So you want to come across well in interviews

Speaking on radio, television or in the print media, is one of the most powerful and immediate way of getting your messages across - because people relate to other people and the human interest pushes your story to the front of the queue.

There are different types of interviews: "On location" interviews when the radio reporter or TV crew come to you, "down the line" when the interview is transmitted from location to the studio and interviews over the telephone. They may also be live or edited. Most campaigns do a mixture of on location and telephone interviews both live and edited.

To succeed in the world of media, with its tight deadlines and quick turnover of stories, you need to be prepared. When asked for an interview at short notice, do everything possible to meet the deadline. If you send out a press release have a calm spokesperson available to conduct interviews. Also make your home telephone number available to the media as many radio interviews for example are conducted early in the morning, before your office will be open. If you make the effort you could get onto prime time radio or television - and it’s definitely worth the effort to get our message across!

Find out about the interview, its length and context. Ask about the programme’s target audience ask the interviewer for the questions beforehand (if possible). If you are on a talk show or one of several interview subjects, find out who the other guests are to gauge which message you will need to get across or which opponents you will be up against.

Decide on three or four main points you would like to make. Then prioritise what you will say if you are not able to talk about everything. Keep it Short and Simple (KISS). Practise making these points. Think how to turn a negative question into a positive answer. If you are appearing on TV think about what to wear. Don’t write out a speech or get bogged down by too many facts. If it helps you, then jot down a few main points and phrases!

• Give yourself a pep talk, reminding yourself that you know your subject best.
• Concentrate on getting your main points across.
• Bring them to life with real examples.
• Speak slowly and clearly.
• Remember that unless the show is being recorded live, the broadcast version will almost certainly contain only edited quotes. Short, sharp "sound bites" are more likely to survive the editing process.
• Make sure the ICBL or your campaign gets mentioned at the beginning. If appropriate say what it does and what it stands for in your opening remarks.
• Keep eye contact with the interviewer. Have a conversation with your interviewer - imagine you’re talking to a friend.
• If you don’t know the answer, then say so (don’t lie or make up facts or um and ah!). Remember to limit yourself to what the journalist wants to know - don’t feel compelled to go on if you don’t think it will help your cause.
• Be careful not to let the journalist put words in your mouth and don’t respond to hearsay as this may the reporter’s way of getting an emotive response from you. Never allow untrue statements to go unchallenged.
• Be clear that you do not say things that you do not want to be quoted on. Sometimes journalists make you feel comfortable so that they "get" information that they might not otherwise obtain if the environment is not "friendly". If you are giving information for background only and do not want to be quoted, be absolutely clear to the reporter.
• As a general rule, the "no comment" approach should be avoided, because it alienates people and allows the "other side" to have the final and only say in a story.

Radio is the most immediate medium, so address the needs of radio journalists first, then television, then newspapers. Avoid calling radio journalists in the countdown times - 15 minutes before the hour. The ideal time is about five or ten minutes after the hour, when the bulletin has been read and things have calmed down a little. Resist the temptation to do radio interviews then and there. Give yourself five or ten minutes (at least) for preparation.

• avoid microphone popping - don’t get too close to the microphone or speak into it, but instead speak over it
• never speak on an intercom phone or mobile phone - the sound gets distorted
• when doing a telephone interview don’t speak straight into the mouth piece - keep it a bit away from your mouth and don’t move the phone around because the noise will transfer
• bring it to life - tell a story, talk normally but in an animated and lively way
• assume the expression relating to what you are saying (smile or frown) as this will help your voice to reflect this feeling. For example if you are saying, "We are celebrating the treaty coming into force today. It is a proud moment for us", then smile as you are saying it and your voice will come across as positive.
• Soundbites: use short, catchy phrases, short sentences
• Breathe!

• look the part but be comfortable. For example, wear a suit if appropriate, but don’t wear something that will make you feel ill-at-ease
• don’t wear red, white or stripes as these blur the TV cameras. Pale blue is a good colour.
• Sit comfortably and try not to fidget
• Make eye contact with the interviewer
• Interrupt gracefully or firmly if you disagree with another guest or the interviewer. For example, say "If you’ll allow me to come in here...the facts speak for themselves, there are few cases where minefields have been properly mapped and marked in conventional warfare..."
• Remember that communication is about information and presentation. It is about what you say and how you say it and come across
• Have a last line ready as a concluding statement. If you have nothing further to say, simply repeat your main point.
• Strive to be: credible, clear, warm, professional, yourself
• Practise with your colleagues and ask for feedback from colleagues and the interviewer after an interview.

These interviewers generally fall into a number of categories in relation to the techniques they employ. All are controllable if you adopt the right approach.

The machine gun interviewer

This journalist usually asks multi-point questions in rapid succession, which are designed to confuse. You don’t know where to start.

Approach: firstly do not allow yourself to be flustered (you can only answer one question at a time). Select one question you can deal with and answer it calmly, in a way that allows you to include one of the points you have decided to make in the interview. Then move on to the next question and repeat the process.

The interrupter

This journalist rarely allows you to finish any statement before cutting in with another question, which is a technique that leaves inexperienced interviewees flustered and angry. This proactive style often achieves what it aims to elicit - an angry, emotional outburst.

Approach: always employ the interjection - listen to it, broadly acknowledge it and then return and complete your original point.

The paraphraser

This journalist incorrectly (and often unfairly) re-states everything you have said. Unfortunately, in this scenario, inexperienced interviewees often find themselves agreeing to something they haven’t said.

Approach: first, indicate firmly that their interpretation is wrong. Then proceed to restate your position calmly, giving emphasis to the positive aspects of your case.

The dart-thrower

This journalist usually combines a poisonous statement with a following question. For example, "You obviously don’t care much about your members - why is this issue so important to your campaign?" The barb is ignored in favour of answering the question.

Approach: immediately address the erroneous statement by using the reverse-positive approach. For example, "In fact our members are our priority, and this is reflected in the way we are dealing with this issue now", then proceed to address the question in equally positive terms.

• Have you done your homework on the show/programme/target audience etc?
• Have you written your main points on a card and memorised them beforehand? Concentrate on putting across only a few points, and only one or two telling facts.
• Have you practised to avoid using technical language and jargon, long answers, a "public speaking" tone?
• Did you NOT relax and slump into your chair when the interview was still in progress?
• Did you set the record straight, politely but firmly?
• Did your quotes or "sound bites" survive editing?
• Did you remain calm throughout the interview?

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