If you want more interviews this is for you. What you really want is to give interviews and get invited back. But wait… if you’re scared to death about an interview.. This is still for you! Because girl there’s no better, faster way to increase your reach than an interview. Whether local, regional or national media or a podcast to your niche, interviews are gold.
This episode is essentially part 2 though of a two-parter, maybe 3, because what you really need to know is how to get booked more often so you can show off these new skills.
So we just did it. Gave me a little homework for an additional episode. But this.. Is how to interview and get invited back!
Or have someone listening invite you to speak at their event or on their podcast.
Part 1 was all about your introduction or bio. It’s not the first time I’ve shared this type of content. In fact I have an entire worksheet and other episode that deep dives into how to stop being boring and stand out!
And I’ll tell you this… it’s not just because you’re new at it, experienced professionals make this mistake too. Doctors have never been taught this. Some of the weakest introductions I’ve had are among fitness professionals who are solo entrepreneurs and doctors who are new to PR and marketing to promote themselves.
Give me a shout out
…if you’d like some live training on this. I’m considering doing a half day interview session. We’ll include hot seats where you actually would not just write your bio but you’d have the opportunity to be interviewed and apply your soundbites. Just add a note in the comments at fitnessmarketingmastery.com/give-interviews
Part II is this one, about how to be in the interview with your interviewee having such a good time that they want to have you back before you’ve even left.
Part III I’ll talk about how to get invited in the first place. Like you’re not going to get asked to dance unless you get dressed and go to the dance, you’re not going to get asked unless you’re finding ways to tell people you have something to talk about.
Be Memorable
Be remarkable! Or better yet, retweetable, at one point was the word, but seriously who is on twitter today? You must be able to talk in what we call sound bytes. It’s great for you to be able to embellish on an answer. Definitely no one wants a “yes” or “no” response. That’s not much of a conversation.
Resource: POP!
Soundbites
Soundbytes allow you to be both retweetable (so you’ll be remembered) and to pause. Most likey, your host will repeat your soundbyte. Then your audience hears it again. Win! These are things that become the best social memes too.
What are your soundbytes? Try to write some down. Maybe you mythbust things like:
No pain no gain as I do. My sound bite was no pain, no gain, no way/no brain.
I don’t like SMART goals. I call SMART goals DUMB.
They don’t have to rhyme but it’s nice. They could just be rhythmic. They could have alliteration. I have 10 Tenets of Flipping50® I teach to our students and to our professional students of the Flipping50 Menopause Fitness Specialist course. For instance, Intense Early, Light Late or Restore Before More.
(If you’d like, lmk and I’ll teach you the rest and why we do it. We share these regularly and they’re a part of our core values or tenets like 10 commandments.)
Keep a list of subjects/titles and soundbites you can use so you’re ready at a moment’s notice. PLUS… these are your treasure chest of social media lives when it’s just you!
For great examples of great interviews, register for the What, When & Why to Exercise for Women 40+ summit. Not only will you get nearly 40 examples of how to knock it out of the park on your next interview you’ll get insight into how to help women in midlife balance their hormones with your help.
https://www.flippingfifty.com/womensexercise
Pause
Truly, if you get anything right get this right. I have had two guests on my podcast during 10 years of hosting 2 unique podcasts that have published at least 1 and currently 2 a week…. That’s a lot of podcasts. Two guests stand out as I cringe when one comes on because she’s a runaway horse. She’ll start talking and not pause. The interview was an hour and didn’t need to be. There was too much information, too much overwhelm, and it just wasn’t fun to have a guest come on and rant. No matter how good her content is, and how much I want to have her again, twice might be enough because though warned, she did it again the second time.
The second guest was not even an acquaintance and did something similar. I didn’t air it. It just was a waste of preparation time and recording time for us both.
Remember you’re there to serve. First, the host. Second, The audience. And sometimes there’s a third party depending on who booked you. That could be a PR agency who booked you that you’re paying to do so however, if you do a bad job here it makes their job like starting at square one every time. If you do a good job, every interview you have can help you leverage a bigger interview.
Let me give you an example of wearing different hats in an interview or presentation. Say you are booked for a panel interview. There is an organization paying for the event somehow. There may be a meeting planner who’s job hinges on you making them look good for her boss. And there are audience members, that everyone wants to benefit but your consideration has to be… who hired me and what is the outcome they want for this event?
Then deliver.
When you do give interviews with someone if you run right over the host without doing your homework and knowing what do they promote and what do they stand against, what do they want you to talk about during this interview and what do they not want to talk about during this interview, you won’t be asked again and the interview may never air.
Provide suggested questions
Help your host look good. Confirm you’re on the same page. Don’t give generic questions if you’ve talked about doing something very specific.
I can go anywhere, ask me anything – is one of the least-helpful things you can do to a show host. Yes, they ideally have done their homework. The bigger you are the more that’s true. But if you’re interviewing up, so to speak, then it’s your job to hand the speaker questions that may be good to ask.
When I ask someone for an interview as a host, I have seen them post about something I know my audience needs. Or I’ve heard them speak on content I have questions to ask on my audience’ behalf. I’m going to suggest very clearly THIS is what I want to talk about. I’ll begin drafting the show notes based on that.
I did this for my summit. However, the EA of a speaker may be the one filling out the summit forms and put in standard content answers. If so, I won’t accept and I’ll email back, “Hey, this isn’t quite what we agreed to discuss, this is what we’re talking about, is XXX still okay with that?”
Do your homework. Listen to previous episodes. If I’ve done a Thousand podcast episodes there’s a good chance I’ve talked about or interviewed someone on your topic. Is your angle different? How? Tell me that in your application.
Go give interviews and get asked back!
Resources:
Health & Fitness Business Scorecard: https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/staging/scorecard
POP! By Sam Horn
Tongue Fu By Sam Horn
Other Episodes You May Like:
Stop Boring Introductions | Bio Makeovers: https://www.flippingfifty.com/bio-makeovers
Save Your Spot for this Event (and Invite Your Clients!):
