How to Give a Stand-Out Media Interview – Video

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Introduction: How to Become a Standout Media Interviewee

This video explains what makes a media interviewee memorable: the ability to engage an audience, deliver a clear message and come across as likeable within seconds. You’ll learn why preparation matters so much, how to shape sharp messages for short interviews and how to use the interviewer’s questions as a platform for what you want to say.

What you’ll learn: Becoming an Effective Media Interviewee

• Why likeability and presence matter in the first few seconds
• How to prepare messages that cut through in a short interview
• Why frontloading and end loading your key points increases impact
• How to compress complex knowledge into clear, concise answers
• How to use the interviewer’s questions to deliver your own messages
• What makes an interview memorable and believable

Summary: Be Likeable, Prepare Hard and Use the Interview to Deliver Your Message

Standout media interviewees engage their audience quickly. Viewers decide in seconds whether they like and believe someone, so presence and warmth matter. Strong interviews are always well prepared. Effective media performers know exactly what they want to say, they’re concise and they structure the interview so their key point appears at the start and again at the end. Because interviews are short, often just a few minutes, you need to compress years of knowledge into simple, relevant messages. A great interview isn’t a Q&A; it’s a chance to use the questions as a platform for the messages you want your audience to remember.

Mini FAQ: Improving Your Media Interview Skills

Why does likeability matter so much?
Audiences decide within seconds whether they trust you. Likeability shapes how your message is received.

How do I get my point across quickly?
Prepare concise messages and place your key point at the start and end.

How do I stay on track during an interview?
Treat the interviewer’s questions as prompts that allow you to deliver your own messages.

How do I make my interview memorable?
Be concise, clear and confident about the one thing you want the audience to take away.

Transcript (edited)

What makes a standout media interviewee is someone who engages with their audience, has something strong to say and is likeable. It takes about three seconds for viewers to decide whether they like someone, and if they don’t, they won’t believe what that person says.

It’s difficult to deliver a standout media interview because you’re asked to compress years of knowledge into a few minutes. The solution is preparation. Great interviewees know exactly what they want to get across. They frontload and end load their key point, because those are the moments people remember most. A successful media interview is concise and centred on one clear message.

From the interviewee’s perspective, a standout interview is one where you use the interviewer’s questions as a platform to communicate your messages to your end audience. That’s what makes the difference.

Suggested Links

• Prepare messages that cut through in media interviews
• Use interview questions as a platform for your message
• Improve likeability and presence on camera
• Structure your media interview for maximum impact

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