The Wright Scoop

As my colleague Annette Pelliccio of The Happy Gardener says, “It is imperative that I communicate …, be the spokesperson for my product or service.”
In some ways, because of multiple forms of industry involvement, I have more experience than most people related to TV and/or radio exposure. My varied spokesperson participation ranges from a 30-second advertisement to 30-minute radio and TV interviews as well as a PBS-TV featured garden segment. So, let’s start a discussion by describing positive experiences.
When the co-host of the PBS-TV show “Virginia Home Grown,” Richard Nunnally, and his crew visited my woodland garden, he and I walked my property. Eventually, the camera shifted its focus on the two of us. Continuing our walk, we talked about the ongoing impact of the surrounding urban and suburban development, specifically, its negative impact of increased water runoff and pollution. Although Richard and I initially discuss each topic, the film segment captured our discussion as if it were spontaneous.
The second part of my experience occurred at the station’s studio. While I waited in the studio’s “green room,” I viewed with the TV audience the filmed segment and then, a few seconds later, walked onto the stage to join Richard. During the remaining 15 minutes, we continued a topical discussion and then, answered call-in questions.
Why did I find these experiences relatively easy in which to participate? My host Richard Nunnally enabled a controlled experience in which both he and I were familiar with the information.
However, not all encounters are well-managed. A few years ago, I participated in a PBS-TV panel discussion of a local environmental issue. Prior to the show, no one made contact to discuss the content or expectations of this program. When I arrived, I was informed the host was not available and we (the panel) were asked to improvise and fill the half-hour slot. To complicate the situation, no one explained the positioning of the cameras or interpreted the signals of lighting. So, believe me, the public most certainly witnessed an unrehearsed discussion of an emotional environmental issue.
Whether controlled or improvised, guidelines for participating in a TV segment remain the same. Similar to speaking before a group, you want to look the part, step into your branded uniform, speak clearly and use a vocabulary appropriate for the viewer audience. Nervous habits such as playing with your hair or using hands to illustrate points are avoided. Also, it is best to avoid a repeated use of words such as OK or “well, actually,” which distract from what you say.
And, when asked a question, listen, I mean truly listen, to what is asked. You don’t want to reply with an answer that is unrelated to the question. If the question is not clearly heard or you want to stall to carefully choose words, there is nothing wrong with requesting the repeat of a question. If you are recording “live” radio or TV, you can not later take back spoken words. To hear a sample “live” radio interview, link to my Author’s Interview with the Renee Bobb Show at www.blogtalkradio.com/thereneebobbshow/2010/02/24/meet-the-award-winning-author-sylvia-wright .
Participating in TV or radio media is critical to the development of brand recognition. To develop confidence, start with smaller group experiences. Offer speeches to smaller groups and expand activities by participating in a radio interview which does not include the visual component; and then, approach a TV audience. Go for it because visibility is the stuff of creating a brand, you!
To share comments, ideas or strategies related to this subject or other communication topics, contact me at Sylvia@TheWrightScoop.com or call (804) 672-6007. Together, let’s create a series of column topics that are helpful to the Industry.

About the author – Sylvia Hoehns Wright, author of The ABCs of Green Industry Communications: assess, brand & communicate, http://www.lulu.com/content/6083320, volunteers as PR for Virginia GoGreen projects, www.virginiagreen.org and Beautiful Gardens®, www.beautifulgardens.org. For details of Wright’s activities, see www.TheWrightScoop.com or contact her at (804)672-6007.