I have to admit, I am having a great time doing podcast interviews. There are several more that will be dropping in the next few weeks, including an interview with Ana Melikian on the Mindset Zone Podcast, Louie B Free, on Brainfood for the Heartland, and this one with Bonnie Stevens on Zonie Living. It is live right now, and you can tell we just had a blast doing it. Interviews can be fun and hopefully as you watch it, it comes across that way.
Perhaps because it is the subject and title of my new book, I love sharing what a Media Darling is. As a reminder, it’s someone that the media loves to interview. You can tell because they call them back again and again for their input and expertise during interview shows.
But there are also many things a Media Darling is NOT, and I thought that might be fun to share this week. We know what to do; now it’s time to take a look at what NOT to do.
Top 8 things a Media Darling is not
A Media Darling is not:
A prima donna. This is challenging for some because within their own area of influence, they are used to others deferring to them. However, they may be completely unknown in the media. Success in one area does not automatically transfer over to another. Prima donnas have a tough time understanding this.
Late to interviews. Ever. It might be forgivable if your plane was diverted, you were stuck in a hurricane, or there was blood involved. Of course, there are times when life gets in the way, but being busy is not an appropriate reason for missing a scheduled interview.
Unresponsive or slow to respond. Top-tier media will move on to the next expert in line if they have trouble reaching you. After six months of trying, The Wall Street Journal finally gave the green light to an interview with my client but gave me only five minutes to get him on the phone with the columnist before they would move onto the next person.
Focused only on themselves. The job of a Media Darling is to make the producer look good, the host look good, the show look good. Then the Media Darling looks good and will be perceived as someone they will want to interview again.
A complainer. Life is challenging enough without having someone complain when things go awry. Media Darlings look for solutions and keep a positive attitude.
Someone who caves under pressure or surprises. This is why media training is so important. Anticipate any tough questions and work with a media coach to produce the best response.
Annoyed when the host hasn’t read their book. Most of them do not. It is one reason creating a press kit is important.
Someone who says, “I am beyond this kind of interview.” Not every interview is going to be top-tier. You often have to fill in the lower tiers to even get a shot at the big media brands. No one has to take a chance on a guest anymore, so you must be on top of your game. They will want to see you in action before they even consider having you on, so don’t say no to the smaller opportunities. You need that coverage too.
Bottom line
Whether you are looking to be an influencer, a national figure, a local one in your geographic region, or a big fish in your particular niche, media appearances expose you to more people and help you grow your audience. Media exposure gives you that third-party endorsement which translates into immense credibility. Your coverage sticks around, unlike being at the mercy of changing algorithms. Just as there are specific things you must do, there are things you must not do, as we have addressed today. When you’re a Media Darling, the media calls you, and that’s the way it should be.
To your success!
Joanne
P.S. Maybe baby this is the time of our lives!
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