How to Make Your First Radio Interview a Success

A radio interview can give you some anxious moments. The audience is not visible to you and they can only hear your voice so their perception of your competence is the reality they take away.

However, that shouldn’t deter you from putting your best foot, or rather, your best voice forward! Here are some tips to help you make your first radio interview a success.

How to Prepare for a Radio Interview

Prepare and Plan Ahead

You’re unlikely to get a list of questions – journalists guard their editorial integrity very carefully – this is not a collaboration! However, it’s a good idea to try and get a steer on how the interview might start so you know the areas you will be quizzed about.

Keep Your Notes Near You

Keep a notepad close to you with one or two themes or bullet points you wish to get across. This can help you when the questions are outside your comfort zone and you need to bring it back to your media training strategy. Keep a pen or pencil handy to make quick notes that you want to speak about later in the interview.

Check Your Mic Position

If you are still new to radio interviews, you need to make sure your mic is placed in a convenient position. Adjust your seat and mic well before the interview commences. You should be around 6 inches from the mic.

Listen to the Interviewer

Listen carefully to the interviewer and try to understand the question completely before you start responding. Your role is to acknowledge the reporter’s question and then to loop back to the main points you wish to make.

Be Friendly and Open in Your Answers

You must sound friendly when you answer the questions. Being too formal or using technical language may go over the head of the audience. Use informal, everyday words – which are jargon free – that your audience can relate to the first time they hear it.

Don’t Lose Your Patience

It’s not personal! This is a transaction and the presenter may ask you questions that you are not comfortable answering. Recognise that reporters are there to scrutinise the strength of your argument so questions can sometimes get a little tricky to negotiate. Your agenda is more important than the reporters, so make sure you stick to it.

Relax

You need to relax during the interview. Gather your thoughts. Drink some water if you feel your mouth or throat is getting dry.

Say Your Message Clearly

Ultimately what matters is how clear you are with your messaging. Emphasise important words and make sure you creatively rework and recycle your central ideas in order to narrow the focus and leave the audience with a clear idea as to why you were there. Devolving responsibility to those listening to sift and process a ‘buffet’ of different responses may mean you have lost control.

Keep to the point

CoComms offers media interview training courses for corporates and individuals. Contact us today on 0121 682 6223 to know more about mastering the media and the courses we offer!sometimes get a little tricky to negotiate. Your agenda is more important than the reporters, so make sure you stick to it. Relax You need to relax during the interview. Gather your thoughts. Drink some water if you feel your mouth or throat is getting dry. Say Your Message Clearly Ultimately what matters is how clear you are with your messaging. Emphasise important words and make sure you creatively rework and recycleyour central ideas in order to narrow the focus and leave the audience with a clear idea as to why you were there. Devolving responsibility to those listening to sift and process a ‘buffet’ of different responses may mean you have lost control.Keep to the point. CoComms offers media and interview training for corporates and individuals.Connect with us to know more about mastering the media.