Landing a media interview of any kind is an exciting experience for authors and business owners. Whether it’s a podcast, radio, television, or print publication, being a featured expert can boost book sales and help your professional resumé shine.
As an author myself, I have learned many, many lessons the hard way. The following are a few of my most memorable media foibles. I hope these real-life experiences help you avoid making similar mistakes.
That Time I Sent a Press Release and Then Went to the Mall
After quitting my Silicon Valley job in 2003 and opening a brick-and-mortar bookstore in Sacramento, California, I sent out my very first press release to local media outlets. The goal was to let them know about the store in hopes we would get some coverage. I studied how to properly format a press release, sent it out to a dozen local media outlets, and then went to the mall to do some shopping.
An hour later, I was in the dressing room at a department store and my cell phone rang. It was a reporter from the local Business Journal. She had received my press release (yay!) and had a series of questions for me. I never expected to receive a call so quickly realized I was completely unprepared.
While I had read up on how to write a press release, I hadn’t educated myself on how to handle an actual media interview. I fumbled my way through the 10-minute conversation, apologizing for my lack of preparation, and hoping I hadn’t completely blown the opportunity.
Thankfully, the reporter got enough information to write a lovely story about the store and how I’d left a career behind to take a huge risk. Several weeks later, that same reporter surprised me and visited the store. It turned out she shared my love of all-things books. Despite my rookie mistakes, we made a friendly connection and in the following years, she reached out and interviewed me for several local business stories.
In retrospect, I am deeply grateful I got to practice being interviewed by a newspaper reporter because had that been a live interview on television or radio, it would have been a disaster.
That experience taught these lessons:
- Always be prepared when the media calls. I should have anticipated questions and prepared talking points, which is what I do today when I do any kind of media outreach.
- You can establish relationships with reporters and other media professionals, even after bumbling your way through an interview.
- Reporters need sources to interview. Read any news article and there are generally at least one or two experts quoted. Being an author makes you an instant AUTHORity in your field, and when you establish rapport with a reporter, chances are good they will reach out again in the future.
That Time I Forgot to Check My Voice Mail
Several years back, my son and I both stayed home with colds. I had intended to keep up on a few work items that day, but instead I napped on the couch while he watched TV. I noticed I missed some calls on my phone, but didn’t bother to check voice mail. I allowed myself a sick day at home, something I’ve never done often.
Can you guess what happened while I was nodding off to the sounds of Barney the purple dinosaur singing those ridiculous songs that looped incessantly in my head for years?
I missed a call from a New York Times reporter.
I didn’t listen to the message until the next morning. The reporter said he wanted to ask me some questions about a business article he was writing. I didn’t wait ten seconds to dial his number and return the call, and I was relieved when he answered immediately.
“Oh, sorry,” he said, “I didn’t hear back from you and had to find another source. The article was due yesterday.”
Of course it was. It’s a newspaper that churns out dozens of stories each day. There was nothing I could do about it. The opportunity evaporated.
The lesson from this one is clear: Answer the phone and check voice mail often, especially when actively doing any media outreach. Reporters and producers move at lightning speed and will find someone else if you’re not immediately available.
That Time I Did My First TV Interview
Back in 2008 when the recession was headline news nearly every day, I frequently wrote blog posts and articles about how small businesses could keep thriving, despite the grim economic forecast. I even printed buttons that declared, “I reject the recession!” and handed them out when speaking at events. All this pontificating led to several media outlets reaching out for interviews, including Sunrise 7, a popular morning show in Australia.
The producer said they wanted to interview me about how the recession was impacting small businesses in the United States. They contracted with a local media studio where I was sent to sit in front of a backdrop of a California skyline and share my economic wisdom as a business owner.
As soon as we went live, I froze. I’m certain I had that unmistakable deer in the headlights look, though I never watched the video back because I was mortified by the whole experience. I’ve never been so terrified. (And I was once held up by a robber wielding a machete! But that’s a story for another time.)
Fortunately, I wasn’t the only interviewee. There were two others streaming in from other countries, and after I answered exactly one question, they never came back to me with any more questions. I don’t blame them. I was an awful guest.
The big lesson here was that I needed to get training and remove that paralyzing fear of being on camera. Soon after, I went through formal media training, which was challenging, yet incredibly valuable. I practiced interviews on camera and watched the videos back. It wasn’t fun, but it was an essential skill that has since served me well.
A year later I participated in a media tour on behalf of a large corporate sponsor who hired me to represent an initiative they were promoting for small businesses. I was sent to a hotel suite a few miles from my home at 3 A.M. California time. Over a 4-hour period, I delivered over twenty interviews with various radio and television shows, including a live television broadcast on CBS MarketWatch. Thanks to media training, and a lot of caffeine, I was well-prepared and delivered all the interviews successfully.
That Time I Felt Comfortable Being Interviewed
Getting training and plenty of practice has made me really comfortable with media interviews of all kinds. If you aspire to schedule interviews with podcasts, radio, television, or print publications, I wholeheartedly recommend doing the same. This is how we gain confidence while we also grow professionally.
Do you want to learn more about finding and conducting media interviews?
Be sure to check out our popular Publicity Master Course, led by professional publicist Joanne McCall. The lessons learned here will serve you for many years to come!
