No, you're not crazy for rehearsing for your dream broadcast interview

Before I knew it, it happened.  I had been booked for my first-ever broadcast interview.  I was a 21-year-old student at Loyola University New Orleans where I had landed the lead role in a play called "Rain. Some Fish. No Elephants."  So, there I was sitting in the studio for WWOZ-FM.  The air personality who was supposed to interview me didn't show up.  Instead, a personality who had no idea that there was even an interview showed up.  What complicated matters is the fact that "Rain.", as evidenced by the title, is a strange piece of work.  Therefore, there was lots of "splainin'" to do.  The poor guy launched into his break completely clueless!  So, I sat there, ready and nervous, listening to this poor guy fumble around for the words to even introduce the interview.

All I could do is answer his questions, the first of which was, "So, tell me about this play . . . and who are you?"  I'm pretty sure I remember almost sneering at the dude.  "Rain." is a play that has all of these social themes running at the same time packaged into an odd apocalyptic piece.  Not only did I have to explain that the themes of racism, gender inequality, the environment, and class ran throughout this thing, but the guy even asked some off-the-wall question about nuclear war.  I think he had some "Mad Max" thing going through his head, but we didn't have the kind of budget to do that kind of production.  That day, I learned when it comes to any kind of interview to always be prepared.

Business owners, music artists, actors, social advocates, politicians, and many others cannot wait for the opportunity to get on the airwaves to be interviewed by someone the caliber of Larry King.  The problem is many of us are caught flat-footed when the TV camera is on or the radio microphone is open.  That's normal.  You have to be ready to discuss business, so here are some tips that I think can get you ready to shine:

1. Prepare that elevator pitch!  Most broadcast interviews last about 3 to 5 minutes.  With that kind of time, the interviewer only has so much time to help you tell your story or your side of an issue.  Prepare 30 seconds which will give the audience an idea of where you're coming from, even if the questions don't go straight to your point.
2. Find an off-the-wall practice buddy.  I've been in radio for many years and I can tell you that we don't have it all . . . up there.  There is a real possibility that you'll be prepared to talk about your next great event, but the interviewer will have other things in mind.  This is especially true with print journalists, who are very intelligent and will not hesitate to write a story that has almost nothing to do with your interview.  An off-the-wall friend or family member will help you stay on your toes, so that you figure out how to keep the conversation where you want it.  And have a sense of humor, because you'll need it.
3. Record yourself.  It's important to get an idea of what you sound like.  Even a television interview is more about how you sound rather than how you look.  Recording yourself gives you an opportunity to adjust the sound of your voice, the pace of your speech, your articulation, and your grammar.
4. Try to do some homework on your interviewer.  With today's technology, there's a good chance that you will be able to find a video of a television personality or a podcast of a radio personality online.  Get an idea of this person's interview style.  Also, read up on him or her.  There may be something in his or her background that can give you an idea of why he or she interviews a certain way or has a certain view.  For print journalists, take a look at their writing styles.  Get an idea of whether or not the writer has a tendency to editorialize instead of simply report.
5. Write it down!  This is probably the most important point.   Even after being interviewed dozens of times, I still dropped the ball during a very important recent online radio interview.  I was so focused on making profound statements and storytelling in the 15 minutes I had, that I completely missed out making a major point.  For radio and print, referring to written notes is OK.  For television, however, you need to remember that or those written points because looking down on TV is a definite no-no.

Now, that we know how to get ready, let's talk about the kinds of folks who may interview you:

• The smart one.  We all like to get interviewed by smart people.  Even when they ask you questions that trip you up, you appreciate that someone with something between his/her ears did it.  But when you have it together and she or he has it together, it makes the both of you look awesome.
• The questioner.  Some interviewers are obsessed with "getting to the bottom of things" so they either ask really long questions (at least 10 seconds) or they don't let you finish the last answer in order to ask the next question, which may have nothing to do with your last answer.  Sometimes, these are folks who are really into themselves.
• The nervous one.  Rookie broadcast interviewers can be painful to talk to, because it's their big chance and they have a hard time keeping it together . . . on your time.  It's OK.  Make a new friend by smiling throughout the interview to put him or her at ease.  It may be your key to a bigger interview or more frequent interviews down the line.
• The hype man or woman.  You usually have these folks in entertainment radio or television.  Their energy is through the roof (or they're under the influence), and you're there to talk about raising money for disease research.  It just gets weird.  Simply be yourself, have a sense of humor, and give the information with a smile.  If you try to match the energy, you may come off sounding really goofy and trying too hard to keep up.
• The flirt.  This is more of a problem for women, usually, but don't sleep on a flirtatious female interviewer.  The thing here is to stay the course in answering questions.  Smoothly deflect flirtatious comments and keep it moving.  NEVER resort to being rude.  No matter how justified you may be, you still come off sounding or looking like the villain.
• The attacker.  Some interviewers are desperate for that Pulitzer Prize or Emmy Award, and you are in the middle of a nice, juicy controversy.  You are that interviewer's big chance for prominence!  This is where you stick to your points, get firm, and don't take things personally.  There's a chance that after you leave the studio in a flustered state, the attacker will have a nice laugh at your expense, anyway.