| For many people, the mere thought of being in front of a camera can be enough to make their knees weak and their stomachs turn. The palms get sweaty, the throat tightens and it’s hard to speak. The heart starts racing and they haven’t even stepped on to the studio floor yet!
Fortunately, there are some simple tips you can use to help you prepare for your time in the spotlight. These fail-proof pieces of advice will make sure you get the most out of your camera time and help drive business to your company.
- Prepare! This may seem like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how many people step into a studio thinking they can just “wing it.” Don’t make their mistake. Instead, practice with someone before going on TV. Have them pretend to be the interviewer and ask you some questions based on the talking points you’ve prepared. Also have them throw you some curveball questions, just to make sure you’re prepared to think on your toes with unscripted questions. You never know what an interviewer might ask you!
- Don’t sell. Be an expert. You’re being asked to be on TV because of your knowledge and the viewer will benefit from that information. If you’re trying to sell your product, viewers will pick up on the sales tactic and write you off as a paid advertiser. But if you present yourself as an expert within your industry, viewers will think of you, and your business, as the go-to place whenever they need your products or services.
- Be conversational. Look at the person interviewing you and forget that the cameras are even there. The best interactions with media come from engaging in conversational dialogue about your business or service. Pretend you’re just chatting with a friend about your work and you’ll be surprised how relaxed and natural the entire experience will feel.
- Use your business name. Even though the station will have your information on the screen, feel free to say your business name profusely. This is a surefire way to make sure viewers get familiarized with your business during your television appearance. Instead of saying, “We do public relations,” say, “Alternative Strategies does public relations.” It may seem like a simple change, but it’ll make the difference between viewers seeing or hearing your name just once and actually remembering who you are!
- Wear a solid color. The camera is friendliest with solid colors. Crazy patterns, polka dots or wild animal prints do not come across well on-camera and actually create visual distortions for the viewer. If you’re wearing some loud, vibrant clothing, it can literally make you hard on viewers’ eyes. The last thing you want to do is wear clothes that keep your audience from looking at you and getting to know you and your business.
The opportunity to be on television to showcase your industry expertise and your business can accomplish great things, if you make the most of it. These tips are a great place to start. Take time to prepare for your television debut and you’ll be sure to shine! |
