The Lakeview Blog

One of the most common questions I am asked is how to dress for on-camera interviews. With these tips, your attire is one less thing for you to worry about.  It's good to remember that your goal is to dress in a way that doesn't distract from the information you are sharing.   With that, here are a few tips. Dress appropriately for the situation. If the interview is happening in the field, you'll look silly in a suit. Avoid hot colours. This includes red, hot pink or orange. The colours will reflect up to your face and may you look warm. Avoid white. The lights will reflect and wash out your face. A small bit of any of these colours under a sweater or blazer is fine. Blue works on all skin tones. Avoid shiny, sparkly fabrics unless you really want to look like a Christmas tree. Avoid strong geometric patterned clothes. If you've ever seen clothes that seem to be moving on screen, it's because strong patterns create a moire effect and see...

There is likely nothing more intimidating than being interviewed by a journalist particularly if the topic of the interview is controversial. No one wants to look foolish and become the next social media meme. Here are some strategies to help get your message out. Prepare : Preparation is your friend. Think about what you might be asked. Be sure you have an answer to the tough questions. I can't tell you the number of times during a coaching session I've been told, "Don't ask me that. I don't like that question." If the question is uncomfortable, you can be sure it will be asked. If you are caught off-guard with a phone call from a journalist, asking for an interview, don't feel that you have to respond in the moment. It is perfectly acceptable to arrange a time that is mutually convenient. Even 10 minutes can help you prepare a key message and get any relevant statistics or information. Prepare your key messages : What is the one (maximum thre...

There is not a public relations person on the planet who hasn’t had a client who wants coverage in the news. Sadly, there are many PR people that go to unprofessional lengths to obtain this coverage. I’ve heard stories from journalists about PR people sending gimmicky trinkets to garner attention — trinkets that cost the client money and end up in file 13; that hound journalists with call after call — again costing the client money while earning them a bad rep with the reporter; or sending a War and Peace length news release when one page is what is required. (If you can’t summarize your news, how do you expect a reporter to write a pithy news article about it?) What you need to know are the elements of news — the factors that editors and reporters are looking for. The nine elements of news Timeliness : Freshness matters; it's the new in news . Does the thing you’re trying to pitch have a best-before date, after which it won’t be relevant? That could be a good...