Your call to action is one of the most important parts of your press/outreach strategy. It tells readers and viewers what you want from them and drives clear action, bringing you more customers and clients. When you use your CTA as the foundation for your press strategy and your pitches/press releases, you'll see a major return on investment regardless of whether you're promoting an event, a new product or service.
Now, let's drive the nail home by saying your call to action in the interview itself.
How do I do this?
I often remind my clients that, for the most part, nobody is out to get you. The journalist wants to tell a good story and is depending on you to do so.
You can use this to confidently mention your call to action and what you need from the reader or viewer. After all, reporters aren't just looking for interesting stories, they're looking for stories that impact readers. So by specifically mentioning your call to action, you align with the reporter's need for an interesting story and you answer the age-old newsroom question: "how does this affect readers?"
Additionally, although we think of reading/watching the news as a pretty passive activity, the truth is that most readers want to play a larger role in what they read. This is especially true for news related to crises, where people can actually help by donating money or supplies. However, it's also true just for everyday needs that people face at work or at home. If you meet a real need in the market or in your community, people will want to hear about it.
That means even though you're nervous, the truth is that the interviewer isn't waiting to trip you up. In fact, it's just the opposite: they're waiting for you to say something impactful and relevant so listeners know where they fit in and how to help you achieve your goal.
It's up to you unite all of these audiences and get them moving with a clear and direct call to action.
The Actual Interview
So when it comes down to the interview itself, there are typically three moments to do this:
At the very beginning when the reporter asks "Tell me why we're here today" or "Why does this event/product/issue matter?". With this question, you can both state the problem, declare the urgency and give the solution, which is powerful to the listener (and easier to edit for the reporter.) It's memorable for people who want to help you and easier for them to repeat and spread your message for you! (Another benefit? You get it all out early and can relax the rest of the interview or even underline it multiple times for maximum impact!)
When the reporter asks "Is there anything else I should know?" You should mention your CTA every single time even if you already have earlier. It reminds the reporter that this is a critical part of the story and, if you messed up your first soundbite, gives you a second shot to have it included in the final story.
By introducing the "thing" itself. If you're an artist, offer to sing on camera or show off your art during your interview. If you're raising money for animal conservancy, let us meet the animal. If you're helping students, put them on camera! This allows you to visually pivot and recapture waning attention. Most people are not good listeners and having to hear someone speak for several minutes isn't easy. This makes your call to action more memorable, more interesting and more impactful because people can see the immediate need.
Having a clear, concise call to action is critical for a good return on your press strategy. It not only gives the reporter more direction, but it also gives the reader a clear next step.
And you?
It gives you the confidence you need to get on camera, put your nerves to the side and tell people what you need from them.
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