Let's Launch Your Community
Day 4: Record Your Interview
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Congratulations! Congratulations on reaching Day 4 of your journey towards launching your community with Social Workshops!
By now, you have:
- Defined your community’s shared purpose and created personas to represent your members.
- Set up your email database and online forms to capture the desired information from your community members.
- Selected a topic for your first Social Workshop and booked an interview guest.
Now it’s time to record the Listicle Interview that you’ll use as the main presentation at your workshop.
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Decide What Platform You're Going to Use to Record Your Interview
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When recording a video interview, choosing the right platform is crucial. Sure, Zoom might be the first thing that comes to mind - and for good reason, given its popularity and ease of use. But it's worth taking a moment to consider some of the other options out there, too. For example, Riverside.FM is a popular choice for its high-quality audio and video recording capabilities, while StreamYard is a web-based solution that with features that will give your video a polished look. There are many other platforms available too. The key is to do your research and choose the one that best fits your needs.
Recommendation:
If you don't have a lot of experience with video editing or livestreaming software, stick to Zoom to record your presentations. As you grow more comfortable hosting Social Workshops, you can up your game by moving to a more sophisticated program.
Make Sure You Have a Stable Internet Connection
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Having a stable internet connection is crucial for a successful video interview, regardless of the platform you use. A spotty internet connection can easily derail an interview. I strongly recommend using an Ethernet cable instead of Wi-Fi when recording.
Recommendation:
Test your internet speed using SpeedTest.net. Check to make sure that both your upload and download speeds are fast enough for the software that you are using to record the interview.
Go To SpeedTest.netPrepare Your Equipment
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Aside from having a stable internet connection, there are other technical aspects to consider before your video interview. Make sure your webcam is working properly, your microphone is clear, and that you have good lighting in the room. If you have windows in your room, be sure to test your lighting setup at the same time of day that your interview will happen.Â
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Avoid using your computer's built-in microphone because it will probably capture a lot of echo from the room. Even an inexpensive microphone can greatly improve the sound quality. Make sure your background is clean and free from clutter or distractions. You may also want to add a simple background if needed. It's also a good idea to have any necessary documents or materials within reach for easy reference during the interview.
Recommendation: Â
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One of the easiest ways to improve the quality of your interviews is to invest an external microphone. Here are two inexpensive microphones to consider:
Create a Test Recording
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Before you dive into your actual interview, it's always a good idea to do a test recording first. This will allow you to make sure that everything is working properly and that both the audio and video quality are up to par. This also helps you become familiar with the platform and fix any issues in advance.
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Practice Makes Perfect
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Familiarize yourself with the platform you will be using and do a few test runs to get comfortable navigating it. Ask a friend or family member to assist you in conducting a practice interview. They can provide you with feedback on your presentation and body language. Be confident in yourself and your abilities. If you have prepared well, you have no reason to doubt your potential for success.
Ask the Guest to Send You Materials Ahead of Time
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Ask your guest to send you the following materials:
- A headshot
- A short bio
- Their website
- A list of five key points
The bullets do not need to be complete sentences. Shorter is usually better.
Write an Opening for the Interview
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Write an opening script for your interview. Provide a brief overview of the Social Workshop series, introduce yourself, mention the topic of this specific interview, and introduce your guest.Â
Some people like to write this script out word for word, but reading it can make you sound robotic. I recommend using bullet points, which will cause you to sound more conversational.
Sample Opening:
"Hello, my name is Seth Resler. I'm the founder of Community Marketing Revolution. This workshop series is all about helping you become a better virtual event producer. Today, we're going to give you five tips for conducting a compelling interview. Our guest for this conversation is..."
Your Guest's Bullet Points
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Make sure you have a list of the five bullet points from your guest. You will use these instead of questions. Move the interview forward by reading a bullet point and then asking your guest to expand upon it. Listen carefully to their reply and then follow up with any questions you may have. When a point has been thoroughly covered, read the next bullet point. This structure will ensure that your interview is informative, conversational, and concise.
Write a Closing for the Interview
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It's very important that you know how you want to wrap up the interview ahead of time. Thank your guest, plug their website or anything else they may be promoting, such as a book.Â
Avoid mentioning specific dates to make this interview timeless and reusable in the future. For example, if your guest is speaking at a conference in a week, don't include that in the closing. Finally, thank the audience for listening and direct them to any other resources for your own organization, such as a website.Â
Sample Closing:
"Joe Blow is an interview coach. You can buy his latest book, The Art of Interview Excellence now. Joe, thank you for being here. My name is Seth Resler. A quick reminder, you can find recordings of all of workshop conversations at Community-Marketing-Revolution-dot-com. Until next time, thank you for being here!"
Record Your Listicle Interview
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Now that you have your recording platform, your guest, and your script, you're ready to record. Before your guest appears on the show, it is crucial to conduct a test run. This will ensure that the sound quality is good and that both of you feel comfortable with the format. Once everything is set up, hit record and let the conversation flow naturally. Stick to your bullet points as a guide, but feel free to go off on an interesting tangent. Be sure to listen actively and engage with your guest throughout the interview.
Post-Production
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After recording the interview, it's time for post-production. Edit the audio by removing mistakes and awkward pauses. Add transitions and background music if needed. Adjust the audio levels. Create an attractive cover image or thumbnail for your interview to grab viewers' attention. Once everything is finalized, export the file and save it in a high-quality format.
Recommendation:
While you can find plenty of free and inexpensive video editing tools online -- and some may have even come installed on your computer! However, if you don't want to edit the video yourself, you can hire an inexpensive video editor to clean up your recording on Fiverr.com.
Go To FiverrUpload the Video to a Hosting Platform
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Once you have a finished video, upload it to YouTube or Vimeo. During your Social Workshop, you will be able to paste the link to the video into Remo and play it. Recording the presentation in advance this way ensures that you are able show a high-quality interview.
Your Homework Assignment:
- Purchase, set up, and test the necessary recording equipment, including the camera, microphone, lighting, and recording software.
- Get your guest’s bio, headshot, website URL, and five bullet points on the workshop topic.
- Record your interview.
- Edit the interview and upload it to a video hosting platform.
Up Next: Promote the Event
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Now that your event is set up, you'll need to get people to register for it. Tomorrow, I'll show you how to promote your social webinar.
Need More Help?
Need more help producing your Social Workshops? I teach an online course called “How to Launch a Community Using Social Workshops.” I am also available for one-on-one consulting to help you get your workshops up and off the ground.
Learn More