Saturday, September 30, 2006

Don't Make Me Go Back In There Again, Please!

I've got some more radio interviews coming up over the next few weeks. To be honest, I find them quite difficult. You sit in a little office wearing a pair of enormous headphones and there's a microphone on the desk in front of you. All of a sudden you hear a voice in your ears saying "Can you hear me Frank?" Followed by the stomach churning "You're on after the next record!"

It's just like making an international phone call used to be. When you speak, everything goes dead, then you hear a ghostly echo of your own voice a split second later. It's very disconcerting and I find myself wanting to say "Hello? Hello? Are you still there?"

As it's live, you've got to try not to keep saying "er, um...dunno" or just trailing off. You can't pick up any of the visual clues which normally help keep a conversation flowing. I have a bad habit of fiddling with things if I'm nervous; which almost led to disaster on a previous interview when I accidently pulled out the microphone jack plug, causing a huge burst of static.

Two minutes after it's over, you think of all the clever and witty replies you could have said and finally you realise that you forgot to mention the book!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I did a few radio interviews in my previous job and I know exactly what you mean.

It's much harder than talking face to face but it does get easier after half a dozen or so on a similar topic, because you start to get an idea of what questions they are going to ask.

My wife told me I said 'er..' about twenty times on the first one.

Best of luck Frank and thanks for a great book.

Toby

Anonymous said...

I'm sure it must get easier! Wishing you well and good luck for future interviews.

Anonymous said...

It rather sounds like my job,
I get a 'phone call from somebody who I have never met or heard before and have to give a quotation for insurance.

If they are in a quiet place and listening it is OK, but they may be on a mobile 'phone at work or in the street and I still have to pretend that I can hear them.

I have the duration of the call to ensure they get the best quote, otherwise I can lose a months commission.
This month I lost over £300 because too many people wanted a quote but did not actaully want to puchase insurance.

I have had people 'phoning up whilst a competitors advert played on the TV., yet they did not have the decency to turn the sound off!

Anonymous said...

I always found 4 things helpful:

1) A photo of a buxom wench to whom I could pretend I was talking, and

2) a card prompting me with the 3 to 5 points I was trying to make in that particular radio session.

3) NOT have any books or objects I was to promote there, that saved me saying "this", "that", "here" or using any other haptic pointers; I was forced to make things explicit.

4) Wrap up with a summary of your points , as in "For those who have just joined us, today's points were a,b,c,d,e etc."

Anonymous said...

Just before going on air, ask your interviewer; "What is your first question going to be?".

Most pros will tell you. It makes their job easier and you have some grace to decide on an approach.

DYB DYB.

Ray.