How To Become Telegenic
Looking and Sounding Good in TV Interviews
"Never pick
fights with people who buy their ink by the barrel," cautioned Mark Twain a century
ago. Back then, when newspapers were the source of news, Twain's advice was well worth
heeding.
How times have changed. Today, most of us get our news primarily from television:
59 percent, according to a TIME/CNN poll, vs. 23 percent from newspapers.
Nevertheless, Twain's warning still holds. To succeed in a television interview,
the operative word is cooperate. Understand that a TV reporter or talk-show host has
nothing to lose by interviewing you. The opposite, alas, is not true.
Have a topic outline. Here's
a useful exercise: Write down all the key points you'd like to convey to the viewing
audience. No doubt you'll fill several pages. Now the hard part: choose three, and only
three, of those points. Not easy to do, but that's all you may have time for during your
TV interview.
Keep it simple. I've seen
business executives lose their audience by overusing shop talk and technical jargon. To
keep your audience tuned in, use language they understand. Similarly, keep numbers simple.
Instead of saying, "542,000 people in Washington state use our product," say
"About one out of every five people use it."
Know the show. Before you
agree to appear on a talk show, you should know the format and the host(s). Is it a live
show? Is there a studio audience? Will you be part of a panel? Are you expected to debate
an issue? Just because you are invited to appear on a show doesn't mean it's an
appropriate forum for you. Arrive early. "The show must go on ..." with or without you. I've seen shows where the guest fails to appear on time, and the host keeps promising the guest will show up ... eventually. Nothing makes a worse impression than arriving late for your scheduled on-air interview.
Acknowledge the host by name.
When you occasionally preface your response with "Dick, that's a good question,"
or "Susan, I'm glad you asked ...," you'll sound at-ease and friendly.
Tell a story. The more human
interest stories, case studies, and real-life examples you give, the more your audience
will connect with you.
Be aware of your body language.
I've seen CEOs tap their fingers or swivel in their chairs -- nervous habits that are
distracting. I've seen high-level executives touch their face, pat their hair, or fidget
with a their glasses or a pencil -- all signs of insecurity. Sit up straight, with your
legs crossed or planted on the floor and keep your hands folded in your lap. Assume the camera is on you at all times. Recently a business owner (Guest # 1) was interviewed on a local talk show. When the host turned to speak to another guest (Guest # 2), it was clear that Guest # 1 assumed he was off camera, and could relax. However, as Guest # 2 was speaking, the camera returned to Guest # 1, to get his reaction to what was being said. As soon as Guest # 1 saw himself on the television monitor in the studio, he started straightening his tie and smoothing his hair; in other words, he started preening. And that's exactly what everyone watching at home saw, too: this man preening!
Watch what you wear. Avoid
all black, all white, all red, and busy patterns. Solid colors with a colorful accessory
(tie, blouse, scarf) work best on camera. Avoid shiny or noisy jewelry. Wear glasses if
you do so normally.
Look directly at the interviewer.
Don't be concerned about "finding" the camera; the camera will find YOU. Just
look straight at the host.
It ain't
over till it's over. When your interview segment is finished, assume your
microphone is still ON. A talk show interviewed a prominent chief operating officer for a
30-minute segment. When the interview ended, they
thanked him for coming; then the music faded up and the credits started to roll. The show
was over, right? Not quite. The guest leaned over to me and said, "That wasn't so bad
after all!" There was only one problem: His microphone was still on!
Take control. When first
contacted by a reporter, ask: Who are they, and what media do they represent? How did they
get YOUR name? What is the focus of the story? What kind of information would be most
helpful? Who else are they interviewing? What is their deadline?
Bridge to your point. If a
question is off the track, answer it briefly, and then quickly bridge to a phrase such as,
"It's also important to point out ..." or "I understand why you think that;
however, the real issue here is ..." or "Your audience should also be aware that
..."and then make your point.
Record your interview. We
advise our clients to tell the reporter it's company policy to record every interview.
This makes it much less likely you will be misquoted, or quoted out of context.
If you
don't know an answer, admit it. And
offer to find someone who does. You might say, "Because I'm not entirely sure about
that, I wouldn't want to say something that would mislead your audience," or
"That's interesting, Bob, but that's not my area of expertise. I'm more familiar with
the subject of ..." Expect
the unexpected. One of my clients was recently scheduled to appear on a local talk
show. Upon arriving at the studio, he was ushered to the anchor desk, where a microphone
was clipped to his lapel, powder was dusted on his face, and the host introduced him
on-camera to the audience just before a commercial break. However, during that break, word
suddenly came in that an earthquake had just hit Columbia, South America. The show
producer made a split-second decision to drop the interview, and broadcast pictures of the
disaster (being fed into the newsroom via satellite) instead. As soon the host reappeared
on camera, she began with "This just in ..." My client never did get interviewed
that day. But, he was invited back. Moral of the story: News is always breaking; go with
the flow.
Watch out for the red herring.
A reporter said to a company president, "So, I hear you're laying off 20 percent of
your work force." The president quickly replied, "No, no, it's only 10 percent
." Only then did he realize he hadn't intended to reveal even that number. The
reporter set the trap; the company president got caught.
Never badmouth anyone. If you
do, you can be sure THAT is what will lead the news!
Show your appreciation. If
the reporter did a fair job, let them know it. Hardly anyone writes thank you notes
anymore; you'll set yourself apart if you do. And such a note increases the likelihood
that the next time the reporter needs a "source" for a story on your industry,
you will get the call. The
bottom line on TV interviews: At best, your television appearance will enhance
your own and your company's reputation. As one CFO recently told me, "That favorable
report on the news last night gave us the kind of credibility money can't buy." At
worst, your television appearance can deteriorate into a public relations nightmare.
It all depends
on how prepared you are. |
