10 tips to help you ace a media interview

Here are 10 tips that will prevent you from stumbling and making a poor impression in your next interview:

1. Make a plan for the interview.

What would you like to see in the resulting media coverage? What two or three key messages do you want to relay?

If you go into an interview and just answer questions without a thought for what you want the audience to know, you yield control of the interview to the journalist. Be prepared and know in advance what your goals are for the interview.

2. Ask the question you want to answer.

Don’t wait for the reporter to ask the question you want to answer. She might not ask it. Instead, segue into the topic you want to discuss. For example:

3. Avoid technical answers.

When you talk above people’s heads, you drive them away. Answer as simply as possible, and without jargon.

4. Stick to what the reporter asks and what you want to say.

There’s no need to volunteer additional information. This goes back to planning what your goals are for the interview. You should know what you’d like to communicate from the start, and stick to that information as much as possible.