So, you’ve finally landed an interview. This is your big chance. Your time to shine. Careers have been made and reputations have been destroyed through media interviews. Brands have been pole vaulted to fame and brought down in flaming ruin all thanks to media coverage.

But no pressure!

There are lots of ways to market your business, but being interviewed by the media is a fantastic way to gain exposure to new audiences, spread your message, and create brand awareness.

While you can never control the outcome of a story (only the reporter and editor can do that), you can most definitely control the words coming out of your mouth. And that can make all the difference.

It’s critically important to prepare beforehand to ensure that you have the best experience possible and come out on the other side with a great interview that you’re happy to share with the world.

In this article, I’ll be giving you the tools to do just that. Here are five hugely practical tips that will help you stay in control when being interviewed by the media.

Tip #1 – Pre-Homework

Do your homework.

To stay in control during an interview, you need to do some research beforehand. Who is this reporter you’ll be speaking to? Do they understand the topic? Have they done similar stories before? Do they have any biases? You can answer all these questions and more with a simple Google search.

Think about it: You wouldn’t get in the car with a stranger on a blind date without Googling them ahead of time. So why treat a reporter any differently? And if their prior work raises red flags, consider declining the interview.

Tip #2 – More Pre-Homework

Now that you’ve studied up on the interviewer and the questions they might ask, study up on the topic of the interview.

Chances are if you’re being interviewed, you’re already familiar with the topic. But don’t let that make you complacent!

Having the latest and greatest info on the subject at hand will prevent you from being blindsided by a question (never a good look!) and will insure that you are able to keep the conversation going.

Tip #3 – Messaging, Messaging, Messaging

This is probably the most important thing to do before an interview. So, if you skip all the other tips, don’t skip this one!

What do you want to get out of the interview? What do you want people to think or feel after watching the interview? Is there a specific result you’re hoping comes from this interview?

Even if you are intimately familiar with your subject matter (and one would hope that you would be), determine your three main media messages before the interview starts. These messages may change slightly depending on the reporter, the news outlet, and the news of the day. Memorize them. Practice delivering them.

Tip #4 – Get Help

There’s no substitution for practice.  Ideally, this ought to be done with a trained professional; a media trainer. But if that isn’t possible, and if the interview is a big deal to your company or organization, it’s still important to get some assistance before being interviewed. Find someone who knows what’s going on and role-play an interview. It could be a partner, an associate, or even a spouse. Record your practice interviews on your phone and play them back to make any necessary improvements.

Tip #5 – Repeat What Needs Repeating, Repeatedly

As you try and maintain control during the interview, make sure that you make your key messages very clear. Don’t feel like every word out of your mouth has to be new material.

Remember that most stories will only feature one, two, or three quotes from you. The more often you repeat your messages, the more likely they are to be included in your quotes.

Conclusion

Interviews are a great way to spread your message. Getting the most out of an interview means you need to stay in control and guide the conversation. This is easier to do than you might first think with these five easy tips:

• Do your homework: study up on who will be interviewing you. Understanding their style and where they’re coming from will remove the guesswork!
• Then do more homework: have a good idea of what you’ll be talking about. Make sure to have the latest info so you can steer the conversation with confidence.
• Have a plan: knowing what you hope to achieve through the interview will provide you with a roadmap to success.
• Get help: role-playing before the interview will help you get over nerves and anticipate what could be coming your way.
• Repeat: make sure the interviewer and the audience cannot possibly miss the main messages you’re trying to get across!

With these strategies in your back pocket, you’re well on your way to having a fantastic interview!

Join to receive monthly marketing tips delivered directly to your inbox.

Mark Bernheimer

Founder and Principal

MediaWorks Resource Group

Mark Bernheimer is a former CNN correspondent (1995-2000) and the founder of MediaWorks Resource Group, an internationally renowned media training and consulting firm. You can find Mark on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

MORE ON