Make It Happen

10 tips for sounding like a radio professional

1. You will probably be nervous at first. Everyone is! This will disappear as soon as the interview starts so don’t panic about it. Treat it as a conversation between two people, which is what it is – don’t think about how many people are listening.

2. Give the interviewer a list of questions you want to be asked – this makes their life so much easier! Remember they probably know almost nothing about your subject and your list of questions will make them sound intelligent!

3. Be prepared! Your mind will probably go blank as soon as the first question is asked, so have your list of questions in front of you and write notes for each one. After the first question your brain will probably settle down and start working again!

4. BREATHE! I know it’s obvious but If you’re nervous you will likely hold your breath or take shallow short breaths – this is amplified by the microphone. Shallow breathing will stress you out, make your voice sound squeaky and make you talk too quickly so take long slow breaths while the red light is off! Before you answer a question take a deep breath away from the microphone otherwise you will sound like an obscene phone caller.

5. Watch the red light! It means you are on air and the whole world can hear what you’re saying. Do I need to say more?

6. Don’t interrupt the interviewer. Its not just bad manners, it sounds really messy and confusing to the person listening! If you want the interviewer to shut up raise your hand.

7. Speak slowly! Being nervous always makes people talk quickly so be aware of that. Also, remember the person listening has no other cues except your voice so you need to speak slowly so the information can penetrate. Think about reading a story to a small child who’s native tongue is not English – that’s how slow you need to be! It WILL feel weird but it will sound better to listeners. When I do radio interviews I have SPEAK SLOW on the top of my notes page in big bright letters!

8. Use your voice – I know that sounds obvious, but the person listening can’t see you. So use emphasis and tone in your voice, otherwise you will sound flat and bored. Again, think of telling a story to a small child.

9. If you have to do a phone-in don’t panic! Keep your answers simple and short. Let the interviewer screen the calls and pass them to you. There’s a good chance the programme has a resident nutcase who phones in to every show – let the interviewer deal with them! However tempting, don’t get into an argument with a caller and be very careful with your language! What you might consider a mild expletive will bring all the nutters out of the woodwork to complain about you!

10. Get a copy of the interview on CD from the station. I know listening to it will probably be a painful experience (no one likes the sound of their own voice on tape, even the really experienced presenters) but listen to it lots and learn from it – ask yourself the 3 key questions
1. What could I have done better?
2. What did I do well?
3. What will I change next time