The Hidden Choreography of a Compelling (and Very Profitable) Marketing Tool 

“Advertising is fundamentally persuasion and persuasion is not a science, but an art.” – William Bernbach

As a consultant to one of the world’s largest digital publishing networks, I’ve had the opportunity to see the interview-tisement develop gradually over the years, from the crude and amateurish efforts that were common 10 and 15 years ago to the kind that turn ordinary books into NYT bestsellers… make instant celebrities out of college professors, pastry chefs, and fitness teachers… and result in tens of millions of dollars in sales for the expert lucky enough to be endorsed by Oprah Winfrey.

As with the direct-marketing copy that you’re familiar with – whether you’re writing it yourself or working with a copywriter – the script for the interview must achieve credibility on several levels. Not only for the guru and the product you are selling, but (very important) for the host himself. And the way you establish his credibility is to have him play the role of skeptic – in a moderate, reasonable, likable way. If he is not likable (both to the guru and to the audience), the interview is not pleasant to watch. It becomes emotionally complicated, and the message is lost. (This is the big secret that Howard Stern learned in his journey from shock jock to perhaps the best interviewer in America.)

Introducing the Guru 

You begin with the host on camera, speaking directly to the audience. He is holding research reports in his hand, which he will refer to a bit in introducing the guru, and perhaps later in the interview.

The introduction should initially be about the guru’s credibility, not track record. When it is all about track record, it becomes obvious to the audience that they are about to watch a con job. So the host begins with whatever you have about the guru that is universally recognized as credible… a good educational pedigree, a prior position with a prestigious post, a mention of publications, etc. After announcing the guru’s formal credentials, the host mentions the new idea/ system/ whatever that the guru has been invited to talk about. And he describes it in a way that is relevant, arresting, credible (again), and offers an indirect promise of some kind.

At this point, the host might take a look at his research reports and read a few things about performance and perhaps a few testimonials.

Until now, the host is NOT at all skeptical. There is no reason for him to be. He could evince the slightest gesture or the smallest comment of skepticism when he mentions a hard-to-believe performance claim, but that is all. His job during the introduction is not to confront the guru, but to give the audience a reason to think, “Wow, this is going to be interesting!”

The First Impression 

The introduction ends with the host welcoming the guru to the show. He does this by turning away from the camera to where the guru is seated.

(Note: Until now, the camera has been on the host only. This is important. The guru should not be seen until the entire introduction is completed.)

In response to being welcomed to the show, the guru smiles and says, “Thank you.” And maybe, “Happy to be here.” He does NOT start acting like a cheesy infomercial guest, barking, “I’m really excited to be here… I have so much I want to say” crap. The goal here is for the audience to see him as modest, likable, and approachable.

And, by the way, this is the protocol of every good and serious TV interview program that exists. Check for yourself if you do not believe me. Even if the guru is Tony Robbins, you will see that when he is interviewed he does this simple smile-and thank-you bit.

The First 2 Questions 

This is where the host begins the transition to intelligent, skeptical interviewer, acting as the representative of the audience, including the most skeptical of them.

That said, his first question should be only moderately skeptical. So it could, for example, be about some hard-to-believe statistic from the guru’s track record. But posed in a way that does not really challenge.

And in response to the undeniably amazing statistic that the host has just mentioned, the guru says something self-effacing, like, “Yeah, I got lucky that time.”

The host gives the guru a glance, saying, “Okay, you’re being modest” – and asks another such question.

This time, the guru admits that there must be something he’s done that is more than just luck. But he still makes an effort at modesty, presenting as someone who’s not looking to be in the spotlight. He’s there simply to answer questions about his new idea/ system/ whatever.

The Real Interview 

The guru has proven himself to be honest and likeable and confident of his abilities… so now the real interview begins, and the tougher questions are asked.

How the guru answers these more challenging questions is of upmost importance. He should not appear to be reading marketing copy on a prompter. He should not look/ act like he is trying to sell anything. Rather, he is earnestly trying to explain how his idea/ system/ whatever works. He’s undeniably excited about it, because it is genuinely good and smart. His answers are carefully posed. He lets the facts speak for themselves.

A very powerful element of this portion of the interview is the “factual correction.” In posing what he thinks are tough questions, the host makes a statement that is incorrect. In correcting the error, the guru is kind and paternal, demonstrating once again his natural modesty and trustworthiness, but also his superior knowledge of the subject at hand.

During the course of the interview, there should be two or three such corrections, each one adding to the credibility of the guru and his brilliant idea/ system/ whatever.

And now, there’s a subtle change in the host. He has lost his skepticism. His questions now come from his genuine interest in and excitement about the idea/ system/ whatever – and the conversation flows quickly and with exuberance.

The False Close and the Real Close

The penultimate portion of the interview begins with the host (and the audience he’s representing) becoming a true believer. (“How can we get in on this?” he asks.) This is equivalent to the false close in a DM promo. The benefits are repeated and the offer is presented – but only matter-of-factly – by the guru. There is no need to pitch the product hard. The believers are believers.

Now, the extra bonuses and benefits are introduced and we get the “call to action.” Reading from a piece of paper that was given to him, the host might say, “According to your chief of marketing, audience members that want to take advantage of this today will be given…”

The guru responds by either acknowledging that or even being surprised by all the extras. As each one is mentioned, he adds some information about it.

And, finally, we go back to where we began, with the host speaking directly to the audience, emphasizing the great value they will get by responding immediately.