They say most people have a greater fear of public speaking than they do of death. Think about that for a second. People are more afraid of speaking in front of an audience than they are of dying. That’s pretty wild when you really stop to think about it.
Not surprisingly, a lot of people are scared as hell of getting interviewed on the radio too. While a radio interview might not be the same as standing on a stage and speaking to a group of people, you still have a large audience of people listening to you and the fear that you might be feeling is the same.
Why are so many people afraid of radio interviews? There are numerous reasons:
- Knowing that many people are listening to every word you say is a scary proposition
- Making a mistake could cause you to damage your brand
- You might forget what you wanted to say
- You might not know the answer to a question
I could go on, but you get the point — there are lots of reasons people are scared of radio interviews. The question, of course, is what can you do about it?
The good news is there are many things you can do to calm your nerves, including:
- Be prepared — Remember how awful it felt when you were in school and you didn’t study for a test? You were scared, shaking, and unconfident. Now remember how amazing it felt to walk into a test you had studied your butt off for and knew all the answers to? The same concept applies to radio interviews. If you prepare properly, you’ll feel more confident and at ease when it comes time to go on the air. Know your talking points, be prepared for the questions you’ll likely receive, and for goodness sakes, know the host’s name.
- Get a good night’s sleep before your interview — When you’re fully rested, you’ll feel sharper and more alert during your interview. This can help calm your nerves, so you can stay focused on knocking your interview out of the park. Don’t wait until the last minute to prepare for your interview and stay up all night cramming. Get a full 8 hours of sleep so you can be at your best.
- Have a glass of water nearby — The last thing you want is to have a dry mouth during your radio interview, but when you’re feeling nervous, your throat is sure to dry up. Always have water on hand.
- Take a moment before answering a question — When the host asks you a question, take a brief moment to compose yourself before answering. Take a breath, think about what you’re going to say, and deliver your message clearly.
- Guide the conversation — Your job isn’t just to answer questions. You real job is to provide listeners with the information you want them to know. You want to give them something they couldn’t get anywhere else. So, while you do need to make sure you address the host’s questions, you should do so in a way that allows you to steer the conversation toward your main message.
- Smile…yes during your radio interview — I know it sounds crazy, but I encourage you to keep a smile on your face while you’re getting interviewed. I know that no one else will see it, but that’s not the point. When you’re smiling, you feel good. You feel confident and at ease, and your positive attitude can carry you through your interview. It will come through in your voice, too.
What are some of the things you do to calm your nerves for a radio interview?
This article is written by Mickie Kennedy, founder of eReleases (https://www.ereleases.com), the online leader in affordable press release distribution. Grab three free ebooks, including the Big Press Release Book and Twitter Tactics, here: https://www.ereleases.com/free-offer/big-press-release-samples-book/