Given how cameras are literally everywhere these days, it makes sense for your utility’s executives and anyone else who represents it to know how to act when in front of them.
Media training is a staple for many public relations firms, which often charge a lot of money for the service. Yet there’s no secret sauce in how to perform in front of a camera and microphone. You can even do it yourself if your budget doesn’t allow for outside PR counsel.
Let’s look at a few basics.
Don ’t move your hands around
You may have never noticed, but it’s human nature for people to “talk” with their hands. In most situations, that’s fine, but on camera, it’s a distraction.
If you’re standing during an interview, keep your arms at your side, but try not to look like a robot. If you’re seated, put your hands together, placing them on a desk or your lap.
Dress for success
For women, consider a solid-colored business suit. Stay away from floral or patterned clothing. Keep jewelry to a minimum; small earrings or a muted necklace is fine. Light can reflect off larger items and be distracting.
Men should wear a dark-colored suit without a pattern. Pair it with a plain white or blue shirt and a tie with a muted pattern. Stripes and plaids don’t “translate” well on camera, nor do excessively bright colors.
There are times when less formal clothing is acceptable or warranted. If you’re in the field (perhaps surveying storm damage), a golf shirt with the company logo and khakis is fine.
Your body talks
Mind your mother: Stand up or sit up straight, although you don’t have to pretend that you’re a soldier in basic training.
Look directly at the interviewer during interviews – not the camera. You can blink, although excessively blinking can be equated with dishonesty.
Appear interested in the topic. You don’t have to be like Jimmy Fallon fawning over his guests, but have a little pep in your step.
When you speak, slow down. Most people have a natural tendency to speak more rapidly. Compensate for that.
Words can be your friends, or not
This isn’t easy and may require some practice, but try to reduce how often you say “uh” or “ah” or things such as “you know” or “like.” Also, avoid meaningless verbs like “very” or “really.”
If you need to collect your thoughts, a short pause is far better than an “uh ” or “ah.”
Prep work
Never go into an interview unprepared. You probably already know what you’re going to be asked about, so be ready for it.
Prepare a list of potential questions and formulate your answers. Then practice the responses.
Lights, camera, interview
Unless you’re going on “60 Minutes,” most interviews are going to be short. Learn to speak in “sound bites,” which are short bursts that encapsulate what you’re talking about. Answer questions in under 10 seconds if you can. Reporters can always ask follow-up questions if they want details.
Avoid industry jargon. Speak in plain terms.
Use small words that everyone knows.
And repeat after me: Never lie on camera. It can come back to haunt you.
If you don’t know the answer to a question, tell the interviewer that you’ll get back to them with the information sought. Then make sure that you do it.
While lying is bad, speculating isn’t much better. Stick to known facts, the more concrete the better. Saying that 22,000 homes are out of power within a five-mile radius is OK; saying that 21,963 homes are out of power in a specific neighborhood is even better.
After the interview concludes, don’t assume it’s over. Keep your guard up and don’t say things off the cuff that could find their way into print or on the air. In other words, don’t go off the record no matter how well you know the reporter.
That doesn’t mean that any time you go into an interview you assume that the reporter is out to get you. Reporters mostly are just looking for information about whatever the topic du jour is.
If interviews make you uncomfortable, consider recording a practice interview or two. A cellphone camera will suffice. By watching yourself, you’ll be able to spot the things that you do that you shouldn’t.
If you follow these tips, then the chances for an effective interview increase exponentially. By appearing confident and self-assured, you improve the odds even more.
en more.