A few years ago, one of my clients landed a pre-interview with a producer.
This was good news. The pitch had done its job, the producer was interested, and now they wanted to talk with him before deciding whether to move forward. It’s like an audition.
The conversation between the two of them started well. In fact, maybe a little too well.
The producer was friendly and easy to talk to, and my client became very comfortable. So comfortable that he began going on and on about a few things that probably would have been better left unsaid.
Don’t get me wrong. Nothing terrible was said. Nothing scandalous or anything that would make you gasp. But some of what he shared did not exactly work in his favor.
And that is when an important media truth comes into play:
Any conversation with a producer or other media person is an audition. Please remember this.
And as a side note, you know the line, “Is this off the record?” Just assume there is no such thing.
That does not mean you need to become stiff, guarded, or suspicious. In fact, you want to be quite the opposite. This is the time to be warm, conversational, interesting, and easy to talk with.
But you also need to remember why the conversation is taking place.
The producer may call it a pre-interview, a pre-chat, a quick conversation, a brief call, or simply say, “I’d love to learn a little more.”
But whatever they call it, they are still evaluating you. They may be listening for things such as:
- Can you explain your ideas clearly?
- Are you interesting to talk with?
- Do you ramble?
- Can you get to the point?
- Do you understand their audience?
- Do you have energy?
- Can you answer an unexpected question?
- Are you easy to work with?
- Will you make the host’s job easier?
Most importantly, will you be a good guest?
This is where people sometimes get tripped up because the conversation may not feel like an audition at all. The producer may be funny. You may discover you have some things in common. They may tell you about their kids, their dog, their latest vacation, or what happened on the show that morning.
You may laugh together. Enjoy the conversation and delight in the experience.
That’s wonderful. Yes, enjoy the conversation.
Just don’t confuse comfortable with casual about what you say.
A good producer often knows how to put people at ease. That is part of what makes them good at their job. And once you relax, they get a much better sense of what you might be like on the actual show.
Media Darling Moment: The interview may begin long before anyone says, “We’re on.”
That first email says something. How quickly you respond tells them something too. The way you handle scheduling, the questions you ask in return, your energy on the pre-interview are all important. Heck, even the way you react when something changes can make a difference.
By the time the actual interview arrives, the media person may already have formed a very strong impression of you.
This is one reason I tell clients to be ready before they begin media outreach.
Don’t wait until the booking comes through to figure out your messages. You need to know what you want to say, and know what areas you do not want to wander into unnecessarily.
Be confident of your strongest stories, your key messages, and how to have a relaxed conversation without forgetting that you are still representing yourself, your work, and your book.
My client learned that lesson.
He hadn’t done anything awful. He simply forgot, for a few minutes, that the friendly person on the other end of the phone was also deciding whether he belonged on the program.
That is an easy mistake to make.
So the next time a producer says, “Let’s just have a quick chat,” absolutely have the chat.
You want to relax, be yourself, and enjoy it.
But remember: You’re already auditioning.
To your success!
Joanne
P.S. It may feel fun and casual, but remember: the heat is on.
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