In TV interview Tips part II, I’ll talk about some tasks you should do the day before the interview during your run for office.
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Make sure you check the daily newspapers the day before and the day of your interview. Look for something in the news that is relevant to one of your policy positions, an issue you are highlighting, or pertinent to your campaign. It’s called a news hook. It increases the likelihood that you’ll get attention on social media as you run for office.
Pick the clothes you will wear so that you don’t have to worry about broken buttons or a soiled blouse the day of the interview. Do not wear clothes with complicated patterns or garish colors. White shirt, white blouse is okay, but don’t even think about wearing a white jacket. Do not wear expensive watches or gaudy jewelry.
Arrive early for your interview, and allow plenty of time for makeup.
Finally some things to remember before the cameras go live as you run for office:
- Once the interview begins you have 15 seconds to convince the audience that what you are saying is worth hearing. Don’t waste time getting to your news hook or the point you want to make.
- You are not required to give a long answer to every question. It is YOUR job to stay on message during your run for office. If you are asked an off-topic question, give a short answer, and pivot back to a topic that gets you votes.
- If you are greeted with a hostile question…Keep Your Cool. Smile. Never raise your voice and never lose your temper on TV.
I’ll be back soon with some more tips about running for office.
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In case you missed it:
How to Run for Office: Preparing for a Newspaper Interview
Political consultant Jay Townsend works with smart, passionate candidates who want to run for office, win elections and make a difference. He has successfully helped candidates learn how to run for the U.S. Senate, how to run for Congress, how to run for Mayor and develop a winning campaign marketing strategy.
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