If saying yes to the thought of being interviewed makes you instantly want to run the other way, you’re not alone. I turn down more invitations to interview live than interview questionnaires. But over the summer I agreed to two podcast interviews and wanted to share these with you and why I said yes. Both podcasts while similar – asked about being an entrepreneur, how I got started in business, included marketing talk, and what it’s like being in this line of work – each interviewer’s questions were unique as well as the directions the conversations twisted and turned.
The Pros of Being Interviewed
You may be wondering why you should say yes to being interviewed especially if you don’t enjoy it or think you don’t have anything worth saying. The answer is because an invitation to interview:
- allows others to get to know you
- allows you to express your thoughts and ideas around a particular subject
- positions you as someone knowledgeable about a particular topic
- spotlights and introduces you and your business to new listeners or viewers
- can be a teaching opportunity for someone to learn something or be inspired by your words
The Cons of Being Interviewed
- allows others to get to know you
- being put on the spot with a question you’re not comfortable answering
- stammering over expressing yourself
When the butterflies in your stomach begin to dance you may feel the cons are plentiful but in most cases with a little preparation and planning the cons can be tamed.
Good interviewers will put you at ease. They also will provide a list of questions or topics several days ahead of time so you can prepare your thoughts. A good interviewer will join you in the conversation so while your responses may be lengthier their side of the conversation will build on or sustain what is being said. This allows the conversation to flow naturally and be more palpable for the listener.
Before saying yes to the interview ask what the interview will be about. Ask for a list of questions. Also ask about the length of the interview as a whole. Most interviews range between 20-30 minutes, any longer and you can lose the audience’s interest. It’s better to break the interview down into small segments. Additionally, ask for a link to listen to some of their other interviews so you can get a feel for their interviewing style.
My Recent Podcast
Darlene Victoria invited me to guest on her show The Inspired Entrepreneur’s Guide podcast on the DV Podcasting Network. Darlene’s podcasts are based on the simple motto to stop dreaming and start doing. The hope is to inspire want-to-be entrepreneurs to take that first step in starting their business. The show shares empowering interviews with entrepreneurs and content devoted to providing resources for starting a business to help inspire and motivate listeners.
Listen here (approx. 23 min.)