How To Give A Great Interview

Video marketing is a force you cannot avoid. One of the best ways to use video like a champ is to interview other experts and colleagues in your field. In fact, you may even have a whole cache of interviews under your belt.

If you can hold a teleseminar interview over the phone, with a few adjustments, you can host a video interview.

1. Make eye contact with your camera or the interviewee. Eye contact is remarkably important in real life as well as on camera. It creates a sense of trust. If you think of the camera as a real person in the room with you, you’ll have a much better relationship with your audience.

2. Keep your energy high. The camera diffuses your energy so you’ll need to exaggerate your facial and vocal expressions, as well as your gestures. If you think you’re being too over- the-top, you’re probably showing up on camera just right.

3. Focus on good posture. Remember the camera lens has tunnel vision so if you slouch or rock or bob your head, your excess motion shows up as if you’re a sloppy interviewer. Keep your torso lifted, chest up, and your neck long.

4. Use natural movements. Even though you have to be aware of the camera, you don’t want to appear like a frozen mannequin. Keep your hands visible at all times and use hand gestures to engage your interviewee and audience.

5. Master the art of speaking in sound bytes. A sound byte is a short, mini story that describes what you’re doing or trying to sell in 8-10 seconds. It’s always delivered in a complete thought that gets right to the point. Think of them as quotable statements. When you learn to talk in sound bytes, you will be loved in interviews you host as well as by the media.

Video interviews are just another delivery format for your amazing content. Remember how to get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice. The more you present, the better you’ll look on camera.