Interviewing Made Simple in 5 Easy Steps

I've noticed a lot of people doing interviews online lately. Me included. It's a great way to put the spotlight on another person, and also get people excited about visiting your site as well. I'm no Barbara Walters, but I've spent my whole career asking and answering questions in a lot of different environments. Here are a few simple things I do to make the interview go smoothly (or at least anticipate most of the typical snafus).

1. Be clear about your purpose - No matter, what your personal goal is, your purpose to an interview is to make the person you're interviewing look / sound good. This is not Point-Counterpoint. It's not investigative journalism.  You're helping another person build credibility, teach others what he or she knows, and get some mileage out of the end product.

2. Plan the event - All parties involved have a stake in the outcome. I've done my share of winging it, as a last resort, but this is not the time to fly by the seat of your pants. Develop a set of questions you want to ask - my rule of thumb is no more than 1 question per 10 minutes of interview time. Why? Because between the time you ask the question, clarify it, get the answer, then probe more deeply, you've used about 10 minutes. How will you capture the interview? Will you record it? Will you take notes? Is it going to be filmed? Make sure you have all these details set before you start.

3. Prepare your guest - Send them the questions ahead of time. Don't be shocked if the guest refuses to answer some questions, or is unsure about how they will answer. Let them make the call. Remember, it's your job to increase their credibility, not destroy it. A great solution to this potential issue is to collaboratively develop the questions by asking the guest, "What would you most like the audience to know about you?" or "Is there anything you don't want to discuss during the interview?" Set them up for success.

4. Prepare yourself - I've never been a big fan of scripts, especially when I do a live event in person. I use an outline and I let my experience and my audience guide me. However, when I'm responsible for how someone will look or sound during an interview, I make sure I script the intro, the questions and the sign off. I use my voice to bring the words to life and to ensure the interview is alive and exciting.

5. Do the interview - Have fun with it, but stick to the script. Don't panic if the answers go in a direction you don't anticipate. Pause and move on to the next question. We live in the age of digital technology. Anything can be edited, yet you can still maintain the integrity of the interview.

Well, there you go. If you remember to be yourself when conducting interviews, you will keep your guest relaxed and your audience engaged.

Peace,
Shelly