Video interviews are one of the best possible ways to promote your business. This is especially the case if you have the chance to do the interview on a platform that has a large built-in audience. You can also produce video interviews yourself and promote them to reach your target audience, which is a fantastic way to make a splash in your industry. In fact, if you’re not already doing this, then you’re likely not reaching your full profit potential. It’s crucial to go into a video interview with your best foot forward, so you’ll definitely want to absorb the following best practices.

Video Interview Tips & Tricks

1 – State Your Name and Business Name Clearly

You can’t make an impact on your market if no one knows who you are and what your objective is. State your name to the interviewer confidently – you want people in your target market to put a name to your face. It is also crucial to make sure you state the name of your business several times throughout the interview, ensuring you tie your company to the topic at hand. Psychologically, you want people to associate your business with the topic or industry immediately from this point forward. Depending on the situation, the interviewer might do you a solid and really emphasize both your name and your business name to the viewing audience; however, don’t rely on them for this, really take the lead on it.

2 – Answer Questions Clearly and Concisely

While interviews may come naturally to some, it truly depends on your confidence level and overall practice. If you’re completely new to this, it’s good to practice ahead of time to reflect on what you would like to say. You can brainstorm questions that might be asked of you and come up with the answers you’ll give. Have an associate do a practice interview with you so you can be as prepared as possible.

It’s normal to have a bit of nerves before an interview, but remind yourself that there’s a reason you’re being interviewed in the first place – you’re an expert and the interviewer and the audience are interested in what you have to say. When you’re asked a question during the interview, answer confidently and concisely. Keep the knowledge-level of the audience in mind, depending on your industry, and explain terms and concepts that might need a little explanation. Do keep a careful balance between this and over-explaining.

3 – Don’t Speak Too Fast or Slow – Find a Pace That’s Comfortable For You

Depending on your personality or confidence level, you might have a tendency to speak either too quickly or too slowly during your interview. First of all, stop yourself from stressing and don’t worry about this so much that you panic during the interview. It can help to watch an interview of someone you admire in your field and who speaks at a good pace. Model this pace when you give your interview. You don’t want people to struggle to keep up with you or to find that you’re speaking so quickly that they have no idea what you’re talking about. Again, practicing beforehand can really help with this.

4 – Make Eye Contact With the Interviewer and Smile

If you’re stuck in your own head with nerves or in trying to figure out what you’re going to say next, you might come across as cold and detached to the audience. This isn’t what you want – as a business owner or promoter, you want to appear charismatic, friendly, and approachable to your target audience. One way to do this is simply to make eye contact with the interviewer and smile once in a while. This doesn’t have to feel forced, you can just let yourself be in the moment, forget the cameras, and have a conversation.

5 – Pause After Each Question to Gather Your Thoughts Before Answering

During the interview, you certainly don’t want to interrupt the interviewer or cut in clumsily during the conversation. Remind yourself to take a pause after you’re asked a question (this is a good time to sneak a smile in there) so you can quickly gather your thoughts and keep your pacing.

6 – Don’t Forget to Breathe!

This goes along with pacing and allowing yourself a sense of comfort during your video interview – don’t forget to breathe. Breathing and the pace of your breath might not be something you think about all the time, but doing so while you’re on camera can really be helpful. Pacing your breath can help you keep calm and focus on the questions the interviewer is asking you so you can deliver the best possible impression to your audience.

7 – Make Sure Not to Disclose any Confidential or Sensitive Information

Before the interview, review (either alone or with colleagues) what you should and shouldn’t say or reveal. There may be proprietary information that simply shouldn’t be out there or details that aren’t the best for revealing during this particular session. If needed, consult your business lawyer to double check anything you’re wondering if you should disclose.

8 – End the Interview With a Closing Statement and “Call to Action” for Viewers

It is absolutely key to end your interview with a closing statement and a call-to-action for viewers. Remember that you’re doing this interview in the hopes of getting more business or attention in your industry, and in the hopes of increasing your revenue. People are busy. Many of them will not seek you out or buy from you or hire your service if you don’t specifically tell them to do so – it’s just psychology. Tell people specifically to sign up for your email newsletter, or go to a specific URL on your website, or to follow you on social media. Don’t give people too many things to do, but do give them something specific to do next now that they’ve watched your interview.

We’re Here to Help You

This can all seem like a little too much, and it can really be beneficial to have world-class professionals on your side. Duval Visuals is standing by to help you with your video interview or other video production needs. Based in New York, NY, we specialize in video production and post-production services for marketing, internal communications, and advertising purposes. We can tell your story – your brand story, your business story, your product story. We produce videos that help corporations and businesses reach their objectives imaginatively and engagingly. Contact us today for personalized recommendations – we’re here ready for your email or call!