Comments on: 5 Tips for Interviews That Produce Great Content

By: Promod Sharma | @riscario

Promod Sharma | @riscario — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 17:41:05 +0000

Makes sense. Thanks for the explanation, Helena.

By: Helena Bouchez

Helena Bouchez — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 12:47:46 +0000

@riscario – Providing interviewees with a list of questions actually makes the interview much better. It allows people to think through what they want to say a little bit, which makes for more cohesive answers. And Susan doesn’t actually plow through the list mechanically and she typically asks the question in a little bit different way that’s written, based on what she knows about you through the answers you’ve already given. That’s where the element of spontaneity comes into play!

By: Promod Sharma | @riscario

Promod Sharma | @riscario — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 02:14:38 +0000

Thanks for this interesting post. I haven’t recorded an interview (yet).

I’m puzzled by #5. I see why the interviewer would prepare a list of questions, but sharing them? Doesn’t that take away from the spontaneity of the responses? You can see that I’m not a polished interviewer

By: Helena Bouchez

Helena Bouchez — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 18:50:37 +0000

Bernie, She is, indeed, an absolute pro and a total delight! Thanks so much for this. Suz are your ears burning?

By: Bernie Borges

Bernie Borges — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 17:49:36 +0000

I’ve had the honor of being a guest on Susan Bratton’s Dishymix podcast. When she sent me a list of questions to prepare for the interview it was very evident that Susan is a pro and cares deeply about being prepared for each interview. It’s that preparation, combined with Susan’s vibrant personality that makes her podcast show so successful. I am an avid listener of Dishymix and I can honestly say I get huge educational value from her podcasts. Her advice is well founded in success.

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By: Helena Bouchez

Helena Bouchez — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 15:01:35 +0000

Indeed. Also known as “Flow” (Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi). But for the times you can’t get there (into that groove) and you still need to produce and post something, knowing a shortcut or two sure comes in handy!

Thank you too, for the great insights. Cheers! H

By: Greg Elwell

Greg Elwell — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 14:38:39 +0000

The vetting and qualifying of ideas is a valid point. Noodling on an idea and letting it incubate while you do further research, explore angles and value to others makes total sense. The point I was trying to make was once you’re in your “Element” (where passion and natural ability merge – according to Ken Robinson in “The Element) you are in the zone of creativity and not void of ideas.

Thanks for the thought-provoking post and comments.

Greg

By: Helena Bouchez

Helena Bouchez — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:46:31 +0000

Alex,

To your point, I’d add to this list a sixth tip, which is, “Don’t be afraid of dead air.” Sometimes if you just ask the question and shut up, the 15-20 seconds of space allows an interviewee’s brain to relax and they open up and start saying all kinds of fascinating things! Thanks!

By: Helena Bouchez

Helena Bouchez — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:43:43 +0000

Hi Greg! Of course, as content creators, and creative people in general, we have ideas-a-plenty. And a burning desire to communicate as well. But to stand out, to earn the respect and attention of readers, requires a scrupulous vetting and qualifying those ideas. Are they fresh? Have 1,000 other people written about them — from the same angle? Do I have anything new to say about these ideas and if not, who is thinking more deeply about this subject (and thus has something really valuable to say on it) than I do?

It’s the questions that force the cream to the top. Relentlessly and rigorously judging our ideas and only giving those that will truly helps readers move forward is an act of respect and, I think, what keeps readers coming back to read more, as well as compels them to share our work with others.

By: Greg Elwell

Greg Elwell — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 04:49:39 +0000

A content creator running out of ideas? Oh my, how terrible. I love Susan and listen to her podcasts religiously. But there seems to me a slight disconnect here. Yet I do think content creators should follow your recommendation and do quality interviews. I had the pleasure of video taping HubSpot’s VP of Customer Success (love that title), Jonah Lopin – and combined it with a series of emailed interview questions produced here: http://www.b2binbound.com/blog/bid/38604/Maximizing-HubSpot-Customer-Success-Jonah-Lopin-Interview – it was refreshing.

But…true content creators don’t run out of ideas. They have a burning desire to communicate a definite purpose. And, they possess a creative imagination in persistent, continuous movement towards achievement. Those of you, “Think and Grow Rich,” Napoleon Hill junkies will know what I’m referring to. Part of the problem is we get ideas all the time but “most ideas are stillborn and need the breath of life injected into them through definite plans of immediate action,” according to Hill. The content creator’s challenge is to focus on nursing and breathing life into ideas. And, as Hill states, “every minute it lives gives it a better chance of surviving.”

By: Elaine Fogel

Elaine Fogel — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 16:43:03 +0000

I agree with Alexandros. Sometimes a good question will come out of a previous answer and I want to take the interviewee there even if the question wasn’t included on the pre-interview list. Spontaneity works well.

By: Alexandros Poulos

Alexandros Poulos — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 13:20:29 +0000

I’d have to add to that list: Don’t be afraid to go off-script! As the producer of a popular podcast series involving interviews with industry experts in the fireld of learning technologies, some of the best conversations we have had came from unanticipated questions – ones that weren’t on the prepared list of questions, but became part of the interview as the actual conversation was taking place. At first our host resisted asking such questions out of fear of catching the participant off guard (we follow all of the steps described in the article including sending each guest a list of questions) or digressing from the original topic or both. However in many cases, taking that leap has made for a conversation that was far more interesting and valuable to our audience.

-Alex