PR tips on dealing with interviews
Following a celebrity failing to turn up to not one but two interviews (and I in no way blame the lovely PR for this), I wanted to share some friendly advice on organising interviews in case it might be helpful:
If your client is prone to being late or not turning up to interviews, I would advise to email/call them the evening before the interview (if the interview is in the morning) and then an hour before the interview, (again, if this is possible). I know many of you organise calendar invites too. When a third interview attempt was proposed, I didn’t want to waste my time yet again (I know, I still pursued it) and asked for the PR involved to do the above and triple check so I didn't plan my day around the interview again. Also, I’d advise the person to apologise for their lateness/not turning up. An apology can go a long way.
Think about alternatives. Reckon the client can’t work a Zoom link or their internet is prone to go down? Send across their mobile number as well. Last week when a celebrity couldn't work the Zoom link, the PR worked out a quick solution: she simply called the celebrity and had the person speak on speakerphone so I could hear it all on our Zoom link (which the PR was still on - we couldn't use WhatsApp as unfortunately it often cuts out...I'm abroad so we couldn't just jump on the phone). Also, be on hand (if you can) for if there’s tech issues etc, and to chase the client if they haven't turned up on time.
Think carefully about post-interview requests. Several hours after a recent interview, the PR emailed me explaining that the interviewee and their team actually wanted to remove parts of the interview, which, in my opinion, would lead to a more uninteresting piece. Throughout the interview, I asked the celebrity if they could respond to X, Y and Z and they happily answered. If I was a PR I'd always advise the client that during the interview itself, respond with "no comment", or deflect slightly and say: “All I will say is xxxx” rather than sending a retraction through afterwards. As the interview was on record, the journalist does not have a duty to change anything.
I know a lot of people will do this but inform the client about the publication, the journalist, and the topics involved. Let them know what subjects will be discussed. Reading the section of said publication, you’ll get a sense of what is going to be asked. I personally don’t like it when people ask me for specific questions, but am happy to say it will look at X, Y and Z, and to check out past features (if it’s an ongoing section) to get a sense of what will be discussed.
Once published, share it/post it on socials. Tag the journalist. Editors are now increasingly asking if the celeb would be up for doing a collaborated social post when the interview goes live. This means, for instance, accepting the tag on social media so it comes up in people’s feeds of that celeb. It helps with views and should be encouraged, if possible.
Ok, there's lots more but I hope that helps for now.