Hints for Conducting Telephone Interviews for Radio Shows
Performances on radio talk or news shows are the workhorses of book-promotion activities. With radio as part of your communication plan, you can reach hundreds, thousands or millions of people at little or no cost. You can even sell some books, if you do it right.
Most radio shows are conducted over the telephone, from any place in which there is a good connection, no background noise and where you can talk uninterrupted for the length of the show. Telephone interviews provide inexpensive exposure because the producer will usually call you. Here are several guidelines to make telephone interviews more effective:
- As you agree upon the time and date with the producer, confirm your time zone. The producer may say he or she will call you at 3:00, but is that 3:00 p.m. in your time zone?
- Do not use cellular telephones and do not ask the station to call you on a line with call waiting. Similarly, this is not the time to impress your friends by having them listen to you on an extension or speaker phone.
- Have a specific area set aside for telephone interviews, one in which you can keep your notes, books and pad handy. Unplug nearby phones if they are on a different line.
- Nobody will say, “You’re on the air,” so always assume the microphone is hot (live).
- Your host may want to give the audience the impression that you are in the studio. He or she may say, “Here with us today is Brian Jud, author of the media-training video program You’re On The Air.” Take the hint and do not make comments such as, “How’s the weather out there?”
- While you are on hold, either before you begin the interview or during a break, you will hear the station’s regular programming. Listen for key points to which you can refer later. On long shows, the host may talk to you during the break to plan what you will discuss during the next segment.
- Give your ears a rest. Alternate the telephone from one ear to the other during lengthy segments. If you have a speakerphone, engage it during the breaks only.
- Before a long show starts, ask when breaks will occur and how long each will be. Listen for the show’s theme music, which will usually start at low volume and increase as it leads to the break. Close your answer as the music begins.
- Keep water nearby and drink it generously, but only during breaks so the sound of your swallowing is not heard on the air (and if the water goes down the wrong pipe, your coughing will not interfere with your interview).
- Keep your list of questions and answers in front of you. Refer to it regularly and make notes as you speak.
- After two or three shows in one day, you may begin to wonder if you are repeating yourself. Make notes as you speak to remind yourself of what you said earlier.
- Write the host’s name phonetically at the top of your note pad and use it during the show. Do the same with people who call in top ask you a question during the show.
- Sit in a comfortable, quiet chair. If you gesture frequently, try standing as you speak. Keep your head high to open your breathing passages; relax your jaw muscles and you will speak more clearly.
- Do not schedule telephone interviews too closely together. Invariably, one will be delayed due to an unpredictable event, perhaps impinging on the time allocated to another show.
- Rarely will you get bumped (canceled on short notice), but it can happen. If so, be polite and reschedule your show for another time.
- At the end of the show, you will get the chance to tell the listeners where they can find your book. If your toll-free number spells out a word, give both the pronunciation and the numbers.
If you are thorough in your preparation, you will alert your host to your potential as an interesting guest. You both will be relaxed, and the interview will be conducted between two professionals, both trying to create an interesting, informative and entertaining show to meet their respective objectives. When this occurs, you will be asked back to repeat your performance.
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Brian Jud is an author and book-marketing consultant helping publishers market and promote their books to increase their sales and profits. His firm also sells other publishers’ books to special markets. Brian is a media trainer, frequent speaker at publishing events and host of the online Publisher’s Bookstore listing many discounted titles on publishing, publicity, planning, marketing, publishing law, design and writing. Visit his blog at blog.bookmarketing.com and contact Brian at P. O. Box 715, Avon, CT 06001; (800) 562-4357; brianjud@bookmarketing.com or go to www.bookmarketing.com
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August 11th, 2009 at 5:13 pm
Brian,
First I wanted to say “thank you” for your insight on this subject. I found every point you made worthy and correct.
However, I do believe that I can present to you a unique perspective on this subject that might not usually be considered.
For the past 27 years, I have been doing morning radio in markets from Los Angeles to Tampa and almost everywhere in between. During that time I have interviewed literally thousands of authors. Everyone from the first-time self-publisher to the likes of Dean Koontz, Janet Evanovich, President Jimmy Carter and Stephen King.
Now, as a first-time author, I find myself on the other side of the interview!
One other suggestion I would offer is before the interview starts, always ask if the interview is going to be live or taped for future broadcast. Live interviews tend to be less “personable” and very quick. Taped interviews usually are longer and give you more opportunity to get deeper into your subject matter.
One of the points that seems to be missing is the need for proper preparation before the interview is even considered.
Forgive me if this is something you have covered elsewhere but I think it’s important for authors to know what they’re up against before their first press release on their book is even drafted.
Radio, particularly morning drive radio, is going through a compression like never before. Hosts are being told more and more to focus on relevant content and to do it faster than ever. Competition for air-time has never been more heated.
You, the author are competing not only with other writers but TV shows, celebrities, movies, local and international news, weather, traffic and in most formats, an increased focus on “play more music” being preached to them from the higher-ups.
To put it simply, more people than ever are vying for less time than ever.
Unlike many morning drive hosts, I always took an active role in deciding which authors we would interview and those we would not. Each and every pitch for an interview that came to my morning show came directly to me, not my producer. On any given day, I would have at least a dozen press kits sitting on my desk, each one worthy of airtime. That is most certainly the exception to the rule.
As a would-be writer, I have nothing but the utmost respect for anyone who has been successful in reaching the goal of publishing and I treat all with due respect.
The plain and simple fact is when your press kit lands on a producers desk, you have less than ten seconds to make an impact.
When you write your opening, if they read past the first two sentences, you’re doing better than 99% of the rest.
But what’s the criteria for a good interview candidate? Sadly, this is no iron-clad answer but I would like to share some of my thoughts.
First and foremost, I have to ask myself “Does my audience want (or need) to hear about this?” If there is the slightest hesitation in my answer, that usually means no. It doesn’t always have to do with subject matter either. For example, my audience may not be interested in hearing about international political climates but given that it’s former president Carter telling us about it makes it a very worthy interview!
As a morning show host, you should know who your audience is, their likes, dislikes etc. I know my audience would not necessarily like to hear about the occult but they are fascinated by Lauri Lowenstein who has written several books on dream interpretation.
Do your homework. Know who the decision makers of a particular program are and address them personally. Any press kit that comes to “Producer: Morning Show XXXX-FM” or anything that generic, usually goes to the bottom of the stack. That’s just the way it is. Go to the station’s web site, read up on the programs. Get a feel of who these people are and determine if what you have to share with them is a good fit.
During this entire process remember; the producer/talent are always asking the question “Why should I give up my air time for you?” Have a good answer.
Don’t immediately dismiss a morning show because of their music format. One of our favorite recent interviews (on a Country radio station) was an interview with Gene Simmons of KISS.
Another important criteria is very simple; “Is it going to be fun?”
People want to be entertained when they’re listening to the radio. Yes, information is important but the one resounding desired feature in a favorite radio program or host is the “fun” factor.
Yes, there are subjects that just cannot be made light of, but if you can find a way to make it a bit less heavy, please!
Something to keep in mind when you are doing your interviews…chances are about 90% of the time, the people who are interviewing you have not only NOT read your book, they haven’t even seen it.
Most interviewers will just ask questions based on the material you send them. You’ll recognize who those types are when you start to notice the questions are almost all exactly the same in the same sequence. I wish there was an easy way to get them to change those ways, but you can’t…don’t be offended, just roll with it.
When asked by authors what the most important aspect is in the interview process for radio, I tell them to do your homework before you even send in your pitch. Do something to try and stand out, get creative. Get clever.
One of the things that has always impressed me about some writers and publicists are the ones who keep an eye (or ear) on current events and come up with way to relate their book to those events.
For example, a good friend of mine (David Luppino) wrote a book on his hobby, his life’s passion, cycling. Being a cyclist myself I read the book, loved it but never booked the interview. In my opinion, there wasn’t enough interest from my audience in bicycling and I couldn’t justify giving up the airtime.
Then last summer, he sends me a one sheet that tied in his book’s subject matter (American tourists following the Tour De France) with the announcement that Lance Armstrong was coming out of retirement.
I knew given David Luppino’s expertise on the subject that I would have a great interview from a local writer on a subject that was at the time THE biggest news story of the week.
Take the time and pay attention to what’s hot and ask “How does my book relate to this?” If you drop a relevant story into the hands of a producer that makes them look great AND promotes your book, that’s a win-win.
One other random thought and then I will stop…I promise…
This is SO quirky but before you submit your pitch for an interview, try to find out if the person you are pitching is a “print” type or “email” type.
Me, I’m a “print” type. I like to look at the book and get a feel for it before I read the materials you sent me. Send me an email and it gets buried in the tons of email I already receive.
My producer, Melissa is an “email” type. She just wants the nuts and bolts of what you’re pitching sent to her in a short succinct form. Mail her a big press kit and it might as well just go into the pile of stuff to be given away as consolation prizes.
BTW: these aren’t standard terms in the industry, just what I call them
I could go on and on but I’ve gone on too long already!
I am so sorry to ramble on like this but as you can see, this is a very passionate subject for me. I still believe radio is an excellent way for authors to get their message out to the largest audience outside of the internet.
Thank you for addressing this subject.
Skip Mahaffey