Online Interviews as a Source of Rich and Vibrant Content
By D’vorah Lansky
One of the easiest and most effective ways to generate relevant and pertinent content is to produce an audio interview series. By doing so, you will be providing valuable content for your audience while building relationships with the people you interview. I have developed a deeper relationship with each person I have interviewed on my online radio show and teleseminar series and my listeners are really enjoying the content.
Interviews provide incredible content for a teleseminar series in your topic area. As far as whom to interview, that depends on who your audience is. As an example, my audience is nonfiction authors who want to learn more about marketing their books online. When I look for people to interview, I seek people who are experts in this area. This provides them with exposure to a new audience while providing my listeners with relevant and pertinent subject matter.
Who to Interview
It could be that you already know people who speak on topics of interest to your audience. If not, you can visit LinkedIn groups, on your topic, and take note of who is posting articles and answering questions in a way that adds value to that community. Another place to locate relevant content and connect with potential speakers is at EzineArticles.com. Do a search on the topics you would like to interview people on, spend some time reviewing the articles, and visit the websites of the authors. Reach out to people who you feel can provide a real benefit to your audience. Providing an opportunity for speakers to gain exposure to new people in their target audience can create a win/win situation.
When approaching potential guests, begin with people you have a relationship with or those you have familiarity with. Typically, you will be able to locate their contact information on their website. Write a polite, short email introducing yourself and why you think your market would be a good match for his or her area of expertise. Be sure to include the date(s) of your teleseminar and how long the interview will take. Then, let the prospective interviewee know what’s in it for him or her. For example, there will be exposure to an enthusiastic new market or a share of the proceeds.
Prepare your website
Create a page on your website where you can feature photographs and the topics your guests will be speaking on. Better yet, create a blog post about each interview and provide a brief introduction of your guest and an overview of what they’ll be speaking about. As your list of interviewees grows, you will have an impressive portfolio to share with potential future guests. People want to be associated with other successful people so this strategy will attract “big names” in your industry.
Good interviewing takes practice, but the good news is that you can start growing your skills right now! Contact friends and colleagues who would benefit from more exposure and ask them if they can help you with a project that they can also benefit from. Ask your guests to provide you with a few key questions, that when answered, will help people understand more about what they do. During the interview, be warm and conversational, ask people about themselves, and practice listening and responding.
Once you are comfortable interviewing with people you know, it will be time for you to branch out. Like any new skill, things take time and practice. As an author, with a message to share, developing your interviewing skills will serve you and help you to become known as an expert, by association!
D’vorah Lansky is the bestselling author of Book Marketing Made Easy: Simple Strategies for Selling Your Nonfiction Book Online – Visit her book blog and check out the full virtual book tour schedule at: www.BookMarketingMadeEasy.com.
D’vorah offers programs for nonfiction authors interested in growing their brand and their book sales through online book marketing practices and strategies. You can purchase her book on Amazon at: www.BookMarketingMadeEasy.com/amazon