camera will give the audience an impression that you are talking to them.
Enjoy the interview and keep it conversational!