However, if you prepare and perform well you can catapult your company positively to a huge audience. You can also protect your business in a time of crisis. Fronting up when something has gone wrong and giving your audience confidence in your company could make an enormous difference to the future of your career and the business. Equally it is easy to get it wrong. Ronald Reagan nearly started nuclear war by testing a microphone joking about bombing Russia . Microphone gaffes can be manna from heaven for journalists and hilarious providing it does not happen to you. Remember Gordon Brown’s bigoted woman gaffe which was the defining moment of his election campaign? Or the victriolic outburst by Helen Liddell, the then Scottish Secretary, who described John Reid, her Cabinet colleague, as a patronising bastard ? We can safely assume all these high profile casulties would advise you – do not say anything you would not want broadcast when you have a microphone attached. And make sure someone removes it. More gaffes here: click here We do not want you to start WW3, or fail, so how do you avoid falling flat on your face? I write this with experience having undertaken hundreds of media interviews. I know what it is like to fail and succeed. I have also accompanied many people on media interviews as an observer and adviser.

1. Find out the interview format. Is it live or pre-record? TV or radio? Will you be in the studio with presenter only or in a remote studio? Will you be part of a panel? How long is the report? What is the news peg of the report and what angle will the journalist be taking? The producer is unlikely to give you the actual questions, and it can look unconfident when interviewees ask what the questions are. You must have confidence that you can answer any question…which means….
2. Fail to prepare, prepare to fail. Never is this more true than in interviews. Even if you are a natural communicator a media interview can go very wrong. There was sympathy for the Green Party leader Natalie Bennett who failed to do her homework and found herself floundering on LBC CLICK HERE . To her credit she came back much stronger in the leader debates having learnt from a chastening experience. You cannot underestimate how difficult your interviewer could be and you never want to leave yourself having to do the mental gymnastics in the heat of the moment under pressure.So work out three core messages which you can weave into any answer. Beef up your material with an anecdote – the power of a story will help grab the listeners’ attention. Also ensure you have a handful of ‘killer statistics’ to back up your argument. In addition having a snappy soundbite and painting verbal pictures can really help nail your argument on broadcast media. The SNP’s Alex Salmond is adept at the soundbite and his caustic remark that there are more pandas in Scotland than Conservative MPs was a devastating and lasting example.When Polaris worked on the relaunch of the Cammell Laird brand in 2008 we formulated the soundbite that the return of Cammell Laird was like Kenny Dalglish coming back in his prime for Liverpool or Dixie Dean coming back at his prime for Everton – a champion brand for Merseyside and champion brand for British industry. When we used this on BBC Radio Five Live a BBC producer remarked he only listened to the story because of the soundbite.
3. Think of the questions you least want to be asked. Have an answer ready to say with confidence.
4. Your first word should be a deep breath. This gives you pace under pressure. Then launch into your first answer and set the tone for the interview.
5. Cut out the verbal fluff of umms and errs and avoid gabbling. If nerves kick in speak slower, breathe deeper and revert to your messages. Brush up on your vocabulary. Articulate speakers always impress. Also try and sound enthusiastic and engaged. I remember taking a very bright politician to an early morning interview and listening to them ‘get through it’ by umming and erring in a dull monotone voice. It was enough to send listeners back to sleep.
6. Remember you are in control. Put yourself in the driving seat. You are likely to know more about the subject than the interviewer. You can drive the interview where you want it to go with your prepared messages. I have seen clients just answer the question and stop within 15-30 seconds. This makes an interview awkward. Try and build in your key messages and give longer answers. Help the interviewer fill the time. Have a conversation.
7. Dazzle ’em with words not clothes. The workplace has become more informal but on TV you want to look at your best. Everyone you know is watching aren’t they? For women a business suit in a solid colour, men should wear a tie and suit or jacket. A tie will give your more authority. Avoid finely striped patterns as this can create a flickering affect on televisions
8. Accept make-up. On TV this can remove any sweaty shine. Richard Nixon was reckoned to have lost the 1960 US presidential election when he appeared sweaty and shifty compared with the tanned authoritative John F. Kennedy . If the programme does not offer make-up go to the lavatory and check you look OK in the mirror.