8 Essential Radio Interview Tips

by Rich Zeoli, Founder and President of RZC Impact

1. While on radio, it.s easy to get caught up in the idea that thousands of people might be listening to you speak but ignore that and speak directly to the host. Have a conversation with the host and approach it no differently than if the conversation was over a cup of coffee at your local diner. In other words, get over the idea that you are .on radio..


2. Do use the host.s first name. Your goal is to not only give a good interview, your goal is to be asked back or land another interview as a result of this one. The interviewer has a first name so don.t be afraid to use it once in a while during the interview. Try answering a question about your book like .Well Jim, that.s a good question and I would say....


3. Offer something of value. Remember that nobody is really interested in you, they are interested in what you can do for them. So offer them something of value during the interview. Give away a tip or a story found in the book to let your audience in on the secret. The more the audience thinks of you less than an author looking to sell something and more as an expert with something to offer, the more successful you will be.


4. Be yourself. So many people go on radio and try to sound like a radio personality, whatever that means. But the audience can spot a phony a mile away so just be yourself. Use your own voice and speak from the heart. Don.t try to use big words to impress anyone and don.t try to be unusually friendly or energetic unless that is part of your natural personality.


5. When you make a mistake on the air (notice I didn.t say if) just keep going. The beauty of doing a radio interview is that it is in the moment. It.s basic human conversation at its best without flashing lights and pictures of TV. So if you trip on a word or use the wrong word, don.t let it throw you off. Chances are the audience didn.t even notice (unless you are running for national political office of course.)


6. Use a landline if at all possible. I keep an old fashioned landline in my house even though I rarely use it. But it.s there for my radio interviews. Cell phones lose reception and VOIP service will go out in the case of a power outage. So if you think you are going to be doing more than one or two radio interviews, invest in a good old landline.


7. Get a copy of the show. Ask the host or producer if they will be able to provide you a copy of the program and then post that podcast on your website, tweet it, Facebook it, LinkedIn it, the whole nine yards.


8. Have fun. If you aren't having fun, what's the point? So enjoy the moment and be in the moment. Good luck!

Rich Zeoli is Founder and President of RZC Impact, an executive communications firm with areas of expertise in media training, crisis communications, presentation skills training, and public relations. Rich is the author of The Seven Principles of Public Speaking: Proven Methods From a PR Professional, which was published by Skyhorse Publishing in the fall of 2008. For more information, please visit: www.rzcimpact.com.