Dear Namibian Artists Take your brand seriously especially, when it comes to promotion and your publicity!! How successful you become is defined solely by how you treat your brand. The support you get from your fans and the endorsements you get from companies all go towards building your brand.I’ll focus on one aspect of Promotion and Publicity and that’s preparation for interviews especially for TV and Radio mediums. Interviews are a great way for artists and musicians to “sell” themselves and for them to speak about what they are most passionate about. There are many media outlets looking for musicians to interview in Namibia than ever before. We have YouTube channels, Radio stations, magazines, blogs and etc.
As a person who will be interviewed, you will be providing background information and quotes that will make an interview outstanding and your preparation is crucial. I’ve always maintained that I don’t do interviews but rather have “conversations” when I interview artists.
Sure you are quick on your feet and can wing any interview. You are confident and entertaining and give the most convincing interview on Radio and TV but, for everyone else, here are few tips on how to prepare for your big interview.
Don’t say yes to everything
Sometimes artists have the inclination to say “yes” to every interview invite and it’s not wrong to do so. There are a lot of radio stations and YouTube channels that an artist can go to for interviews and they serve as a great opportunity for an artist to branch out and build on their brand but you don’t have to agree to every interview. Only agree to interviews that are worth your time and the ones that can be beneficial to you.
Know your audience
Do you know who your audience are? Do you know who will listen and watch what you say? Prepare for your audience and speak directly to them. If you are scheduled for an interview for a youth program on TV, the audience expects you to motivate and inspire them and don’t want to hear about your new hit song.
Practice for your interview
Delivering a convincing interview is an art and just like you prepare for a performance you need to practice for your interviews. Focus on how you will answer questions and what some of the most important things you would love to speak about are. Remember not to memorise your answers because interviews are supposed to be conversational not a monologue.
Offer something different
For every interview you take, make sure it will be different from the next one you will have. There is nothing as annoying as watching or listening to an interview just to hear something you have said five times already. That is why preparation is important.
These are just some of the tips I can give to you. Remember, the interview is about you and you need to be confident but don’t outshine your host. Also when you agree to an interview, send your host your short biography, songs and a few things you’ve done just so they are prepared for you.