Would you like to get yourself on TV & Radio as an expert but don’t know where to start? Here are some guidelines to help you take the plunge and be booked for an interview!
Make sure people know you are up for media interviews. Tell your team/boss that you’re prepared to be a spokesperson. Contact your organisation’s press office if you have one. At the same time, you can do a bit of legwork yourself by calling your local radio & TV stations and telling them who you are and your area of expertise.
Get yourself out doing things that will get you noticed. Give yourself as much publicity as you can online by tweeting, blogging, vlogging, commenting. Speak at events that might get mentioned in newspapers, newsletter or publications. Find your local media association -most large cities have something. Get to their networking events so you meet the media people, programme makers & journalists where you live. They’re far more likely to book you if they’ve met you.
Make friends with the news correspondents that specialise in your area of expertise. Are you are surgeon? Then find out who the local and national health correspondents are across all media outlets and get in touch.
Keep an eye on the news – locally and nationally. If you spot a story coming up that touches on your area of expertise – don’t wait for them to come to you. Give the newsroom a ring and offer yourself. Ask to speak to the News Editor or news planner. They’ll be grateful they won’t have to spend half a day tracking someone down!
Be prepared to say yes whenever someone asks you. Media organisations do expect you to drop everything to be interviewed NOW. You’re much more likely to get on if you can be available and flexible. And even if it’s not quite the gig you were hoping for, it will be good experience.
Remember journalists want the best out of you. As an expert, you’re rarely there to be challenged or to defend something. Your role is to help the viewers understand something more clearly, put events into context and make a complex subject relatable and engaging.
And finally – you’re always more likely to know more than the person asking you the questions so don’t worry about needing to know everything. Just be clear about what are you are and are NOT prepared to talk about.
Coming next time –been booked for an interview? I’ll give you a rundown on how to prepare to be your best before you go on-air.
