An expensive publicist.

New business cards.

A fancy designer dress.

All fun but not at all necessary for rocking your first media interviews. Or for winning at business in general.

Most of these things are actually just distractions that we tell ourselves we need in order to accomplish something… and all it really does is give us an excuse from diving in and doing the real work that gets real results.

One of many ways we limit ourselves in business is by trying to make things more difficult than they need to be. 

I see this with clients all the time. A common limiting belief: Think big: I want to land the Today Show or nothing!

While thinking big isn’t bad at all, we all have to start somewhere.

Another limiting belief: I need to lose weight. Or roll out a fancy new website. Or (insert other random tasks that will just keep you busy and keep you from action).

If you can do it by, like, tomorrow… then sure, get a fancy new dress or redecorate your office. But I assure you, none of those things will have an impact on the results of your media coverage or your immediate business success as much as just showing up and doing real, consistent work, day in and day out. 

If you wait until you feel 100% ready, you’re going to be waiting forever.

But there are a few things that will make a difference and they’re probably none of those things you’re obsessing over.

Here are three things you really do need before doing a media interview (or before starting a business for that matter!):

1- An Audience

And not just any audience.

Obviously you’re going to have an audience on the other end of your media and it’s good to keep them in mind.

For instance, are you going to be on a local TV show that airs at 9 a.m. with a primary audience of stay-at-home moms or are you going to be writing for a blog that attracts retirees? You’ll want to know who watches/reads/listens to the specific media outlet you’re featured in, but the audience I’m referring to is your target audience. 

You want to make sure that you’re really addressing your ideal client or customer.

What would they want to know?

What kind of tips can you offer?

Remember that a big benefit to getting media coverage is that you’ll have a great piece of content to share on your website, your newsletter, and social media. So speak to your audience!

Here’s a simple way to make sure you’re on the right track. Ask yourself: do my talking points and interview style match the style and tone of my website, sales copy, and overall brand?

When you do this right, you’ll not only have a chance to introduce yourself or your product to a larger audience, you’ll also cut through the crowd and really resonate with your target client and reach the people that you need to walk through your door or click ‘buy’ on your website.

Like Marie Forleo says, “If you’re talking to everyone, you’re talking to no one.”

2- A place to send them

This might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised by how many people want to get in the media or want to be known as the go-to expert in their field and don’t have an active website or physical location. 

At the very least, make sure you have a landing page that you can send the audience to for more information.

You only have a limited time to make an impression during an interview, but if you can get people to go to your website to learn more, you can sell them for much longer with great content.

3- A clear call to action

What’s the point of being in the spotlight if you aren’t going to tell people what to do next or how to work with you?

An inviting call to action is a nice way to wrap up your interview.

Some good examples include:

“Join us at our grand opening event on… (date and details).”

“Sign-up for our email newsletter to receive $10 off your first order.”

“Support this cause by making a donation… (how to donate).”

There you have it! Those are three things you definitely want to have in place before you get media coverage. If you have these main points down, you’ll be ready to handle the increased awareness and clients that come knocking on your door (or website). 

So, post in the comments below— (see, wrapping up with a call to action is great for blog posts too– accountability is effective!), these three simple bullet points:

1. Who is your audience?
2. Where are you going to send them?
3. What is your call to action?

 Wondering how to get media interviews in the first place? Check out my publicity guide for tips. I also have several blogs on this topic!