On Air: 9 Tips for Being Interviewed on the Radio

By Angelique Rewers, ABC, APR

1.) Know your goal for the interview. More than likely, it's to drive listeners to your website, where they can learn more about the products or services you provide... and where you can capture them for your marketing list.

2.) Keep it simple. Have a website address that's easy to remember and spell so listeners won't forget it. If necessary, get a domain name to use just for broadcast interviews and redirect it back to your main site or landing page.

3.) Make them an offer they can't refuse. Incentivize listeners to go to your website by offering them something they want or need, such as a free report, discount or coupon, or free sample.

4.) Know what to expect. Listen to the program at least a few times before you go on. (Imagine being a guest on the Howard Stern show if you've never listened before!)

5.) Stay focused. Radio lends itself to ONE key message. Identify the No. 1 thing you want listeners to walk away remembering and then find three different ways to say it. Use a different supporting point, fact or statistic for each option.

For example, if your interview is about driving participation in an upcoming walk for breast cancer, your key message might be: Breast cancer affects everyone.

OPTION 1: "Breast cancer is something we should all be concerned about. Approximately 1 in 8 women are diagnosed in the U.S. each year."

OPTION 2: "Even if you do not develop breast cancer, it's more than likely that someone you know will. It's the most frequently diagnosed cancer and is the leading cause of cancer death among women worldwide.

OPTION 3: "Breast cancer is not just an issue facing women; it affects men too. An estimated 1,910 new cases will be diagnosed in men in the U.S. this year."

6.) Bridge to your message. A bridge helps you get from the interviewer's question to the point you want to make, like this:

Interviewer: Isn't it true that recent studies suggest many women are not following recommended guidelines for mammography screenings?

Interviewee: Yes, that is true -- and [bridge to key message] that's particularly distressing because breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women worldwide. Even if you do not develop breast cancer yourself, statistically speaking you will know someone who will. It's disease that affects us all.

7.) Flag your message. Flagging alerts listeners you are about to say something important. Here are a few examples...

"What's most important to remember is..."

"If there's just one thing your listeners should remember, it's..."

"If you were only going to do one thing, it should be this: "

8.) Focus on sound quality. Call from a landline. Drink something warm (or with honey). Disable call waiting. Put the dogs outside. Leave your cell phone in a different room. Leave a note on your front door instructing delivery drivers or solicitors not to knock or ring the doorbell.

9.) Keep a pen and paper handy. If during the interview you think of something you want to say, be sure to jot it down so you remember to come back to it later.

Copyright © Bon Mot Communications LLC 2009

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