In Your PJs or in Studio?

When you are going to be a guest on a radio news program,, always try to go to the studio to do the interview, even if you are given the option of doing the interview by phone. (Obviously I’m not talking about flying across the country for a 5-minute interview, but when the show is based in your town.) There are several distinct advantages to doing the interview in the studio:

Your audio quality will be much better. You will now sound as good as the host.
You don’t have to worry about being disconnected.
You can see your host and pick up on all of his/her nonverbal signs of communication.
Your smile, your pizzazz and whatever charm you have will come through more to the host and producer in person.
You’ll get more airtime, usually. If you come all the way down to someone’s studio, most producers and hosts feel obligated to give you more time. It seems embarrassing to throw you out after only five minutes.
It will be much harder for your host to be confrontational or ask nasty questions if you are sitting a few feet away. (This applies to TV interviews as well.) Now matter how hard-bitten a journalist may be, it’s simply harder to be antagonistic to someone sitting across from you versus someone who is a safe distance away and the only connection is a phone line.
Relationships will develop better at the studio. You will have a chance to chat with the producer and sometimes the host before your interview and afterwards. You can exchange business cards and lay the groundwork for future interviews by going to the studio. If the interview is done by phone, once the interview is over, you will be hung up on.
In-person visits make it easier for you to leave behind giveaways such as books, t-shirts or any other promotional items you have.

By T.J. Walker, president, Media Training Worldwide. He is “the leading media and presentation trainer in the world,” and “the #1 expert for executives seeking guidance on speaking to the public and media,” according to quotes from Viacom and Bloomberg TV. T.J. has trained thousands of executives and government officials over the last 20 years.