Marketing with Mandy ~ Tips on Doing LIVE Radio Interviews
Marketing with Mandy ~ Tips on Doing LIVE Radio InterviewsThere may come a time when you, as an author, find yourself committed to doing an interview on the radio. Many feel they can handle a LIVE interview with no trouble. That may be. It never hurts to be prepared. Nerves can get the best of us and it’s always good to have a plan ready.
Since I host an internet radio show with Michelle Pillow, I’ll use Raven Radio as an example. When you’re a guest, you call in from a phone to do the LIVE interview with us. Make sure you’re not calling in from a cell phone. It’s easy for calls to be dropped and for the reception to be low. If you sound crackly on the phone to me, you will sound exactly like that on air as well. Avoid using a speakerphone or Bluetooth like options—while those headsets work great while driving, they don’t exactly shine through on air. If you have call waiting, shut it off prior to calling in. There is nothing worse than the pauses in conversation because someone is trying to beep through. The same goes for disruptions in the background. Be sure you’re calling from a quiet spot.
While its important to be prepared, having notes in front of you, or your blurb handy, anything that may help you on the fly, its also important to not sound like you’re reading from a script. The opposite end of the spectrum is rambling. It happens to the best of us. (I know what you’re thinking—hey, lady, what the hell can I do then?)It’s simple. Strike a fine balance.
If you’re prone to rambling when nervous (Trust me, when it hits you that not only is the interview live but that it will be available as an mp3 in podcast form for thousands of listeners—forever immortalized in cyber land—the urge to ramble will be there.)
Tips to avoid rambling:
• Be prepared: note cards, your website(s) pulled up in front of you for quick reference, blurb handy, book handy (I send a show outline to guests prior to the show so they can glance at it and get a feel of what is happening when).
• Avoid using filler words such as and, umm, but, well…. No. I don’t mean you can’t ever say them just don’t use them as a bridge to nowhere. You know what I mean, when you’re stumped or when your mind is refusing to cooperate and agree with your tongue (happens to me all the time). By using filler words you’re tying the interviewer’s hands, leaving them the choice of letting you continue to ramble or cutting you off when it sounds as if you might say more. That makes them look rude and they’ll often avoid doing it. That means you’re left rambling. LOL.
• If you’re asked a question either by the interviewer or a listener who calls, don’t hedge your way through it or go all “clinical”. I have images of “Bueller? Bueller? Anyone? Anyone?” in my head. Monotone and/or way too clinical doesn’t win you points for being smart. It makes the audience sound you out.
Also, yes, you’re on the show to pump your book but it’s not a commercial. Find a happy medium with talking about your book, yourself and going with the flow of the topic. For Raven, we’ll often prompt authors, encouraging them to talk about their book, themselves, interests and so on depending upon time. We’re also fairly good at steering the conversation to help blend into whatever the topic of the day of the show is. I’m sure this is the case with most hosts.
Know how long your slotted time is. When that time limit nears, be prepared to wrap up your portion. Normally, we’ll guide you. When your time is ended and all the thanks yous have been said, go ahead and hang up.
Radio is just one more marketing tool to spread the word about yourself and your book. Taking the time to prepare and simply exhaling deeply before starting will lead to a happy and hopefully fun experience.
Hope this Marketing with Mandy was helpful!
Until next time…..
