Media Interview Tips: Before An Event

How exciting!  You’ve been asked to be interviewed!
BREATHE!

Here are a few tips to help you BEFORE THE EVENT:

Avoid all dairy products, fresh or dehydrated (milk, cheese, cream, coffee creamer).
Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages, before and during. Do not even have a drink in your hand.
Avoid eating nuts and seeds, as these can stick in your teeth and dislodge, causing you to choke.
Drink room temperature water, or warm water/tea/decaf coffee, to keep your vocal chords open and loose.

Drink water the night before and morning of.
Eat green vegetable to lower your stress, even 3-4 days in advance (broccoli, cucumber, snap peas).
Anticipate the type of questions you are likely to get… or questions others have been asked in the past.
Research timely statistics, recent changes, updates and current events.

Prior to the interview, establish two to four talking points, ready stay on point and organized.
If the journalist doesn’t cover those talking points during the interview, there will generally be time at the end.

Prepare two or three key points you want to interject during the interview.
(You can often do this even if the specific questions are not about these points.)

Dress appropriately for the event, venue and topic. Always professionally.

Mentally, emotionally prepare yourself. Say positive affirmations out loud to yourself.
“I am calm, assertive, professional and knowledgeable.”

-Sheryl Roush, Speaker, Coach
Sparkle Presentations, Inc.Public Speaking and Media Interview Skills trainer since 2000 for the award-winning cheer and dance team, the San Diego Charger Girls. She also coached Melissa Adams, to be featured on Good Morning America, as a cheerleader who is 85% hearing impaired, January 2012.