Today we are going to talk about print and online interviews. By that, I mean newspaper, magazine, and online publications. Maybe they reached out to you. Maybe you pitched them. Maybe you saw their query through a media service like HARO - Help a Reporter Out.

It's not at all uncommon for the reporter to ask you to respond to his or her questions by email. For them, there are a few upsides. One, they don't have to record a phone call or furiously scribble notes while you're talking. They don't have to worry about misquoting you if they have your written answers. And honestly, it's easier, as they can simply copy and paste your answers into their story or article.

In fact, when you respond to queries through HARO, the journalist will often specifically state that you have to answer the questions in your response to the query. Since so many people respond to those queries (because they are often from big publications), they won't bother setting up a call with you when they can just use the information and quotes other people have emailed them.

And sometimes, being willing to answer questions by email can help you. After all, for many stories, the reporter or writer is on a tight deadline and doesn't have time to schedule a call when it is convenient for both of you. If you answer the questions and return them quickly, they will appreciate it and likely contact you again for future stories.

But that's exactly why I want to encourage you to try to talk to the reporter personally whenever you can. Suggest phone, Zoom, or anything that allows you to connect personally. You can even use the reason that you want to explain the topic in ways that are hard to do by email.

Remember, you are trying to build a relationship with that journalist, reporter or writer. Ideally, you would form a connection that is beneficial for both of you - he or she gets quality information from an expert and you get exposure. That reporter or journalist will be more likely to use you over and over if they grow to like you and like what you have to say.

One of the things I do with the clients I work with one-on-one is that you and I figure out which newspapers, magazine, trade journals and online publications and sites would be best for you and your business, find journalists and reporters who would be best for your topic, create an appealing pitch, and craft your message for that reporter or journalist that positions you as the expert in your industry.

Now please remember, that just like my website, my coaching and everywhere else, that I am not giving business, financial, legal, medical or any other kind of advice here. Talk to a professional for advice specific to your situation.

If you want to learn more...if you want more customers, more clients, more patients, you want to make more money, you want to be recognized as THE expert in your industry, or you even want people you don't even know to come up to you at the gym or in the grocery store, thanking you for helping them, I can help you become a Media PRO.

Go to MediaProsCoaching.com and sign up for a FREE 30-minute media strategy session with me. We will see where you are and what you're trying to achieve in your business, and then plan some strategies for you to get more media interviews and appearances to achieve all those goals and far more.

While you're there, pick up my FREE eBook - The Media PROS Interview Checklist, offering you a handy reference full of tips to shine in your next media interview or appearance so they keep asking you back, over and over.