A really great way to create buzz about your business is to participate in interviews. Today there are a variety of different types of interviews you can get from online via blogtalkradio.com, to an online podcast, to Youtube.com, print interviews and more.
Getting an interview is a great way to spread the word about your products and services as well as establish yourself as an expert within your niche. Being interviewed can feel scary and as if you’re out of control. But, it doesn’t have to if you start out prepared. There is an art to it.
Know Your Goals and Objectives
Even though the interviewer will have their own agenda about what they want to get out of interviewing you, it’s best if you go into any interview with your own objectives. If you don’t have an objective of your own, you could end up doing the interview for no benefit at all.
An idea of an objective might be to get the word out about your new book, or to get more coaching clients, or to educate people. Once you know what your own objective is, you can answer every question that is thrown your way with that objective in mind.
Know the Audience
It’s also important to understand the audience who will be listening to this interview. Certainly, if you know in advance and can tell your target audience to listen, they’ll be there. However, the person conducting the interview has their own audience who may have different characteristics from your ideal client. Spend some time researching who their audience is so that you can refocus your answers to demonstrate and showcase benefits of your product to that audience.
Develop Your Answers
Each time you do an interview there will be a few similar questions that you will need to try to answer with a different story but the same conclusion. Your core audience will likely listen to or read every interview you do because they are your fans. But, they will get bored if every interview you do has the same old stories and same old answers. Craft new ways to answer the same old questions.
Provide Questions
Many interviewers will actually ask you if you have any questions you’d like them to ask. Even if they don’t ask, provide some questions you’d like them to ask. It is a helpful thing to do, and since you know these questions in advance you can have your answers prepared which will make the interview go more smoothly.
If during an interview someone asks you a question that doesn’t really align with something you want to talk about you can say “Well, I don’t know about that, but I think you mean” – then make up your own question and answer it.
Don’t Use Industry Jargon
It’s hard to remember that everyone doesn’t know industry jargon, even potential clients and customers. If you do accidentally use any type of industry jargon, be sure to spell it out what it means as a way to educate the audience. People will think you’re talking down to them if you use too much jargon that you have to explain, so be very careful about that.
Get Personal
It’s very important to let the audience see a little bit about you that makes you human. By telling stories within your answers to the interviewer’s questions, you’ll endear yourself to the audience as a “real person” with a real life. If you can share personal stories and experiences that you’ve had while keeping your objective in mind, you’ll win over new customers in no time.
Finally, don’t be afraid to promote yourself. That is the point of the interview. Make sure everyone knows how to contact you for more information.