15 Things Authors Should Do In An Interview With The Media

Authors love to get media exposure for their books. It allows them to be heard, to have a voice that can influence people, induce sales, and establish a brand.  The bigger the media profile, the better chance for success. But how should authors seek to influence people in the course of being interviewed by the media so that the opportunities are maximized?

Let’s look at the many different ways you can influence those you are speaking to:

1.      Present a new idea or theory.  Have people ponder an alternate way of doing things.

2.      Give them hope and inspiration. People want to feel it is possible to get what they want or to believe that their goals are reasonable and achievable.

3.      Villainize someone or something. People will rally around a common enemy.

4.      Use humor, sarcasm, and wit.  People appreciate a good laugh. When you act as a comedian, it humanizes you and lets you in to the hearts of listeners and readers.

5.      Shock people.  Make them aware of something they didn’t know about or didn’t’ see it the way you do.

6.      Present a solution to a problem. Make people feel that something can be done about an issue.

7.      Tell stories.  People love stories – just don’t keep them too long.

8.      Stick to the facts. People want to know that you know your stuff – and they want to learn in the process.

9.      Give them an actionable step.  Empower them. Let them feel they can be in control of their destiny.

10.  Congratulate people.  Identify with their situation and applaud their efforts to persevere.

11.  Raise interesting questions.  It’s okay if you don’t have all of the answers.

12.  Speculate wildly.  People like to let their imagination run wild.

13.  Play either a victim or the hero – but nothing in between.  People have sympathy towards a victim and can feel anger for them.  People want a hero to lead them and model great behavior. Anything else doesn’t fit.  Stick with the extremes.

14.  Challenge others – call out those who need to be demonized.  Confront the values or events that people despise.

15.  Always sound insightful and intelligent. People expect writers to be that way. They want people who have something to say, who express themselves well, and who are relatable.

There’s no exact script to follow, but if you employ any of the above 15 elements and move them in the right direction. You may have a style of presentation that fits your distinctive and unique persona, and that’s fine. Do what works and always look for improvement.

2016 Book Marketing & Book Publicity Toolkit

http://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2015/12/2016-book-marketing-book-publicity.html

Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog © 2016