My wife and I have been invited to appear on the air at a local radio show (AM 850 Knoxville, to appear Sunday afternoon from 2:15-2:45), where we are to talk about our latest business venture.
It is our first radio appearance and my wife is a bit nervous about it (I, myself, figure that 4 people (the two hosts, me, and the lovely Laura) can BS for 30 minutes, less commercials) so I told her that I would see if there are any tips about appearing on the radio, especially in a talk format.
Can you tell us a little about what your new business venture is so we can help more specifically?
Tone of voice will be a key, as that is the only thing anyone will know of you. A laid-back, friendly tone on the radio is very important in making people like you.
Make a mental note to avoid long pauses and “uhhhhhhs”.
Instead, prep your self with some ready to go phrases like “That’s an interesting question…” (you’d be surprised how much thinking you can get done about your upcoming answer while you say that"
Others include
“Thank you for asking I was hoping to get a chance to address that…”
“Good point! I think the best way to adress that would be…”
“Given a chance to examine all the data we can say…”
I am sure you can think of some that would be even more suited to your personalities/subject…
Some other points -
Potty break just before you go on
Avoid foods that may make you burp, experience hicups, etc. Neither of you should be wearing scent if this is happening “In studio” those places can sometimes be quite small, and the concentrated scents are at least annoying, and at worst can cause sneezing, coughing
Bring water, with a straw (no gulping noises)
Sit comfortably and let the interviewer position mike… don’t “lean in”
Have your notes organised on cards, use them for reference, do NOT read your answers
Keep your answers short - 15-20 seconds. If you give a multistage question, answer in “sections”, pausing between each.
If your wife is nervous, have her shoot back 7-8 scotches just before you start (just kidding)
If possible discuss the interview with the station personnel before going “live” so you know what to expect.
Listen to the program before you go on to get a feel for the mood – does the interviewer look for short, snappy answers? Human interest stories? Are the questions tough and accusatory, or more along the lines of “tell us about…”?
Go in early to familiarize yourself with the studio, and also so you don’t sound like you had to run in to make it on time. Bring at least one bottle of water with you, because talking will dry your mouth and throat out. Avoid caffeinated beverages; they’re dehydrating. And do some tongue-twisters beforehand to warm your mouth up.
Go through a dry run with someone so you can get the hang of being interviewed and being able to come up with good answers quickly. I second zamboniracer’s suggestion of having written talking points. Thirty minutes is an awfully long time and you’ve got to fill it. But, by the same token, familiarize yourself with your talking points so you don’t sound like you’re frantically looking for a canned response.
Finally, talk with the producer beforehand. Find out how he signals you for things like time, breaks and so forth. Don’t be afraid to signal to him to kill your mike if you have to cough, sneeze, swallow, or make any other kind of body noise.
Oh, yeah. Get a copy of the show afterward. It’s good to have.
Watch your modulation and speech rate–a lot of people talk way too fast when they’re nervous and unless you know how to do it you’ll sound terrible on the air if you speak too quickly. Speak clearly, enunciate carefully and try not to get too sibilant on the esses and don’t pop your p’s. Don’t allow yourself to giggle or chuckle inappropriately if you’re nervous–that’s really common as well. If you know how to use your diaphragm to project, do it, and it quite often helps to drop your speaking voice just a tad lower than usual, unless you’re a basso profundo. Umms, aahhs and “you knows” need to be left out entirely. Have fun–when you’re enjoying yourself it comes across!
