You might be thinking that body language plays little or no part in a print interview – after all the audience obviously do not get to see you.
But you would be wrong.
Good body language can actually be vital in face-to-face print interviews and even in print interviews carried out over the phone.
And it can be a huge factor in the success of the interview.
On our media training courses we tell our delegates it takes less than 30 seconds for the viewing public to decide whether they trust the interviewee or not.
'Good body language can be a huge factor in the success of print interviews' via@mediafirstltd
It’s the same for a journalist when they interview a spokesperson face-to-face – they are the eyes and ears for their readers and will quickly make a judgement on the person they are interviewing.
And if they don’t trust your spokesperson the chances are you are not going to end up with the article you were hoping for.
It is vital, therefore, that what they say is mirrored by how they say it.
'It's vital what you say is mirrored by how you say it' via@mediafirstltd
So to start with they shouldn’t demonstrate anything which suggests they don’t want to be doing the interview (reluctant people generally don’t make good spokespeople), they are out of their comfort zone or don’t know what is going on.
They should maintain good eye contact with the reporter to help them come across as credible and honest – looking up or down when answering a question may make them come across as shifty and untrustworthy. For example, if you are asked about possible job losses and deny it while looking at your feet, the journalist may report that they ‘looked uncomfortable while answering questions about job losses’ – not a particularly reassuring message.
Even though print interviews are often considered to be more relaxed than those on radio or television, nerves can still play a significant part. Fiddling with your glasses or fidgeting with your hand will tell the reporter you are feeling nervous and uncomfortable.
If you want the reporter to include your key messages in the report, the spokesperson needs to avoid delivering them with a dull, flat monotone way. They will need to inject some passion and enthusiasm in to the message and emphasise key words and phrases to make them more impactful to the reporter.
You may wonder how body language could play any kind of a role in telephone interviews.
Well, remember that delivery is almost as important as content. The phone often deadens the voice slightly so adding extra energy and enthusiasm, without shouting of course, will help to counter this.
Standing up during the interview will also help add to the energy that your spokesperson can put into their voice. Salespeople often stand up and many of us will do the same when we’re talking to our bosses or somebody important.
It is also worth considering your spokesperson doing interviews away from their desk where they may be too comfortable and lulled into a false sense of security.
Media First are media and communications training specialists with over 30 years of experience. We have a team of trainers, each with decades of experience working as journalists, presenters, communications coaches and media trainers.
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