So you landed your first TV appearance. Congratulations to you! If you’re like most of my clients, you’re a combination of excited and frightened. This is normal because you want to do well. To help you feel prepared, here are some tips I offer to my clients who are going on TV for the first few times, until it becomes old hat to them.

General Success Tips

• Nothing is ever off the record. Always assume you are being recorded. I had a doctor on TV once who was saying negative things about another profession after they put his mike on! I had to ask the camera crew if they were filming yet and thankfully they were not. Let’s just say he never made that mistake again!
• When the interview is over, stay on the set until the interviewer, producer or host tells you that the interview is over. They may fade out or keep broadcasting the “after the interview” chit chat you on the set. Don’t “run” off the set in nervous fit on a live show being broadcast.
• When giving out a web site address or phone number, do it twice if you can and do it slowly.

Tips for Delivering Your Message

• Have up to three main points prepared. These are your talking points. Steer the anchor’s questions back to your talking points. You may only get one chance to get your points across. If you have another opportunity, reiterate your points again. It’s important to repeat your core messages as many times as possible.
• Sometimes the interviewer will ask a multi-part question. Answer the part that gets you straight back to your three main points.
• Be conversational – don’t memorize.
• No matter what happens, stay calm and keep your message clear. Keep going back to your three main points.
• If you are doing a taped show or interview, it’s OK stop and start over.
• Being sarcastic doesn’t do you any favors. It never reads well on TV.
• Speak just a tad more slowly than usual. The tendency is to speak quickly, but speaking slowly reads much better on camera. Speak with enthusiasm and energy by speaking slightly louder than normal.
• Avoid sounding monotone by altering your pitch and tone.

Body Language Matters

• Use excellent posture. Even slightly poor posture reads horribly on TV!
• As the anchor is speaking into the camera to set up your segment, gaze at them with a pleasant smile on your face. Do not stare at the camera or at the floor as you are trying to remember your talking points. Assume the camera is broadcasting you from the start.
• If you are sitting, lean forward 10-15 degrees toward the interviewer.
• Smile! It will help you relax as well as project confidence and help you win over your audience. Think of this as a conversation with the anchor.
• Don’t be stiff! Move your head, your hands and your body. Use natural hand gestures that don’t distract.
• If you are standing for your interview, stand with your feet parallel, but with one foot about four inches in front of the other – almost as if you are taking a step on the high-wire. This makes you unable to shift your weight from side to side. Bend your knees slightly so you don’t feel faint! Or actually faint!

What (Not) to Wear

• Avoid patterns like florals, plaids, dots, stripes, checks, etc. Solids are best.
• Bright colors translate well. White does not as it has a glowing effect. Black is very harsh and tends to sucks up all the light. Some people say red is too harsh as well. I’m not so sure about that one. I guess it depends on the set.
• Avoid big dangling jewelry and stacked bracelets – it can distract the viewer from your message. Worse yet, it can make distracting noises during your interview.
• If you wear glasses, by all means wear them in the interview. If you plan to be on TV a lot, consider investing in glare-proof glasses.
• Wear stage makeup. If you don’t know what this is, do some research online or go to your favorite makeup counter (men – you too!) but basics include wearing a heavier than normal foundation, highlighting your eyes and more prominent blush and lipstick. However, avoid looking like a clown. Unless you are actually a clown.
• Apply translucent powder to your nose, forehead and face just before going on TV so you don’t look shiny. Men – if you do nothing else for makeup, do this one thing!
• You will be “miked,” meaning they will put a microphone on your body. To make this as easy as possible, wear something that makes it easy for them to clip the battery pack to you. Pants or a skirt are ideal. A dress without a belt makes it really difficult and you’ll have to shimmy the microphone up your dress in the green room in front of the camera crew!

Last – Thank them! It’s fine to send an email or hand-written letter thanking them for having you on. In fact, it’s a great way to stand out from the crowd because most people don’t do this. You may feel so grateful for being on TV that you want to leave them a gift. Most media outlets have rules against that because they don’t want it seem as if guests pay them for the exposure. You do not need to leave gifts. A thank you note would be very welcomed, though.

 

© 2015 Meredith Liepelt, Rich Life Marketing