How to handle interviews with journalists - Top Tips

If you plan to use free publicity to promote your business, there’s going to come a point where you have to do media interviews with journalists.

Even if you dread the thought, you should welcome them. An interview with a journalist is a sure sign they are planning to run a story about you or your business – and sometimes the better the interview goes, the bigger the coverage.

Journalists use interviews to add colour to stories and find an angle that will be different to their competitors. Radio journalists use them to get soundbites.

As a general rule, remember that the media are not your enemy – the average journalist won’t be trying to catch you out by asking awkward questions. But depending on the story, some may, so it’s always worth you being 100% ready for any interview.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF INTERVIEWS

Newspaper interviews

Here journalists will be doing a general 'fact find' about the story, and then may ask you further questions to get some good quotes. Most newspaper journalists use shorthand, so may sometimes ask you the same question 2 or 3 times, to ensure they get the relevant facts or quotes down properly.

Increasingly newspaper journalists are also recording interviews, not just for their use but for possible use as an audio file on their website.

Radio interviews

Unless you are taking part in a discussion-type programme, radio reporters are primarily looking for soundbites. Be natural, don’t try and use a “radio voice”. Radio is a one on one medium, so avoid phrases like “people out there”.

Use your imagination to paint pictures. And always treat every microphone as live – if you don’t want it recorded, don’t say it!

TV interviews

Again the journalist will be looking for a soundbite, and also a video bite. Follow their instructions about where to look (normally at them, not at the camera). Try to keep your eyes fixed on the journalist, as you can look a bit shifty if your eyes dart around!

PREPARE FOR THE INTERVIEW

Be available 24 hours

When you send out a press release, put your contact details at the bottom and state you are available for interviews at any time. If you make yourself available for interview at any time, you are more likely to attract attention from journalists desperate for good copy, up against a late night deadline.

Lock down your business

You need to ensure that the right person (you) does all the media interviews in your business. Anyone who answers the phones should know the procedure if a journalist calls – politely decline to answer any questions, give your name, and quickly pass the call to you. If you are unavailable, tell the journalist when their call will be returned.

Understand what kind of interview you’re going to do

Be 100% sure who will be doing the interview and how it will be used. If you’re going to be doing a 20 minute live radio chat, you need to know this so you can prepare it fully.

Prepare, prepare, prepare

Never try and wing it. Re-read any press releases you have sent out, and any source materials. The journalist will consider you to be an expert on this, so you need to know it inside out. Keep the relevant facts and figures to hand to spice up your interview.

Consider what negative questions might crop up and prepare responses. If you are caught on the hop, it’s OK to say you don’t know the answer to the question and will call them back in the next 10 minutes – then make sure you do.

DURING THE INTERVIEW

Open & closed questions

Closed questions have a limited number of answers – “Do you use Bytestart every day?”. An open question has an unlimited number of answers – “What do you like best about Bytestart?”. Journalists will deliberately use each type to get the response they need from you, so learn to recognise them and react accordingly.

Things to avoid

Never ever lie; it will come back and bite you. If you don’t know the answer, say so, don’t try and guess. Don’t say “no comment” as it implies you are hiding something. Don’t argue with the journalist or get angry with them. Some journalists will try and induce an emotional reaction from you to loosen your tongue. Watch out for this and don’t fall for it.

Off the record

The concept of an 'off the record' comment doesn’t really exist any more. Anything you say is fair game, so don’t say anything you wouldn’t want to see attributed to you!

Putting words in your mouth

Watch out for a journalist converting a rumour into a fact and asking you about it, in the hope you will accidentally confirm it (for example “How long have you been ripping off your customers”).

And beware of giving a negative answer to a negative question. If they ask why you are ignoring Mrs Smith, don’t say “We didn’t ignore her” – say “We talked to her to resolve the situation as soon as we were aware of the problem”.

Use your social skills

Make and keep eye contact with the journalist. Find their name and use it (although not during radio interviews if they’re trying to get a soundbite). And unless it’s a sensitive subject, remember to smile and try to enjoy it!

About The Author
Former journalist Paul Green is one of the UK's leading experts in getting free publicity, and using it to grow your business. www.publicityheaven.com