I have interviewed many politicians and businessmen over the years. The number of people who transform in front of the camera has always disturbed me. Off-camera they are relaxed, friendly, even humorous. When the tape starts rolling a metamorphosis occurs. They become deadpan, monotone and at times even inhuman. Their appearance is not unlike that of a stuffed dummy!

This is not the way to grab the interest and support of your audience. I always advise clients that successful TV interviews are all about the art of being human. 85% of your success in business is dependant on your ability to communicate to others that you are a passionate professional, have a positive, friendly attitude and are a trustworthy, likable human being. That is why the consumer will listen to you.

People relate to real people. Take a look at the spate of reality TV shows that are inundating TV channels around the world. Why have they been so overwhelmingly successful? Why do people watch shows like Big Brother, Idols and Survivor - not exactly shining beacons of heavy-weight intellectual content? Don’t knock them. They have cottoned onto the ‘real people’ secret.

It’s simple really. People are interested in other people - in their behaviour, interactions, personalities, strengths and weaknesses. People are not interested in corporations; they buy into the people behind the facade. They respond to the personality of the corporate spokesperson.

The Cardinal Sins
When being interviewed, I find that one of the most common mistakes made by spokespeople is to neutralise their own personalities, believing they should project a correct, neutral corporate image. They commit what I call the cardinal sins:

• Deadpan Dummy – bland, stiff, rigid and dehumanised
• Defensive and Arrogant – closed, negative and inaccessible
• Defocused – lacking in structure, logical flow and clarity
• Dreary and Dry – plain damn boring!
• Don’t listen – one of the worst sins of all is not paying attention to the person you are engaging with. No wonder nobody pays them any attention!

Visual communication has very high credibility. The saying ‘we see eye-to-eye’ is not without basis. We form opinions based not so much on what people say but what we see. We subconsciously interpret complex non-verbal signals such as eye and facial expression, body language, hand gestures, breathing patterns and the tone of voice. This is why we choose to network face-to-face or have critical negotiations face-to-face rather than over the phone or via e-mail.

So why should we listen to you?
It is becoming increasingly difficult to differentiate oneself in a market where everyone is selling similar products and services. So why should the consumer pay attention to you?

The new buzzword today is “personal branding”. Your brand consists of your reputation, character, expertise, ability to deliver consistently and your visual identity. But all of these factors (except for your outer appearance) are only conveyed when you start interacting with people. 85% of your success in business is dependent on your ability to communicate to others that you are a passionate professional, have a positive friendly attitude and are a trustworthy, likable human being. That is why the consumer will listen to you.

We are far more likely to make up our minds about the credibility of an individual when we see someone face-to-face. That’s the reason why a television interview is so influential. It can be a very powerful weapon in one’s marketing armoury, yet so many people either underestimate its importance or avoid the opportunity to appear on TV.

Once you master the art of being human on television, people will pay attention!

To Contact Michele email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit www.powerfulperceptions.co.za

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