Radio Part 2

Last week, I passed on some pointers of what not to do or say on air. This week, let's talk about what to do. Since the majority of your radio interviews will be from home, we'll focus on those.

1.) Give yourself some time to prepare and review those notes. Moms, I suggest having your sitter take the children from the house.

2.) Make sure that you are calling from a grounded telephone line. Even if you know your cell service would never drop out, why take the risk?

3.) Remember to turn off your call waiting. (And if by some horrible chance you forget, try not to speak during those beeps, but don't let it distract you from the task at hand. Worse things in life have happened.)

4.) All the listener is going to know of you is your voice. Speak clearly and sound confident. Some professionals suggest using short sentences to avoid grammar mistakes.

5.) Have index cards with your notes laid out before you---this will help you to avoid the background noise of rustling papers.

6.) If you stumble and it's a recorded interview, ask if you can start that question over. If you're live, just keep going.

7.) Be interactive with your host. First and foremost, you want to win them. If they are engaged, the conversation will flow easier and be more entertaining. By complimenting their best questions, you will also compel the listeners to pay attention to those answers.

8.) Do not be afraid to ask the host to repeat a question or clarify.

9.) Most of all, relax and be yourself. Allow your enthusiasm for your book to shine through.