“Is this going to be on-camera?”
It’s a question we hear from clients all the time. There’s a panic in the ask—a hope this will be a simple phone interview. But often, it means being in front of the camera for a live or taped interview. Interviews are usually great, free opportunities to talk about your organization and we wouldn’t want our clients to miss out on them just because they aren’t comfortable on camera. Here are a few tips that might make the process a little less intimidating.
You’re not “bad” on camera
This is more of a statement than a tip, but it’s true! As an observer of hundreds of interviews over the years, the presence of a camera has much less of an effect on people than they think. No one suddenly develops a new speaking cadence or completely forgets how to talk about their organization. As long as you’re relaxed, that will convey on camera and you can avoid becoming a viral news blooper.
Silence is Golden (even if it’s awkward)
To avoid saying too much, don’t fall into the trap of silence. Reporters are taking their cue from you to see if you’re done answering a question. You might be tempted to keep going after you’ve answered the question completely because the reporter hasn’t immediately said anything in response. When you’re done with your sentence, do your best to wait a few seconds and let the reporter jump in. Push through the awkward silence. It’s better than saying something to fill the void that you wouldn’t want in the final cut!
Know your key messages (but don’t over-prepare)
If you watch TV news, you’ll notice the soundbites (TV term for quotes), are on the shorter side. The ideal soundbite length is 8-15 seconds – not a lot of time! This is why knowing your key messages is crucial. They shouldn’t sound rehearsed or scripted, but they should be concise and relevant to the interview. Interview questions are open-ended, and depending on the situation, sometimes this will be the reporter’s first time engaging with you and your organization. Know how to talk about what you do and why it matters in a way that even if it’s cut down to 15 seconds, the audience will have learned something about your organization.
Never skip this question
At the end of the interview, a reporter will typically ask, “Do you have anything else to add?” The answer is yes! This is a free space to talk about something coming up with your organization, a relevant note about the topic that didn’t come up in the interview, or you can use that time to make a call to action. There’s never going to be an interview so comprehensive that you have nothing else to add. You can even reinforce an answer from earlier in the interview. Saying it twice will increase its chances of getting into the final story.
Bring backup
Whether you have PR on staff or use an agency, make sure your public relations person is there for the interview. At Barefoot, we do it all – necessary last looks for hair, outfit and teeth, and more importantly, follow up with the reporter for facts or stats that came up in the interview or to suggest any additional questions or talking points at the end of the interview. If doing an on-camera interview feels intimidating, it makes a world of difference to have an advocate just out of frame for support.
The bottom line – you’re going to be great on camera. You are your harshest critic and you’re not alone in wishing you’d phrased something differently or said “um” less. But remember, by making yourself available for these interviews, you’re fostering good relationships with the local media, increasing your organization’s visibility and creating opportunities for future stories.
Could you or your company benefit from media training with Barefoot PR? Reach out to us!
Written by Carlie McGuire, Senior Associate at Barefoot PR