A guest appearance on live or live-on-tape TV or radio, or on a live podcast is the perfect opportunity to gain visibility, credibility, build your business, or advocate for a point of view. You are in a position to deliver key messages to a large audience. An essential element to any such program is Q&A, either in an interview or after or during a presentation or speech. Learning how to prepare for and navigate questions – especially potentially challenging ones – is crucial to a successful event. At CommCore, it’s our business to media train our clients to use guest appearances to their maximum benefit. Discover our media training tips for TV interviews.
Here are our top media training tips for live TV interviews and live on-air Q&A:
- Be prepared. Before the interview or live program, do your research on who the reporter or host will be. Find other TV interviews, podcasts, radio spots or programs they have conducted. Assess their style and the topics they have covered.
- Assess the audience who will be listening to your live on-air interview, especially if they will be asking questions. Who are they? What do they expect as takeaways? What are the issues they might be interested in that dovetail with your messages, and where are potential traps?
- Learn and practice the “bridging technique” for handling challenging questions. Make sure you know how to acknowledge a question that presents a problem, and then “bridge” to a point you want to make.
- Body language. For on-camera interviews on TV, sit up straight and lean in toward the host when answering questions. This demonstrates energy and conviction. Maintain eye contact with the host even if they look away to the camera.
- Keep it short and sweet. Be concise and keep your answers to between twenty to thirty seconds.
Make Sure Your On-Air Message is On-Point. Learn More About CommCore’s Media Training Services
- We provide proactive media training for your entire organization in a classroom setting, either at your location or at our classrooms in New York and DC. Learn more about our Media Training Workshops.
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- Our Virtual Media Training allows participants in various locations to participate via Skype or Zoom. Learn more about our Virtual Media Training.
- CommCore executives have handled every type of media crisis and are here to help you respond to specific issues. Look to us for intensive, confidential help with our 1-On-1 Media Training & Consulting.
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